their body subiect to the palsey dropsie gowt and infinite other diseases their bodies drowsie and vnapt to all goodnesse they waxe olde in young age and are in daunger of destroying both body and soule euerlastingly Swallowe downe that which is in thy mouth before thou drinke and before thou put also the cup to thy mouth wipe the same well with thy table napkin and after thou hast done doo the like It is an vnmannerly part to looke aside or backward when thou drinkest Thanke him gently that drinketh to thée and make semblance to pledge him setting the cuppe to thy mouth and making as though thou didst drinke though thou drinke little or nothing But if any bee so rude and voide of good manners that he would force thée to pledge him more than is necessarie refuse it modestly desiring him to pardon thée In drinking let thy drinke goe downe leysurely and easily not gulping it in or swallowing it gréedily like a brute beast When thou eatest pottage thou maiest not bite thy bread and so put it in neither wring it a péeces in with thy hands for that is clownish but cut it on thy trencher in small morsels and then put it into the pottager And beware thou soupe not thy pottage but eate it leisurely with a spoone without taking it into thy mouth gréedily forcibly drawing thy breath with it as some clownes do vse sounding at the receipt of euery spoonefull Slurrop Beware also that thou spill no pottage nor sauce either on the table cloth or on thy clothes Some there be that can scarce abide till they be set at the table but they will fall to their meate like gréedie wolues or cormorants but be not thou too hastie though it be among thy equals for so thou maiest be noted of arrogancie and immodestie and by putting a morsell too hoate in thy mouth thou maiest be driuen quickly to voide out the same againe than the which nothing can be more slouenly and make thée more laughed to scorne A childe must stay a while before he begin to eate though he be hungrie that he may learne to moderate his affections therfore Socrates when he was olde would not drink assoone as his cup was filled although he were very thirstie If a childe sit at table with his betters he must be the last that shall put his hand in the dish and scant do that vnlesse he be bidden but must be contented with that is giuen him A childe must not vse dipping his hand in the sauce but if he be willed to vse sauce with his meate let him take the meat on his knifes point and dip it therin To turne the dish choose where to cut is a lickerish and vnmannerly part but cut on that part next thée how euer it fall Leauing the daintiest morsels alwaies for thy betters Thou must neither lick nor pick the meat nor lick the sugar from about the platters side Beware thou offer not to eate of any dish whereof thy betters haue not first eatē Much lesse maiest thou presume to touche those dishes first which should be last Whensoeuer thy betters shall offer thée any meate reach out thy trencher and take it but remember that presently thou bow thy body reuerendly to him that gaue it thée If a dainty péece of meat be offred thée make a reuerend shew of refusall as if thou hadst rather that the partie should kéepe it to himselfe but if thou bee earnestly willed to take it receiue it with like modestie as is aforesaide and of such dainty péece giue alwaies part to him next thée or to two or thrée by thée if the portion will extend so largely That which being offred thou canst not receiue conueniently according to manners with thy fingers receiue the same with thy trencher or plate If a peece of Pye or of Tart bee offered thée receiue that on thy plate or trencher not with thy fingers If Custard or such like meate bee offered thée receiue it on thy plate or trencher and wiping the spoone wherewith it was deliuered thée with thy table napkin deliuer it againe with humble bowing of thy body to him that gaue it thée if he be thy superior It is vnmannerly and euill to licke thy fingers being moistned with the fat of meat or to wipe them on thy clothes and as vnséemely and also vnholsome is it to swallow downe whole morsels without chewing like Storkes and Herons If thou séest one cutting meate that thou likest it is ill manners for thée to offer thy trencher before he make any offer thereof to thée for thou shouldst so bee iudged a lickorish gréedy gut When thou receiuest any thing at the table with thy hande lay holde of it with no more but thy thumbe and two forefingers the hinder fingers being bowed in mannerly In eating thou must put thy morsels of bread and meate beeing cutte leysurely and modestly into thy mouth with the thumbe and forefinger of thy left hande the other thrée fingers beeing bowed in one beneath the other If one offer thée meate that thou louest not or goeth against thy stomacke deny it not churlishly as Clitipho answered his mother saying I will none of it But giue him thanks shamefastly if hee still offer it say Pardon mee Sir I loue it not or it is not good for me Let Children also learne howe to carue meate for there is one manner of caruing the leg of flesh another of the shoulder another of the brest c. one manner of cutting vp a Capon another of a Fesant another of a Partridge another of a Ducke another of a Conie c. all which must bee learned by daylie experience Beware that in cutting thy meate at the table thou handle or tutch no parte of the meate more than thou cuttest for thy selfe For auoiding of which euill the Italians and Germanes vse little forkes of siluer or stéele with their kniues in cutting meate It is a most slouenly thing to offer to gnaw anie bread or meate at the table And as euill is it to offer vnto another that which thou hast alreadie halfe eaten To bite meate or bread and then dip it in the sawce is verie clownish and as vnmannerly to take anie thing chewed out of thy mouth and lay it on thy trencher If by chance thou haue got into thy mouth anie stinking or vnsauerie morsell of meate which thou canst not swalow turne thy face aside and with thy napkin couer thy face and so rid it away secretly that it be not séen or perceiued To take vp againe to eate the fragments from thy trencher is no good manners Throw not downe thy bones to file the house or make dogs fight nor lay them on the cloath but put them on a voyder or on a corner of thy trencher Picke not the meate out of an egge wyth thy fingers nor licke it with thy tung Let no grease hang about thy lips but kéep thy mouth clean with thy
thy infansie when thou wast of thy self quite helples they still prouide thée of all necessaries and labour so to mainteine thée and bring thée vp in learning and knowledge of good arts that thou maiest be able heareafter to lyue in credit as a man among men Which benefits receiued of thy parents thou canst neuer be able in any sort to recompence them Bee then diligent to please and readye to be ruled by them of whome thou hast thy being and all thou hast whom God hath made so able and willing to bring forth to helpe and doo thée good and whose kindenes so farre excedeth all that thou canst deserue Next to thy parents thou art nearely bound in duetie to thy Schole-maisters and teachers who are as spirituall Parents to beget and bring forth in thée vertues and all Godlines and who indeuor to nourish thée and to make thée grow vp stronger stronger in knowledge learning and wisedome vntill thou become a perfect man A certain duetie and reuerence saint Paul also willeth to be vsed to equals thou then beeing a childe must bee carefull to vse good behauiour in manners and curtesie euen towardes thy equals and companions And know that hee that sheweth himselfe most curteous and well mannered among his equalls is so farre from sustaining anie discredite thereby that he getteth thereby the good-will and commendations of all his familiars In speaking to thy superiors vse not manie words and let those words thou speakest be vttered with reuerence both of speach and countenance When thou speakest to thine equalls let thy countenance be amiable and thy speach familiar and frendly Shamefastnes is a Vertue beséeming a childe so as it be moderate for as to be brazen-faced and shameles is a vice so to bee ouer bashfull and ashamed to shew his face is a fault also If anie honorable man or one of great account offer to take thée by the hand before thou deliuer him thy hand kisse lightly the fore-finger of thy right hand then deliuering him thy hand boow modestly first thy right knée after thy left and humblye boow thy bodie withall alwaies when he speaketh to thée or thou art about to aunswere him boow thy right knée once modestly If he continue talking with thée looke thou stil modestly on him not moouing thine eyes much but beware thou stare not too much in his face for that were a shameles and most vnmannerly part Neither let thy lookes be too much hanging downe for that were péeuish and a signe of one hauing a guilty conscience To looke askew with thine eyes cast aside were a signe of one imagining some mischiefe To tosse thy sight or turne thy face thys way and that way were a signe of a foolish and vnconstant minde It is also a fowle and vnséemely thing for thée to make faces in wrything thy visage into diuers formes or to rub one while thy nose another while thy forhead or one while to lift vp thine eye browes another while to pull them down too much or to patter with thy lips or one while to thrust out thy mouth too much another while to pul it in ouer-much or to shake thy head or to cough vnles thou be there too inforced or to spet oft or to scratch thy head to picke thine eares or to blow thy nose or to smoothe thy face with thine hand as if thou wouldest wype away shamefastnes from thée to bee picking or rubbing thy neck as if thou wert lowsie or to clyng in thy shoulders as some Italians vse All these are euill In standing thus before thy betters hold thy hat in thy left hand with both thy hands mannerly before thée for to hold thy hat or booke vnder thine arme-pit in standing so were clownish As thou art thus standing in talke thou maist not winke with thine eyes nod at anie bodie nor turne away thy head If were an ill fauoured thing thus standing to play with thine armes to vse apish toyes with thy fingers or to be short not to séeme for to speake with thy tung but with thy whole bodie Let thy voice be gentle and soft and therewith deliberate not too quicke nor too slow nor too high for that were clownish nor too low but it may easilie be vnderstood Let not thy spéech be too hastie as I said but let it goe with thy vnderstanding and be vttered so leysurely as it may well be vnderstood for manie are so rash in speaking that they make themselues soone windlesse and forget halfe of that which they should haue spoken besides that it bringeth them to an ill habit of stutting and stammering which might haue bin avoided if héedefull deliberation had béene vsed in their childhood In speaking to any Honorable or Worshipfull person it is good manners to repeat nowe and then the title of his Honour or Worship There is no name should bee of greater account nor more deare than that of Father and Mother nor none more louing and friendlie than the name of brother sister If thou be ignorant of the titles of dignities of each estate know that Lordes are honourable Knights chiefe Gentlemen worshipfull and vse to anie man séeming of anie good account this title Sir c. It is a most shamefull thing for a childe to bee heard sweare either in test or in earnest A like shame it is for them to vtter any word of ribandrie or filthie spéech nay they must not abide to heare anie such filthinesse But in manie places now a daies all feare of God and care of modestie set a side children euen from their infancie are delighted in these abhominable euils which they ought most of all things to abhorre If thou bee driuen to name anie vncleane or dishonest thing in spéech vse first this preamble sauing your honour sauing your worship or to meane persons sauing your reuerence Beware that thou once name not much les that thou shew any secret part of thy bodie which nature willeth to be kept hidden and secret Beware howe thou gainesay anie thing spoken by thy elders if thou hearest them affirme anie thing that thou knowest to bée contrarie to their saying if thou bee driuen to reply vnto their spéeches denie not flatlye their spéeches but curteouslie first say with your fauoure Sir I knowe the matter to stand thus or thus or I haue heard Sir that it is thus or so Nay it is euill and vnséemely for thée to giue the lye to thine equalls or fellowes A well mannered childe will neuer quarrell nor brabble with anie but will rather either put vp wrong or commit the matter to arbitrement Thou must not boast nor extoll thy self aboue other thou must not finde fault wyth the dooings of another Be not hastie to reproue other Tattle not abroad whatsoeuer thou hearest Backbite no bodie Disdaine not another for whatsoeuer infirmity or vncomelines Nature affoordeth him knowing that God could also haue made thée more vgly than a toad but
table napkin To gnaw bones is dog-like but to picke the meat off with thy knife is good maners Thou must take salt with thy knife out of the salt-seller not with thy fingers if it be too farre off desire some others helpe To licke the dish or trencher whereon anie swéete thing hath béen is rather the propertie of a cat than of a well nurtured childe Cut thy meate in pretie morsels and to euerie morsell of meate eat a morsel of bread that is both wholsome and good manners Some rauenously deuoure their meat rather than eate it as if they should neuer againe come to meate but these rather steale their meat than receiue it thankfully Some thrust so much into their mouthes at once that their chéeks swel like bag-pipes Other open their iawes so wide that they smacke like hogs some blow at the nose All which are beastly fashions To drinke or speake when thy mouth is full is not only slouenly but dangerous Some eate and drinke all the while they sit at the table glutton-like Others scratch their heads picke their nose and eares or playe some apish toyes wyth theyr handes or shake their heads or wincke or looke awry with their eies or play with their knife or cough or spit but all these are signes of Clownish fooles Though children be not permitted to talke at the table in presence of their betters yet they may marke the wise and pleasant discourses of other And if they be asked any question they must haue a regarde to aunswere discréetly yet chearefullie And if they be willed to discourse of any thing they must not be too bashfull as they may not bée too sawcie It is not good manners to sit at the table looking heauie and sad but to shewe a lightsome and cheareful countenance is requisite and commendable There be some so blockish that sitting at the table they marke nothing what is done or saide Nay if a man speake to them they are as it were halfe a sléepe and can scarce tell what they eate These are rather like senceles stones than like men But a héedfull childe may get much profit aswell by marking the wise sayings of others as by obseruing the manners of those that best behaue themselues at the Table It is no good manners to gaze about the Table marking what euerie one eateth neyther maiest thou looke long vppon anye that sit at the Table or that stands by and it is lesse good manners to looke a squint still vpon any that is beside thée It is a dishonest parte to report abroade whatsoeuer hath bin spoken at the Table in secrecie or as one friend may vtter to another things which he would not haue published A childe sitting at table with onely his equalls may talke but let his talke be seasoned with modestie and wisedome But if he sit with those that bée farre his superiors he must not talke at all except it bee that a question be asked him When merrie talke is vsed of his superiours hee may not laugh a loud but must smile a little modestlie If anie his superiours chance to vtter any spéeches of of ribawdrie hee may in no wise laugh thereat but must make semblance as though heard them not Silence is counted a vertue in women and much more séemelie is it in Children Beware thou answere not before he that speaketh to thée hath ended his spéech for so shalt thou be but mocked Salomon the wise accounted it foolishnes to answere before the tale were heard and it it were necessarie to pause a little after the question If thou vnderstand not well what hee spake and he expect an answere pray him to beare with thée and tell him the cause When thou vnderstandest his demaund answere discréetly briefly and chéerfully Thou maist not there speake anie thing gainst a mans credit nor to renue his gréefe Thou maist not dispraise any victuals set before thée but those thou louest féed on modestly thankfully leauing the other If any at the table behaue himselfe vndecently séeme thou rather not to sée than to mocke him Be not thou readie to finde fault with others follies but indeuour to be thy selfe vnreprouable imitating those that best behaue themselues It were not good for children to sit ouer long at the table for that both hindreth helth and dulleth the wits But children must obey their parents wills Those that would suffer children to be pinched with hunger are merciles and they that would haue them eate and drinke vntill they be readie to burst are lesse their frends Children should be fed and not crammed for some thinke that they are neuerfull vnlesse the belly be thrust so full that they hee like to burst or to spue But a measure should be learned from the infancie Some thinke to loue but hate their children so that they suffer them to be banquetting almost all night If the banquet bee so long that thou canst not well sit it out arise take away thy trencher and scraps with thy napkin making obeysance toward him that séemeth the worthiest in the companie and come and waite by the table mannerly In taking off or setting on anie dish to the table beware thou spill no broth nor such like vpon anie bodies clothes In reaching or taking any thing vse thy right hand and not thy left If thou wilt snuffe the candle take it from the table being snufft tread out the snuffe plucked off quickly least the smell thereof offend any bodie The manner of voyding the table like as also of furnishing the same and of spreading the cloth is sundry waies vsed according to the dignitie of persons that are to eat for the seruice of princes is of one sort that of great Lords is of another sort of worshipfull persons is otherwise all which fashions are farre aboue this subiect which is but a short instruction for certaine obseruations to bee marked of the ruder sort Yet forasmuch as some Gentlemen and other will haue their children to take away the table commonlye after meate I thinke it not amisse to speake a few woordes of the manner how to take away the Table When thou therefore art appointed by thy parents or betters to that function looke that in taking off the dishes thou take them off in the same order that they were serued to the table the grosest meates which were first serued being first taken away and the daintiest that were last serued take last away and in taking away the dishes beware that thou spill no broth or sawce on the table cloth or on the clothes of anie that sit at table And if thou bee willed to fill any wine or béere to the table fill not the cup too full least thou spill in deliuering it But forasmuch as children are not troubled with anye more than with voyding of the last furniture of the table namely with the chéefe and frute let vs speake thereof If in wayting this while at the table ther be giuē
thée an apple or such like thou maist not stand eating the same before the table but bestow it till afterward neither mayst thou gaze stedfastly on such iunkets as thou séest and likest there much lesse mayst thou stare on those that sit and eate but be attentiue and readie to serue what shall bee called for When dinner is done and thou willed to take away first couer the salt if it bee not couered before then take away the frute dishes in order the last serued first and so on and lastly the chéese But beware of catching for figs comfets or such daintie things before the table bee voyded and grace said When chéese and all is voyded set on the table a faire voyding charger making therewith a legge then with thy trencher-knife take vp the trenchers putting them into the voyder one after another beginning at the vpper part of the messe first and with the same trencher-knife gather al the crummes and fragments into the voyder and still lay or deliuer away the table napkins as thou gettest them all saue one which thou shalt hang on thy left arme When thou hast thus gathered into the voyder all the crums and scraps bring downe the voider lower and with the table napkin that hanged on thine arme holding the one end thereof in thy right hand and the other in the left take with thy right hand the loues from the salt one by one put them in the voider but so as the end of the table napkin be betwéene the bread and thy hand lastly take the salt as thou diddest the loaues with thy right and holding the same on the right side of the voider with that end of thy table napkin and hauing before laide the voiding knife on the top of the voider draw ouer the other end of the napkin with thy left hand and so lifting vp the voider with both hands make obeisance and carry it away then returne and folde vp first both the sides of the table cloth then the ends and so turning it thrée or foure double drawing it towarde thée downeward take it of making a lowe leg looking toward the cheefe at the table In honorable and some worshipfull houses the salt and voiding knife is taken away solemnly alone after the voider But this shall suffice for the meaner sort After the table cloth is taken away attend till the companie be silent then with a sober countenance and iesture after thou hast made obeisance begin to say grace A grace or praier before meate O Lord God almightie and father most mercifull which giuest all good things and blessest all that is blessed blesse vs we beséech thée and all thy good benefits ordained by thée to our comfort Giue vs grace thankfully to receiue them moderately to vse them and to be bettered by inioying of them Vouchsafe also to saue prosper and preserue thy Church vniuersall our Quéene and this realme and send vs true peace both of conscience and of bodily state and a right vnity in religion thorough Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour Amen A grace or thankesgiuing after meate WE yéelde thée most humble and hearty thankes O God of all graces and father most fauourable for this our good refreshing and all other thy infinite bounties bestowed most mercifully on vs. Féed vs also we pray thée with the foode of thy holy spirite that we may dayly grow stronger and stronger in true faith godlinesse and vertue Vouchsafe also to saue prosper and preserue thy Church vniuersall our Quéene and this Realme and send vs true peace both of conscience and of bodily state and a right vnity in religion through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Of manners at play PLay is to be vsed for sport at some times and for to refresh the spirites and make the bodie more healthie and actiue it is not to be vsed as an occupation It is said that the naturall disposition of a childe is most easily to be séene in play whether he be giuen to pride lying anger strife selfe will deceipt or what other vertue or vice Be thou therefore in play gentle plesant iust and frendly remembring that thou playest to exercise thy bodie and delight thy minde and by contention and wrangling thou shouldest distemper thy bodie and disquiet thy minde Play not for great wagers but for frendly familiaritie Striue not so much for the wager as to win victorie yet rather than thou shouldest séeme contentious yéeld ouer the victorie to the vanquished and flie al falshood or fraud Of manners in the chamber WHen thou commest into thy chamber at euening remember that thou art now going to bed which is a figure of thy graue and that sléepe is an image of death Call to minde therefore how thou hast spent the day past examine thy conscience whether thou haue committed anie euil thing if thou haue crie God heartely mercie therefore praye him for Christes sake to forgiue thée That done look ouer héedfully once or twice that which thou hast to repeate next morning Afterward knéeling on thy knées deuoutly pray that God would lightē thine vnderstanding with his holy spirit which may lead thée into all truth that he would protect thée and kéepe thée from all euill both of soule and bodie Pray also for all in authoritie for thy frends and for al whom God wold haue prayed for and concluding with the Lordes prayer commit thy selfe into the handes of God almightie In putting off or putting on thy cloathes beware that thou vncouer not anie part of thée which Nature would haue hidden In lying with another touch him not nor be anie way troublesome vnto him Make no noyse shouting nor foolish laughter in the chamber but remember that euen there where thou thinkest thy selfe most priuate God almightie beholdeth all thy dooings to whom thou owest more dutie and reuerence than to all the men in the world Be cleanly and neate in thy chamber auoyding all sluttishnes In the morning when thou risest call to thy remembrance also how thou art to enter into the course of that day as into a long and dangerous iourney for the diuell wil be readie to assault thée diuers wayes the examples of the wicked to allure thée the lusts of the flesh to entice thée to euil and all these are enimies to the true happines of thy soul and bodie besides manie mischaunces that may befall thée Pray therefore earnestlye vnto God to safe-conduct guide and defend thée so shalt thou bee safe vnder his shield And remember in the day to vse as occasion shal serue the manners before in this Treatise spoken of Now the Lord of life and Author of all goodnes graunt thée grace to walke in true godlines and good manners that thou maist grow to be a perfect man in Christ Iesus Amen A praier for children to vse in the Morning O Lord God most holie most high mightie and glorious that by thine vnspeakable wisedome and omnipotencie hast made all things