Early English Meals and Manners Part 78

[Sidenote: Make a low curtesy; wish your parents' food may do 'em good.]

Grace beynge sayde, Lowe cursie make thou, 328 Sayinge "muche good May it do you."

[Headnote: HOW TO SERVE AT DINNER.]

[Sidenote: If you are big enough, bring the food to table.]

Of stature then yf thou be able, 332 It shall become thee to serue the table In bringynge to it Suche meate as shall nede 336

[Sidenote: [sign. B. ii.]]

For thy parence vpon that tyme to fede.

[Sidenote: Don't fill dishes so full as to spill them on your parents' dress, or they'll be angry.]

Disshes with measure thou oughtest to fyll, 340 Els mayste thou happen thy seruyce to spyll On theyr apparell Or els on the cloth, 344 whiche for to doe wolde moue them to wroth.

[Sidenote: Have spare trenchers ready for guests.]

Spare trenchers with napkyns haue in redynes 348 To serue afterwarde, If there come any gesse.

Be circ.u.mspecte; see nothynge do wante; 352

[Sidenote: See there's plenty of everything wanted.]

Of necessary thynges that there be no skant, As breade and drynke, se there be plentie; 356

[Sidenote: Empty the Voiders often.]

The voyders with bones Ofte se thou emptie.

[Sidenote: [sign. B. ii.b.]]

At hande be ready, If any do call, 360

[Sidenote: Be at hand if any one calls.]

To fetche or take vp, If ought fortune to fall.

[Sidenote: When the meat is over, clear the table: 1. cover the salt, 2. have a tray by you to carry things off on, 3. put the trenchers, &c., in one Voider, 4. sweep the crumbs into another, 5. set a clean trencher before every one, 6. put on Cheese, Fruit, Biscuits, and 7. serve Wine, Ale or Beer.]

when they haue done, then ready make 364 The table vp fayre In order to take: Fyrste the saulte Se that thou couer, 368 Hauynge by thee Eyther one or other thynges from thy handes then to conuaye 372 That from the table thou shalt take awaye.

A voyder vpon the table then haue, 376 The trenchers and napkyns therein to receaue; The croomes with a napkyn together them swepe, 380

[Sidenote: [sign. B. iii.]]

It at the tables ende In a voyder them kepe.

Then before eche man A cleane treanchour lay, 384 The best fyrste seruynge, As iudge thou soone may; Then cheese with fruite On the table set, 388 With Bisketes or Carowayes, As you may get.

Wyne to them fyll, Els ale or beare; 392 But wyne is metest, If any there were.

[Sidenote: When these are finished, clear the table, and fold up the cloth.]

Then on the table Attende with all diligence, 396 It for to voyde when done haue thy parence: Eche syde of the clothe Do thou tourne in, 400 Foldynge it vp, At the hygher ende begin.

[Sidenote: Then spread a clean towel, bring bason and jug, and when your parents are ready to wash, and when your parents are ready to wash, pour out the water.]

[Sidenote: [sign. B. iii. b.]]

A cleane towell then On the table spreade,-- 404 The towell wantynge, the cloth take in steade,-- The bason and ewer to the table then brynge, 408 In place conuenient theyr pleasure abydynge.

when thou shalt see them redy to washe, 412 The ewer take vp, and be not to rashe In powrynge out water More then wyll suffise. 416

[Sidenote: Clear the table; make a low curtsey.]

The table then voyde that they may ryse.

All thynges thus done, forget not thy dutie, 420 Before the table Make thou lowe cursie.

[Headnote: HOW TO BEHAVE AT ONE'S OWN DINNER.]

[Sidenote: [sign. B. iiii.]]

[Sidenote: _How to behave at your own dinner._]

-- Howe to order thy selfe syttynge at the table.

Capitulo .iiii.

++O Chyldren! geue eare your duties to learne, 424 Howe at the table you may your selues gouerne.

[Sidenote: Socra. Cato.]

Presume not to hyghe, I say, in no case; 428

[Sidenote: Let your betters sit above you.]

In syttynge downe, to thy betters geue place.

[Sidenote: See others served first, then wait a while before eating.]

Suffer eche man Fyrste serued to be, 432 For that is a poynte Of good curtesie.

when they are serued, then pause a s.p.a.ce, 436 For that is a sygne of nourture and grace.

[Sidenote: Take salt with your knife, cut your bread, don't fill your spoon too full, or sup your pottage.]

Saulte with thy knyfe then reache and take, 440

[Sidenote: [sign. B. iiii.b.]]

The breade cut fayre, And do not it breake.