Caxton's Book of Curtesye eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 77 pages of information about Caxton's Book of Curtesye.

Caxton's Book of Curtesye eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 77 pages of information about Caxton's Book of Curtesye.

[Footnote 1:  A hole in the paper.]

[62]

[Sidenote:  Leaf 11 a.]

Yet eft sones my child_e_ / lete vs resorte
[Sidenote:  But let us return to our first subject.]
To thentente of yur first matere
Degressed somwhat / for we wold reporte 430
And reuiue the laude of hem that were
Famous in our langage / these faders dere
Whos sowles in blysse / god et_er_nel aua_u_nce
That lysten so our langage to enhaunce 434

* * * * *

THE ORIEL TEXT.

[63]

Than, litle childe, I councelle you that ye
  Take hede vnto the norture that men vse,
Newe founden or Auncient whet[h]er hit be, 437
  So shall no man your_e_ curteyse refuse;
  The guise and custome shall you, my childe, excuse;
    Mennys werkys haue often entirchaunge,
    That nowe is norture, sumtyme had ben full straunge.

[64]

Thinges whilome vside ben layde aside,
  And new fetis dayly ben contryvyde,
Men[nys actes] can in no plight abyde, 444
  They ben chaungeable and oft mevide,
  Thing some-tyme alowide is nowe reprevide,
    And aftir this shall thingis vppe aryse,
    That men sette nowe but [at] litle a prise. 448

[65]

Thus mene I, my childe, that ye shull vse and haunte
  The guise of them that don most man_er_ly,
But be ware of vnthrefte ruskyn galaunte, 451
  Counterfetour_e_ vncunnyng of curtesie,
  His tecches ben infecte wyth vilonye,
    Vngerde, vnblesside, seruyng at the table,
    Me semeth hym s_er_u_a_unt full pendable. 455

[Sidenote:  Hill’s Text.]

[Sidenote:  ffl C lxiiij back.]

P) Then litill[e] Ioh[=n], I co_n_sayle you that ye
    Take hede to the nortvres that me_n_ vse, 436
  newe fownd or avncyent, whe_ther_ yt be;
    So shall[e] no ma_n_ yo_u_r curtesye refuse;
    the gyse & custu_m_, my child, shall[e] you excuse. 
      Menys werkes haue oftyn enterchavnce; 440
      that now ys norture, so_m_tyme hath be stravnge;

P) Thyng_is_ whylom vsed be now layd a-syde,
    & newe fetes dayly be co_n_tryved: 
  Menys actes ca_n_ in no plyte abyde, 444
    They be chavngable & ofte meved;
    thynges su_m_tym_e_ alowed be now rep_re_ved;
      & after this shall thynges vp a-ryse
      that me_n_ sett now but at lytill[e] pryse:  448

Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
Caxton's Book of Curtesye from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.