A waueryng eye / glydyng sodeynly
[Sidenote: an inconstant man with a wavering eye and a wandering foot]
Fro place to place / & a foot varia[=n]te 108
That in no place / abydeth stably
These ben þ^e signes / the wisema_n_ seith sikerly
Of suche a wight / as is vnmanerly nyce
And is ful likely disposid vnto vyce 112
[Sidenote: will turn to vice.]

[17]

Awayte my chylde / whan ye sta_n_de atte table
[Sidenote: When you serve at table,]
Of maister or souerayn / whether it be
Applye you for to be seruysable 115
[Sidenote: be attentive and tidy,]
That no defaute in you founden be
Loke / who doth best / and hym ensiewe ye
And in especyal / vse ye attendaunce
[Sidenote: specially to well-off men.]
Wherein ye shal your self best auaunce 119

* * * * *

THE ORIEL TEXT.

[18]

A[s] ye be comaundyd, so ye do algate,
  Beth not wyth-oute cause from the tabul absent;
Hit is plesaunce vnto the gret astate 122
  To se theyr_e_ saruaunt about them p_re_sent;
  Haunteth no halkes, for then ye woll be schent.
    Lette maner and Mesure be your_e_ guydes twey,
    So shall ye best please, I dare well sey. 126

[19]

Rewarde all-way the loke and countenaunce
  Of your_e_ master, or of your_e_ souereine,
Ther shall ye best preue what is plesaunce, 129
  And what displesaunce; this is the soth serteyne,
  The chere discureth often tyme both twayne,
    And eke the chere may some tyme you addresse
    In thyng that langage may not þan expresse. 133

[20]

And what ye here there, loke ye kepe hit secre,
  Besy report of mystrust is cheff norice;
Mekell langage may not all fautles be; 136
  Than doth, my childe, as teicheth you the wyse,
  Whiche vnto you this wysdome dothe devise,
    'Here and see, be still in euery prees,[1]
[Sidenote 1: MS. 'in euery place and in prees.' Place was to have
been the last word; and in prees was carelessly added, instead of
striking out place.—Sk.]
    Passe forth your_e_ way in silence and in pees.'

[Sidenote: Hill's Text.]

¶ As ye be co_m_avnded, so do ye algate; 120
    be not cavseles fro _th_e table absente;
  yt ys a grete pleasure to _th_e high estate[1]
[Sidenote 1: noble, lord.]
    To se his s_er_vaunttes abowte hy_m_ presente.
    havnte no halke, for the_n_ ye will[e] be shente; 124
      lette maner_e_ & mesure be yo_u_r gydes twayne;
      so shall[e] ye best please, I dare savely sayne.

¶ Reward also thy loke & contenavnce,
    Off yo_u_r master or of yo_u_r soverayne, 128
  so shall[e] ye best p_re_ve what ys his plesavnce
    or ell_is_ his dysplesavnce: this ys s_er_tayne,
    The chere discovereth oftyn both[e] twayn,
      & eke the chere su_m_tyme may yow addresse 132
      In thyn_gis_ the langage may not the_n_ expresse.

[Sidenote: ffl C lxj, back.]

¶ And _tha_t ye here, loke ye kepe always secre;
    besy reporte, of myschefe ys chese noryse;
  Mykyll[e] langage may not all[e] fawtles be; 136
    The_n_ do, my chyld, as techeth you _th_e wyse
    whiche vnto you _th_is lessu_n_ doth devyce:
      here & see, & be styll[e] in eu_er_y prees,
      passe forthe yo_u_r way i_n_ scilence & i_n_ pees. 140

CAXTON'S TEXT.

[18]

As ye be comanded_e_ / so do ye algate
Be not causeles / fro the table absent
[Sidenote: Don't absent yourself from table,]
It is a grete plesure / to the hyghe estate 122
To see his seruantis aboute hym present
Haunte no halke / for the_n_ne ye wil be shente
[Sidenote: or stick yourself in a corner.]
Lete maner & mesure / be your gydes tweyne
[Sidenote: Let Manners and Moderation guide you.]
So shal ye best plese / I dar sauely seyne 126

[19]

[Sidenote: Leaf 4 a.]

Rewarde also the loke and_e_ contenaunce
Of your maister / or of your souereyne
[Sidenote: Look at your master's face;]
So shal ye best preue what is his plesa[=n]ce 129
Or els displesaunce / this is soth serteyne
[Sidenote: that'll show whether he's pleased or not.]
The chere discouerith / often bothe tweyne
And eke þ^e cher_e_ / somtyme may you addresse
In thi_n_gis / þ^t la_n_gage may not them expresse 133

[20]

And_e_ that ye her loke / kepe alway secree
[Sidenote: Keep secret all you hear.]
Besy reporte / of mischief is chief noryse
Mykyl langage / may not al fawtles bee 136
Then_n_e do my childe / as techeth you the wyse
Whiche vnto you / this lesson doth deuyse
Here and see / and_e_ be styll_e_ in euery prees
Passe forth your way in scilence & in pees 140
[Sidenote: Hear, see, and go your way.]

* * * * *

THE ORIEL TEXT.

[21]

And yit in Aventure ye, if the caase require,
  Ye most speke as hit may doo percace;
[Sidenote 1: MS. precace.]
Seuen condic_i_ons obserue as ye shall hire, 143
  Avise you well what ye sey and in what place,
  Of whom, and to whom, in your_e_ mynde compace;
    Howe ye shall speke, and whan, taketh good hede,
    This couns_e_illeth the wyse man wyth-outen drede.

[22]

A wayte, my childe, ye haue you manerly,
  Whan at your_e_ mete ye sittyn at your_e_ table;
In euery pres, in euery company, 150
  Disposeth you to be so componable,
  That men may you reporte for comendable;
    For tristeth well, vppon your_e_ bering
    Men woll you blame or yeven you preysing. 154

[23]

And printeth chiefly in your_e_ memorie, For A principalle poynt of feire norture, Ye depraue no man absent especially; 157 Seint Austyn Amonishith wyth besy cure, Howe at the table men shull them assure, That there escapeth them no suche langage, As myght turne other folke to disparage. 161 */

[Sidenote: _Hill's Text.]

¶ And yet i_n_ aduenture, yf _th_e caas requyre,
    ye may speke, but ye must p_er_caas
  Seven[1] co_n_dyc_i_ons obs_er_ve, as ye may here:
[Sidenote: Six they are at p. 358, Babees Book, of the Wise Man.]
    Avyce ye well[e] what ye say, & i_n_ what place, 144
    Off whom, & to whom, i_n_ yo_u_r mynd co_m_pace;
      how ye shall[e] speke, & wha_n_, take good hede:
      _th_is cow[n]syled _th_e wyse ma_n_ w_i_t_h_owten drede.