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Of the Manners to bring one to Honour and Welfare.
SOne, y schal þee schewe,—now take hede,—
And of suche maners þee declare
Bi whiche þou schalt come to manhede,
To wordli worschip, and to weelfare.
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¶ What man þou seruest, euermore him drede,
And hise goodis as þin owne euere þou spare;
Lete neuere þi wil þi witt ouer lede;
Of wraþful wordis euermore be ware.
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¶ Þe bigynnynge of þi worschip, is to drede schame;
Lete oþere men talke her talis or þou,
And her wittis loke þou not blame; [page 166]
Vnto þi betere euermore þou bowe;
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¶ And whanne þou schalt boorde, bourde with þi peere,
And leue of to pleie whanne þee list best.
And for to suffre greete wordis, is manere,
And often tyme it is betere to bow þan to berst;
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And of euery mannis witt loke þat þou lere,
And þat rial tresour þou close in þi chest;
Telle neuere þe more þouȝ þou myche heere,
And euere be waare of had-y-wist.
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In companies be neuere to tale-wijs,
Ne ouer myrie, ne ouer sadde,
Lest in þi berynge men acounte þee ouer nyce;
Kepe euere þe meene, and euere be a-drad.
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