The babees book, Aristotle's A B C, Urbanitatis, Stans puer ad mensam, The lvtille childrenes lvtil boke, The bokes of nurture of Hugh Rhodes and John Russell, Wynkyn de Worde's Boke of keruynge, The booke of demeanor, The boke of curtasye, Seager's Schoole of vertue, &c. &c. with some French and latin poems on like subjects, and some forewords on education in early England. Ed. by Frederick J. Furnivall ...

How the Good Wiff tauȝte Hir Douȝtir.

[Lambeth MS. 853, ab. 1430 A.D., page 102; written without breaks. The various readings are from one of the MS. volumes of Lydgate's Works in Trin. Coll. Camb. Library, R. 3.19. I owe the readings to the kindness of Mr W. Aldis Wright.]

The good wijf tauȝte hir douȝtir Ful¹ manye a tyme [Many tymes] & ofte A ful¹ good womman to be, And seide "douȝtir to¹ me¹ dere, Line 4 Sum good þou must lere If euere¹ [^1-1 Omitted.] þou wolt þee.

Douȝtir, if þou wolt ben a wijf,³ Loke wijsly þat þou worche, Line 8 Loke loueli [page 103] and in good lijf Þou loue god & holi chirche.³ [^3-3 wyse & wysely wyrke Loke thow loue welle thy god and holy chyrche] ¶ Go to chirche whanne þou may, Loke þou [&] spare for no reyn, Line 12 ⁵For þou farist þe best þat ilke day Whanne⁵ [^5-5 Alle the day thow faryst the bet þat] þou hast god y-seyn. ¶ ⁶He muste need weel þriue þat liueþ weel al his lyue,⁶ [^6-6 Welle proueth that god loueth] Line 16 My leef child.

Gladli [Gladly thow] ȝeue þi tiþis & þin offrynge [offrynges] boþe; Þe poore & þe beedered, loke þou not [bedered þat þey be thee nat] loþe; Ȝeue of þin owne good, and be [ȝeue thow hem of thy good and be þou] not to hard, Line 20 For seelden is þat [seldom ys the] hous poore þere god is steward. ⁶Weel he proueþ Þat þe poore loueþ,⁶ [^6-6 Welle he tresoreth that the poore honowreth] Mi leue child. Line 24

Whanne [And when] þou sittist in þe chirche, þi beedis þou schalt [bedys to] bidde; ⁹Make þou no iangelynge To freende nor to sibbe;⁹ lauȝe þou [lawe þou nat] to scorne nouþer [neyther] oolde bodi⁹ ne ȝonge, But be of fair beerynge & of good tunge; Line 28 Þoruȝ þi fair beerynge Þi worschip haþ encresynge, Mi leue child.

¶ If ony man biddiþ [Yef any man bid] þe worschip, and wolde wedde þee, Line 32 Loke þat þou scorne him not, [nat. (Throughout, nat is written for not.)] what-so-euere he be, But⁹ schewe it to þi freendis, & for-hile þou [forhele] it nouȝt; [page 104] Sitte not [nat. (Throughout, nat is written for not.)] bi him, neiþer stoonde, [stand] þere synne myȝte be wrouȝt, For⁹ a sclaundre reisid ille⁹ [^9-9 Omitted.] Line 36 Is yuel for to stille, Mi leue childe.

That man þat schal þe wedde bifor god wiþ a ryng, Loue þou [Omitted.] him & honoure moost of erþeli þing; Line 40 Meekely þou him answere, [Answere hym faire] And not [nat] as an attir|ling, And so maist þou slake [thow shalt stylle] his mood, And ben his dere derlynge: A fair worde ⁵and a meeke dooþ wraþþe slake,⁵ [^5-5 to þy make oft wrethe doth stake] Line 44 Mi leue child.

Fair of speche schalt þou be, gladde, & of mylde mood, Trewe in worde & in dede, and in conscience [thy conscyence] good; Kepe þee from synne, fro vilonye, & fro blame, Line 48 And loke þat [Omitted.] þou beere þee so þat men seie þee no schame; ⁷For he þat in good lijf renneþ, Ful ofte weel he wynneþ,⁷ [^7-7 Good lyfe reneweth and welle wynneth] Mi leue child. Line 52

⁸Be of semeli semblaunt, wijs, and oþer⁸ [^8-8 Of fayre semblant shalt thow be, wys, and of good manere] good maner, Chaunge not þi contynaunce for nouȝt þat [page 105] þou may heere; Fare not [nat] as a gigge, for nouȝt þat may bitide, Lauȝe þou [Omitted.] not to loude,⁹ ne ȝane þou not to⁹ [^9-9 long, ne yane nat] wide, Line 56 ¹⁰But lauȝe þou softe & myelde, And be not of cheer to wielde,¹⁰ [^10-10 Yet lawgh thow may & mery wordys say] Mi leue child.

And whan þou goist in þe way, go þou [Omitted.] not to faste, Line 60 Braundische not with þin heed, þi schuldris þou ne caste; Haue þou not to manye wordis; to swere be þou not leefe, For alle such maners comen to an yuel preef: ²For he þat cacchiþ to him an yuel name, Line 64 It is to him a foule fame,² [^2-2 Euylle name ys euelle fame] Mi leue childe.

Go þou not into þe toun as it were a gase From oon hous to anoþer for to seke þe mase; Line 68 Ne wende þou not to þe [Omitted.] market þi borel [borelle] for to selle, And Þanne [Ne] to þe tauerne þi worschip to felle, [for to fylle] ⁶For þei þat tauernes haunten, Her Þrifte þei adaunten,⁶ [^6-6 He that tauernes haunteth, hyr thryft adaunteth] Line 72 My leue child.

And if þou be in place where [þere] good ale is on lofte, Wheþer þat þou serue [page 106] þerof, or þat þou sitte softe, Mesurabli [Mesurely] þou take þer-of þat þou falle in no blame, Line 76 For if þou be ofte drunke, it falle [hit falleth] þee to schame; ¹⁰For þo þat ben ofte drunke, Þrift is from hem sunke,¹⁰ [^10-10 He þat ys oft drunke, thryft ys fro hym sonke,] Mi leue child. Line 80

Line 80

Go not to þe [Omitted.] wrastelinge, ne to schotynge at [shetyng at þe] cok, As it were a strumpet or a gigggelot: wone [Syt] at hom, douȝtir, and loue þi werk myche, And so þou schalt, my leue child, wexe soone riche. Line 84 ⁴It is euermore a myrie þing, A man to be serued of his owne þing,⁴ [^4-4 Mery[er] ys owne thyng on to loke þan any oþer mannys on to tote] Mi leue child.

Aqweynte þee not with eche man þat gooþ bi þe strete; Line 88 Þouȝ ony man speke [he speke feyre] to þee, Swiftli þou him grete; Lete him go bi þe wey; bi him þat þou ne [nat] stonde, Þat he [Omitted.] bi no vilonye þin herte myȝte fonde, ⁷For alle men ben not trewe Line 92 Þat kunne fair her wordis schewe,⁷ [^7-7For alle men be nat trew þat feyre spekyn] Mi leue child.

Also, [Ne] for no coueitise, ȝiftis þat þou [page 107] noon take; But þou wite riȝt weel whi ellis, [Omitted.] soone þou hem forsake, Line 96 For with ȝiftis men may wommen [wemen] ouer goon Þouȝ þei were as trewe as steel eiþer stoon. ¹⁰Bounden forsoþe sche is þat of ony man takiþ ȝiftis,¹⁰ [^10-10 For boundyn ys she þat taketh yeftys] Line 100 Mi leue childe.

And wijsli gouerne þou þin hous and þi [Gouerne welle also thyne howse & wysely thy] meyne: To bittir ne to bonour with hem þat þou ne² be, But² loke weel [welle abowte] what is moost neede to doone, Line 104 And sette þi meyne þerto boþe ratheli [and þat lyghtly] & soone, For redi is at nede A forn doon dede, Mi leue child. Line 108

And if þin husbonde be from [yef þy mastyr be fro] hoome, lete not þi meyne goon [go] ydil, But loke weel who dooþ myche [mykylle] eiþer litil, And he þat weel dooþ, Þou² qwite him weel his whyle, [Trin. Coll. MS. whyle. (The Lambeth MS. has mede.)] And he þat dooþ oþer, serue him as þe vile Line 112 A forn doon dede Wole anoþer spede, Mi leue child.

And if þi nede be greet & þi tyme streite, Line 116 Þan² [^2-2 Omitted.] go þi silf þerto & worche [page 108] an houswijfes [and make a wyues breyde] brayde, ¹⁰Þanne wille þei alle do þe bettir þat aboute þee stande[s].¹⁰ [^10-10 Alle þey doon the bettyr þat about þee stondyn] Þe work is þe sonner do þat haþ many handis, [hondyn] ¹²For manye handis & wight Line 120 Make an heuy worke light; Aftir þi good seruise Þi name schal arise,¹² [^12-12 Many hondys & smert makyn lyght werke] Mi leue childe. Line 124

Line 124

And [Loke] what so² þi meyne do, aboute [and about] hem þou wende, And [At euery dede þat shuld be do] as myche as þou maist, be at þat [the] oon eende, And if þou fynde ony [fyndyst a] defaute, do it soone [sone do hit] ameende So [So þat] þei haue tyme² and² [^2-2 Omitted.] space & [þat þey] may hem de|fende. Line 128 ¹⁰To compelle a dede to be doon & þere be no space, It is but tyrannye with-out temper|aunce & grace,¹⁰ [^10-10 Meche besynesse behoueth hem þat shall howse holden] Mi leue child.

[

The next two stanzas of the Lambeth MS. are transposed (in an altered form) to another part of the Trinity MS. as shown in the second and first stanzas in the notes on p. 45 and p. 46. The Trin. MS. has here, for ll. 132-45, the following:

My leue Chylde.

In other mennys housys make þou no maystry;Blame þou nat wrongfully þat þou seest with thyne ey.Dowgtyr, I pray thee, bere the so welleThat alle men mow sey þou art as trew as steele:A good name many folde ys more worthe then golde,

My leef Chylde.

Be thow no chyder, ne of wordys booldTo myssay þy neyghbors nouther yong ne oolde;Be þou nat to mody ne to enuyousFor nought þat may betyde in oþer mennys hous:An enuyous hert oft doth smert,

] And loke þat alle þingis be weel whanne þei her werkis lete, Line 132 And take þe keies in-to þi warde, loke þei ben not forgete; And be waar to whom þou trustis, and spare for no qweyntise,

For myche harme haþ falle to them þat ben not wise; But, douȝtir, loke þat þou be wise, & do as y þee teche, Line 136 And trust [page 109] noon bettir þan þi silf, for no fair speche, Mi leue childe.

And ȝeue þi meyne ther hire At þer terme day Wheþer þat þei dwelle stille or þei wende awey, Line 140 Doo weel bi hem of þi good þat þou hast in welde, And þan schal þei seie weel of þee, boþe þe yonge and oolde; Þi good name is to þi freendis greet ioie & gladnes, Line 144 Mi leue childe.

And if þi neigboris wijf haþ [haue] on riche a-tire, Þerfore mocke þou ne scorne, [make þou no stryfe ne] brenne not as fier, But þanke god of heuen for þat he hath þe ȝeuene, Line 148 And so þou schalt, my douȝtir, a good lijf lyuande. [lyuen] ⁴he haþ eese at weelde þat þankeþ god feele & seelde,⁴ [^4-4 He hath esy to welde þat thanketh selde] Mi leue child. Line 152

Houswijfli þou schalt goon on [Honestly shalt þow go] þe worke day [iwis,] [Omitted.] Pride, reste, & ydilnes, makiþ on-þriftines; [cast hit alle away] And [Omitted.] whanne þe holi day is come, weel [clothyd honestly] schalt þou be Þe holi day in [The good lord] worschipe, & god wole loue þee; Line 156

Line 156 ¹Haue in mynde to god is worschip [ay], For myche pride comeþ of þe yuel day,¹ [^1-1 More for goddes frenshyp than the worldes worshyp] Mi leue child.

¶ [

Instead of lines 160-187, the Trin. Coll. MS. has the following:

My leef chylde.

Moche shame be they worthy, & sorow wolle hem betydeThat maketh hyr housbondes poore þorow her moche pryde.Be fulle wyse, doughtyr, & An howsewyfe good;Aftyr the wrenne hath veynes let þou hyr blood.Hys thryft wexeth thynne þat spendeth or he wynne,

My leef chylde.

Syt nat vp long At euyn As A gase with the cuppeTo sey wessayle, & drynke heylle, Our syrys thryft ys vppe,But go to bedde betyme, & A morow ryse blyue,And so þou shalt, my leve chylde, bothe wynne & thryue,Alle ease may nat falle to hym þat thryue shalle,

My leef chylde.

With ryche Roobys and garlondes, & with ryche thyng,Counterfete no lady as thy hosbond were a kyng.With suche as he may the ayde, apayde shalt þow be,That no countenaunce be lost for cause of thee:Ouyrdone pryde maketh nakyd syde, .

My leef chylde.

Loke welle abowte; for no þyng þat þow lete;Take the keyes in to þy warde, be they nat foryete;Bethynke the welle in þought; let for no queyntyse;And but yef þow do so, þou dost nat as the wyse.For who þat loueþ hym sylf best, Most may lyue in rest,

My leef chylde.

Sorow [A mistake for 'Borow.'] nat to blythely, ne take nat þy hyre furst,But the more nede hyt make or the grettyr byrst.Make the nat ryche with other mennys thyng,Ne neuyr the boldyr to spende a farthyng;For what soeuer þou haue to done,Borowyd thyng wylle home

My leef chylde.

And yeue þy meyny her hyre at her terme day,Whether they abyde stylle or wende away;Yeue þou hem of thyne owne, & so wysely thee weldeThat þy frendys haue Ioy of thee, both yong And elde:Thy thryft ys þy frendes myrthe.

] Whanne þou art a wijf, a neiȝbore for to be, [page 110] Line 160 Loue þan weel þi neiȝboris, as god haþ comaundide þee; It bihoueþ þee so for to do, And to do to þem as þou woldist be doon to. If ony discorde happen nyght or daye, Line 164 Make it no worse, meende it if þou may, Mi leue child.

And if þou schalt be a riche wijfe, Be þan not to hard, But weelcome faire þi neiboris þat comen to þee warde Line 168 With mete, drinke, & honest chere, Such as þou maist to hem bede, To ech man after his degre, & help þe poore at neede; and also for Hap þat may bitide,

Please weel þi neiȝboris þat dwelle þee biside, Line 172 Mi leue child.

Doughtir, loke þat þou be waare, what-sum|euere þee bitide, Make not þin husbonde poore with spendinge ne with pride. A man must spende as he may þat haþ but easy good, Line 176 For aftir þe wrenne haþ veynes, Men must lete hir blood; His [page 111] þrifte wexiþ þinne Þat spendiþ or he wynne, Mi leue child. Line 180

Borowe not to besely, nor take not þin hire first But if þe more nede it make, & grettir distresse; Ne make þee not to seme riche With oþer mennis þing,

Ne þerfore spende neuere þe more of a ferthing; Line 184 For þouȝ þou borowe faste, It must hoome aȝen at laste, Mi leue child.

And if þi children been [Chyldre be] rebel, & wole not hem lowe, [bowe] Line 188 If ony [any] of hem mys dooþ, nouþer [mysdo, ne] banne hem ne blowe, But take a smert rodde, [yarde] & bete hem on a rowe Til þei crie mercy, & be of her gilt aknowe. ⁶Leue child, by-houeþ loore, Line 192 And euere leuer þe more,⁶ [^6-6Leue chylde behoueth lore, And euer þe leuyr the more,] Mi leue child.

And [Omitted.] loke to þi douȝtren [doughtres] þat noon of hem be lorn: Fro þat ilk tyme þat þei be of þee [the] born, Line 196 Bisie þee, & gadere faste towarde her mariage, And ȝeue hem to spowsynge as soone as þei ben ablee. [be of age] ¹¹Maydens ben fair & amyable, But of her loue ful vnstable,¹¹ [^11-11Maydonys be louely, but to kepe þey be vntrusty] Line 200 Mi leue child.

Now haue y þee tauȝt, douȝtir, As my modir [page 112] dide me; Þinke þeron nyȝt and day, forȝete þat it not be;

Haue mesure and lownes, as y haue þee tauȝt, Line 204 And [Omitted] what man þe wedde schal, him dare care nouȝt. Betere were a child vnbore Þan vntauȝt of wijs lore, [þen vntaught] Mi leue child. Line 208

Now þrift and þeedom mote [the blessyng of god mot] þou haue, my swete barn, [baren] Of [And of] alle oure former fadris þat euere were or aren, Of alle patriarkis and prophetis þat euere weren alyue, [on lyue] Her blessinge mote þou haue, & weel mote þou þriue! [The Trinity MS. ends here with "My leef Chylde. Amen."] Line 212 For weel is þe child Þat wiþ synne wole not be filid, Mi leue child.

The blessynge of god mote þou haue, and of his modir briȝt, Line 216 Of alle aungils & of alle archaungils, and of alle holy wight, And þat þou mowe haue grace to wende þe wey ful riȝt To þe blis of heuene þere sittiþ god almyȝt, AMEN.