The Boke of Curtesy / [ed. K. Breul; Englische Studien 9 (1886).]

The Boke of Curtesy.

Lytyll chyldur, here may ye lere [v. 1 m. y.] ye may H, yow may C ‖ lere] lerne OWP, lore C.] Moche curtesy is wryton here. [v. 2 is] þat is HECOWP ‖ w. h.] brekeyd here C, here wreten O, wryten W.] Clarcus þat þo seyvon artys con, [v. 3 Clarcus] For clerkis HEC, for the clerkes OWP ‖ con] cunne H, can OWP, con und dahinter dünn kan E.] Seyn þat curtesy from hevon com, [v. 4 Seyn] synne E, seyt C, Sythen OWP ‖ hevon] paradise O ‖ com] cam EOWP, comyt C.] When Gabryell owre lady grett [ 5] And Elysabett wyth Mary mett. [v. 6 Elysabett] elysabett A, cortesey C ‖ w. M.] owre lady AOWP (doch vgl. d. frz.).]

All vartuus byn closyd in curtesy [v. 7 byn] arne HC ‖ closyd] clodyd C ‖ curtesy] cursye P.] And all evell vysus in velony. [v. 8 evell] f. HECOWP, wohl alle vysus.] Forst loke þi hondus be weschyd clene [v. 9 Forst] f. HECOWP ‖ loke] loke that EOWP ‖ þi] þyne H ‖ weschyd] wasshe HE, wasshen OP.] Þat no fylþe on þi naylus be sene. [ 10] [v. 10 on] in ECOWP ‖ be] ben E.] Take no meyte to grace be sayde [v. 11 Take] Take þou HOWP, take ye C ‖ to] tylle HECOWP ‖ grace] gras C, the fyrste gracys E.] And to þou se all þyng arayd. [v. 12 to] tylle HECOWP ‖ þou] ye C.] And loke, my son, þat þou not sytt [v. 13 And] f. HECOWP ‖ not] nought E ‖ n. s.] sytte not OWP.] To he þat reweleth þe howse þe bytt. [v. 14 To] Tylle HECOWP ‖ he—reweleth] he þat reweley A, þe ruler of HECOWP ‖ howse] halle EC.] And at þi meyte in þe begynnyng [ 15] [v. 15 þi] the EWP, f. O ‖ in] at OWP ‖ þe] they (= thy) C.] Loke þat on þe pore þou þynke: [v. 16 þat—pore] on [no C] pore men that HC, apon pore men E, on the pore men P.] For þe full wombe, wythowtte fayle, [v. 17 fayle] f. H, dessen erste grosse lücke hier beginnt, any faylys E.] Whot lytull what þe emty ayle. [v. 18 lytull] full lytyl HECOWP ‖ what—emty] f. H, what the hungery ECOWP ‖ ayle] aylys E, ayleth OWP, heydyt C.] Ete not þi meyte to hastely, [v. 19 Ete] yet C ‖ not] von hier bis v. 30 f. H ‖ hastely] hastey C.] Abyde and ette all esely. [ 20] [v. 20 Abyde] Bot abyde C ‖ all] f. E ‖ esely] yesley C.] Tyll þou have þi full servyse [v. 21 have] haste OWP.] Touche noo messe in noo wyse. [v. 22 Der vers fehlt in A, ohne dass die lücke kenntlich wird. Ergänzt aus E.] Karve þi bredde not to thyn [v. 23 Karve] Kot C ‖ þi—not] not thy brede EO, not thy mete WP.] No to þycke, but in twyn. [v. 24 No] Ne EC, Nor OWP ‖ to—but] breke hit not E ‖ i. tw.] on twynne E, be tweyn CP, bytwene bothe OW.] þe morsellys þat þou begynnus to towch [ 25] [v. 25 morsellys] mosels C, mosselle EOWP ‖ b. t.] dost C ‖] Cast hem not owt of þi powch. [v. 26 h. n] not them O ‖ o. o.] in E ‖ powch] mouthe OWP.] Putt not þi fyngerus in þi dysch, [v. 27 in] on E.] Neydur in flesch, meyte nor in fysch. [v. 28 f. m.] flesche E, mete of flessche OWP ‖ nor] nothyr E, ne OWP ‖ in] f. OWP ‖ C bietet v. 28-30 Ne yn they met, ffeys ne fleys, Pot not they met yn þey salt seleyr.] Put not þi meyte into þi salte, [v. 29 i. þ.] in to the E, in thy OWP.] In þo seler þat hit halte, [ 30] [v. 30 In] Into EOWP ‖ þo] thy E ‖ hit] thy salte E ‖ halte] holdeth OWP.]

But ley hit on a trenchore [v. 31 on] fayre on HCOWP ‖ a] þi HECOWP ‖ trenchore] trencher HC, trenchoure EOWP.] Befor þe and þat is onowre. [v. 32 B. þ.] The byfore H, To fore the E ‖ and] f. C ‖ onowre] þyn honor HE, worschep C.] Pyke not þi teþe wyth þi knyfe [v. 33 Dieser und der folgende vers in H u. s. w. als no. 39-40, vgl. oben ‖ teþe] tothe E, theyt C.] Whylse þou etyst, be þi lyfe. [v. 34 Whylse] whyle E, whyle that OWP ‖ Whylse—lyfe] In no company begynne þow stryfe H.] Son, whyle þi meyte in þi mowþe is [ 35] [v. 35 Son] And H, But E, Seche C ‖ mete—mowþe] mouth full OWP ‖ in—is] ys vor yn C.] Drynke þou not, foryette not þis. Eyte þi meyte by smale morsellys [v. 37 Eyte] Kot C ‖ by] yn C ‖ Derselbe vers (nur mossels) begegnet in A 17 verse später noch einmal und ihm folgt v. 38, welcher hier nach 37 fehlt. Ich wiederhole die verse an der späteren stelle nicht.] Fyll not þi mowþe as don broþels [v. 38 Fyll] And ffell C ‖ don] dothe EOWP, f. C.] And when þou hast þi potage don [v. 39 don] I done E.] Owtt of þi dysch þou put þi spone. [ 40] [v. 40 þi] the E ‖ þ. p.] take owt C, put EOWP.] Nor spytt þou not over þe tabull [v. 41 Nor] ne HEOWP, nether C ‖ þou] f. E, ye C ‖ þe] thy E.] Ne þer onne, hit is not abull. [v. 42 Ne] Nor EOW, f. C ‖ þer onne] ther upon H, apon hyt E, For no cortesey C ‖ hit] for hyt EOWP, for that H ‖ not] no þing H ‖ abull] habell C, commendable OW, convenable P.] Ley not þyn elbowus nor þi fyst [v. 43 elbowus] elbowe HEOWP ‖ nor] nothyr E ‖ fyst] ffestys C.] On þi tabull whylse þou etyst. [v. 44 On] Upon HECOWP ‖ þi] the HECOWP ‖ whylse] whyle EC, whylis þat H, at the whiche OWP ‖ etyst] etest A, este E.] Balche not as a bon wer in þi þrote [ 45] [v. 45 Balche] Bulk HE, Bolke COWP ‖ a] f. W ‖ bon] been HEP, bolle C ‖ were] f. C ‖ þ. þ.] the crofte C.] As a chorle þat come owt of a cotte. [v. 46 A. a] f. H, hier beginnt die sweite grosse lücke in H ‖ chorle] . . rle H ‖ þat] f. C ‖ come] comys H, comyt C, comythe EOWP.] And þi meyte be of a grete pryse [v. 47 And—be] f. H ‖ þi] yf thy OWP ‖ of] . f. H ‖ a] f. HECOWP.] Be war þer of, or þou art not wyse. [v. 48 Be—art] f. H ‖ þer of] of hyt E, the COWP ‖ þ. a.] ye be C ‖ not] . ot H.] Speke no worde schyll ne scharpe Of peyce and curtesy loke þou karpe. [ 50] [v. 50 Of—and] And honowre and E, all of C ‖ þou] ye C, that thou OWP ‖ karpe] kepe E, speke OP.] And at þi tabull make gud chere [v. 51 at] all C ‖ þi] the ECOWP ‖ make] loke þou make E.] And loke þou rowne no man in þo eyre. [v. 49-52 f. H ‖ schyll] stylle ECOWP ‖ ne] nor C ‖ scharpe] sterke E, lowde C.] [v. 52 And] f. E ‖ þou] ye C ‖ rowne] rownde EC ‖ no—þo] not in no mannys E, yn no mans C, not in non OWP ‖ eyre] eres OWP.]

Pyke not þi neyrus nor þi nosetyrlys, [v. 53 nor] ne H, nothyr EC ‖ nosetyrlys] neysetyrlys A, nosterllis H, nose∣thyrlles W, nosethrilles OP, nestrels C.] And þou do, men wille sey þou come of chorlys. [v. 54 And] If H, and yf OWP ‖ come] comyste EC ‖ chorlys] karlys H, cherlys EC, churles OWP.] With thy fyngerys þou towche and taste [ 55] Thy mete and loke þou doo noo waste. [v. 56 doo] make COWP.] Loke þou laughe not, nor grynne; [v. 57 l. n.] noþer lawhe COWP ‖ nor] ne COWP ‖ grynne] grenne EOW.] And with moche speche þou mayste do synne. [v. 55-58 f. AH, ich habe E in den text aufgenommen, vgl. vorbem., und gebe die varianten von COWP ‖ With] And wyth OWP ‖ thy] f. CW ‖ and] ne COWP.] [v. 58 And] Yf OWP ‖ wyth] thow COWP ‖ moche] mysse OWP ‖ mayste] may COWP.] Meyte ne drynke þou not spyll, [v. 59 ne] ner C, nor OWP ‖ þou] loke þou EC, that thou OWP ‖ not] ne E, f. OWP.] But seyt hit down fayr and styll. [ 60] [v. 60 fayr—styll] ster het not C.] Kepe clene þi cloþe þe beforne, [v. 61 clene—cloþe] thy cloth clene HE, the clothe fayre OWP, the cloyt cleyn C ‖ beforne] befarne P, before OW.] And beyr þe soo þou have no scorne. [v. 62 soo] that E, soo that WO ‖ scorne] schorne E.] Byte not þi mete, karve it clene; [v. 63 Karve] but cerve HC, but cut EOWP.] Be war no droppyng on þe be sene. [v. 64 war] well war HECOWP ‖ no] that noo EOWP ‖ droppyng—þe] drop HECOWP.] When þou etyst gape no to wyde [ 65] Þat þi mowþe be sene on boþe syde. [v. 66 sene] f. E ‖ o. b.] on ych a H, on eche C, on every OWP.] Son, be war of won thyng, [v. 67 Son] And son HECOWP ‖ of] I rede of H, of I redde þe off C.] Þou blowe nodur on meyte nor drynke. [v. 68 þ. b.] Blow HCOWP, blowe þou E ‖ nodur] not EOWP, never C ‖ on] in thi HECOWP ‖ nor] not E, nor yn þi HW, ne in thy O.] And yf þi bettur drynke at þat tyde [v. 69 bettur] lorde HECOWP ‖ þat] þey C ‖ tyde] houre OWP.] Drynke þou not, but hym abyde; [ 70] Be hit evon or be hit none, [v. 71 evon] at evyne HOWP, at eve E, at yeffon C ‖ or] f. HECOWP ‖ none] at noone HCOWP, at morowe E.] Drynke þou not to he have don. [v. 72 Der vers fehlt, E ‖ to] tylle HCOWP ‖ h. d.] hayt doyn C.] Uppon þi trenchoure no fylþe þou see [v. 73 þ. s.] be sene E, be saye C.] Hit is not honest, as I tell þe. [v. 74 as] f. OWP ‖ t. þ.] the telle E.] Drynke behynde no monnus backe, [ 75] [v. 75 Drynke] Ne drynk HC, Drynke þou not EOWP.] And þou do, þou art to lacke. [v. 76 And] For yf HECOWP ‖ erstes þou] yow C ‖ þ. a.] yow ar C ‖ lacke] blame E, be dyspraysed OW.]

And chese come forþe, be not to gredy [v. 77 for þe] byfore the E, be for yow C ‖ gredy] redy E ‖ And—gredy] And never be to gredy nor hasty P, And never to be gredy ne to hasty O, and never be to gredy ne to hasty W.] To kyt þer of to largely. [v. 78 f. O W P ‖ To] Ne H, nor C ‖ þerof] þou not therof H ‖ to] be not to E ‖ largely] hastely H C, gredy E.] Nor cast no bonus in þe flore, [v. 79 Nor—no] Caste not þi H E O W P, Cast not the C ‖ in] ynto H E W.] Lay hem fayre on þi trynchore. [ 80] [v. 80 Lay] But ley H E C O W P ‖ hem] þem H C O W P.] Kepe clene þi cloþe befor þe all [v. 81 þi] the C ‖ þe] f. E.] And sytt styll, what so befalle, [v. 82 sytt] sit þou H E C O W P ‖ what—befalle] a goddys be∣halfe A, what so falle O W ‖ with alle E.] To grace be seyde to þe last ende [v. 83 To] Tylle H E C O W P ‖ to] unto H E C W P ‖ last] f. H E C O W P ‖ last] f. H E C O W P ‖ endyng] hend∣yng] C.] And þou have setton wyth þi frynde. [v. 84 f. O W P ‖ þou] tylle thou H E C | setton] wasshen H E, was C.] Lett þe more bettur þen þou [ 85] [v. 85 Lett] Loke O W P ‖ þe] þi A ‖ bettur] worthy H E, wortheyor C O W P.] Wesche befor, hit is þi prowe. [v. 86 befor] to fore H, afore W P ‖ hit] þe and that H E O W P, þe þat C ‖ þ. p.] gentyll cortesey.] Spyt not in þe basyn, [v. 87 Spyt] And spitte H O W P ‖ in] on E ‖ þe] þi H E O W P.] My son þat þowe weschest in. [v. 88 f. E ‖ Son] swete son H O W P.] Aryse up feyr, softe and styll, [v. 87-89 f. C.] [v. 89 Aryse] And aryse H O W P ‖ feyr] f. H O W P ‖ softe] softly O W P ‖ Aryse—styll] And ryse with hym that sate with the stylle E, dann folgt in E noch And thanke hym fayre and welle.] And jangyll neydur wyth Jack ne Jyll [ 90] [v. 90 And] Aftyr E ‖ neydur] not E C ‖ ne] ne with C ‖ Iyll] Byll A.] But take þi leve lowele [v. 91 B. t.] Bi take (?) A ‖ þi] f. C O W P ‖ leve] leve of the hede H, leve of thy (the E) lorde C E O W P ‖ lowele] lovyngly O W P.] And þanke hym all hartele [v. 92 hym] hem A ‖ all] with thyne hert H E C O W P ‖ hartele] hyghly H E O W P, mekeley C.] And all þe gentyll in same [v. 93 þ. g.] f. E ‖ i. s.] togydre ynsame H E, yn the same manere C, to in the same forme O W P.] And beyre þe so þou have no blame. [v. 94 beyre] bare H ‖ so] soo that E ‖ n. b.] the same C.] [And yf þou walke wyth a bettur mon [ 95] Þen þi selve þou art won, Lett þi ryght schyldur folo is bak, Hit is nortur, wythowt lak.] [v. 95-98 f. H E C O W P.] Þen men will say here aftur [v. 99 will] wylle they E ‖ here aftur] therafter H E O W P.] Þat a gentyll man was here. [ 100] [v. 100 þat] that he ys C ‖ w. h.] þer afftyr C.] He þat dyspysyth þis techyng [v. 101 He] And he H O W P ‖ dyspysyth] despeyse C ‖ þ. t.] these thynges O W, thies thynges P.] He is not worþi, wythowt lesyng,

Never at good mannus tabull to syt, [v. 103 Never] Nether H ‖ at] at a E O W P ‖ good] worþi A ‖ to] for to E.] Nor to wette of worschype ne wytt. [v. 104 Nor] Ner H, Nothyr E, ne C O W P ‖ for] f. E ‖ t. w.] f. H E C O W P ‖ of] of no H E C ‖ ne] for to H E C O W P.] Þerfor chylderen, for charyte, [ 105] [v. 105 þerfor] And þerfore H E C O W P ‖ for] pur E, for sent C.] Love þis boke þof it lytyll be, [v. 106 Love] Lovyth H, Lernythe E, Loren C ‖ boke] lesen C ‖ þof—be] that ys callyd Edyllys be E, þat het leytyll be C.] And praye for hym þat made hit þus [v. 107 And] f. C ‖ made] wret C ‖ hit] thys E ‖ þus] f. E O W P, þos C.] Þat hym helpe swete Jesus [v. 108 helpe] may helpe H E C ‖ þat—Jesus] f. O W P.] To leve and dye among is fryndus And never be comberyd wyth no fyndus, [ 110] [v. 110 f. E C O W P ‖ be] to be H.] And hus all in Jowe to bee. [v. 111 hus] geve us grace H, us graunte E, gyff hem and us gras C ‖ all] f. H E C ‖ bee] abyde E ‖ And—bee] f. O W P.] Amen, Amen, for charite. [v. 112 A. A.] Say ye alle Amen E, Sey all Amen C ‖ f. ch.] for charyde in every syde E ‖ O W P schliessen And in his laste ende wyth the swete Jhesus. Amen.]

Explicit quod Hyheg. [v. 113 Der name des schreibers scheint Hyheg zu sein. Ueber den schluss der übrigen fassungen vgl. die vorbemerkung.]

Petitz enfantz icy vous povez aprendre | Beauchoup de courtoisie qui est escriptte icy. | Pour lez clers qui lez sept ars scevent | Puis que courtoisye de pa∣radis vint. | [ 5] Quant Gabriel nostre dame salua. | Et Elizabeth avecques Mary encontra.

Toutes vertues sont encloses en courtoysie. | v. 8 ist nicht übersetzt, aber in W: et toutes vyces en vylanye. | Regarde que tes mains soient leves nettez | [ 10] Que nul [nulle—ne soit aparceue.] ordure en tes ongles soit aperceue. | Ne pren point viande tan{que} [tant que.] grace soit ditte | Et iusques que tu voys toutes choses arrieres. | Regarde, mon filz, que tu ne siez | Jusques le governeur de lostel le dit [die.] | [ 15] Et a la viande au commencement, | Regarde que ou poures hommes tu penses | v. 17 nicht über∣setzt. | Scayt nul point que la fain est | Ne mangue pas ta viande trop hastive∣ment | [ 20] Atens et mangue tout easiment | Jusques tyes [Jusques que tu es.] ton plain service | Ne touche au mars en nul [nulle.] guyse. | Coupe ton pain non pas trop tendre | Ne trop espes, mais entre deux. | [ 25] Lez morseaus [le morceau.] que tu commances a toucher | Ne lez [le.] gete pas hors de ta bouche. | Ne metz point tes des en ton escuelle | Ne en viande de chair ne poisson. | Ne metz [metez.] point ta viande en ton sel | [ 30] En la saliere qui le soustient.

Mais couche le bel [beau.] sur ton trancheur | Devant toy et cel la est honneur. | Ne cure pas tes dentz avec ton couteau | Tant que tu mengues, par ta vie | Filz, puisque ta viande en ta bouche est [boucha.] | Ne boyis pas, ne oblie pas cecy. | Mangue ta viande par menuz morceaux | Ne emples pas ta bouche comme fount glutons | Et quant tu as de ton potage fait | [ 40] Hors de ton escuelle boute ta culier. | Ne crache point oultre la table. | Ne dussus quar il nest pas convenable. | Ne touche point ton coute ne ton poing. | Dessus la table en la quelle tu mengues. | [ 45] Ne route point [point fehlt.] comme se une feve fust en ta gorge | Comme ung villain qui vient hors dun tant. | Et si ta viande soit de grant pris | Garde toy ou tu nes pas sage. | Ne parle mot quoy ne aspre | [ 50] De paix et courtoisye garde que tu parles. | Et en ta table fay bone chere. | Et garde toy descouter en nullez orailles.

Ne cure point tes oreilles ne tes nazilles | Et [Et le tu le fais hommes diront etc.] si tu fais hommes diront que tu es venu dez vilains. | [ 55] Et avec tes doiz tu ne touches ne tastes | Ta viande et te gardes tu [que vor tu.] ne le degastes | Garde que tu ne ryes ne rechines. | Si tu parle mal tu peuz faire peche. | Viande ne boire que tu ne gastes | [ 60] Maiz metes le bas bel et coy. | Garde la nape belle devant toy | Et te porte ainsi que tu nayes point de mocquerie | Ne mors point ta viande, mais la trenche nette | Garde toy bien que nulle goute soit veue. | [ 65] Quant tu mengues ne boys [baille.] trop large | Que ta bouche soit veue de chacun cote. | Et filz, garde toy dune chose. | Ne soufle point en ta viande ne boire. | Et si ton seigneour boit a celle heure | [ 70] Ne boy point, mais lattens. | Soit il [Beide il fehlen.] a vespre, soit il [Beide il fehlen.] a nonne. | Ne boy pas tant quil ayt fait. | Dessus ton trancheur nul ordure ne voys | Il nest pas honeste que ie le te dye. | [ 75] Ne boy point derriere le dos dun homme | Car si tu le fais tu es a despriser.

Et iames ne soyes trop hastif | v. 78 fehlt | Ne gette pas tes os en layre | [ 80] Mez couches les bel [beau su.] sus ton trenchour. | Garde nets tes draps devant toy tous | Et [Et te tienz assiz quiconque sourvienge.] syce toy que ainsi advieigne. | Jusques lez gracez soient dictes en la fyn | v. 84 fehlt. | [ 85] Regarde le plus digne que toy | Laver devant toy et cela est ton preu. | Et ne crache point en ton basyn | Mon doux filz que laveras dedens. | Et te leve sus en paix et coy. | [ 90] Et ne iangle point avec iak [Jaquet.] ne gyllote [guillot.] | Mais prens congie de ton seigneur amoreusement | Et le [le fehlt.] mercye avec ton cueur hautement | Et tous les gentilz en celle forme. | Et porte toy ainsi que tu nayes blasme | v. 95-98 fehlt. | Donques homes voudront dire icy apres | [ 100] Que ung gentil homme fuist icy. | Et celuy qui desprise ces choses | II nest pas digne, sans fable [sans perdre.] ,

Jamais a table de bon homme se seoir | Ne de honneur pour savoir. | [ 105] Et pource, enfans, pour charite, | Aymes [Ayme.] ce livre combien que petit soit | Et priez pour celly qui le fist | v. 108 fehlt. | A vivre et mourer par my ces amys. | Et en la derriere fin avec le doux Jhesus. Amen.

CAMBRIDGE, 12. juni 1885.

Karl Breul.