The Lytylle Childrenes Lytil Boke or Edyllys be.
[Harl. MS. 541, fol. 210; and Egerton MS. 1995; ab. 1480 A.D.]
Lytylle childrene, here ye may lere
Moche curtesy þat is wrytyne here;
For clerkis that the vij arteȝ cunne,
Seyn [Egerton MS. 1995, synne] þat curtesy from hevyn come
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Whan Gabryelle oure lady grette,
And Elizabeth with mary mette.
Alle vertues arne [ben closyde] closide yn curtesye,
And alle vices yn vylonye.
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Loke þyne hondis be [that thy hondys benne] wasshe clene,
That no fylthe on [in] thy nayles be sene.
Take þou no mete tylle grace [the fyrste gracys] be seyde,
And tylle þou see alle thyng arayede.
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Loke, my son, þat thow not sytte
Tylle þe ruler of þe hous the bydde; [the halle the bytte]
And at thy [Atte the] mete, yn þe begynnyng,
Loke on [a-pon (and omits that)] pore men that thow thynk,
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For the fulle wombe without [ [The parts between square brackets [] are from the Egerton MS.] any faylys]
Wot fulle lytyl [ [The parts between square brackets [] are from the Egerton MS.] what the hungery aylys.]
Ete [ [The parts between square brackets [] are from the Egerton MS.] not thy mete to hastely,
A-byde and ete esely.
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