¶ Rob not þy arme ne noȝt hit claw,
Ne bogh not doun þy hede to law;
Whil any man spekes with grete besenes,
Herken his wordis with-outen distresse.
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¶ By strete or way yf þou schalle go,
Fro þes two þynges þou kepe þe fro,
Noþer to harme chylde ne best,
With castyng, turnyng west ne est;
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Ne chaunge þou not in face coloure,
For lyghtnes of worde in halle ne boure;
Yf þy vysage chaunge for noȝt,
Men say þe 'trespas þou hase wroȝght.'
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¶ By-fore þy lorde, ne mawes þou make
Ȝif þou wylle curtasie with þe take.
With hondes vnwasshen take neuer þy mete;
Fro alle þes vices loke þou þe kepe.
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¶ Loke þou sytt—and make no stryf— [folio 18]
Where þo est [Read ost] commaundys, or ellis þo wyf.
Eschewe þe heȝest place with wyn, [AS. win, contention, labour, war; win, wyn, joy, pleasure.]
But þou be beden to sitt þer-in.
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Of curtasie here endis þe secunde fyt,
To heuen crist mot oure saules flyt!
THE THIRD BOOK.
¶ De officiarijs in curijs dominorum.
Now speke we wylle of officiers
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Of court, and als of hor mestiers.
Foure men þer ben þat ȝerdis schalle bere,
Porter, marshalle, stuarde, vsshere;
The porter schalle haue þe lengest wande,
The marshalle a schorter schalle haue in hande;
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