De ciuilitate morun [sic] puerilium per Des. Erasmum Roterodamum, libellus nunc primum & conditus & æditus. Roberto VVhitintoni interprete. = A lytell booke of good maners for chyldren, nowe lately compyled and put forth by Erasmus Roterodam in latyne tonge, with interpretacion of the same in to the vulgare englysshe tonge, by Robert whytyngton laureate poete. Cum priuilegio

¶Of the eyes.

Let the eyes be stable / ho∣nest / well set / nat frownyng / which is syne of crueltie / nat wāton / which is tokē of ma∣lapertnesse / nat wandring & rollynge / whiche is syne of madnesse / nat twyringe and spyeng / whiche is token of suspection and compasynge disceyte / nor hāgyng downe whiche is syne of folly: nor afterwarde twynklyng with the browes / whiche in sygne of vnstablenesse / nor masing as a mā astonyed (And that was noted in Socrates) nor to sharpe / a syne of malyce / nat makyng synes and pro∣fers nor besy wanton / a to∣ken of yuell chasty••e: but re∣presentyng a mynde well en¦stabled / & amy••ble with ho∣nesty. Nor it is nat said with out cause of antique sage mē / that the eye is the seate and place of the soule.

The antique pyctures she••weth to vs that in olde tyme men were of synguler de∣mure countenaunce / and lo∣ked with eyes halfe closed / lyke as in Spayne certayne loke as they were pore blyn¦de / as it semeth to be ••ake as a fayre & amyable coun∣tenaūce. Lykewyse we lerne of pictures / ī olde tyme they were narowe and strayte mouthed / a signe of vertue: But that thyng that of his awne nature is semely / it is taken with all men comly. All be it becometh vs som∣tyme to be lyke the lopster / and to applye our selfe to the maner of the regyon we be in.

Nowe there be certayne countenaunces of the eyes / whom na••ure gyueth of this fasshyon to one and that to an other / whiche chaunseth nat be vnder my preceptes: saue that gestures out of or∣der do blemysshe nat onely the behauoure and sauoure of the eyes / but also of all the body. And v••on the contrarye parte gestu∣res manerly maketh that whiche of nature is seme∣ly to be more comlye:

and that whiche is of re∣proche / if so be it take it nat awaye / yet it hydeth it and dothe dymynisshe it. It is vnsyttynge to loke vpon a mā and wynke with the one eye: For what els is it but to make blynde hym selfe? Lette leaue that gesture to the fysshes called Thynnes and craftismen.

Let the browes be set vp / and nat bente / whiche is to∣ken of crueltie / nat set vp t•• hye / whiche is syne of arro∣gance and proude hert / nat hāgyng in to his eyen / which is ••yne of yuel ymagynaciō.

A forheed mery & playne / signifyeth a mynde of clene conscience and a gentyll na∣ture: let it nat be knytte in wrincles as in an olde per∣sone / nat mouynge vp and downe like an hedge hogge / nor croked or wri••hen lyke a bull.

Let nat the nose thrilles be full of s••yuell lyke a slut∣tysshe persone: That vyce was noted in Socrates as a reproche.

To drie or snytte thy nose with thy cappe or thy cote is all of the carte / vpon thy sleue or thyne elbowe /

is propertie of fysshmōger••. Nor it is nat mo••h•• mor•• maner to drie with thy bare hande / if so be afterwarde thou daube it on thy clo∣thes.

It is good maner to drie the fylthe of the nose with thy handkercher / and that with thy heed somwhat tour¦ned a syde / if more honest persones be presen••.

If any snyt fall on y^e groūde after thou haste sny••••e thy nose with two fyngers / by and by treade it out vnder thy fete. It is also agaynste maner to snuffe with thy no∣se / it is a syne of malyce: It is more leude to snu••••e with thy nose / and a syne of fury if it be vsuall. As for suche as be shorte breathed / that be sycke of tysyke muste ••e holde excused. It is a re∣proche to speake in the nose / for it is the propertie of cro∣wes and elephantes.

To wrie the nose is the pro∣pertie of scoffers and natu∣rall fooles.

If snesynge chaunce other beynge presen••e / it is good maner to turne a syde: after whā the passion doth cease /

to blesse thy mouth with the syne of the crosse / after to take of thy cappe & thanke thē (or desyre pardone) that sayd or were aboute to saye christ helpe: for snesynge as gawnyng is wont to take a waye the sence of herynge.

It is goodly to say•• christe helpe to an other man that sneseth: And it is a chyldes par••e to do of his cappe / if dyuers that be elder be pre∣sent that saye christ helpe to man or woman. And ••ynally to make a shyrle noyse or a shrike purposely in snesyng / or to itera••e snesyng of pur∣pose / to the ••stētacio•• of his strength is leudenesse.

To stop the snesyng that na¦ture moueth is folly of such that preferreth maner be∣fore helth.