PREFACE (continued 2)
Reading edition
CAXTON'S TEXT.
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To connynd_e_ perso[=n]s regarde ye take [Sidenote: Watch knowing folk, and] Where ye be sette / right in ententyf wyse Connyng folk / connyng men shal make 500 To their co_n_nyng ye shal make your surmise [Sidenote: their skill.] And as they do / ye muste your self deuyse For this my child_e_ / is as the gospel trewe Who wil be co_n_nyng / he must þ^e co_n_nyng sewe 504
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And one thing / I warne you specyally To womanhede / take awe alweye [Sidenote: Specially attend to women, and] And them to serue / loke ye haue an eye 507 And theire com_m_andementis that ye obeye Plesant wordes I auyse you to them seye [Sidenote: speak pleasant words to them.] And in alle wyse / do ye your diligence To do them plesure / and reuerence 511
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And at this tyme this tretye shal suffise [Sidenote: This is enough for the present.] Dispose you / to kepe it in your mynde [Sidenote: Mind you attend to it,] The doctrine whiche for you I deuyse 514 And doubteth not / ful wel ye shal it finde To your honour / enrolle it vp and bynde Right in your breste / and at your riper age I shal wryte to you / herof the surplusage 518 [Sidenote: and when you're older I'll write you the rest.]
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THE ORIEL TEXT.
[75]
Goo, litle childe, and who doth you Appose, Seying, your_e_ quaire kepeth non accordaunce, Tell [hym], as yite neyther of ryme ne prose 521 Ye be experte; pray hym of sufferaunce; Childer must be of childly gouernaunce, And they must also entredet[1] be [Sidenote 1: Read entreted] Wyth esy thyng, [and not] of subtilte. 525
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Your_e_ lytil quaier su_m_mitteth euery where To corecc_i_on and beneuolence, But where enuie is, loke hit come not there, 528 For eny thing kepith your_e_ trety thense; Enuie is full of frowarde reprehense, And howe to hurte liethe eu_er_e in awayte, Kepeth your_e_ quaier_e_, that hit be not her baite.
EXPLICIT.
DOMINE, SALUU_M_ FAC REGEM.
[Sidenote: Hill's Text.]
¶ Go, litill[e] Ioh[=n], & who doth you oppose, sayenge yo_u_r quayre, kepeth no_n_ accordavnce; 520 Tell[e] hy_m_ as 3*et neyther_e_ i_n_ ryme ne p_r_ose ye ben exp_er_te; p_ra_y hy_m_ of suffraunce. Chyldren[1] muste be of childy gou_er_navnce, [Sidenote 1: MS. Clyldren.] & also _the_i muste entreted be 524 W_i_t_h_ easy thynge, & not w_i_t_h_ subtilte.
¶ Go, lytill[e] quayer, submyte you eu_er_y where vnder correcc_i_on of benevolence; & wher envy ys, loke you cu_m_ not ther_e_, 528 ffor any thyng kepe yo_u_r treatye thens; Envye ys full of froward reprehens, & how to hurte lyeth ever i_n_ a-wayte; kepe yo_u_r quayre _th_at yt be not ther bayte. 532
Here endyth A lytyll[e] treatyse called _th_e boke of curtesy or litill[e] Ioh_a_n.
CAXTON'S TEXT.
[75]
Go lytyl Io[=h]n / and who doth you appose [Sidenote: Whoever questions you,] Sayng your quayer / kepe non accordance Telle hym as yet / neyther in ryme ne prose 521 Ye ben expert / praye hym of suffra[=n]ce [Sidenote: say you are not yet up in rime or prose.] Chyldren muste be / of chyldly gouerna[=n]ce And also they muste entretyd_e_ be With esy thing / and not with subtylte 525
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Go lytil quayer / submytte you euery where Vnder correct_i_on of benyuolence [Sidenote: Little book, I submit you to correction:] And where enuye is / loke ye come not there 528 [Sidenote: but go not where envy is.] For ony thing_e_ / kepe your tretye thens Enuye is ful of froward reprehens And how to hurte / lyeth euer in a wayte Kepe your quayer / that it be not ther bayte 532
Explicit the book of curtesye.