at a Feast, behave yourself chearfully, but always so as to remember what becomes your Age:  Serve yourself last; and if any nice Bit be offer’d you, refuse it modestly; but if they press it upon you, take it, and thank the Person, and cutting off a Bit of it, offer the rest either to him that gave it you, or to him that sits next to you.  If any Body drinks to you merrily, thank him, and drink moderately.  If you don’t care to drink, however, kiss the Cup.  Look pleasantly upon him that speaks to you; and be sure not to speak till you are spoken to.  If any Thing that is obscene be said, don’t laugh at it, but keep your Countenance, as though you did not understand it; don’t reflect on any Body, nor take place of any Body, nor boast of any Thing of your own, nor undervalue any Thing of another Bodies.  Be courteous to your Companions that are your Inferiors; traduce no Body; don’t be a Blab with your Tongue, and by this Means you’ll get a good Character, and gain Friends without Envy.  If the Entertainment shall be long, desire to be excus’d, bid much good may it do the Guests, and withdraw from Table:  See that you remember these Things.

Bo. I’ll do my Endeavour, Sir.  Is there any Thing else you’d have me do?

Ma. Now go to your Books.

Bo. Yes, Sir.

Of VARIOUS PLAYS.

The ARGUMENT.

The Boys sending Cocles their Messenger to their Master, get Leave to go to Play; who shews that moderate Recreations are very necessary both for Mind and Body.  The Master admonishes them that they keep together at Play, &c. 1.  Of playing at Stool-ball:  Of chusing Partners. 2.  Of playing at Bowls, the Orders of the Bowling-Green. 3.  Of playing at striking a Ball through an Iron Ring. 4.  Of Dancing, that they should not dance presently after Dinner:  Of playing at Leap-frog:  Of Running:  Of Swimming.

NICHOLAS, JEROME, COCLES, the MASTER.

Nic. I have had a great Mind a good While, and this fine Weather is a great Invitation to go to Play.

Jer. These indeed invite you, but the Master don’t.

Nic. We must get some Spokesman that may extort a Holiday from him.

Jer. You did very well to say extort, for you may sooner wrest Hercules’s Club out of his Hands than get a Play-day from him; but Time was when Nobody lov’d Play better than he did.

Nic. That is true, but he has forgot a great While ago since he was a Boy himself; he is as ready and free at whipping as any Body, but as sparing and backward at this as any Body in the World.

Jer. We must pick out a Messenger that is not very bashful that won’t be presently dashed out of Countenance by his surly Words.

Nic. Let who will go for me, I had rather go without Play than ask him for it.

Jer. There is Nobody fitter for this Business than Cocles.