[14]

To mynystre / with deuoute reuerence
[Sidenote:  Minister reverently]
Loke ye do / youre humble obseruance
Debonairly / with due obedyence 94
Circumspectly / with euery circumstaunce
[Sidenote:  and circumspectly.]
Of poort and chere / of goodly counte[=n]ance
Remembryng_e_ wel the lord_e_ / a boue is he
Whom to serue / is grettest liberte 98

* * * * *

THE ORIEL TEXT.

[15]

And whan ye speke, loketh men in the face[1]
[Sidenote 1:  MS. visage.]
  Wyth sobre chere and goodly semblaunce;
Cast not your_e_ eye asyde in odir place, 101
  For that is a tokyn of wantowne inconstaunce,
  Which wolle appeyre your_e_ name, and disauau_n_ce;
    The wyse man seyth, ’who hathe this signes thre
    Ne is not like a good man [for] to be—­’ 105

[16]

‘Yn hert,’ he seyth, ’who that is inconstaunte,[1]
[Sidenote 1:  MS. inconstaunce]
  A waveryng eye, glyddryng but sodenly
From place to place, and A fote[2] variaunte[3] 108
[Sidenote 2:  MS. fore.]
[Sidenote 3:  MS. variaunce.]
  That in no place abydeth stabully—­
  Thes ben signes,’ the wyse man seyth sekerly,
    ’Of suche a wyght as is vnmanerly nyce,
    And is full like dissposed be to vice.’ 112

[17]

And wayte, my childe, whan ye stond at the table,
  Of souereyne or maister whether hit be,
Applieth you [for] to be seruysable, 115
  That no defaute in you may founde be;
  Loke who doth best and hym envyeth ye,
    And specially vseth attendaunce,
    Whiche is to souereyne thyng of gret plesaunce. 119

[Sidenote:  Hill’s Text.]

P) And wha_n_ ye speke, loke me_n_ in the face
    w_i_t_h_ sobre chere & goodly semblavnce; 100
  Caste not eye a-side in no other_e_ place,
    ffor that ys a token of a wanton constavnce
    which will[e] apayre yo_ur_ name, & dysavance. 
      The wyse ma_n_ sayth, ’who hath these thy_ngis_ iij, 104
      ys not lyke a good man for to be:’ 

P) ‘In herte,’ he sayth, ’who that ys Inco_n_stavnte,
    A waverynge eye, glydyng sodenly
  ffro place to place, & a foote varyavnte 108
    that in no place a-bydyth stabli,
    ‘Thyse bene the thyng_is_,’ the wysma_n_ sayth sekerly,
      ’Off suche a wayghte that be vnmanerly nyce,
      & be full[e] lykely dysposed vnto vyce.’ 112

P) Awayte, my chyld, wha_n_ ye stonde at table,
    Off mayster or soverayne whe_ther_ yt be,
  Applye you for to be servysable
    That no defawte in you fownden be; 116
    loke who dothe best, & hym folow ye,
      & in especyall[e] vse ye attendavnce
      wheryn ye shall[e] yo_u_r selfe best avaunce.