[44]

It is to a godly chyld wel syttyng_e_
To vse disportes of myrthe & plesa[=n]ce
To harpe or lute / or lustely to synge 304
[Sidenote:  You should harp, lute, sing or dance.]
Or in the prees right manerly to daunce
Whan men se a chyld of suche gouernance
They saye / glad may this chyldis fre_n_dis be
To haue a chylde / so manerly as is he 308

* * * * *

THE ORIEL TEXT.

[45]

Exersice your_e_-selfe also in redyng
  Of bokys enournede wyth eloquence;
Ther shall ye fynde both pleasaunce and lernyng, 311
  And so ye may in eu_er_y good presence
  Some [what] fynde and see as in sentence,
    That shall accorde the tyme to ocupie,
    That ye not nede to stondyn idelie. 315

[46]

Itt[1] is fare to be cominycatyfe
[Sidenote 1:  MS. Iit.]
  In matires vnto purpoos according,
So that a wight sume not excessyfe, 318
  For trusteth well, hit is tedious thyng
  For to here a childe multiplie talkyng,
    Yif hit be not to the purpose applied,
    And also wyth goodly termys aleyde. 322

[47]

Redith Gower in his writyng moralle,
  That au[=n]cient faders memorie,
Redith his bokis clepide ‘confessionalle,’ 325
  Wyth many anodir vertuous tretie,
  Full of sentence sette so frutuously,
    That them to rede shall yeue you corage,
    So is he fulle of sentence and langage. 329

[Sidenote:  Hill’s Text.]

P) Excersyse also yo_u_r selfe in redyng
    Off bokes enorned wit[=h] eloquence,
  ther shall[e] ye fynde bot[=h] plesyre & lernynge,
    so that ye may in eu_er_y good presence 312
    Some-what fynde as in sentence
      that shall[e] accorde the tyme to occupye,
      That ye not nede to stonde ydellye.

P) It ys fayer to be comynycatyfe
    In maters vnto purpose accordyng, 317
  So that a wyghte seme exersyfe;
    ffor trustyth well[e] yt ys a tedyovs thy_n_g
    ffor to here a child multyply talkyng 320
      yf yt be not to the purpose applyed,
      & also w_i_t_h_ goodly termes alyed.

P) Redyt[=h] gover i_n_ his wrytyng morall[e],
    That Auncyente ffader of memorye, 324
  Redyt[=h] his bookes called co_n_fessyonall[e],
    w_i_t_h_ many a-nother_e_ vertuvs tretye
    ffull[e] of sentence sett full[e] fructvously,
      That hy_m_ to rede shall[e] geve you covrage, 328
      he ys so full[e] of frute, se_n_tence, & langage.

CAXTON’S TEXT.