_Hill_, l. 430-4.)

[Footnote 1: Founders of, _Oriel_ MS.]

[Footnote 2: some, _Hill_; so, _Oriel_.]

_3, St George's Square, N.W.

15 Dec., 1867._

The Book of Curtesye.

[The Book of Curtesy.]

[_From the Oriel MS. lxxix._]

[1]

Lytle childe, sythen youre tendre infancie
Stondeth as yett vndir yndyff[e]rence,
To vice or vertu to moven[1] or Applie, 3
[Sidenote 1: MS. coorven]
And in suche Age ther is no prouide_n_ce,
Ne comenly no sadde intelligence,
But ryght as wax receyueth printe and figure,
So chylder ben disposed of nature,

[2]

Vice or vertu to Folowe and ympresse
In mynde; and therfore, to stere and remeve
You from vice, and to vertu thou[1] dresse, 10
[Sidenote 1: _Read_ you]
That on to folow, and the other to eschewe,
I haue devysed you this lytill newe
Instrucc_i_on according to your_e_ age,
Playne in sentence, but playner in langage. 14

(_Richard Hill's Commonplace Book, or Balliol MS. 354, ffl C lx._)

[Sidenote: _Hill's Text._]

Here begynnyth lytill[e] Ioh_a_n.

P) Lytell[e] Iohan, sith yo_u_r tender_e_ enfancye
Stondyth as yet vnder_e_ Indyfference
To vyce or vertu to mevyn or applie,
& in suche age _ther_[1] ys no p_ro_vydence, 4
Ne come_n_ly no sage Intelygence,
But as wax receyvith prynt or fygure,
So chyldren bene disposed of nature

[Footnote 1: The _th_ is the same as the _y_.]

P) Vyce or vertu to folowe, & enpresse 8
In mynde; & _ther_for to styre & remeve
you frome vice, & to vertu addresse,
That on to folow, & _tha_t o_ther_ to eschewe,
I haue devysed you this lytill[e] newe 12
Instrucc_i_on[1] accordyng vnto yo_u_r age,
playn In sentence, but playner_e_ In langage.

[Footnote 1: The mark of contraction is over the _n_: t.i. the _n_ has
its tail curled over its back like a dog's.]

[The Book of Courtesye.]

[_Caxton's Text._]

[1]

[Sidenote: Leaf 1 a.]

Lytyl Iohn syth your tendre enfancye
Stondeth as yet vnder / in difference
[Sidenote: As Infancy is indifferent]
To vice or vertu to meuyn or applye 3
[Sidenote: whether it follows vice or virtue,]
And in suche age ther is no prouidence
Ne comenly no sad_e_ Intelligence
But as waxe resseyueth prynte or figure
So children ben di