Still less ought he in such company to pick his nose or to scratch himself, or to lean his head, but to look in the face of the one speaking Non nares fodeas, carnem propriam neque scalpus, Nec caput inclines, facies sit in ore loquentis. He is to go demurely in walking in the streets and ways Pergas in pace per vicos atque plateas. He was not to let the colour in his face change suddenly through levity; nor to burst into horse-laughs in the presence of his lord "despise laughing, by which you may be brought into contempt Nec coram domino debes monastrare cachinnos; "Hold to these maxims, if thou wilt be considered polite" Hæc documenta tene, si vis urbanus haberi. Next come the directions for behaviour at eating in the feudal meal. The first is, "Never take your food with unwashed hands " Illotis manibus escam ne sumpseris unquam; and "take the seat which the host has pointed out to you; never presuming on a high place, unless you have been ordered to take it " Atque loco sedeas tibi quem signaverit hospes ; "Touch not the bread and wine till the dishes are placed, or you will be said to be starved or gluttonous Fercula donec sint sita, pani parce meroque, "Nor eat anything until grace has been said Nec escas capias donec benedictio fiat. "Let thy nails be clean, lest perchance they offend thy neighbour Mundi sint ungues, noceant ne forte sodali. "Eat all that has been served to you, or let it be given Morsellum totum comedas, vel detur egenis. It was customary at the medieval table, in the course of carving, to lay aside a portion of the provisions for the poor, for whom there was a basket, or some large vessel, in the hall, in which all the offal was placed, and it was sent out in charity to the beggars, who assembled at the hall-door in the court. Hence it was considered a part of genteel behaviour in hall to put aside the part of your own share of provisions which you were unable to eat yourself, and add it to that which was sent to the poor. You are taught to be quiet at table, and not to indulge in much chattering. Pace fruens multis caveas garrire loquelis. "Avoid swelling out your cheeks by taking a great lump into your mouth at once Maxillamque bolo caveas expandere magno. "Nor eat your food on both sides of your mouth at once " Nec gemina parte vescaris cibis simul oris. "Never laugh or talk with your mouth full" — Nunquam ridebis nec faberis ore repleto. Directions are then given with regard to your plate. You are not to make a noise in it by overeating; the spoon is not to be left standing in it, nor lying on its edge, for fear of fouling the table-cloth; nor must you return to the dish a morsel once taken up; and call not back to the table a dish which has been taken away In disco nunquam cochlear stet, nec super oram In discum tacta buccella retrograda non sit; "Never spit over the table or upon it 66 Non ultra mensam spueris nec desuper unquam. Scrape not nor scratch your own skin with your fingers; always avoid wiping your nose with a clean hand," "and at handkerchiefs were not in use at the time, Non carnem propriam digitis verres neque scalpas; "Drink not at table while you have food in your mouth Ore tenens escas potum superaddere noli. "Never bring to table what may offend your compan Quod noceat sociis in mensa ne refer unquam. This refers to familiarity with animals-"Be careful at table not to handle the cat or the dog " Mensa murilegum caveas palpare canemque. The young guest was admonished to beware of staining the table-cloth with his knife Mensa cultello mappam maculare caveto. And he has to wipe his mouth before drinking — Oreque polluto non potabis nisi terso. This Latin metrical code of good manners conIcludes with the wish that all who refuse to conform to these teachings should be banished from every polite table Privetur mensa qui spernit hæc documenta. In the Harleian MS., this poem ends with the statement that the author of this code was the celebrated Robert Grosseteste, Bishop of Lincoln, one of the bright stars of English literature and learning in the thirteenth century Hæc qui me docuit, Grossum-caput est sibi nomen. THE KNIGHT OF LA TOUR-LANDRY (A. D. 1381.) THE late Mr. Thomas Wright, in introducing a translation of "The Book of the Knight of La Tour-Landry, compiled for the instruction of his Daughters," says that the book was first translated from the original French into English in the reign of Henry VI. The author of it was Geoffroy de la Tour, lord of the feudal castle of La Tour-Landry, in the province of Anjou. The ruins of the old castle are still to be seen. The book was begun in 1381, for the instruction and guidance of his three motherless daughters. Mention is made in the text of a previous book, which he had compiled for the use of his sons, but no MS. of it is known to exist. In compiling this work for his daughters the knight followed the practice of medieval times, of teaching morals and religion by means of popular stories and historical narratives. In collecting these anecdotes he employed two priests and two clerks. "A very large proportion of the stories given by Geoffroy de la Tour-Landry are taken from the Scriptures and from the lives of saints and other similar productions; but, like other moralists of his age, he adopted the stories of the fabliaux, and the tales of the popular conteur, whenever they seemed to suit his purpose, and in his choice he has not rejected some which were better fitted by their want of delicacy to the ears of his contemporaries than to those of modern times. There then existed very little of refinement in word or thought, and, in the best society, both sexes often conversed in terms and on subjects which are in strange discordance with our modern sentiments. "No doubt under the pretext of instructing his own daughters, Geoffroy's design was to write a treatise on the domestic education of women, and his plan appears to have extended still further, and to have been intended to embrace the other |