Dinner matters.
For hunger or thirst,
Serue cattle well first.
1
By noone see your dinner, be readie and neate,
let meate tarrie seruant, not seruant his meate.
2
Plough cattle a baiting, call seruant to dinner,
the thicker togither, the charges the thinner.
Togither is best,
For hostis and gest.
3
Due season is best, altogither is gay,
dispatch hath no fellow, make short and away.
4
Beware of Gill laggoose, disordring thy house,
mo dainties, who catcheth, than craftie fed mouse?
Let such haue ynough,
That follow the plough.
5
Giue seruant no dainties, but giue him ynough,
too many chaps walking, doo begger the plough.
6
Poore seggons halfe sterued, worke faintly and dull,
and lubbers doo loiter, their bellies too full.
Giue neuer too much,
To lazie and such.
7
Feede lazie, that thresheth a flap and a tap,
like slothfull, that all day be stopping a gap.
8
Some litherly lubber, more eateth than twoo,
yet leaueth vndone, that another will doo.
Where nothing will last,
Spare such as thou hast.
9
Some cutteth thy linnen, some spoileth their broth,
bare table to some, doth as well as a cloth.
10
Treene dishes be homely, and yet not to lack,
Where stone is no laster, take tankard and iack.
Knap boy on the thums,
And saue him his crums.
11
That pewter is neuer for manerly feastes,
that daily doth serue, so vnmanerly beastes.
12
Some gnaweth & leaueth, some crusts & some crums,
eat such their own leuings, or gnaw their own thums
Serue God euer furst,
Take nothing at wurst.
13
Grace before & after meale.
At Dinner, at Supper, at morning, at night,
giue thankes vnto God for his gifts so in sight.
14
Good husband and huswife will sometime alone,
make shift with a morsell, and picke of a bone.
Inough thou art tolde,
Too much will not holde.
15
Three dishes well dressed, and welcome withall,
both pleaseth thy friend, and becommeth thine hall.
16
Enough is a plentie, too much is a pride,
the plough with ill holding goes quicklie aside.
