<County: Cheshire>
<Code: L0043>
<MS reference: London, BL Sloane 1986>
<Text: Booke of Curtassye>
<Tranche 1>
<fol. 17r>Be not hys felaw in rest ne bate .
3if þu be stad in strange contre
Enserche no fyr þen fall to the
ne take no more to do on honde
þen þu may hafe menske of all~ in londe
¶ 3if þu se any mon fal by strete
lawegh~ not þer-at in drye ne wete
But helpe hym vp wt all~ þy my3t
As seynt Ambrose þe teches ry3t ;
þu that stondys so sure on sete
war~ lest þy hede falle to þy fete
¶ My chylde yf þu stonde at þo mass~
At vndurstondis bothe more and lasse
yf þo prest rede not at þy wylle
Repreue hym no3t but holde þe stylle
¶ To any wy3t þy counsell yf þu schewe
Be-war þt he be not a schrewe
lest he disclaundyr þe wt tong
Amonge alle men bothe olde & 3ong
¶ Be kenyng fynguryng non þu vse
And pryue rownyng loke þu refuse
yf þu mete kny3t 3omon or knaue
haylys hym a-non syre god 3ou saue
yf he speke fyrst opon þe þor~
Onsware hym gladly wt-outen mor~
¶ Go not forth as a dombe freke
Syn god hase laft the tonge to speke
lest menn sey be sibbe or couthe
3ond+is a mon wt-outen mouthe
<fol. 17v>while þt þu speke kepe well þy honde
Thy fete also in pece let stonde
¶ his curtase nede he most breke
Stirraunt fyngurs to os when he shall speke
Be stabull of cher~ and sumwhat ly3t
ne ouer alle wayne þu not thy sy3t
¶ Gase not on walles wt þy negh
Fyr . ne . negh logh ne hegh
let not þe post be-cum þy staf
lest þu be callet a dotet daf
Ne delf þu neuer nose-thyrle
wt thombe ne fyngur as 3ong gyrle
¶ Rob not þy arme ne no3t hit claw
Ne bogh not doun þy hede to law
whil any mann spekes wt grete besenes
herken his wordis wt-outen distresse
¶ By strete or way yf þu schalle go
Fro þes two þynges þu kepe þe fro
Noþer to harme chylde ne best
wt castyng turnyng west ne est
Ne chaunge þu not in face coloure
For lyghtnes of worde in halle ne bour~
yf þy vysage chaunge for no3t
Men say þe trespas þu hase wro3ght
¶ By-for~ þy lorde ne mawes þu make
3if þu wyll curtasie wt þe take
wt hondes vnwasshen take neuer þy mete
Fro alle þes vices loke þu þe kepe
¶ loke þu sytt & make no stryf
<fol. 18r>wher~ þo est commaundys or ellis þo wyf
Eschewe þe he3est place wt wyn
But þu be beden to sitt þer-in
Of curtasie her~ endis þe secunde fyt
To heuen crist mot our~ saules flyt
¶ <lat></lat>
NOW speke we wylle of officiers
Of court and als of hor mestiers
Foure men þer benn þt 3erdis schall bere
Porter marshall stuarde vsshere
The porter schall haue þe lengest wande
The marshall a schorter schall haue in hande
The vssher of chambur smallest schall haue
The stuarde in honde schall haue a stafe
A fyngur gret two wharters long
To reule þe menn of court ymong
¶ <lat>De janitor~</lat>
¶ The porter falle to kepe þo 3ate
þe stokkes wt hym erly & late
3if any mann hase in court mys-gayne<?>
To porter-warde he schall be tane
þer-to a-byde þe lordes wyll
what he wille deme by ry3twys skyll
For wessell clothes þt no3t be solde
Þe poter hase þt warde in holde
Of strangers also þt comen to court
þo porter schall warne ser at a worde
lyueray he hase of mete and drynke
And settes wt hym who so hym thynke
<fol. 18v>when so euer þo lorde remewe schall
To castell til oþer as ht may falle
For cariage þe porter hors schall hyre
Foure pens a pece wt-in þo schyr~
Be statut he schall take þt on þe day
þt is þe kynges crye in faye
¶ <lat>De marescallo aule</lat>
¶ Now of marschall of hall wyll j spekke
And what falle to hys offyce now wyll y telle
jn a-bsence of stuarde he shall a-rest
who-so euer is rebell in court or fest
3omon vsshere and grome also
vndur hym ar þes two
þo grome for fuell þt schall brenne
<5 words>
jn hall chambur to kechyn as j þe kenne
he shall delyuer hit ilke a dele
jn hall make fyre at yche a mele
Borde trestuls and formes also
þe cupborde in his warde schall go
þe dosurs cortines to henge in halle
þes office seruede do he schall
Bryng in fyre on alhalawgh day
to condulmas euen j dar well say
¶ <lat></lat>
So longe squiers lyueres shall hafe
Of grome of halle or ellis his knafe
But fyre shall brenne in hall at mete
To Cena diner þt men hase ete
<fol. 19r>þer brow3t schall be a holyn kene
þt sett schall be in erber grene
And þt schall be to alhalawgh day
And of be skyfted as y þe say
Jn hall marshalle all men schall sett
After here degre wt-outen lett
¶ <lat></lat>
¶ The botelar pantrer and cokes also
To hym ar seruauntes wt-outen mo
þer-fore on his 3erde skore shall he
Alle messys in halle þt seruet be
Commaunde to sett bothe brede & ale
To all men þt seruet ben in sale
¶ To gentilmen wt wyne jbake
Ellis fayles þo seruice y vndertake
jche messe at vrd brene shall he
At the countyng house wt oþer mene
yf þo koke wolde say þt were more
þt is þo cause þt he hase hit in skore
þe panter also yf he wolde stryfe
For rewarde þt sett schall be be-lyue
whenn brede faylys at borde aboute
The marshall gares sett wt-outen doute
More brede þt calde is a rewarde
So shall ht be preuet be-fore stuarde
¶ <lat></lat>
¶ Botler shall sett for yche a messe
A pot a+lofe wtouten distresse
Botler pantrer felawes ar ay
Reken hom to-gedur full well y+may
<fol. 19v>The marshall shall herber all men in fere
That ben of court of any mestere
Saue þe lordys chambur þo wadrop to
þo vssher of chambur schall tent þo two
¶ <lat></lat>
¶ Speke j wylle A lytull qwyle
Of vssher of chambur wtouten gyle
þer is gentylmen zomon vssher also
Two gromes at þo left A page þer-to
¶ <lat></lat>
¶ Gromes palettes shyn fyle & make liter~
ix fote on lengthe wt-out diswer~
vij fote y-wys hit shall be brode
wele watered j-wrythen be craft y-trode
Wyspes drawn out at fete & syde
Wele wrethyn and turnyd a3ayne þt tyde
On legh vnsonken hit shall be made
To þo gurdyl stode hegh on lengthe & brade
For lordys two beddys schall be made
Bothe vtter and inner so god me+glade
þt henget shall be wt hole sylour
wt crochettes and loupys sett on lyour
¶ þo valance on sylour shall henge wt wyn
iij curteyns stre3t drawen wtinne
þt reche schall euen to grounde a-boute
noþer mor~ noþer lesse wt-outen doute
he strykes hom vp wt forket wande
And lappes vp fast a-boute þe lyft hande
þo knop vp turnes and closes on ry3t
<fol. 20r>¶ As bolde by nek þt henges full ly3t
þo counterpynt he lays on beddys fete
Qwysshenes on sydes shyn lye full mete
Tapetes of spayne on flor~ by-syde
þt sprad shyn be-for pompe and pryde
þo chambur sydes ry3t to þo dor~
he henges wt tapetes þt ben full stor~
And fuel to chymne hym falle to gete
And strenes in clof to y-saue þo hete
Fro þo lorde at mete when he is sett
Borde trestuls and fourmes wt-outen lett
¶ Alle thes þynges kepe schall he
And water in chafer for laydyes fre
iij perchers of wax þen shall he fet
A-boue þo chymne þt be sett
jn syce<?> ichonn from oþer shall be
þe lenghthe of oþer þt me may se
To brenne to voide þt dronkyn is
Oþer ellis j wote he dose amys
þo vssher alle-way shall sitt at dor~
at mete and walke schall on þe flor~
To se þat all be seruet on ry3t
þat is his office be day & ny3t
And byd set borde when tyme schall be
And take hom vp when tyme ses he
¶ The wardrop he herbers and eke of chambur
ladyes wt bedys of corall and lambur
þo vsshere schall bydde þo wardroper~
make redy for all ny3t be-for~ þe fere
þen brynges he forthe ny3t-goun also
<fol. 20v>And spredys a tapet and qwysshens two
he layes hom þen opon a fourme
And foteshete þer-on & hit returne
¶ þo lorde schall skyft hys gownn at ny3t
Syttand on foteshete tyl he be dy3t
þen vssher gose to þo botte
haue in for all ny3t syr says he
Fyrst to þe chaundeler he schall go
To take a torces ly3t hym fro
¶ Bothe wyne and ale he tase in dede
þo botler says wt-outen drede
No mete for mon schall sayed be
Bot for kynge or prynce or duke so fre
For heiers of paraunce also ywys
Mete shall be sayed now thenkys on this
þen to pantre he hy3es belyue
¶ Syrs haue in wt-outen stryffe
Manchet and chet-bred he shalle take
þo panter~ assayes þat ht be bake
A+morter of wax 3et will he bryng
Fro chambur fyr wtout lesyng
þt alle ny3t brennes in bassyn+cler~
To saue þo chambur on ny3t for fyre
¶ Þen 3omon of chambur shynne voyde wt tyme
the torches han holden wele þt tyme
Tho chambur dore stekes þo vssher thenne
wt preket and torces þt conne brenne
Fro cupborde he brynges both brede & wyne
And fyrst assayes hit wele a-fyne
<fol. 21r>But fyrst þe lorde shall vasshe ywys
Fro þo fyr-hous when he comen is
þen kneles þe vssher & gyfes hym drynke
Brynges hym in bed wher~ he shall wynke
Jn strong styd on palet he lay
At home tase lefe & gose his way
3omon vssher be-for~ þe dore
jn vttur chambur lies on þe flor~
<Tranche 2>
<fol. 42r>Small hew þo flessh ser for þe nonus
Make a lyour~ of crust of brede
Of blode of swanne þt soþun is lede
Caste powdur of gynger and clawes þer-to
Of peper and wyn þu take also
And salt ht þen and seth ht wele
Cast in þy flessh hewen ych a dele
And messe ht forth as j þe kenne
Set ht in sale be-fore goode menne
¶ For Cranys & herons
¶ The crane is enarmed ful wele j wot
wt larde of porke at on bare mot
Rostyd and eten wt gode ginger~
þt is þo sawce þt seruis þere
þo heroun is rosted as haue j blys
and eton wt gynger as his kynde is
¶ For pekokys & pertrikis
¶ pekokys and pertrikys perboylyd schyn be
lardyd rostyd eton leuys me
wt gyngere paynd+unyun paryd clene
And groundyn in a morter þt is schene
Temperid vp wt veneger gode
wt powder of gyngere & salt by þo rode
And draw3en þorowgh a streynour mylde
Seruid forth wt pekok and pertrik wylde
¶ Galentyne
¶ Take crust of brede & grynde ht small
Take powder of galingale & temper wt all
powder of gynger & salt also
<fol. 42v>Temper all wt venegur er þu More do
Draw3e ht thurugh a streynour þenne
And messe ht forth be-fore gode menn
Sawce camelyne berneletes and oþer thyngus
Take raysons of coro<ill><3-4 letters></ill> and kyrnels small
Of notes and do a-way þo schale
Take crust of brede and clowes in fere
And powder j-maked of gode gynger~
Flowr~ of canel þu schalt take þenne
Bray all to-gedur as j þe kenne
Jn a morter and salt þer-to
Temper all wt venegur þen hase þu do
And messe ht forth þis is sawce fyne
þat men calles camelyne
¶ For lumbardus mustard
¶ Take mustarde and let ht drye
A-n+ouyn sir wyturlye
Stomper ht in a morter fyne
And fars ht thurgh a cloth of lyne
Do wyne þer-to and venegur gode
Stur~ hom wele to-gedur for þe rode
And make ht thyke j-nowgh thenne
whenn þu ht spendes by-fore gode menne
And make ht thynn wt wyne j say
wt diuerse metes þu serue hit may
¶ For pykull
¶ Take droppyng~ of caponn rostyd wele
wt wyne and mustarde as haue þu cele
wt . onyons small schrad & sothun in grece
<fol. 43r>Mengull in fere & forth ht messe
¶ Filetus in galentine
¶ Take filetes of porke & half hom rost
Smyte hom in peses wt-outenn host
Draw3e a lyour~ of blode & brede wt all
Do veneger þerto j wot þu schall
Fors ht wt powder of canel or gode gynger~
Seth ht wt þo flessh all in fere
Salt and messe forth þenne
Set ht in sale before gode menn
¶ Pigges in sawce
¶ Take pigges and scalde hom in water clene
Seth hom in water and salt by dene
Take hom vp & lete hom kele
Take persoley and sage & grynde ht wele
wt þe broth of pigges wt-owten rewarde
And 3olkes of eggus þt soþun ar harde
Temper all wt venegur sumdele stondande
lay pigges in a vessayle wt both hande
helde þy sawce a-bofe colde for-thy
And serue ht all forth syr wysly
¶ Sawce madame
¶ Take sawge persoly ysope saueray
Onyons gode peres garlek j say
And grapes go fill þy gose þenne
And sew þy hole no grece oute renne
lay hur to fyre & rost hyr brownn
And kepe þo grece þt falles dounn
Take galingale and þo grece þt renne
<fol. 43v>Do ht in posnet as j þe kenne
Whenn þo gose is rostyd take hir away
Smyte hir in pesys j þe pray
þat is wt-in þu schall take oute
kest in þy posnet wt-outenn doute
3if ht is thyke do þer-to wyne
And powder of galingale þt is fyne
And powder dowce and salt also
Boyle alle to-geder er þu fyr go
Jn a dyssh þy gose þu close
þe sawce a-bofe as j suppose
¶ Gose in a hogge-pot
¶ In pesis þu schalt þy gose stryke
Take water and wyne bothe j-lyke
Do in þy gose and onyons þu take
A gode quantite as j er spake
And erbus hacked þu take also
And cast þer-in er þu more do
þen set þy pot ouer þo fyre
And ht wele stir for þe hyre
And make a lyoure of brede & blode
And lye ht þer-wyth for ht is gode
kast powder þer-to and salt a-non
And messe ht þenne þu hase done
¶ To saue venyson~ fressh ouer þe 3er~
¶ yf þu wylle kepe þe tayle of a dere
Fressh in seson ouer þo 3ere
Or oþer venesonn yf þt ht nede
Thus schalt þu do j wot in dede
<fol. 44r>Presse out þo blode for any thyng~
That is cause for grete rotyng~
jn erþyn~ pot þu schalt ht pyt
And feyre hony do in-to hit
To þo hony stonde ouer þo flessh
Too fyngurs thyke for harde or nesshe
wt leder þo mouth then schalt þu bynde
kepe ht fro ayre son or wynde
jn cofer or huch or seler merke
¶ For to saue venyson~ fro restyng~
¶ Take venesonn when ht is new slayn
And couer ht alle wt ferne playn
þt no wynde enter þer-to
And whenn þu hast couered ht so
lede ht home selor ht lay
That wynde ne sonn ne nngh<?> ht may
Dresse ht wele & wassh ht clene
Sythen lay ht in water all by dene
Ther in be half a+day to lye
þenn take ht oute on flore to drye
þenn after take salt a quantite
Boyle ht in clere water so fre
And kele ht þat he be bot lue
And þer-in wassh þy veneson~ true
And let ht lye þer in thre dayes
And thre ny3ghtes by any kyns wayes
Then take ht oute of þat water
<fol. 44v>Salt ht wyth drye salt all in fer~
And do ht in a barel þenn
Tho barel stafful as j þe kenne
Stop wele þo hede for wynde and sonne
For ht wylle payre þo venysonn
¶ To kepe herb3 ouer þe wyntur
¶ Take floure and rer~ þo cofyns fyne
Wele stondande wt-outen~ stine
Take tenderons of sauge wt-owte lesyng~
And stop onefull vp to þo ryng~
Thenn close þo lyd fayre and wele
þat ayre go not oute neuer a dele
Do so wt saueray percil and rew
And þenn bake hom harde Wel+ne3e brende
Sythun kepe hom drye and to hom tent
This powder schall be of more vertu
þen oponn erþe when ht gru
¶ For lyour~ best
¶ Take drye floure in cofynn ht close
And bake ht harde as j suppose
þu may ht kepe all þys fyue 3ere
There-wt a lye mony metes sere
here endys oure sawce þt j fore tolde
¶ <lat>De Cibis assatis</lat>
Of rostyd mete now speke j wolde
For þer ben bestes þt schynn be rost
As conyng~ pygges ful+wele þu wost
And foules also þt rostyd schynn be
<fol. 45r>On diuerse manere in her degre
And kostyf of motonn þt j wele knaw
Enbrochyd schal be by ty3t gode law
And also fyssh þu shall enbroch
As porpays þt swymmes by þo see roch
Ther-fore j telle 3ou now j rede
what schall rost wt neck & hede
¶ For the crane
¶ Tho crane schall fyrst enarmed be
Scalde and pulde ful warle
Dra3un at þo syde as wodcok is
wt legges al+hole he rostyd is
A-bowte þo broth þo necke þu crall
put in þo bylle at coler þu schall
Enarme hym forth as ht is tolde
Be-fore and serue þys crane bolde
¶ For heroun rostyd
¶ The heroun is slayn as haue j sene
The hert oute pyke all by dene
Under þe lyft wyng þo necke bonn stek
Deuoyded as men me tolde meke
Thenn vnder þo wynges þo skyn þu crall
Put in þo byll at coler þu schall
¶ For wodcok sny3t and curlue
¶ To wodcok snype curlue also
The betor~ in fere wt hom schall goo
All schun be dra3un ser at þo syde
And honestly rostyd wt-outenn pryde
<fol. 45v>Wt neck and hede suand in fere
þo bylle put thurgh þo the3es ser
On all þese fowles þo legges schun bene
Summe cralled sum stre3t as j haue sene
Ane gret as heroun rostyd schall be
That a kny3t is called for gentlor~
A caponn also þat comyn is
Tho pecok wyth his tayle so haue j blys
Tho fesaunt kok but not þo henne
Thus haue j lurnet at gentilmen
Alle oþer foles þt swymmen in flode
That schun be rostyd ser by þo rode
wt-outen necke or hede j+trowe
And oþer small bryddes þt j+wele knaw
As osel buntyng laueroc gray
pertryk werkock j dayr wele say
Tho kormorount schall rost j-wys
wt þo byll oponn for grete koyntes
¶ For pygges farsyd
¶ Take swongen eyrenn and floure þer-to
And powder of peper er þu more do
Blend all to-gedur and salt þer-wt
Colour~ ht wt safronn so haue þu blyth
put alle in body of þo pygge
Rost ht on broch of irne bygge
vnfarsed þo cle of pygge schall be
Festened in þe cheke so mot þu the
Tho hender legges enoynt þu shall
<fol. 46r>Tho cles by þo sydes þu festun wt all
¶ For fraunch mele
¶ Take swongen eyrenn in bassynn clene
And kreme of mylke þt is so schene
And myyd bred þu put þer-to
And powder of peper er þu mor~ do
Coloure ht wt safronn in hast
And kremelyd sewet of schepe on last
And fylle þy bagge þt is so gode
And sew ht fast sir for þo rode
Whenn ht is soþun þu schalt ht lech
And broyle ht on gredel as j the teche
¶ For bours
¶ Take porke and gese hew hom þu schall
On gobetes wt powder of peper wt alle
hom seth in pot þt is so clene
wt-oute any water wt salt j wene
Fro Martyn-messe to gode tyde euynn
Thys mete wylle serue þu may me leue
At dyner or soper if þt hit nede
Thou take gode ale þt is not quede
Ther-in þu boyle þo forsayde mete
Tho more worship þu may gete
¶ For powmedorrys
¶ Take porke & grynde ht raw j kenne
Temper ht wt swongen egges þenne
kast powder to make ht on a balle