The governance of virtue teaching all faithful christia[n]s, how they ought daily to lead…The gouernaunce of vertue teaching all faythful christia[n]s, how they oughte daily to leade…

Of the behaviour at the table in Diner time.

Of the behauiour at the table in Diner tyme.

☞ When thou hast thus prayed unto god eat thy meat soberly and christianly: eschew wing all superfluity, surfeiting and drouckenship. Consider that thy meat and thy drink, are the gifts of God, & are reverently & thank fully to be received▪ Remember that in the time of thy repast, thy behaviour be honest & comely in all things. Let thy communication, as the Apostle saith, ve well savoured and powdered with •t: that is to say, seasoned with godly wisdom, that thou mayest know how to answer every man. Let no fill thy talk proceed out of thy mouth, but that which is good to edify, when need is, that it may have favour with the hearers, remem bring that thou shalt give accounts at the day of judgement, for every idle word that thou speakest. Eschew all dissolute and uncomely laughing, least thou be thereby counted wild, wanton, foolish, & without good manners. Let thy countenance he grave, sober, modest, gentle, and •ouyng, toward all that be at the table, and so fashion thy self in gesture, word and deed, as though God and his angels we• visibly present at the table: And when Dinner is done, give thanks to God for his benefits on this manner.

☞ Whē thou hast thus prayed vnto god eate thy meate soberly and christenly: esche wyng all superfluitie, surfeting and drouckenship. Consider that thy meate and thy drinck, are the giftes of God, & are reuerently & thanke fully to bee receyued▪ Remember that in the tyme of thy repast, thy behauiour be honest & comely in all thinges. Let thy communica tion, as the Apostle sayth, ve well sauoured and powdred with t: that is to say, seasoned with godly wisedome, that thou mayest know how to answere euery man. Let no fil thy talke procede out of thy mouth, but that whiche is good to edifie, when neede is, that it may haue fauor with the hearers, remem bring that thou shalte geue accountes at the day of iudgement, for euery idle worde that thou speakest. Eschewe all dissolute and vncomely laughyng, least thou be therby counted wilde, waton, foolishe, & without good maners. Let thy coūtenaūce he graue, sober, modest, gentle, and ouyng, towarde al that be at the table, and so fashion thy selfe in gesture, worde and deede, as though God and his aungels we visibly present at the table: And when Dinner is done, geue thankes to God for his benefites on this maner.