"And don't pick your nose!"

A verse from Caxton's Book of Curtesye, printed at Westminster circa 1477.

Kembe your hede, & loke you kepe yt clene;
your eres twayn suffre not fowle to be;
In your wysage loke no spote be sene;
purge your nose; lett no man in yt se
The vile matter; yt ys none honeste;
Ne with your bare hond no fylth from yt feche,
for that ys fowle, & an vncurtoys teche.

It says:

Comb your head and look you keep it clean;
Both your ears suffer not foul to be;
On your face be sure no spot is seen;
Purge your nose; let no man in it see
Vile matter; it is not honorable;
Nor with your bare hand no filth from it fetch,
For that is foul, and a discourteous fault.

Comments

[Suzi]

I so wish I had read this three weeks ago, before my miniterm class started. At least then when we were reading things in Middle English I could have offered them something fun and different.

I will have to remember it for next year.

[gail]

Suzi have you come across the Middle English Dictionary online yet? It's not complete, but still it's very useful.

[JWebb]

What would be the Middle English equivalent of the "Air Hanky?" Enquiring minds want to nose...

[gail]

I think that's what they mean by "purge"

[Jake]

"Air Hanky".. Is that like an "Orchard Blow" ? (i.e. blowing one's nose with no tissue by holding one nair shut and blowing) You sure you dont live in Seattle? people actually do that in public here.. It totally creeps me out.. and I'm talking about otherwise normal people.. not bums..