Our Archaeological Corner.

Our Archaeological Corner .

THE OLD MASONIC POEM . ( Concluded from page 69 . )

So , after the nurture of the book , In his face lovingly thou look . Foot and hand thou keep full still From claAving and tripping , is skill From spitting and snuffling keep thee also , By privy avoidance let it go . And if that thou be Avise and ( 1 ) Felle ,

Thou hast great need to govern thee well . Into the hall when thou dost wend Amongst the gentles , good and ( 2 ) hende , Presume not too high for no thing , For thy high blood , nor thy cunning , Neither to sit , nor to lean , That is breeding good and clean .

Let not thy countenance therefore ( 3 ) abate , Forsooth , good nurture will save thy state , Father and mother , Avhatsoe ' er they be , AVell is the child that Avell may the ( 3 a ) In hall , in chamber , where thou dost ( 4 ) gon , Good manners make a man . To the next degree look Avisely , To do them reverence by and by ; Do them yet no reverence all in-a-row ,

But if that thou dost them know , To tho meat when thou art sot , Fair and honestly eat thou it ; First look that thy hands he clean , And that thy knife be sharp and keen ; And cut thy broad all at thy meat , Right as it may bo there it eat . If thou sit by a Avorthier man ,

Than thy self thou art one , Sutler him first to touch the meat , 'Ere thyself to it reach . To the fairest morsel thou might'st not strike , Though that thou dost it Avell like ; Keep thy hands , fair and well , Fr jin foul smudging of thy towel ; Thereon thou shalt not thy nose blow

, Nor at the meat thy tooth thou pick ; Too deep in the cup thou might'st not sink , Though thou hast good will to drink , Lest thy eyes would water thereby , Then were it no courtesy . Look in thy mouth there he no meat , AVhen thou beginnest to drink or speak . AVhen thou see'st any man drinking ,

( 1 ) I ' elle ; sharp , clever , crafty . ( 2 ) Hende ; courteous , ( 3 ) Abate ; cast down . ( 3 a ) The ; nurture ( 4 ) Gon ; go .

That taketh keod to thy carping , Soon anon cease thou thy tale , Whether he drinks Avine or ale , Look also thou scorn no man , In what degree thou see'st him gone ; Nor thou shalt no man ( 5 ) deprave , If thou wilt thy Avorship save ; For such word might there out burst , reste

That might make thee sit ( 6 ) in evel , Close thy hand in thy fist , And keep thee well from ( 7 ) " hady wyste . " In chamber , amongst the ladies bright , Hold thy tongue and ( 8 ) spende thy sight ; Laugh thou not Avith no great cry , Nor make no raging with ribaldry . Play thou not but with thy peers ,

Nor tell thou not all that thou hear ' st ; Discover thou not thine own deed , For no greatness , nor for no meed ; With fair speech , thou mightest have thy will ,

AVith it thou mightest thyself ( U ) spate , AVhen thou moetest a Avorthy man . Cap and hood hold thou not on ; In church , in markets , or in the gate , Do him reverence after his state . If thou goest ivith a worthier . man Than thyself thou art one , Let thy further shoulder follow his back ,

For that is without ( 10 ) lacke , AVhen he speaks , hold thee still , When he has done , say for (?) thy will , In thy speech [ mind ] that thou art ( 11 ) telle , And what thou sayest , advise thee AVCII ; But deprive thou not him his tale , Neither at the Avine , nor at the ale . Christ then of his high grace

, Give you both Avit and ( 12 ) space , Well this book to con and read , Heaven to have for your need ! r Amen ! Amen ! so may it be ! Say Ave so all pour charytp .

( a ) Deprave ; vilify , traduce . ( 6 ) In evel reste ; uneasy . ( 7 ) Had ; wyste ; an exclamation of those who repented of anything unadvisedly performed . ( S ) Spende ; shut , consume . ( 9 ) Spille ; to mar ; to destroy . ( 10 ) Lacke ; blame . ( 11 ) Felle ; sharp , clever . ( 12 ) Space ; leisure .

" Pray , my good man , " said a judge to an Irishman AVIIO Avas a Avitnoss on a triab " what passed between you and prisoner T " Och , thin , p laze yer Avorship , " says Pat , " sure I sees Phelim on the top of a Avail .

' Paddy , ' says he— ' What , ' says I— ' Here , ' says he— 'Where ? ' says I— 'Whist , ' says he— 'Hush , ' says I , and that is all I knoAV about it , plaze yer Avorship . "