ffro tho lorde at mete when he is sett,

Borde, trestuls, and fourmes, withouten let;

Alle thes thynges kepe schalle he,

465

And water in chafer for laydyes fre;

iij. perchers of wax then shalle he fet, Above tho chymné yt be sett,

In syce ichone from other shalle be

The lenghthe of other that men may se,
To brenne, to voide, that dronkyn is,
Other ellis I wote he dose amys.

Tho ussher alleway shalle sitt at dore

470

At mete, and walke schalle on the flore,

To se that alle be servet on ryzt,

475

That is his office be day and ny3t;

And byd set borde when tyme schalle be,
And take hom up when tyme ses he.
The wardrop he herbers and eke of chambur
Ladyes with bedys of coralle and lambur,
Tho usshere schalle bydde tho wardropere
Make redy for alle ny3t before the fere;
Then brynges he forthe ny3t-gone also,

And spredys a tapet and qwysshens two,
He layes hom then opon a fourme,

And foteshete theron and hit returne.

Tho lorde schalle skyft hys gowne at nyzt,
Syttand on foteshete tyl he be dyzt.

Then ussher gose to tho botré,

"Have in for alle ny3t, syr," says he; ffyrst to the chaundeler he schalle go, To take a tortes lyzt hym fro;

480

485

490

Bothe wyne and ale he tase indede,
Tho botler says, withouten drede,
No mete for mon schalle sayed be,

Bot for kynge or prynce or duke so fre;
ffor heiers of paraunce also y-wys,

Mete shalle be sayed, now thenkys on this.
Then to pantré he hyzes be-lyve,
"Syrs, have in withouten stryffe;"

Manchet and chet bred he shalle take,
Tho pantere assayes that hit be bake;
A morter of wax 3et wille he bryng,
ffro chambur, syr, without lesyng;
That alle nyzt brennes in bassyn clere,
To save tho chambur on ny3t for fyre.

495

500

505

Then 30mon of chambur shynne voyde with ryme, The torches han holden wele that tyme;

Tho chambur dore stekes tho vssher thenne,

With priket and tortes that conne brenne;

510

ffro cupborde he brynges bothe brede and wyne, And fyrst assayes hit wele a fyne.

But fyrst the lorde shalle vasshe i-wys,

ffro tho fyr hous when he comen is;

Then kneles the ussher and gyfes hym drynke, 515 Brynges hym in bed where he shalle wynke;

In strong styd on palet he lay,

his way;

At home tase lefe and gose
30mon ussher before the dore,
In utter chambur lies on the flore.

520

DE SENESCHALLO.

Now speke I wylle of tho stuarde als,

ffew ar trew, but fele ar fals.

Tho clerke of kechyn countrollour,

Stuarde, coke, and surveyour,

Assenten in counselle, withouten skorne,

525

How tho lorde schalle fare at mete tho morne;

Yf any deyntethe in countré be,

Tho stuarde shewes hit to tho lorde so fre,

And gares by hyt for any cost,

Hit were grete syn and hit were lost.

530

Byfore the cours tho stuarde comes then,

The server hit next of alle kyn men

Mays way and stondes by syde,
Tyl alle be served at that tyde.
At countyng stuarde schalle ben,
Tylle alle be brevet of wax so grene,
Wrytten into bokes, without let,
That before in tabuls hase ben sett,

Tyl countes also theron ben cast,

And somet up holy at tho last.

DE CONTRAROTULATORE.

THO Countrollour shalle wryte to hym,
Taunt resten, no more I myn;
And taunt dispendu that same day,

Uncountabulle he is, as y 3ou say.

535

540

DE SUPERVISORE

SURVEOUR and stuarde also,

Thes thre folke and no mo,

ffor nozt resayne, bot ever sene

That nothyng fayle and alle be whene;

That tho clerke of kechyn schulde not mys,
Therfore tho countrollour, as hafe I blys,

Wrytes up tho somme as every day,

And helpes to count, as I 3ou say.

DE CLERICO COQUINE.

THE clerke of the cochyne shalle alle thyng breve, Of men of court, bothe lothe and leve,

Of achater and dispenses then wrytes he,

545

550

555

And wages for gromes and zemen fre;

At dressour also he shalle stonde,

And fett forthe mete dresset with honde;

The spicery and store with hym shalle dwelle,

And mony thynges als, as I no;t telle;

560

ffor clethyng of officers alle in fere,

Save the lorde hymself and ladys dere.

DE CANCELLARIO.

THE chaunceler answeres for hor clothyng,

ffor 30men, faukeners, and hor horsyng;

ffor his wardrop and wages also,

And asseles patentes mony and mo;

565

Yf tho lorde gyf o3t to terme of lyf,

The chaunceler hit seles withouten stryf;

Tancome nos plerra men seyne, that is quando nos placet,

That is whille us lykes hym nozt omys,

Overse hys londes that alle be ryzt

On of tho grete he is of my3t.

570

DE THESAURIZARIO

Now speke y wylle of tresurer,
Husbonde and houswyf he is in fer;
Of the resayver he shalle resayne,
Alle that is gedurt of baylé and grayne;
Of the lordes courtes and forfetes als,
Whether thay ben ry3t or thay ben fals;
To tho clerke of cochen he payes moné,
For vetayle to bye opon tho countré.
The clerke to kater and pulter is,
To baker and butler bothe y-wys;

575

580

Gyffys selver to bye in alle thyng

That longes to here office, withouten lesyng;

The tresurer schalle gyfe alkyn wage,

585

To squyer, 30mon, grome, or page;
Tho resayver and tho tresurer,
Tho clerke of cochyn and chaunceler,
Graynis, and baylys, and parker,

Echone come to acountes every zere

590

Byfore tho auditour of tho lorde onone,

That shulde be trew as any stone;

Yf he dose hom no ryzt lele,

To a baron of chekker thay mun hit pele.