Office of a sewer

“Now sen yt is so, my son / þat science ye wold fayñ lere,

drede yow no þynge daungeresnes; þus y shalle do my devere

to enforme yow feithfully with ryght gladsom chere,

& yf ye wolle lysteñ my lore / somewhat ye shalle here:

Take hede whañ þe worshipfulle hed / þat is of any place

hath wasche afore mete / and bigynnethe to sey þe grace,

Vn-to þe kechyñ þañ looke ye take youre trace,

Entendyng & at youre commaundynge þe seruaundes of þe place;

Furst speke with þe pantere / or officere of þe spicery

For frutes a-fore mete to ete þem fastyngely,

as buttur / plommes / damesyns, grapes, and chery,

Suche in sesons of þe yere / ar served / to make meñ mery,

Serche and enquere of þem̅ / yf suche seruyse shalle be þat day;

þan commyñ with þe cooke / and looke what he wille say;

þe surveyoure & he / þe certeynte telle yow wille þay,

what metes // & how many disches / þey dyd fore puruay.

And whañ þe surveoure & þe Cooke / with yow done accorde,

þen shalle þe cook dresse alle þynge to þe surveynge borde,

þe surveoure sadly / & soburly / with-owteñ any discorde

Delyuer forthe his disches, ye to convey þem̅ to þe lorde;

[Fol. 181.]

And wheñ ye bithe at þe borde / of seruyce and surveynge,

se þat ye haue officers boþe courtly and connynge,

For drede of a dische of youre course stelynge,

whyche myght cawse a vileny ligtly in youre seruice sewynge.

And se þat ye haue seruytours semely / þe disches for to bere,

Marchalles, Squyers / & sergeauntes of armes, if þat þey be there,

þat youre lordes mete may be brought without dowt or dere;

to sett it surely oñ þe borde / youre self nede not feere.

FIRST COURSE OF A FLESH DINNER.