The office off a chamburlayne

“The Curtesy of a chamburlayñ is in office to be diligent,

Clenli clad, his cloþis not all to-rent;

handis & face wascheñ fayre, his hed well kempt;

& war euer of fyre and candille þat he be not neccligent.

To youre mastir looke ye geue diligent attendaunce;

be curteyse, glad of chere, & light of ere in euery semblaunce,

euer waytynge to þat thynge þat may do hym plesaunce:

to these propurtees if ye will apply, it may yow welle avaunce.

Se that youre souerayne haue clene shurt & breche,

a petycote, a dublett, a longe coote, if he were suche,

his hosyñ well brusshed, his sokkes not to seche,

his shoñ or slyppers as browne as is þe waturleche.

In þe morow tyde, agaynst youre souerayne doth ryse,

wayte hys lynnyñ þat hit be clene; þeñ warme hit in þis wise,

by a clere fyre withowt smoke / if it be cold or frese,

and so may ye youre souerayñ plese at þe best asise.

Agayne he riseth vp, make redy youre fote shete

in þis maner made greithe / & þat ye not forgete

furst a chayere a-fore þe fyre / or som oþer honest sete

[Fol. 184 b.]

Withe a cosshyñ þer vppoñ / & a noþur for the feete

aboue þe coschyñ & chayere þe said shete ouer sprad

So þat it keuer þe fote coschyñ and chayere, riȝt as y bad;

Also combe & kercheff / looke þere bothe be had

youre souereyñ hed to kymbe or he be graytly clad:

Than pray youre souereyñ with wordus mansuetely

to com to a good fyre and aray hym ther by,

and there to sytt or stand / to his persone plesauntly,

and ye euer redy to awayte with maners metely.

Furst hold to hym a petycote aboue youre brest and barme,

his dublet þañ aftur to put in boþe hys arme,

his stomachere welle y-chaffed to kepe hym fro harme,

his vampeys and sokkes, þañ all day he may go warme;

Theñ drawe oñ his sokkis / & hosyñ by the fure,

his shoñ laced or bokelid, draw them̅ oñ sure;

Strike his hosyñ vppewarde his legge ye endure,

þeñ trusse ye them vp strayte / to his plesure,

Then lace his dublett euery hoole so by & bye;

oñ his shuldur about his nek a kercheff þere must lye,

and curteisly þañ ye kymbe his hed with combe of yvery,

and watur warme his handes to wasche, & face also clenly.

Than knele a dowñ oñ youre kne / & þus to youre souerayñ ye say

“Syr, what Robe or govñ pleseth it yow to were to day?”

Suche as he axeth fore / loke ye plese hym to pay,

þañ hold it to hym̅ a brode, his body þer-in to array;

his gurdelle, if he were, be it strayt or lewse;

Set his garment goodly / aftur as ye know þe vse;

take hym̅ hode or hatt / for his hed242a cloke or cappe de huse;

So shalle ye plese hym̅ prestly, no nede to make excuse

Wheþur hit be feyre or foule, or mysty alle withe reyñ.

Or youre mastir depart his place, afore þat þis be seyñ,

to brusche besily about hym̅; loke all be pur and playñ

wheþur he were sateñ / sendell, vellewet, scarlet, or greyñ.

Prynce or prelate if hit be, or any oþer potestate,

or he entur in to þe churche, be it erly or late,

perceue all þynge for his pewe þat it be made preparate,

boþe cosshyñ / carpet / & curteyñ / bedes & boke, forgete not that.

Thañ to youre souereynes chambur walke ye in hast;

all þe cloþes of þe bed, them aside ye cast;

þe Fethurbed ye bete / without hurt, so no feddurs ye wast,

Fustiañ and shetis clene by sight and sans ye tast.

Kover with a keuerlyte clenly / þat bed so manerly made;

þe bankers & quosshyns, in þe chambur se þem̅ feire y-sprad,

boþe hedshete & pillow also, þat þe[y] be saaff vp stad,

the vrnelle & basoñ also that they awey be had.

[Fol. 185.]

Se the carpettis about þe bed be forth spred & laid,

wyndowes & cuppeborde with carpettis & cosshyns splayd;

Se þer be a good fyre in þe chambur conveyed,

with wood & fuelle redy þe fuyre to bete & aide.

Se þe privehouse for esement be fayre, soote, & clene,

& þat þe bordes þer vppoñ / be keuered withe clothe feyre & grene,

& þe hoole / hym self, looke þer no borde be sene,

þeroñ a feire quoschyñ / þe ordoure no mañ to tene

looke þer be blanket / cotyñ / or lynyñ to wipe þe neþur ende;

and euer wheñ he clepithe, wayte redy & entende,

basoun and ewere, & oñ your shuldur a towelle, my frende;

In þis wise worship shalle ye wyñ / where þat euer ye wende

THE CHAMBERLAIN IN THE WARDEROBES.