A Renaissance Courtesy-book: Galateo of Manners & Behaviours

And albeit, it be a hard matter, to shewe precisely, Bewtie, what maner of thing it is: yet y^t you may have some marke, to know her by: you must understand, y^t Where jointly &...

And such as use to jest at a man, be very like unto these: I meane them that have a good sport to mocke and beguile men, not in spite or scorne, but on a meriment alone. And you...

And this is a common fault with flatterers, that counterfet them selves to be our friendes, and apply them selves ever to our desiers, what soever they be: not bycause wee would...

But to returne to our matter: it is not good for a man to chide at the table for any cause. And if thou be angrie, shew it not, nor make no signe of thy greefe, for the reason I...

Likwise, I like it as ill to see a Gentleman settle him selfe, to do the needes of Nature, in presence of men: And after he hath doone, to trusse him selfe againe before them. N...

Againe, in your long and large discourses, you must have y^e like considerations & cares, & some more: y^e which you may more commodiously learne of your Maisters y^t teache you...

One day, in Rome, about the middle of the sixteenth century, the Bishop of Sessa suggested to the Archbishop of Benevento that he write a treatise on good manners. Many books ha...

There is one side of personal manners, however, in which there has been much change. When Bacon says that "cleanness of body was ever deemed to proceed from a due reverence to G...

Moreover, it is a nedefull observation to bethinke your selfe, how you doe move your bodie, and specially in talke. "For, it many times chaunceth, a man is so ernest in his tale...