Conduct Poetry

This chapter addresses fifteenth-century ‘conduct’ verse. It ranges from general moral guidance to instructions about behaviour, dress, bodily movement, speech, and household etiquette and service, as well as general social interactions and gender expectations. After introducing the category and its background, the chapter examines three areas. Poetry of nurture and manners includes occasional lyrics and didactic poems about basic hygiene and manners, often ostensibly directed at children. Poetry of conduct and courtesy includes longer narrative poems on household courtesy, service guidebooks, decorum guides for men and women, and ethically-orientated advice manuals Lastly, the large number of regiminal works from the period are examined.