The Babees Book, compiled and edited by Frederick James Furnivall, is a collection of medieval English didactic texts designed to teach young people, particularly boys, the principles of proper behavior, manners, and morality. The original manuscripts date from the late 14th and early 15th centuries, reflecting the social and cultural norms of medieval England.
The book serves as a guide to social etiquette, moral virtues, and domestic responsibilities, illustrating the expectations placed on youth during that era. Key topics include piety, obedience, respect for elders, proper speech, and cultivation of personal character. By emphasizing both moral development and practical skills, the texts reveal the medieval view that education was as much about forming virtuous character as it was about learning knowledge.
