64 THE BOKE of nurture FOR MEN, SERUAUNTES, AND CHYLDREN. Schoolmasters must fear God, and punish sharply. Parents must teach children God's laws. Look to the characters of new servants. Reprove taletellers. their maysters be such as feare God, and lyue vertuouslye, such as can punishe sharpely with pacience, and not with rygour, for it doeth oft tymes make them to rebell and run away, wherof chaunceth ofte times much harme. Also their Parentes must oft tymes instruct them of god and of his lawes, and vertuous instructions of hys worde, and other good examples, and such lyke. And thus by litle and litle they shall come to the knowledge of reason, fayth, and good christen liuing. For as S. Paule sayth vnto Timothy: He that doth not regard the cure and charge of them that are vnder the charge of his gouernance, he denieth the faith, and is worse then a Pagan. And take good heede of anye newe seruauntes that you take into your house, and howe yee put them in authorytye among your children, and take heede howe they spende that is giuen them: if they be tale tellers or newes caryers, reproue them sharpely, and if they will not learne nor amende, auoyde them thy house, for it is great quyetnesse to haue people Apparell not your Don't dress chil- of good behauiour in a house. dren or servants sumptuously, words of villany. chyldren or Seruauntes in sumptuous apparell, for it increaseth pryde and obstynacye, and many other euils, nor let your Chyldren go whether they will, but know whether they goe, in what company, and what they or let them speak haue done, good or euill. Take hede they speake no wordes of villany, for it causeth much corruption to ingender in them, nor shew them muche familiaritye, and see that they vse honest sportes and games. Marke well what vice they are specially inclined vnto, and breake it betymes. Take them often with you to heare Gods word preached, & then enquyre of them what Make them read they heard, and vse them to reade in the Bible and other Godly Bokes, but especyally keepe them from Stop the vices they are inclined to. the Bible and Godly books, stories and songs and not wanton reading of fayned fables, vayne fantasyes, and wanton stories, and songs of loue, which bring much mischiefe to youth. For if they learne pure and cleane doctryne of love. in youth, they poure out plentye of good workes in age. If any stryfe or debate bee among them of thy house, Settle all disputes at nighte charytably call them togyther, and wyth before nightfall. wordes or strypes make them all to agree in one. Take heede, if thy seruaunt or Chyld murmure or grudge Stop all grumbagaynst thee, breake it betyme. And when thou hearest ling, them sweare or curse, lye & fyght, thou shalte reproue swearing, lying, them sharpelye. And yee that are friends and fighting. Make yourself loved as well as feared. For Servants. master's ways. of all you have charge of. As Panter, have your bread squared, and your linen and house of office clean, To prepare for The Manner of Seruing a Knight, First Irst yee must be dilligent to know your Maysters pleasure, and to knowe the order and custome of his house, for dyuers maysters are of sundry condicions and appetytes. And if thou be admitted in any offyce, as Butler or Take an inventory Panter,-in some places they are both one,-take an Inuitory of such thinges as ye take charge of, and see how it is spente: For it pleaseth a Mayster much to haue a true reckoning. Then in your offyce of the Pantrye, see that your bread be chipped and squared, & note how much you spend in a daye. And see your napry be cleane, & sort euery thing by it selfe, the cleane from the foule.. Keepe euery house of offyce cleane, and all that belongeth to it. When your Mayster will goe to his meate, take a towell aboute your necke, then take a cupbord cloth, a Basen, Ewer, & a Towell, to aray your cupbord: couer your table, set on bread, salt & trenchers, the salt before the bread, and trenchers before the salte. Set your napkyns and spoones on the cupbord ready, and lay euery man a trencher, a napkyn, & a spone. And if you haue mo messes then one at your maisters table, consider what degree they be of, and thereafter ye may serue them: and then set down euery thing at that messe as before, except your Caruing kniues. If ther be many Gentlemen or yomen, then set on bred, salt, trenchers & spoones, after they be set, or els after the custome of the Dress your cupboard. Lay your cloth. Set on bread, salt, and trenchers; a trencher, napkin, and spoon, to every man, according to the rank of each. If many people dine, you may lay for them after they are seated. house. Some Panters give each man a loaf and a cup; some Carvers sew (or arrange, 1. 658 Russell) the dishes, but carry none, others carry the first dish. guests at their Master's mess. Have Voiders ready to remove the bits left on the trenchers: take them off with your Remove your And some do vse to set before euerye man a lofe of bread, and his cup, and some vse the contrary. Thus muste you haue respecte to the order of the house. And in some places it is vsed to set drink and a lofe or two. In some places the Caruer doth vse to shew and set down, and goeth before the course, and beareth no dysh, and in some place he beareth the first dish, and maketh obeysaunce to hys Maister, and setteth it downe couered before the degree of a Knight, or else not vsed, & take the Couers and set them by. Also the Caruer All carve for the hath authoritye to Carue to all at hys Maisters messe, and also vnto other that syt ioyning by them, if he list: see ye haue Voyders ready for to auoyd the Morsels that they doe leaue on their Trenchours. Then with your Trenchour knyfe take of such fragmentes, and put them in your Voyder, and sette them downe cleane trencher-knife. agayne. All your Soueraygns Trenchours or bread, voyde them once or twyse, specially when they are wet, Master's trencher or gyue them cleane, and as yee see men leaue eating of the fyrst and seconde dish, so auoyde them from the Table. And then if so be ye haue any more courses then on or two, ye may make the more hast in voyding, quick in removand euer let one dish or two stande til the next course, and then take vp al, and set downe fresh, and cleane voyders withall, and let them not bee to full before ye empty them, and then sette cleane agayn. And looke what sauce is ordayned for any meate, voyd the sauce thereof when yee take awaye the meat ; & at the degree of a knight ye may set downe your cup couered, and lifte of the couer and set it on agayne, and when he listeth to drinke, and taketh of the couer, take the couer in thy hand and set it on agayne. When he hath dronken, loke the cup of Wyne or ale be not empty, but ofte renued. Also the Caruer shall break his dish before his Mayster, or at a syde Cupboorde, with cleane knyues, and see there lacke not breade nor drinke; and when wet, With three or more courses, be ing, and take away the sauce with its meat. [1 MS. in] Keep the cup of wine or ale filled. The Carver must carve with clean knives. 68 THE MANNER OF SERUING A KNIGHT, SQUYRE, OR GENTLEMAN. When clearing the table, take . when men haue well eaten, and doe begyn to wax weary of eatyng, or yf ye perceyue by the countenance of your Mayster when ye shall take vp the meate, & voyd the table, begin at the lowest messe, take away 1. the lowest mess, your spoones, if there be any, how be it ye may auoyd 2. the spoons, 3. broths and baked meats, 4. voiders, 5. dishes of meat. Then set down fruit-cheese; remove it; then ale and wine. Sweep off the pieces and crumbs with your trencher-knife: remove the bread, voider, salt, and make your bow. your your them, after Broths & baked meat are past, take away voiders1; and dishes of meat, as they were set down, so take them vp in order. Then set downe cheese of fruytes, and that ended, voyd your cheese and fruits, and couer your Cup, Ale, or Wyne: Fyrst voyde [2 Printed borad.] the Ale, and then the Wyne: Then set a broad2 voyder and put therin the small peces of Bread, and small crooms, with Trenchers and napkins, and with your trencher knyfe or napkin make clean the table, then set away your bread whole, and also your voyder, then take vp the salte, and make obeysaunce and marke if your Mayster vse to wash at the table, or standing: if he be at the table, cast a clean Towell on your table cloth, and set downe your basen and Ewer before your soueraigne, and take the ewer in your hand, and gyue them Remove the basin water. Then voyd your Basen and Ewer, and fold the and jug, and then bord cloth together with your towell therin, and so take And when your soueraygne shall If your Master washes at table, put a towel by him, a basin before him, and pour out water. the table-cloth with the towel inside. For Conceits or dessert (apples, them of the boord. wash, set your towell on the lefte hand of him, and the water before your soueraygne at dinner or supper; if it be to bedwarde, set vp your basyn and towell on the cupbord agayne. And if your Mayster will haue any conceites after dinner, as appels, Nuts, or creame, then lay a towel on the lay forth a Towell on the boord, and set thereon a lofe or two, see also haue ye trenchers and your in a readynes if neede requyre, then serue forth your Mayster wel, and so take it vp againe with a voyder. nuts, &c.), table, and a loaf or two, spones [ A voider or vessell, to take vp the Table with, dicitur vasculum fragmentarium, vel analectarium. Analecta, fragmentes of meate. Broken meates, fragmenta. Withals. Fr. Portoire. Any thing that helpes to carry another thing; as a Voyder, Skep, Scuttle, Wheelbarrow, &c. Cotgrave.] |