The boke of Nur ture, or Schoole of good maners : For men, Seruants, and chil- ry necessary for all dren. [COMPYLED BY] [Hugh Rhodes of the Kinges Chappell,] ['born and bred in Deuonshyre to,' p. 69. l. 11.] ¶Imprinted at Lon don in Fleetestreete, beneath of S. Iohn Euaungelist, 1577. in youth, they poure out plentye of good workes in age. before nightfall. If any stryfe or debate bee among them of thy house, Settle all disputes at nighte charytably call them togyther, and wyth 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, and fighting. them sweare or curse, lye & fyght, thou shalte reproue swearing, lying, them sharpelye. And yee that are friends For Servants. master's ways. of all you have charge of. 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 squared, and your Pantrye, see that your bread be chipped and squared, & linen and house of note how much you spend in a daye. As Panter, have your bread office clean, To prepare for 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. 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 house. Some Panters give each man a loaf and a cup; some Carvers sew Russell) the (or arrange, 1. 658 dishes, but carry none, others carry the first dish. 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. your Trenchour knyfe take of such fragmentes, and put them in your Voyder, and sette them downe cleane Then with guests at their Master's mess. Have Voiders ready to remove the bits left on the trenchers: take them off trencher-knife. with your Remove your when wet. With three or more courses, be ing, 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 and take away the what sauce is ordayned for any meate, voyd the sauce meat. 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 sauce with its [1 MS. in] Keep the cup of in thy hand and set it on agayne. When he hath dronken, loke the cup of Wyne or ale be not empty, wine or ale filled. but ofte renued. Also the Caruer shall break his dish The Carver must before his Mayster, or at a syde Cupboorde, with cleane knives. knyues, and see there lacke not breade nor drinke; and carve with clean |