Here begynneth a shorte monycyon, or counsayle of the cure & gouernaunce of a housholde accordynge vnto policy / taken out of a pystle of a great learned man called Bernarde syluestre. Bernard Silvestris, fl. 1136. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A09367 of text S3799 in the English Short Title Catalog (STC 1967.5). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 14 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 11 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2018 A09367 STC 1967.5 ESTC S3799 33151000 ocm 33151000 28858 2240932670

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 Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A09367) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 28858) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1864:2) Here begynneth a shorte monycyon, or counsayle of the cure & gouernaunce of a housholde accordynge vnto policy / taken out of a pystle of a great learned man called Bernarde syluestre. Bernard Silvestris, fl. 1136. Whitford, Richard, fl. 1495-1555? [16] p. Robert Wyer, [London? : 1530?] STC (2nd ed.) attributes translation to R. Whitford. Contains illustrated t.p., tail piece, init. Colophon reads: Here endeth the boke Intytuled the gouernaunce of housholde. Imprynted by me Robert wyer, dwellyng at the sygne of seynt John Euangelist in seynt Martyns parysshe in the bysshop of Norwytche rentes, besyde Charinge crosse. Reproduction of original in: John Rylands University Library. eng Home economics -- Early works to 1800. eebo Here begynneth a shorte monycyon, or counsayle of the cure & gouernaunce of a housholde accordynge vnto policy taken out of a pystle of a great learne Bernard Silvestris, 1530 22 2537 1 0 0 0 6 0 240.44 F The rate of 240.44 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the F category of texts with 100 or more defects per 10,000 words. 2012-03 Assigned for keying and markup 2012-03 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2012-05 Sampled and proofread 2012-05 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2013-02 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

Here begynneth A shorte monycyon , or counsayle of the cure & gouernaunce of a housholde / accordynge vnto policy : taken out of a pystle of a great lerned man , called Bernarde syluestre .

modified printer's device of Robert Wyer, with his name, the eagle, and part of the foreground cut away (McKerrow 67β)

HEre good & deuoute Chrystyans / fyrste take most hede / and gyue most dylygence to ordre your selfe / and all youres , vnto oure lorde accordynge vnto the poore lesson that comes after : and than se wel vnto the substaunce and gydynge of youre house / and goodes . Se fyrste that peace be in the house / and that you agre all togyther , for els al your goodes wyll soone goo to noughte . Than ( after the commune prouerbe ) cut your thonges : after or accordyng vnto your ledder . Spende accordynge vnto your gaynes : gettynges or rentes / and not aboue . It is also good polycye : to haue one yeres rent / or an yeres gaynes in store for chaunces / whiche is not contrarye vnto christy anyte : where extreme or verey streyte nede : is not perceyued in the neyghboure . A neglygent or retcheles persone may soone set on fyne , & destroy great substaunce . Haue therfore a good iye / and garde vnto the dylygence of your seruauntes , for vnder them your goodes may soone mynysshe & be wasted before you knowe / beware or haue knowleg therof . yf your goodes begynne to waste : better is / and lesse rebuke for you to absteyne / and withdrawe your charges : than to fal in to nedynes / or daunger . An olde prouerbe . Qui plus expendit quam rerum copia tendit . Non admiretur si paupertate grauetur . That is . who so done spende beyonde theyr faculte . No meruayle though with nede they greued be .

It is therfore a great prouydence and good foresyght often to counte / and compare your goodes / and your gaynes with your expenses . Often to ouerse your good : shall be necessary . For your beestes may take hurte for defaute of fode ( all thoughe they nothynge axe ) ne complayne . The slepe of the housbande : maketh a fatte dong hylle . And the iye of the mayster , a fast hors . That is to meane that the presence of the mayster : in euery corner : is moche profytable . Sumptuous & costlye weddynges , or brydales , ben damage / without honoure . Expences done vpon warre / ben more honourable / than profytable . Better is to suffre some wronge , and to bye peace than to make warre / or to kepe war. Coste made vpon ꝓdygal persones / is clerely lost . Cost made vpon kyn or frendes / is resonable . Fede your housholde seruauntes with honest commune fare / without delycates . For the seruaunt that is made a gloton shall neuer after mende his maners . Glotony is vyle fylthy / & stynkynge & wyll make the neglygent and careles person soone roten and short lyfe . Meane fedynge with scarcyte : is vnto the dilygent person pleasaunt and profytable . Vpon the holy dayes & hyghe festes : gyue your housholde plentye of mete : but selden & fewe delycates . For the vse of delycate fode / wyll sone marre a good seruaunt . Let glotonye and thy purse stryue / and go to lawe togyther / and beware thou wel whiche parte thou takest / but for the moste parte alway hold with the purse . For glotonous men of lawe & the witnessers : done speke of all affeccion . but the purs bryngeth in playne euydence and profe / the empty barne & the empty bag . But yf very nygardy shut vp thy purse / than art not thou an euen iudge . For nygardy is a folysshe & nedeles fere / & euer lyuynge in pouerte / and hurdeth & muckerythe vp : he can not tell for whom . yf thou haue plenty of corne : desyre no derth For those persones that of couetous mynde done procure or desyre derthe done procure and desyre the dethe of the pore / and shall be accused : as homicides and mansleers / sell thy corne better chepe vnto thy neyghboure ( al though he were thy enemy ) than vnto straungers , For an enemy is sometyme soner vaynquysshed and ouercomen by a kynde dede / than by the swerde . Be neuer at debate with thy neyghboure / but rather studye and laboure to be at one . For thou canste haue none so sure a castell / or garde of thy lyfe / as is loue and frendshyp of thy neyghboure / yf thou suspecte the women of thy house : let other persones rather shewe that / than thou shulde be ouer busy to try out the mater . For though it were of thy owne wyf , or the wyfe of thy husbande : it were better vnknowen . For ones knowen it is neuer cured / the wounde is with out remedy . yf any remedy be / it shal be whan lyke chaunce is herd of other persones . The leste & moste easy way therin is to dissimule the mater though it were pryuely knowen / & pretende yngnoraunce without any quarel or countenaunce / but rather by a dyscrete ghostly father let the partyes be refourmed that synne be not contynued A noble herte / and hygh gentyl mynde / wyll neuer serche of womens maters . Ashrewe wyll soner be correctid by smylynge or laughyng / than by a staffe / or strokes . The best way to kepe a woman good / is gentyll intrety and neuer to let her know that she is suspecte / and euer to be counceyled & informed with louyng maner . an old woman vnclene of lyuynge ( yf the lawe wolde suffre ) shulde be buryed quycke . Let your clothynge or araye be in amene / nother vyle ne precious but alway fayre and honest / & of sad & not of wanton fasshyon . A costelye garment beyonde : or aboue the state and degre of the person / is a sygne & token of lytell wytte . For a woman that hath suffycyent aray / to desyre newe and chaunge / is a sygne of lytell sadnes . Trust hym rather for thy frende that somwhat dothe for the / than hym that dothe offre hym selfe / saynge . I am yours in all I can and may . For in wordes is great plente of frendes a true frende loueth at all tymes and neuer fayleth at nede . There is no comparyson of ryches / vnto a faythefull frende . Neuer repute ne thynke hym thy frende / that dothe prayse / or bost the vnto thy face / or in thy presence . whan you gyue counseyle vnto a frende / say this semeth best vnto me / not thus you muste nedely doo . For you may soner gette rebuke or blame for your counceyle yf it pryue not / than thanke , for youre goode counceyle : though it spede well / yf mynstrelles / iogulers / or iesters come to thy howse / say thou haste no lodgynge for suche iesters / you kepe nether ynne nor alestake . For yf you take pleasure in theyr pastymes you ben full lyke to haue another wyfe shortly after whose name is called pouerte / or beggry . yf you fortune to come where they ben / and begyn somwhat to delecte in theyr maters : I aduyse you dyssimule & take vpon you that you herd theym not / ne set any thynge therby . For yf they perceyue and se you but laugh : they wyll take that for an ernest to crye largesse & to haue reward And so importune wyll they be / and so shamfully craue : that you shall be yrke and wery of them / and perauenture they wyll fall to rebukyng / braulyng / and scoldynge / so that you shal be fayne / and glade : to gyue somwhat for fere vnto those galowe clapers / worthy in dede to be hanged vp . For I tell you / god is not pleased with that occupacyon / excepte it be ( as scant tolerable or alowable ) among prynces lordes / and hygh estates . Nowe for your seruauntes / yf you haue a seruaunt of hygh proude mynde & stubburne stomacke put hym away leste after he do you harme / & soo do hym that alwaye dothe prayse youre maners in all thynges . For a flaterer is worse than an enemy / your enemye cannot lyghtly deceyue you , but your seruauntes or your neyghboures that done prayse you : ben surely about to deceyue you . Yf you haue a bashful & dredfull seruaunt , & fynde hym faythful , than loue hym & cherysshe hym as your own natural child . Make your byldynges rather for nede , than for pleasur . For the appetyte of byldyng for pleasur shall neuer haue ende / tyl pouerte teche wyt some what to late . Be lothe to sell your herytage , and if you must nede / sell . Sell not to greate persones / but rather for lesse vnto the lower persones . Better is to sell than to borow by vsery . For vsery is lyke a thefe that wold warne you before what harme he wolde do vnto you / Yf you bye or bargayne / be not botye felowe with great persones . And though he be vnder you / yet stryue not with hym leste he put his parte vnto your better / or mayster . In all thynges kepe truely and faythfully your bonde and promyse / accordynge vnto your couenaunte . Due temporaunce is a thyng of great honestye in a housholde / let therfor your drynke wyne / ale or bere be temporate . Stronge drynke is more pleasaunt / than holsome . The wyseman sayth / that sobre drynke is the helth bothe of soule & bodye And the wyse & lerned persone , wyll be ryght well content with lytell drynke / and that shall not trouble the stomacke , but rather cause swete & holsome slepe / and of the contrary done come many incommodytes as there dothe folow . who so euer amonge many and dyuers stronge drynkes / with aboundaunce therof , is sobre may be called an erthly god / or a god vpon erth / wrastle not therwith yf you doo my counsell . And yf by chaunce you be in company / and begyn to fele the drynke worke / aryse & departe / a slepe is more meite for you , than any company . who so by wordes wold excuse dronkennes : dothe openly declare his owne dysease . The knowlege & iugement of wynes : doth nothyng become a yonge persone . Yf a physycyon or surgyon vse to be dronke / lette hym not haue the cure of your dysease / ne let no ne of them take experyence / and lerne in you : howe to cure / or he le another . For though they be well lerned and haue not experyence / it is no wysdome to let them proue theyr connyng vpon you . Great gay horse / & lytel prety dogges : leue you vnto lordes & ladyes . A bygge labourynge hors / and a mastyfe / or a curre dogge : ben good to kepe your house . As for haukes / houndes / and huntyng dogges do spende more than they do get , they ben mete & accordynge for states : to set ydle seruauntes on werke but ferre vnaccordynge ben they : for busbandes and ware housholders . It is no wysdom to make your owne chylder stewardes or rulers of your housholde or goodes . Foles and neglygente or careles persones : haue many mysfortunes . For that is theyr commune excuse whan any thynge is wronge , they say than / that chaunce or mysfortune was cause therof . I say not nay but that chaunce or mysfortune may fall . But who so doth folowe wysdom lernynge / & dyscrecyon , shall seldom accuse mysfortune . For delygence / warenes / and good hede , done seldome company with mysfortune . But yet more seldom shall you se mysfortune and slouthe or neglygence , departyd in sondre , for they done communely company to gyther . The sluggard sayth god wyll helpe hym / and so longe he trusteth ther vnto , tyll he be brought vnto beggery . For god by the wyse man doth sende the sluggarde ( for example ) vnto the ant or pismere , to lerne to labour . For man sayth Iob is borne to laboure / as a byrde to flye . Kepe you therfore but few ydle persons or men . And watche you and take good hede vnto euery persone of youre house / & euer ponder / wey / and consydre your exspences / with your gaynes / or gettynges . Fyrst get and brynge in / and than spende . For it is no good husbandry to borowe . And when ye wex aged / trust rather vnto god / than vnto your chylder / or frendes / that you sende before you / you shall be sure to fynde . No cofre / chyst / ne tower may be more sure to kepe treasure than is heuen . Let not therfore the poore passe you . what you gyue to them , you gyue vnto Cryste . And of that you leue behynde you , appoynt it vnto euery persone his part . For better were for you nothynge to leue / than that stryfe and debate shulde be made / conscyence blemysshed / and god offendyd / for your goodes . Trust them best to do for your soule / not that done loue or say they done loue your soule / but that you done perceyue and coniecture , done loue theyr owne soule . Make your testament euery yere newe / & surely sealyd by wytnes . Lay it where ( whan nede is ) it maye be founde / no man is sure how to ende his lyfe . The moste sure waye , to dye well / is well to lyue / whiche he graunte vs that bought vs our lord god & most swete sauyoure Ihesu chryste . Amen .

Here endeth the boke Intytuled the gou●rnaunce of housholde .

Imprynted by me Robert wyer , dwellyng at the sygne of seynt Iohn Euangelyst / in seynt Martyns parysshe in the bysshop of Norwytche rentes , besyde Charynge crosse .

ROBERT WYER . printer's device of Robert Wyer, including his name and mark, with St. John the Evangelist and the eagle