OF DOMESTICALL DVTIES Eight Treatises .

I. An Exposition of that part of Scripture out of which Domesticall Duties are raised .

II. 1. A right Coniunction of Man and Wife . 2. Common-mutuall Duties betwixt Man and Wife .

III. Particular Duties of Wiues .

IV. Particular Duties of Husbands .

V. Duties of Children .

VI. Duties of Parents .

VII . Duties of Seruants .

VIII . Duties of Masters .

By WILLIAM GOVGE .

LONDON , Printed by Iohn Haviland for William Bladen , and are to be sold at the signe of the Bible neere the great North doore of Pauls . 1622.

IF noble Birth , high Honour , great Estate , true Piety , bountifull Charity , good Esteeme of Gods word and Ministers , and in particular , intire loue of the Author , be inducements to choose a Patron for his worke , I , for my part , need not goe farre for a Patron . In mine owne parish are all these . To you therefore ( right Honourable , right Worshipfull , and other my beloued Parishioners , most worthy of all due respect ) doe I dedicate these my poore paines about Domesticall Duties . To testifie the equall dutie which I owe , and the impartiall respect which I beare to you all , I make you all as one Patron . You were the first ouer whom I euer had any ministeriall charge . To this charge by your free choice was I called . Among you haue I spent * * Since Midsommer . 1608. almost two full prentiships . You haue alwaies so accepted my paines , and respected my person , as I neuer had any cause to repent my acceptance of this place , and calling : but rather to thanke God for the same . My desire is ( if so it may seeme good to the diuine prouidence ) to spend all my daies among you : and , while I am among you , to helpe forward your spirituall edification . This is the maine end of my calling , and the marke , which , as in the ordinary course of my Ministry , so in the publishing of these Eight Treatises of Domesticall Duties , and dedicating them to you , I haue aimed at . As in testimony of Loue and Dutie I haue preached in your hearing , and published in your name these Duties , so doe you manifest your kinde acceptance of my former , and latter paines , by a conscionable obseruing of them , so farre forth as they are agreeable to Gods word : that all who know you , may know by that euident demonstration , how well you haue relished and approued them . Thus shall you gaine much profit , and my selfe much comfort by my paines . Oh if the head and seuerall members of a family would be perswaded euery of them to be conscionable in performing their owne particular duties , what a sweet society , and happy harmony would there be in houses ? What excellent seminaries would families be to Church and Common-wealth ? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Arist. Eth. lib. 8. cap. 12. Necessary it is that good order be first set in families : for as they were before other polities , so they are somewhat the more necessary : and good members of a family are like to make good members of Church and common-wealth . The subiect matter therefore of these Treatises is worth the handling , if I were able according to the worth thereof to handle it . I haue endeuoured to doe what I could therein , though I haue not attained to what I would . Be you like vnto God , who , if there be first a willing mind , accepteth according to that a man hath , and not according to that he hath not . Though for such a matter as is handled in these Treatises , the worke may seeme at first sight to be too copious , yet I hope the obseruant Reader will not finde it too tedious . It is the variety of many , M 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Ammon . Multum loqui est rem superfluis agere verbis . Aug. Epist. 121. ad Prob. not the prolixity of few points which hath made this booke to swell to that bignesse which it hath . The first Treatise ( which is a fourth part of the booke ) containeth a Commentary on that part of Scripture out of which Domesticall Duties are raised : wherein the Apostle setting forth Christ and the Church as patternes to husbands and wiues , liuely declareth the great loue of Christ to his Church , and the neere vnion betwixt them , together with other deepe mysteries , the vnfolding whereof hath a little the longer detained me . But as I haue a while insisted on maine matters of much moment , so haue I very briefly passed ouer other points . The other Treatises , wherein the Duties themselues are handled , are euery of them much shorter then the first . In them I haue barely propounded and briefly proued the truth and equity of the seuerall duties , except some choice points which are of especiall vse , or at least through disuse much questioned : and them I haue more largely handled . And because contraries laid together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Arist. Rhet. lib. 3. cap. 2. doe much set forth each other in their liuely colours , I haue to euery duty annexed the contrary fault , and aberration from it . For many that heare the duties thinke all well enough , till they heare also the contrary vices , whereby in their consciences they are most conuinced . Concerning the many faults and vices of bad Husbands , Wiues , Parents , Children , Masters and Seruants , taxed in these Treatises , let me intreat you , not to apply them too generally to all Husbands , Wiues , Parents , Children , Masters and Seruants . Hath not wise Solomon much taxed the lightnesse , shrewishnesse , pride , flattery , and other vices of women ? And shall sober , meeke , humble , honest women thinke themselues taxed thereby ? By like reason might vnchaste strumpets , vntrusty gossips , vnquiet shrewes , and proud dames thinke themselues commended by those excellent commendations which be giueth of good women . Let euery one , as their conscience ( an impartiall Iudge ) shall beare them witnesse , make a right application of euery thing to themselues . Thus shall we Ministers be freed from many euill surmizes . I remember that when these Domesticall Duties were first vttered out of the pulpit , much exception was taken against the application of a wiues subiection to the restraining of her from disposing the common goods of the family without , or against her husbands consent . But surely they that made those exceptions did not well thinke of the Cautions and Lamitations which were then deliuered , and are now againe expresly noted : which are , that the foresaid restraint be not extended to the a a Paraphernalia . Treat . 3. §. 21. proper goods of a wife , no nor ouerstrictly to such b b Ibid. goods as are set apart for the vse of the family , nor to c c Treat . 3. §. 22. extraordinary cases , nor alwaies to an d d Treat . 3. §. 19. expresse consent , nor to the e e Treat . 3. §. 18. consent of such husbands as are impotent , or farre and long absent . If any other warrantable caution shall be shewed me , I will be as willing to admit it , as any of these . Now that my meaning may not still be peruerted , I pray you , in reading the restraint of wiues power in disposing the goods of the family , euer beare in minde those Cautions . Other exceptions were made against some other particular duties of wiues . For many that can patiently enough heare their duties declared in generall termes , cannot endure to heare those generals exemplified in their particular branches . This commeth too neere to the quicke , and pierceth too deepe . But ( to interpret all , according to the rule of loue , in the better part ) I take the maine reason of the many exceptions which were taken , to be this , that wiues duties ( according to the Apostles method ) being in the first place handled , there was taught ( as must haue beene taught , except the truth should haue beene betrayed ) what a wife , in the vttermost extent of that subiection vnder which God hath put her , is bound vnto , in case her husband will stand vpon the vttermost of his authority : which was so taken , as if I had taught that an husband might , and ought to exact the vttermost , and that a wife was bound in that vttermost extent to doe all that was deliuered as dutie , whether her husband exact it or no. But when I came to deliuer husbands duties , f f Treat . 4. §. 18. I shewed , that he ought not to exact whatsoeuer his wife was bound vnto ( in case it were exacted by him ) but that he ought to make her a ioynt Gouernour of the family with himselfe , and referre the ordering of many things to her discretion , and with all honourable and kinde respect to carrie himselfe towards her . In a word , I so set downe an husbands duties , as if he be wise and conscionable in obseruing them , his wife can haue no iust cause to complaine of her subiection . That which maketh a wiues yoake heauy and hard , is an husbands abuse of his authority : and more pressing his wiues dutie , then performing his owne : which is directly contrary to the g g Ephes. 5. 33. See Treat . 1. §. 95. Apostles rule . This iust Apologie I haue beene forced to make , that I might not euer be iudged ( as some haue censured me ) * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Athen. an hater of women . Now that in all those places where a wiues yoke may seeme most to pinch , I might giue some ease , I haue to euery head of wiues duties made a reference , in the margin ouer against it , to the duties of husbands answerable thereunto , and noted the reference with this marke * , that it might the more readily be turned vnto . Yea I haue further parallel'd , and laid euen one against another in one view , the heads of husbands and wiues duties , as they answer each other : and in like manner the contrary aberrations : with a reference made vnto the particular sections where they are handled : that so on the one side it may appeare , that if both of them be conscionable and carefull to performe their owne duty , the matrimoniall yoke will so equally lie on both their necks , as the wife will be no more pinched therewith then the husband , but that it will be like Christs spirituall yoke , light and easie : and that on the Mat. 11. 30. other side it may be manifest that there is commonly as much failing by husbands in their duties , as by wiues in theirs . This parallel and euen-setting out of each of their duties , and of the contrary aberrations , I haue annexed next to this epistle . And further I haue added thereto a table of the seuerall heads of those points that are handled in the eight following Treatises , that by this helpe you may the more readily finde out such particular points as you desire most especially to read . To shew that the duties prescribed to Husbands , Wiues , Parents , Children , Masters , and Seruants , are such as in conscience they are bound vnto , I haue endeuoured to shew how they are grounded on the word of God , and gathered from thence . To auoid prolixity , I haue referred most of the quotations to the margin . If your leisure will serue you , you may doe well to search them out . Two things haue beene especiall helpes to me for finding out the many duties noted in these Treatises , & vices contrary thereunto : Obseruation and Disposition . Obseruation both of such duties as the Scripture commendeth and contrary vices as it condemneth : and also of such commendable virtues as I well liked in those Husbands , Wiues , Parents , Children , Masters , and Seruants , that I came among , and such vnseemely vices as I disliked in them : and Disposition of one point after another in the best order that I could . My method and manner of proceeding brought many things to my minde , which otherwise might haue slipped by . For by method sundry and seuerall points appertaining to one matter are drawne forth , as in a chaine one linke draweth vp another . There is no better way to finde out many obseruations in a text , then by a methodicall resolution thereof . As method is an helpe to Inuention , so also to retention . It is as the thread or wier whereon pearles are put , which keepeth them from scattering . And if a man by abundance of matter be cast into a labyrinth , by the helpe of method he may easily and readily finde out the way againe . In which respects method is fitly stiled the Methodusintelligentiae parens est , & magistra memoriae . Mother of the Minde , and Mistresse of Memorie . If you well marke the order and dependance of points one vpon another , you will finde as great an helpe in conceiuing and remembring Ordo memoriae maximè , lumen affert . Cic. 2. de Orat. them , as I did in inuenting and disposing them .

Because there is not one word to comprise vnder it both masters and mistresses , as fathers and mothers are comprised vnder Parents , and sonnes and daughters vnder Children , I haue according to the Scripture phrase comprised Mistresses vnder Masters : so as the duties enioyned to them belong to these , so farre as may stand with their sex . To conclude , in recompence of all my paines I heartily pray you all to pray heartily for him who daily praieth for you , euen Church-court in Black-Fryers London . 2. Febr. 1621.

TREAT . III. Aberrations of Wiues from their particular duties . AMbition , the generall ground of the aberrations of wiues , §. 2. 1 A conceit that wiues are their husbands equals , §. 4. 2 A conceit that she could better subiect her selfe to any other man then to her owne husband , §. 6. 3 An inward despising of her husband , §. 8. 4 Vnreuerend behauiour towards her husband , manifested by lightnesse , fullennesse , scornfulnes , and vanitie in her attire , §. 9 , 10 , 11 , 12. 5 Vnreuerend speech to and of her husband , §. 13 , 14 , 15 , 16. 6 A stout standing on her owne will , §. 17. 7 A peremptorie vndertaking to doe things as she list without and against her husbands consent . This is manifested by priuie purloyning his goods , taking allowance , ordering children , seruants , and cattell , feasting strangers , making iourneyes , and vowes , as her selfe listeth , §. 42. 8 An obstinate standing vpon her owne will , making her husband dwell where she will , and refusing to goe when he calls , or to doe any thing vpon his command , §. 44 , 45 , 46 , 67. 9 Disdaine at reproofe ; giuing word for word ; and waxing worse for being reproued , §. 47 , 48. 10 Discontent at her husbands estate , §. 50. 11 Such a pleasing of her husband as offendeth Christ , §. 53. 12 Such a subiection as is most vnlike to the Churches , viz. fained , forced , fickle , &c. §. 56 , &c.

TREAT . IV. Aberrations of Husbands from their particular duties . WAnt of wisdome and loue , the generall ground of the aberrations of husbands , §. 3 , 5. 1 Too meane account of wiues , §. 8. 2 A preposterous conceit of his owne wife to be the worst of all : and that he could loue any but her , §. 10. 3 A Stoicall disposition , without all heat of affection , §. 12. 4 An vnbeseeming cariage towards his wife , manifested by his basenesse , tyrannicall vsage of her , loftinesse , harshnesse , and niggardlinesse , §. 5 , 15 , 17 , 41 , 44 , 53. 5 Harsh , proud , and bitter speeches , to and of his wife , §. 24 , 25 , 30 , 32 , 36 , 39. 6 Losing of his authoritie , §. 5. 7 Too much strictnesse ouer his wife . This is manifested by restraining her from doing any thing without particular and expresse consent , taking too strict account of her , and allowing her no more then is needfull for her owne priuate vse , §. 19 , 55. 8 Too lordly a standing vpon the highest step of his authoritie : being too frequent , insolent , and peremptorie in commanding things friuolous , vnmeet , and against his wiues minde and conscience , §. 30 , 32. 9 Rashnesse and bitternesse in reprouing : and that too frequently , on sleight occasions , and disgracefully before children , seruants , and strangers , §. 36 , 38 , 39. 10 A carelesse neglect of his wife , and niggardly dealing with her , and that in her weaknesse , §. 46 , 51 , 53 11 A commanding of vnlawfull things , §. 26 , 30 , 32. 12 Such a disposition as is most vnlike to Christs , and to that which a man beareth to himselfe , viz. complementall , impure , for by-respects , vnconstant , &c. §. 62 , &c. and 74.