This for thy body may suffice,
how that must ordred be:
Now at the Church thou shalt observe
to God how all must be.
[No doubt incomplete, or to be inserted before Cap. v. of Weste’s Schoole of Vertue, at the end of this Part. F. J. F.]
[Sloane MS. 1986, p. 193, ab. 1450-60. The last page
mentions the 19th year of Henry VI., A.D. 1440-1.]
INcipiunt statuta familie bone Memorie dompni
Roberti Grossetest, lincolnie episcopi.
Let alle men be warned þat seruen ȝou, and warnyng be ȝeue to alle men that be of howseholde, All servants should serve truly God and their Master; to serue god and ȝou trewly & diligently and to performyng, or the wyllyng of god to be performed and fulfyllydde. primus uersiculus doing fully all that their Master orders, [Fyrst] let seruauntis doo perfytely in alle thyngis youre wylle, and kepe they ȝoure commaundementis after god and ryȝthwysnesse, and with-oute condicioñ and also with-oute gref or offense. And sey ȝe, that be principalle heuede or prelate to alle ȝoure seruauntis bothe lesse and more, that they doo fully, reedyly, and treuly, without answering. with-oute offense or ayenseyng, alle youre wille & commaundement that is not ayeynys god. 2us T[*] [the secunde ys], that ȝe commaunde them that kepe and haue kepyng of ȝoure howseholde, The upper servants must be honest and diligent, a-fore ȝoure meynye, that bothe with-in and with-oute the meynye be trewe, honest, diligent, bothe chast and profitabulle. 3us [¶ the thrydde]: commaunde ye that nomañ be admittyd in ȝoure howseholde, nother inwarde nother vtwarde, and engage no untrusty or unfit man. but hit be trustyd and leuyd that ȝe be trewe and diligent, and namely to that office to the whiche he is admyttyd; Also þat he be of goode maners [iv.] ¶ The fowrethe: be hit sowȝht and examined ofte tymys yf ther be ony vntrewman, vnkunnyng, Dishonest, vnhonest, lecherous,