The Sun.
London, England, 1822-12-31 00:00:00

HOUSEHOLD SERVANTS.

Servants in the sixteenth century were held
in a greater degree of subjection than they are in
the present ; as wilt appear by the following very
curious list of penalties kept, by the ancestors of
an English Baronet, 1565-6, for the purpose of
regulating the respective duties of the household
servants:—

That no servant be absent from prayer, at morning or even-
ing without a lawful excuse, to be alleged within one day after,
upon pain to forfeit for every time 2d.
That none swear any oath, upon pain for every one Id.
That no man leave any door open that he findeth shut, with-
out there be cause, upon pain for every time id.
That none of the men he in bed from our Lady-day to Mi-
chaelmas, after 6 of the clock in the morning; nor out, of his
bed after 19 of the clock at night ; nor from Michaelmas till
our Lady-day, in bed after 7 in the morning, nor out after 9 at
night, without reasonable cause, on pain of 2d.
'That no man's bed be unmade, nor fire or candle box un-
clean, after 8 of the clock in the morning, on pain of Id.
That no man commit any nuisance within either of the courts,
upon pain, every time it shall be proved, hi.
That no man teach any of the children an unhonest speech,
on pain of 4d.
That no man wait at the table without a trencher in hit
hand, except it be upon sonic good cause, on pain of ld. •
That no man appointed to wait at my table be absent at
meal, without reasonable cause, on pain of hl.
If any man break a glass, he shall answer the price thereof
out of his wages ; and if it be not known who broke it, the
butler shall pay for it, on pain of 12d.
The table must be covered half an hour before 11 at dinner,
and 6 at supper, or before, on pain of 2d.
That meat be ready at 11, or before, at dinner, and 6, or be-
fore, at supper, on pain of bd.
That none be absent without leave or good cause, the whole
day, or any part of it, on pain of 4d.
That no man strike his fellow on pain of loss of service; nor
revile or threaten, or provoke one another to strike, on pain
of 12d.

That no man come to the kitchen without reasonable cause,
on pain of Id. and the cook likewise to forfeit ld.
That none toy with the maids, on pain of 4d. •
That no man wear foul shirt on Sunday, nor broken hose or
shoes, or doublet without buttons, on pain of Id.
That when any stranger go7th hence, the chamber be dressed
up again within 6 hours after, on pain of Id. g
- That the hall be made clean every day, by 8 in the winter,
and 7in the summer; on pain of him that should do it Id.
That the court-gate be shut each meal, and not opened dur-
ing dinner and supper, without just cause, on pain the porter
to forfeit for every time Id.
That all stairs in the house, and other rooms that need shall
require, be made clean on Friday after dinner, on pain of for-
feiture of every one whom it shall belong unto 3d.
All which sums shall be duly paid each quarter-day out of
their wages, and betowed on the poor.

THE FROST.-The frost appears to be increas-
ing in severity. Till Saturday, the lowest degree
to which the mercury has descended in a FA-
RENHEIT'S thermometer, in the Strand, at eight
o'clock in the morning, was' 29. Sunday, as well
as the day before, it was 25 ; and yesterday
morning, at the same hour, it was 23.
A Montrose vessel from Ireland passed through
the Caledonian Canal, last week, thereby avoid-
ing the dangerous passage of the Pentland 'Frith.
Several counterfeit sovereigns have been at-
tempted to be passed lately. They are easily
distinguishable by their lightness and ring,
though tolerably• well executed.