Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1870-01-28
Servants in the Olden Time.

SV1 4 GA UAGo
The duties and penalties of house servants
in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, is very
we'll exhibited in the following enumeration
kept by an English baronet in 1565-66.-
The rules defining the duties, and prescrib-
ing penalties for the non conformance there
of in use over three hundred years ago, are
quite suggestive to-day The reader will
doubtless be interested in the quaint pre-
scribing for household government:-Rich.
State Journal. j :aa.
l.. Absent from prayer, morning or even
ing, without excuse, I'd.
2. For every oath sworn, Id.
8. For leaving a door open. which he
found shut, without cause, Id. as
A.. None to be in bed, from Lady Day to
Michaelmas, after six o'clock in the morn
ing, nor out of bed after ten o'clock at night;
nor from Michaclmas to Lady Day, in bed
after seven o'clock in the morning, nor out
of bed after nine at night, without cause, on
pain of I'd. e..+7 ;+-. !
5. That no bed shall be unmade, nor fire,
nor candle u%nclean, after eight O'Clock in
the morning, on pain of Id.
6. That no man commit any nuisance
within any Of the courts, on pain, every
time proven, Of Id. +
7. That no man teach any of the children
any unhonest speech, on pain of 4d.
s. That no man wait at the table without
q trencher in his hand, except upon good
cause, on pain of Id. .
9. That no man appointed to wait at ia
Bile be absent at any time, without good ex-
cuse, on pain of Id u
10. If any man shall break q glass, he
shall pay the price thereof, out of his wages,
and if ii be not known who broke it, the
butler shall pay for it, on pain Of 12d
II. The table must be covered half an
hour before eleven at dinner, at six at sup
per, or before, on pain of I'd.
-. That meat be ready at eleven or be-
fore at dinner, and six or before at supper,
on pain Of Cd. ..Ir
10. That none be absent, without leave
or good cause, the whole day, or any part of
it, on pain of I'D.
IA. That no man strike his fellow, on
pain of loss of service ; nor revile or threat
en- or provoke one another to strike, on pain
of I'D.
Is. That no man come to the kitchen
without reasonable cause on pain Of I'd, and
the cook likewise forfeit Id. H.
10. That none toy with the maids on
pain Of I'D.
II. That no man wear foul shirt on Sun
day, broken hose or shoes, or doublet with
out buttons on pain Of Id.
IS. That when any stranger goeth hence
chamber be dressed up again within four
hours after, on pain of Id.
10. That the hall be made clean every
day, by eight in the winter and by seven in
the summer, on pain, of him that should do
it, Id.
90 That the court gate be shut each
meal and not opened during dinner Or sup
per, without just cause, on pain to the porter
of Id.
81. That all stairs in the house, and 9TH
er rooms that need s~hallrequire, be made
clean on Friday, after dinner, on pain Of
forfeiture Of every one whom it shall belong
unto, Sd.
All which sums shall be duly paid each
quarter day Of their wages, and bestowed
on the poor or other godly use.
No MoTuER.-''She has no mother" >
What o volume of ~sorrowful truth is COM
prised in that single utterance, no mother
We must go down the hard rough path Of
life and become Injured to care and sorrow,
in their sternest forms before we can take
home to our own experience the dread real
ity- no mother, without a struggle and
. tear. But when it is said of a frail young
girl, just passing from childhood toward thu
life of a woman, how sad is the story sum
med up in that short sentence! Who shall
now check the hayward fancies-who shall
now bear with the errors and failings of the
motherless daughter +? Let not the cup O
sorrow be overlooked by the harshness o
your bearing, or your sympathizing GOODNESS
Is she needless of your doings? Is she for.
getful of her duty Is she careless Of move
nents? Remember, oh, remember, she has
no mother.
And the poor boy too, with none to carr
; for him or to administer to his comfort
You see him s%portive with his companions
perhaps rude, may be at times wicked-ht
has no mother to warn and ohide him-nt
mothor to shed her softening influence owe
him. And when he goes to bed, strang'
fears creep over him, and a .desolation o
; spirit that no tongue can express. He i
turned out into the world to battle its storm
), alone. and when pain and WEAKNESS pres
! upon him, no word of plying sympath,
, falls on his ears-no soft hand soothes ant
y supports him. Remember, oh, remembe
! he has no mother !!