Here beginneth A short monition, or counsel of the cure & governance of a household/ according unto policy: taken out of a pistle of a great learned man, called bernard syluestre.  
 modified printer's device of Robert Wyer, with his name, the eagle, and part of the foreground cut away (McKerrow 67β)   

HEre good & devout christians/ first take most heed/ and give most diligence to order yourself/ and all yours, unto our lord according unto the poor lesson that comes after: and than see well unto the substance and guiding of your house/ and goods. Se first that peace be in the house/ and that you agree all together, for else all your goods will soon go to nought. Than (after the common proverb) cut your thongs: after or according unto your ledder. Spend according unto your gains: gettynges or rents/ and not above. It is also good policy: to have one years rend/ or an years gains in store for chances/ which is not contrary unto christy anyte: where extreme or very strait need: is not perceived in the neighbour. A negligent or reckless person may soon set on fine, & destroy great substance. Have therefore a good eye/ and guard unto the diligence of your servants, for under them your goods may soon minish & be wasted before you know/ beware or have knowledge thereof. if your goods begin to waste: better is/ and less rebuke for you to abstain/ and withdraw your charges: than to fall in to neediness/ or danger. An old proverb. Qui plus expendit quam rerum copia tendit. Non admiretur si paupertate gravetur. That is. 
who so done spend beyond their faculty.  
No marvel though with need they grieved be.   
¶ It is therefore a great providence and good foresight often to count/ and compare your goods/ and your gains with your expenses. Often to oversee your good: shall be necessary. For your beasts may take hurt for default of food (all though they nothing axe) ne complain. The sleep of the husband: maketh a fat dung hill. And the eye of the master, a fast horse. That is to mean that the presence of the master: in every corner: is much profitable. Sumptuous & costly weddings, or brydales, been damage/ without honour. Expenses done upon war/ been more honourable/ than profitable. Better is to suffer some wrong, and to buy peace than to make war/ or to keep war. cost made upon ꝓdygal persons/ is clearly lost. Cost made upon kin or friends/ is reasonable. Feed your household servants with honest common fare/ without delicates. For the servant that is made a glutton shall never after mend his manners. gluttony is vile filthy/ & stinking & will make the negligent and careless person soon rotten and short life. Mean feeding with scarcity: is unto the diligent person pleasant and profitable. Upon the holy days & high feasts: give your household plenty of meet: but selden & few delicates. For the use of delicate food/ will soon mar a good servant. Let gluttony and thy purse strive/ and go to law together/ and beware thou well which part thou takest/ but for the most part always hold with the purse. For gluttonous men of law & the witnessers: done speak of all affection. but the purse bringeth in plain evidence and proof/ the empty barn & the empty bag. But if very nygardy shut up thy purse/ than art not thou an even judge. For nygardy is a foolish & needles fere/ & ever living in poverty/ and hurdeth & muckerythe up: he can not tell for whom. if thou have plenty of corn: desire no dearth For those persons that of covetous mind done procure or desire dearth done procure and desire the death of the poor/ and shall be accused: as homicides and manslayers/ cell thy corn better cheap unto thy neighbour (all though he were thy enemy) than unto strangers, For an enemy is sometime sooner vanquished and overcomen by a kind deed/ than by the sword. Be never at debate with thy neighbour/ but rather study and labour to be at one. For thou canst have none so sure a castle/ or guard of thy life/ as is love and friendship of thy neighbour/ if thou suspect the women of thy house: let other persons rather show that/ than thou should be over busy to try out the matter. For though it were of thy own wife, or the wife of thy husband: it were better unknown. For ones known it is never cured/ the wound is with out remedy. if any remedy be/ it shall be when like chance is herd of other persons. The lest & most easy way therein is to dissimule thee matter though it were privily known/ & pretend yngnoraunce without any quarrel or countenance/ but rather by a discrete ghostly father let the parties be reformed that sin be not continued A noble heart/ and high gentle mind/ will never search of women's matters. Ashrewe will sooner be correctid by smiling or laughing/ than by a staff/ or strokes. The best way to keep a woman good/ is gentle intrety and never to let her know that she is suspect/ and ever to be counseled & informed with loving manner. an old woman unclean of living (if the law would suffer) should be buried quick. Let your clothing or array be in amene/ neither vile ne precious but always fair and honest/ & of sad & not of wanton fashion. A costly garment beyond: or above the state and degree of the person/ is a sign & token of little wit. For a woman that hath sufficient array/ to desire new and change/ is a sign of little sadness. Trust him rather for thy friend that somewhat doth for thee/ than him that doth offer himself/ saying. I am yours in all I can and may. For in words is great plenty of friends a true friend loveth at all times and never faileth at need. There is no comparison of riches/ unto a faithful friend. Never repute ne think him thy friend/ that doth praise/ or boast the unto thy face/ or in thy presence. when you give counsel unto a friend/ say this seemeth best unto me/ not thus you must needily do. For you may sooner get rebuke or blame for your council if it prive not/ than thank, for your good council: though it speed well/ if minstrels/ iogulers/ or jesters come to thy house/ say thou haste no lodging for such jesters/ you keep neither in nor alestake. For if you take pleasure in their pastimes you been full like to have another wife shortly after whose name is called poverty/ or beggary. if you fortune to come where they been/ and begin somewhat to delecte in their matters: I advise you dyssimule & take upon you that you herd them not/ ne set any thing thereby. For if they perceive and see you but laugh: they will take that for an earnest to cry largesse & to have reward And so importune will they be/ and so shamefully crave: that you shall be irk and weary of them/ and peradventure they will fall to rebuking/ brawling/ and scolding/ so that you shall be fain/ and glad: to give somewhat for fere unto those gallow clappers/ worthy in deed to be hanged up. For I tell you/ god is not pleased with that occupation/ except it be (as scant tolerable or allowable) among princes lords/ and high estates. Now for your servants/ if you have a servant of high proud mind & stubborn stomach put him away lest after he do you harm/ & so do him that alway doth praise your manners in all things. For a flatterer is worse than an enemy/ your enemy cannot lightly deceive you, but your servants or your neighbours that done praise you: been surely about to deceive you. If you have a bashful & dreadful servant, & find him faithful, than love him & cherish him as your own natural child. Make your buildings rather for need, than for pleasure. For the appetite of building for pleasure shall never have end/ till poverty teach wit some what to late. Be loath to sell your heritage, and if you must need/ cell. Sell not to great persons/ but rather for less unto the lower persons. Better is to sell than to borrow by usury. For usury is like a thief that would warn you before what harm he would do unto you/ If you buy or bargain/ be not booty fellow with great persons. And though he be under you/ yet strive not with him lest he put his part unto your better/ or master. In all things keep truly and faithfully your bond and promise/ according unto your covenant. Due temporance is a thing of great honesty in a household/ let therefore your drink wine/ ale or bear be temperate. Strong drink is more pleasant/ than wholesome. The wiseman saith/ that sober drink is the health both of soul & body And the wise & learned person, will be right well content with little drink/ and that shall not trouble the stomach, but rather cause sweet & wholesome sleep/ and of the contrary done come many incommodytes as there doth follow. who so ever among many and divers strong drinks/ with abundance thereof, is sober may be called an earthly god/ or a god upon earth/ wrestle not therewith if you do my counsel. And if by chance you be in company/ and begin to feel the drink work/ arise & depart/ a sleep is more meite for you, than any company. who so by words would excuse drunkenness: doth openly declare his own disease. The knowledge & judgement of wines: doth nothing become a young person. If a physician or surgeon use to be drunk/ let him not have the cure of your disease/ ne let no ne of them take experience/ and learn in you: how to cure/ or he'll another. For though they be well learned and have not experience/ it is no wisdom to let them prove their cunning upon you. Great gay horse/ & little pretty dogs: leave you unto lords & ladies. A big labouring horse/ and a mastyfe/ or a cur dog: been good to keep your house. As for hawks/ hounds/ and hunting dogs do spend more than they do get, they been meet & according for states: to set idle servants on work but far unaccording been they: for busbandes and aware householders. It is no wisdom to make your own childer stewards or rulers of your household or goods. Foles and neglygente or careless persons: have many misfortunes. For that is their common excuse when any thing is wrong, they say than/ that chance or misfortune was cause thereof. I say not nay but that chance or misfortune may fall. But who so doth follow wisdom learning/ & discretion, shall seldom accuse misfortune. For delygence/ warenes/ and good heed, done seldom company with misfortune. But yet more seldom shall you see misfortune and sloth or negligence, departed insunder, for they done commonly company together. The sluggard saith god will help him/ and so long he trusteth there unto, till he be brought unto beggary. For god by the wise man doth send the sluggard (for example) unto the ant or pismere, to learn to labour. For man saith job is borne to labour/ as a bird to fly. Keep you therefore but few idle people or men. And watch you and take good heed unto every person of your house/ & ever ponder/ weigh/ and consider your expenses/ with your gains/ or gettings. first get and bring in/ and than spend. For it is no good husbandry to borrow. And when ye wax aged/ trust rather unto god/ than unto your children/ or friends/ that you send before you/ you shall be sure to find. No coffer/ chest/ ne tower may be more sure to keep treasure than is heaven. Let not therefore the poor pass you. what you give to them, you give unto christ. And of that you leave behind you, appoint it unto every person his part. For better were for you nothing to leave/ than that strife and debate should be made/ conscience blemysshed/ and god offended/ for your goods. Trust them best to do for your soul/ not that done love or say they done love your soul/ but that you done perceive and conjecture, done love their own soul. Make your testament every year new/ & surely sealed by witness. Lay it where (when need is) it may be found/ no man is sure how to end his life. The most sure way, to die well/ is well to live/ which he grant us that bought us our lord god & most sweet saviour Ihesu christ. Amen.   
¶ Here endeth the book Entituled the governance of household.  

Imprinted by me Robert wire, dwelling at the sign of saint Iohn evangelist/ in saint martyn's parish in the bishop of Norwytche rents, beside Charing cross.   


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