CERTAIN PRECEPTS, OR DIRECTIONS, For the well ordering and carriage of a man's life: As also economical Discipline for the government of his house: with a platform to a good foundation thereof, in the advised choice of a Wife:  
Left by a Father to his Son at his death, who was sometimes of eminent Note and Place in this Kingdom.  
And published from a more perfect Copy; than ordinarily those pocket Manuscripts go warranted by.  
EDINBURGH, Printed by ANDRO HART, 1618.   

TO THE READER.  
AGainst good Counsel who will shut his Ear,  
At easy Rate may buy Repentance dear.   

THE INDUCTION.  
Beloved Son, the many religious and moral virtues inherent in your matchless Mother, under the wings of whose prudent and godly government your infancy hath been trained and guided up, together with your education, under so zealous and learned a Tutor, put me rather in assurance than hope (as Tully some time exacted from his Son, from the only hearing of Cratippus his Master) that you are not ignorant of that summary bond, wherein you stand obliged to your Creator and Redeemer; which is only able to make you happy, both here and hereafter, in life and death: In mentioning whereof, I mean not only a bare and Historical knowledge, but with a real and practical use adjoined, without which, though with a seemly assumption, you could express to the World in a former habit and living portraiture, all Aristotle's Moral Virtues, and walk that whole Book in Life and Action, yet are you but a vain and wretched Creature, the fairest outside of the miserablest in side, that ever was concealed by Tomb, or shadowing. And although I nothing doubt, your youth being guided, and your green vessel seasoned by such wholesome documents and instructions, derived from so all-sufficient Teachers, that you are not unfurnished of such needful helps, as may be furtherers to your life and conversation: Yet that I may the better retain and express the zealous affection, beseeming a Father to his Son, or that you should be forced to derive your stay and advise, rather from the rule of Strangers, than from him from whom you are produced, and brought forth.  
Out of these foregoing Considerations therefore, thinking it not unmeet, I have essayed, from the affection of a Father, to give you such good advertisements and rules for the fitting and squaring of your life, as are gained rather by my long experience & observation, than by much reading or Study: being such (in my hope) with that good assistance, as shall Season your Youth like the draw of Age: to the end, that you entering into this exorbitant and entangling World, may be the better furnished to avoid those harmful courses, whereinto these dangerous times, and your inexperience may easily ensnare you. And because I would not confound your memory, I have reduced them into ten Precepts: which, if next to MOSES Tables, you imprint in your mind, you shall reap the benefit, and I the end of my expectation and content. And thus they follow.   

The Contents of this Book.  

Precept I. FOr choice of your Wives.  
II. The education of Children.  
III. For household Provision, and the choice of Servants.  
IU. How to entreat your Kindred and Allies.  
V. Adviseth to keep some great man to your Friend: and how to compliment him.  
VI How and when to undertake suits.  
VII. Advertiseth for Suretieship.  
VIII. How to behave a man's self.  
IX. How far to disclose a man's secrets.  
X. Be not scurrilous in conversation.    

PRECEPT I,  
For the choice of your Wives.  
FIrst, when it shall please God to bring you unto Man's estate, making you capable of that Calling, use great providence and circumspection, in choice of your Wives, as the root from whence may spring most of your future good or evil: For it is in the choice of a Wife, as in a project of War, wherein to err but once, is to be undone for ever. And therefore be well advised before you conclude aught therein: For though your Error may teach you wit, it is uncertain whether you shall ever find time to practise it: Therefore the more securely to enter herein, First, well consider your estate, which, if in a true survey, you find firm and settled, Match near home, and with deliberation: But if otherwise, crazy and rent, then far off, and with quick expedition: Be informed truly of their inclination, which, that there may be a more equal Sympathy, compare it with your own, how they agree: for you must know, that every good woman maketh not for every man a good wife: no otherwise than some one good Dish disgesteth with every stomach. After that, inquire diligently of her stock & race, from whence she sprung, and how her parents have been affected in their youth. Let her not be poor, how generous soever: For Generosity without her support, is but a fair shell, without her kernel, Because a man can buy nothing in the Market without Money.  
And as it is the safest walking ever between two extremes, so choose not a Wife of such absolute perfection and Beauty, that every carnal eye shall bespeak you injury: Neither so base and deformed, that may breed contempt in others, and bring you to a loathed Bed.  
Make not choice of a Dwarf or a Fool: for from the one you may beget a race of Pigmeyes, as they other will be your daily grief and vexation: for it will irk you so oft as you shall hear her talk: and you shall continually find, to your sorrow that feel that Cross, There is nothing so fulsome as a shee-Foole.  
Touching the government of your House, let your Hospitality be moderate, equalled to the measure of your estate, rather bountiful than niggardly, yet not prodigal, nor overcostly: for though some, who having otherwise consumed themselves with secret vices, have endeavoured to colour their riots upon their virtue, yet in my observation, I have not heard nor known any man grow poor, by keeping an ordinary, decent, and thrifty Table.  
Banish Drunkenness out of your Houses, and affect him not that is affected thereunto: for it is a vice that impairs health, consumes wealth, and transforms a man into a beast: a sin of no single rank, no ordinary station, that never walks unattended with a train of misdemeanours at the heels: beside, for the credit thereof, to induce a man, I never heard other commendation ascribed to a Drunkard, more than the wellbearing of his drink: which is a commendation fitter for a Brewer's horse, or a Dray-mans' back, than either for Gentlemen or servingmen: for especially the latter being taken tardy herein, is thereby doubly divorced from himself: for, being first sober, he is not his own man: and being drunk, he falls short by two degrees.  
Beware thou spend not above three of the 4. parts of thy revenue, nor above one third part thereof in your house: for the other two parts will but defray extraordinaries, which will always surmount your ordinaries by much: for otherwise you shall live like Beggars in continual wants: & the needy man can never live happily, nor contented, being broken & distracted with worldly cares: for the every least disaster makes him ready to mortgage or sell: and that Gentleman that selleth an acre of land, looseth announce of credit: for Gentility is nothing but ancient Riches: So that if the foundation do sink, the building must needs consequently fall.   

PRECEPT TWO,  
Teacheth the Education of Children.  
BRing your Children up in obedience and Learning, yet without too much austerity, praise them openly, reprehend them secretly: give them good countenance, and convenient maintenance, according to your ability: For otherwise your lives will seem their bondage, and then as those are censured, that defer all good to their end; so that portion you shall leave them, they may thank death for, and not you. Marry your daughters betimes, lest they marry themselves.  
Suffer not your Sons to pass the Alps: for they shall exchange for their foreign travel (unless they go better fortified) but others Vices for their own Virtues, Pride, Blasphemy, and Atheism, for Humility, Reverence, and Religion: And if by chance, out of a more wary industry, they attain to any broken Languages, they will profit them no more, than to have one Meat served in divers Dishes.  
Neither by mine advise shall you train them up to Wars: For he that sets up his rest to live by that profession, in mine opinion, can hardly be an honest man, or a good Christian: For Every War of itself is unjust, the good cause may make it lawful: Besides, it is a Science no longer in request than use: for Soldiers in Peace, are like Chimneys in Summur, like Dogs past hunting, or Women when their beauty is done. As a person of quality once noted to the like effect, in these Verses following: 
Friends, Soldiers, Women in their prime,  
Are like to Dogs in Hunting time:  
Occasion, Wars, and Beauty gone,  
Friends, Soldiers, Women here are none.    

PRECEPT III,  
For household Provision, and of the choice of Servants.  
Live not in the Country without Corn and Cattle about you: For he that must present his Hand to his Purse for every Expense of household, shall as hardly keep Money therein, as it is for one to hold Water in a Sieve.  
And for your Provision, Lay to buy it at the best hand, for there may be sometimes a penny saved, between buying at your need or when the season most fitly may furnish you.  
Be not willingly attended, or served by Kinsmen or Friends, which will seem to be men, as it were entreated to stay: for such will expect much, and stead little: neither by such as are amorous; for their heads are commonly intoxicated. Keep rather too few, than one too many: feed them well, and pay them with the most, so may you lawfully demand service at their hands, and boldly exact it.   

PRECEPT IV,  
How to entreat your Kindred and Allies.  
LEt your Kindred and Allies be welcome to your Table: Grace them with your countenance, and ever further them in all their honest actions, by word, liberality, or industry: For by that means you shall double the bond of Nature: Be a Neighbour to their good, as well as to their blood: By which reasonable deservings, you shall find them so many Advocates, to plead an Apology for you behind your back, so many Witnesses of your Virtues, whensoever others shall seek to deprave you: But shake off the Glow-worms, I mean Parasites and sycophants, who will feed and fawn on you, in the Summer of your Prosperity; but in any adverse Storm, will shelter you no more than a Cloak of Taffeta, or an Arbour in Winter.   

PRECEPT V,  
Adviseth to keep some great Man to your Friend, and how to compliment him.  
BE sure you keep some great Man always to your Friend: yet trouble him not for trifles: Complement him often: present him with many, yet small gifts, and of little charge. And if you have cause to bestow any great gratuity on him, then let it be no Chest commodity, or obscure thing: but such a one as may be daily in sight, the better to be remembered: for otherwise you shall live but like a Hop without Pole, or a Vine without her Elm, subject to injury & oppression, ready to be made a Football for every superior insulting companion to spurn at.   

PRECEPT VI,  
How and when to undertake suits.  
Undertake no Suit against a poor man, without receiving of great wrong, for therein you make him your Compeditor: Besides that, it is held a base Conquest, to triumph upon a weak Adversary. Neither undertake law against any man, before you be fully resolved you have the Right on your side: which being once so ascertained, then spare neither cost nor pains to accomplish it: For a Cause or two being so close followed, and well accomplished, may after free you from Suits a great part of your life.   

PRECEPT VII,  
Advertiseth for Suretieshippe.  
BEware of Suretieshippe, yea for your best Friend: For he that payeth another man's debts, goeth the way to leave other men to pay his, and seeketh his own overthrow. Therefore if he be such a one, as you cannot well say nay, choose rather then, to lend that money from yourselves, upon good bonds, though you borrow it: so may you pleasure your Friend, and happily secure yourselves.  
In borrowing of Money, be evermore precious of your word: For he that hath a care to keep day of payment, is lord-commaunder many times of another man's Purse.   

PRECEPT VIII,  
How to carry a Man's self towards his Superiors, and Inferiors.  
TOwards your Superiors be humble, yet generous: with your Equals familiar, yet respective: towards your Inferiors show much humility, with some familiarity; as to bow your body, stretch forth your hand, uncover your head, and such like populare compliments: the first prepareth way to advancement: the second will make you known for men well bred: the third gaineth a good report, which once gained, may easily be kept; for high humilities are of such respect in the opinion of the multitude, that they are easilier won by unprofitable Courtesies, than by churlish benefits: Yet do I not advise you, overmuch to affect or neglect popularity.   

PRECEPT IX,  
How far to disclose a Man's Secrets.  
TRust no man with your Credit, or Estate: For it is a mere folly for a man to enthrall himself further to his Friend, than that he needeth not fear him being his Enemy.   

PRECEPT X.  
BE not scurrilous in conversation, nor Stoical in your wits; for the one maketh you unwelcome to all companies, as the other pulleth quarrels on your heads, and maketh you hated of your best Friends.  
jests, when they do savour of too much truth, leave a bitterness in the minds of those that are touched.  
And, although I have already pointed at these inclusive, yet I think it necessary to leave it to you as a Cantion, because I have seen many so prone to quip and gird, that they had rather lose their Friend than their jest: And if by chance their boiling Brain yield a acquaint Scoff, they will travel to be delivered of it, as a Woman with Child: But I think those nimble Apprehensions, are but the Froth of the Wits.  
FINIS.