Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	master_n	servant_n	service_n	3,408	5	7.4851	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19453	The court of good counsell VVherein is set downe the true rules, how a man should choose a good wife from a bad, and a woman a good husband from a bad. Wherein is also expressed, the great care that parents should haue, for the bestowing of their children in mariage: and likewise how children ought to behaue themselues towardes their parents: and how maisters ought to gouerne their seruants, and how seruants ought to be obedient towards their maisters. Set forth as a patterne, for all people to learne wit by: published by one that hath dearely bought it by experience.	Guazzo, Stefano, 1530-1593. Civil conversatione.	1607 (1607)	STC 5876; ESTC S105096	41,315	73

he dyned alone in his chan●●er yet his seruant set two trenchers on the the table and two stooles the one against the other the Gentleman sayd nothing to it but suspecting the meaning of his new come man attended the end of the play meate being brought in so soone as his man bad giuen him water he washt and sat him downe which he bad no sooner done but his man hauing likewise washt sat him down right ouer against him the Gentleman being naturally eluen to be mery kept his countenance and let his man alone hauing eaten a while friendly together the man began to thinke him how his master might perchannce be a thirst wherevpon be sait master when you will orinke I pray you make curtesie to commaund me whereat the Gentleman lought so hartily that the poore foole knowing his fault rose to fetch him drinke but would fit downe no more But now to returne againe to our matter that Master who will be well serued must not be sparing of his speech as well to commaund what he will haue done as gently to instruct his Seruant in that wherein he is ignorant by telling him of his fault Therefore if he will haue his seruant carefull and diligent in his seruice he must likewise himselfe be carefull about his busines for there is nothing that more awaketh the seruants then the diligence of the master as one the other side it is impossible the Seruant should be diligent if the Master be negligent And therevpon it is said that the eye of the master fatteth the horse to which purpose a Philosopher being askt which was the way to make land bring good store of corne answered for the master to walke often about which is to sae it himselfe without trusting to his seruants Moreouer he must vse his authoritie in such sort that he may be better serued with the turning of his eye then others are with threatning words But now when the master knoweth he hath gotten the loue and fidelitie of his seruant he must be carefull in any wise to keepe it where vnto there is nothing of more force then to vse him curteously ayding him in his troubles visiting him in his sicknes and bestowing on him when occasion shall serue that which shall cost the master little and pleasure the seruant much Therefore let him not forget to reward the good seruant and keepe him alwayes about him as a pretious thing remembring that there is nothing in this life more necessarie then a good Seruant Let him be to thee as thine own soule take not scorne sometime to beare his reasons and gouerne thy selfe according to his faithfull adutie for that there haue beene found seruants which haue more profitted their maisters house then his Brothers or Children haue Likewise giue charge to the Seruant this lesson to conclude that be take beede of failing into the common error of Seruants who like a new broome which sweepeth the house cleane serue diligently at the first but after grow slothfull that is not the way to get fauour for not be which beginneth well is worthy of recompence but he that continueth in well doing for the maister will looke that his seruant should rather heate then coole himselfe in seruice Let the Seruant also take beede that ●e goe not about to creepe in credit with his Maister by fla●terie and hypocrisie but to serue and obey him with an unfayned ha●t for by fayned words men gather an argument of saithles deeds whereby his Maister be●●●msh to sos●en him and to thinke that he had more neede to be ouer looked then instructed But in any wise let not the Seruant forget to doe his faithfull and true fatent not for f● are but for duties sake But that seruice is aboue all other ill bestowed which is not well accepted and there is no greater grefe to a mans minde then to serue and not to please therefore when after certaine proofe he seeth that bee cannot frame himselfe to his Maisters fancy let him sake to depart rather from him with his goodwill then with his ill And when he seeth that he is in his Maisters bookes let him there holde him saying in his bart happy is be who serueth the happy and not seeke to channge remembring that the rowling stone gathereth no mosse Then let there be no want found in him of loue of reuerence of faithfulnes of diligence of readynes and of secretnes let him not accompt of his owne life being in his Masters seruice But to conclude there is one seruice which excéedeth all the other which is the seruice of the King of glorie and those seruants which enter into that kind of seruice doe no doubt loue well both the maister and the seruice In which blessed Seruice the Lord of all Lords make vs all diligent seruants Amen FINIS

his Sonne in law is like to bee and so to frame his Daughter accordingly as if he purpose to marry her into the Countrey to bring her vp in Countrey huswiterie If the Fahter meane to marry his Daughter to a Courtier he must set her to the Court to the seruice of some great Lady and must be learned to read to write to discourse to sing to play on Instruments to daunce and to be able to performe all that which belongeth to a Courtier to do by this meanes many are marryed to great Gentlemen without one penny dowrie giuen by their Father Some I know will alleadge that the Father hath not alwayes his Sanne in law in his sleeue for indeede Mariages are made in Heauen and are guided by Destenie so that the Father may be tenne yeares in brewing a matter which in a moment he may be driuen to change therefore to conclude this matter touching Daughters I can giue no fitter aduertisement then this that the Fathers bestow all their studie and diligence to bring them vp chast as well in body as in minde for a man waigheth it not much to haue the flesh vnspotted if the minde be defiled and therefore it is needfull to put into their heartes godly imaginations that from their inward puritie there may shine outward modestie and for that Beautie is a frayle and dangerous thing those which are beautifull haue so much the more need of that vertue to keepe their Beautie vnblemished for Beautie in an vnchast Woman ferueth to no more purpose then a golde Ring in a Swines snowte CHAP. XXIII Of the great disagreements and discontentments that oftentimes doth happen betweene the Maister and the Seruant OUR Discourses I perceiue now braw neare to an end and we haue nothing left to speake of but the Disagreements that dayly happeneth betweene Maisters and Seruantes of the which I will delate as followeth He that will be a Maister Commaunder of Families must as well know how to serue and obey as to controule and commaunde for it is not so easie a matter to know how to commaunde as to be a Maister and although there be few that take vpon them the right course of a Maister and can doe that which belongeth vnto them to doe yet almost in euery House Maisters are so vndiscreete proude fantasticall and insolent that they vse their Seruantes no otherwise then if they were slaues speakeing imperiously to them beeing not content vnlesse they see them tremble in their presence vsing no speach vnto them but full of terrifying threatning and reuiling By such maner of dealing it commeth to passe that Seruantes though good and sufficient begin to grow naught and to waxe coole in good-will and necligent in duetie totowardes their Maisters But those Maisters are more vndiscreete which brawle and chide with their Seruantes before straungers whereby in minde they make the straungers thinke they are scarce welcome to their house and besides thereby spight their Seruants the most of any thing in the world for proofe whereof when a Seruant seeketh a passter he neuer inquireth whether he be of an euill life but whether he be hard to please or no But in my minde yet those are worse which speake to their Seruantes with their handes who belike haue been beaten by their Maisters whom they serued before time and therefore they will reuenge it vpon their Seruantes then beeing Other Maisters are of this fond humor that they will haue their Seruants vnderstande their minde in making onely a signe as if themselues were dumbe and their Seruants diuiners Some will haue their Seruantes doe three or foure things at once ot hauing the iudgement to consider that as a Sexton sayd a man can not carry the Crosse and ring the Belles together Some are so curious that if they had a thousand Seruantes they would trouble them all and neuer be content for that none of them all can please them whose fashion it is euery month to change a Seruant Wee haue in London heere a Gentleman whom I well know who about sixe moneths since bestowed vpon a Seruant of his a Liuerie cloake which since that time hee hath bestowed vpon foure others and taken it still from them againe In this humor be many Maisters now adayes But to returne to our Philosophicall Discourse againe The Maister that often changeth his Seruants receiueth great dishonour thereby and withall sheweth himselfe an impatient man and hard to please and besides spreadeth his secretes and doings the farther abrode for when a Seruant departeth from his Maister in what sort soeuer it be whether contented or discontented hee cannot refraine from reporting where so euer he goe the life and behauiour of his former Maister and though with one troth he mingle a hundred lyes yet there be enough that will beleeue him and besides the Maister is troubled to tune his new Seruants to his fancie CHAP. XXIIII ¶ Of the impatience of some Maisters towards their Seruants ouer other some are AMONGST other ill masters may be comprehended leine so impatient and so vnreasonable that they wil insoven their ●●rnants to impossibilities and to doe such thing as they are not able to doe but the worst of all are those who will burthen their seruants wrōg●ully with naughty dealing and therevpon turne them away But I s●● it would be to● long to rehearse all the imperfections which be in such masters Therefore I will passe to the occasion of the di●●a●r●ment betweene the Mastre and the Seruant which commeth by those Seruants that know not bow to serue and obey I meane by the vnfit to serue no● onely sooles not ignorant asses but also ●ishonest and h●a●●sh companions who though they are sufficient to performe any thing comm●●●ted to their charge yet they haue some notable fault whereby their master hath ●●st cause to put them away but it is as hard a matter to s●●de Se●uants without faults as drop st● pattents without thirst and though then faults he innumerable yet their chiefest ornaments are the three properties of a Dogge to wit the gullet for that they are Gluttone barking For that the master can doe nothing but they will presently report it abroad Fiting which is so naturall vnto them that let their master doe neuer so well by them yet they will not sticke to call him vngratefull and to speake the worst worde in their belly by him this vice is accompanied with lying a thing of all others most bace but this is to be vnderstood of the bace and ras●all fort for it is not to be said but as there are good masters so likewise there are good seruants But now to take away all disorder it is requisite that the good Master and the good Seruant be matcht togither For if they be not both good it is hard for the wisedome of the one to supply the want of discretion in the other Here we must needs call to minde that the golden world being gone the

Master and seruant must both thinke that some faults must be borne withall on both sides Which consideration the Seruant not onely ought to haue remembring that it is his duety to submit himselfe to the will and pleasure of his Master But the master much more knowing that Seruants being for the most part of bace cōdition and naturally inclined to doe ill will not haue that fidelitie diligence and affection towards him as he would haue towards any prince that he should serue and considering that it were better for him to winke at some faults in his Seruants then to disquiet himselfe in going about to reforme them CHAP. XXV ¶ Of the great abuses of some Seruants towardes their Masters which is rather for want of wit then for any other cause THERE are some Seruants I know who in their Masters presence looke as though butter would no melt in their mouth but out of their sight they will play their parts kindely Yea and will not sticke to make moes at their maister behinde his backe ●nt the master must not in any wise suffer his seruants to commit eyther in worde or deede any fault whereby God himselfe or his neighbour may be dishonoured giuing them to vnderstand that he will entertaine no naughtynesse in his House but that he hatet● it mostally whereby though he be not able to roote out their wickednes yet at least bee will doe his best endeau●our to make thee honest and to feare God Touching some other naturall imperfections of small importance as to be rude soolish vndiscreete crasty forgetfull quarelons spightfull negligent and such like they ought to be borne withall if they cannot be reclaymed from them Though for my part I thinke such Seruants better lost then found and the house it● worse that they are in yet I know some honest Gentlemen who so long as their seruauants are trusty and faithfull care not though they be soolts or ●esters to make them merry There are likewise some Masters who when their Seruants take their pleasure of them with mockes and scoffes rather take pleasure in it then seeme angry with them ●ike as he who called his Seruant King of fooles who answered I would to Bed I were King of sooles I would net doubt then but I should beare Rule euer him which is better then my selfe This Seruant was without doubt profitable vnto him or else be would not haue taken this scoffe at his bandes but for all that all Masters are not so make minded to be serued with such men nor all Seruante so happy to meet with such masters Therefore I will set downe some such order that the Master and the Seruant may liue and continue long time quietly together CHAP. XXVI ¶ How a Seruant may liue quietly with his Maister if hee be of any reasonable gouerment FIRST of all I thinke it necessarie that be which doth desire to be well serued require in his seruant three speciall thinges that is to say loue loyaltie and sufficiency such a one that a master shall eastly come by which will shew himselfe to be a good and looing Master following the commaundement of the wise man loue him whom thou noutishest and he shall be forced to loue thee againe if Masters will but thinke that Seruants are men and their humble friends they shal win their good wils and incourage them to do diligent seruice but withall I hold well that the master keepe his state and degree to loue them well but not to imbrace them for being haile-fellow well met with his Seruant he should shew himselfe too low mindrd and not fit to commaund and to be as it were a seruant with seruants which would redound to his reproach besides he should soone perceius that too much familyarity would breed contempt and therefore men of Iudgement will behane themselues with their seruants in such fort that they will nerther make them too sawey by ouermuch familiarity nor to fearefull by ouermuch seueritie For in no wise let a master be terrible to his seruant least in forwning stil vpon him he make him thinke that neyther he loueth him nor liketh of his seruice which is the way quiterd disco●●rage him And yet in giuing good countenance to his Servant be must be wary to obserue fit time and place for as it beformeth the master abroad in the presence of straungers to cast a graue and sad looke vpon vis seruants so it is his part being at home in his owne house to looke more pleasantly vpon them and to speake more familiarly vnte them which is thing they loue of life and are thereby incouraged to doe him good seruice CHAP. XXVII ¶ How the Maister with good perswasions may gouerne his Seruant and in the obstinacie of his Seruant what will insue vnto him YOV sée héere then that a maister may with his honour shew curtesie to his seruāts and thereby get their gadwil and loue pet must be not perswade himselfe that his seruants ought to discharge him of al his busines but that he must take part with them consider that it is no easte matter to gouerne seruants and that the greater number be shall haue the greater wil be his trouble to guide them for there falls out many houshould quarrels and contentions where there are many seruants he must also thinke that there is no seruant so well framed to the seruice of other Masters but that he must be faine to receiue new lawes of his new lord and therefore he must not thinke that at the first bash his seruant is made to his bowe but he must leasurely and patiently let him vnderstand his mind to speake fraely vnto him as well to make him leaue his olde fashions which perchance be liketh not as to frame him to his owne fancy And if I were to take a serūat I would rather choose a fresh-water sowler which neuer had serued thē one accustomed of lōg time to seruice For those which haue serued in many houses haue for the most part gotten the vse of some ill quality which they will barely be brought to leaue but one that is but rawe in seruice sheweth himselfe more tractable more gentle and more fit for all manner of seruice the master commonly will be the better pleased with his goodwill then with the others skill for it is a thing too hard to chaunge the manners of an old seruant and yet a master for a time must be faine to vse great patience and take great paine with a young seruant but yet to avoide the more trouble let him be su●e to chase one of a good wit and fit for seruice This brings into my mind a pleasant story of a Spanish Gentleman that had one day good tryall of the good wit of a new come seruant which Gentleman hanging sent his other seruants about other busines after be had mate ●un dresse vp the house be willed him to couer the table which be did and though that day