Page:A History of Domestic Manners and Sentiments in England During the Middle Ages.djvu/298

 2^3 Hijiory of Do?neJiic Manners other chambers be in hke manner cleaned and arranged for the day." They were next to attend to and feed all the "chamber animals/' fuch as pet dogs, cage birds, &:c. The next thing to be done was to portion out to each fervant her or his work for the day. At midday the fervants were to have their firft meal, when they were to be fed plentifully, but " only of one meat, and not of feveral or of any delicacies ; and give them one only kind of drink, nourilLing but not heady, whether wine or other ; and admonilh them to eat heartily, and to drink well and plen- tifully, for it is right that they Ihould eat all at once, without fitting too long, and at one breath, without repofnig on their meal, or halting, or leaning with their elbows on the table ; and as loon as they begin to talk, or to reft on their elbows, make them rife, and remove the table." After their "fecond labour," and on feaft-days, the fervants were to have another, apparently a lighter, repaft, and laftly, in the evening {au vefpre), they were to have another abundant meal, like their dinner, and then, " if the feafon required it," they were to be " warmed and made com- fortable." The lady of the houfe was then, by herfelf or a deputy on whom flie could depend, to fee that the houfe was clofed, and to take charge of the keys, that nobody could go out or come in ; and then to have all the fires carefully "covered," and fend all the fervants to bed, taking care that they put out their candles properly, to prevent the rilk of fire. In the Englifh poem of the "Seven Sages," printed by Weber, the emperor is defcribed as going to his chamber, after the time of locking windows and gates — Whan men hke ivindoiue and gate, Themparour com to chamhre late. — Weber, iii. 60. And it appears from a tale in the fame coUetlion, that the doors and windows were unlocked at daybreak — Tho (when) the day dazven gan, Aiuai fial the yonge man ; Men unlek dore and ivindoiue. — lb., p. S7. There was another duty performed by the ladies in the mediaeval houfehold, which was a very important one in an age of turbulence, and muft not be overlooked — they were both nurfes and do£tors. Medical men