N00618:39
A good master well served. A brief discourse on the necessary properties & practices…
A good master well served. A brief discourse on the necessary properties & practices of a good servant in every-kind of servitude: and of the methods that should be taken by the heads of a family, to obtain such a servant. / By Cotton Mather. ; [Two lines from Joel]
printed by B. Green, 1696
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
But now, having well ordered the Work of your Servants, the Second thing that you owe to them, is, food. Let them not want their Food, nor any of that Physic, or that Clothing, which may come under the Reckoning of, A Food Convenient for them. This is the Demand of God, in Col. 4. 1. Masters, give unto your Servants, that which is just and equal. It is but just and equal, that you should Food them, and Help them, that Serve you. As for the Diet of your Servants, when they are Well, which is one thing that belongs unto their Food, this is to be Wholesome and Enough. It was said, in Luk. 15. 17. How many Hired Servants of my Fathers, have Bread Enough. They will not for Shame ask for Dainties. The Proverbs of the Wise man, have Stigmatized, ⟨p. 14⟩A Servant that is Delicately brought up. Nevertheless, Bread they should have; and so much Meat, and so much Drink, as may be reasonably Esteemed, Enough. Our Lord ha's told […], The Labourer is Worthy of it. Again, As for the Relief of your Servants, when they are Ill, which is another thing that belongs unto their Food, you are to show your Compassion on them, […] it. He was a Detestable Amalekite, of whom • was said, in 1 Sam. 30. 13. My Master left me, because Three Days agone, I fell sick. The Neglect of them, is their Sickness, will be a sort of Murder, in the Account of God: and a withholding of any Justice from them for their Sickness, is as Dishonourable, as Uncharitable. The Centurion, was a Soldier, and though the Persons of that Profession, are usually more Hard hearted than others are, yet when he had a Servant lying Sick, how much concerned was he!
But now, having well ordered the Work of your Servants, the Second thing that you owe to them, is, food. Let them not want their Food, nor any of that Physick, or that Cloathing, which may come under the Reckoning of, A Food Convenient for them. This is the Demand of God, in Col. 4. 1. Masters, give unto your Servants, that which is just and equal. It is but just and equal, that you should Food them, and Help them, that Serve you. As for the Diet of your Servants, when they are Well, which is one thing that belongs unto their Food, this is to be Wholesome and Enough. It was said, in