This amusing quotation suffices to show that the author of the “Menagier de Paris” wished to adopt a jocose style, with a view to enliven the seriousness of the subject he was advocating.

The part of his work in which he discusses the administration of the house is not less worthy of attention.  One of the most curious chapters of the work is that in which he points out the manner in which the young bourgeoise is to behave towards persons in her service.  Rich people in those days, in whatever station of life, were obliged to keep a numerous retinue of servants.  It is curious to find that so far back as the period to which we allude, there was in Paris a kind of servants’ registry office, where situations were found for servant-maids from the country.  The bourgeois gave up the entire management of the servants to his wife; but, on account of her extreme youth, the author of the work in question recommends his wife only to engage servants who shall have been chosen by Dame Agnes, the nun whom he had placed with her as a kind of governess or companion.

“Before engaging them,” he says, “know whence they come; in what houses they have been; if they have acquaintances in town, and if they are steady.  Discover what they are capable of doing; and ascertain that they are not greedy, or inclined to drink.  If they come from another country, try to find out why they left it; for, generally, it is not without some serious reason that a woman decides upon a change of abode.  When you have engaged a maid, do not permit her to take the slightest liberty with you, nor allow her to speak disrespectfully to you.  If, on the contrary, she be quiet in her demeanour, honest, modest, and shows herself amenable to reproof, treat her as if she were your daughter.

“Superintend the work to be done; and choose among your servants those qualified for each special department.  If you order a thing to be done immediately, do not be satisfied with the following answers:  ’It shall be done presently, or to-morrow early;’ otherwise, be sure that you will have to repeat your orders.”

[Illustration:  Fig. 61.—­Dress of Maidservants in the Thirteenth Century.—­Miniature in a Manuscript of the National Library of Paris.]

To these severe instructions upon the management of servants, the bourgeois adds a few words respecting their morality.  He recommends that they be not permitted to use coarse or indecent language, or to insult one another (Fig. 61).  Although he is of opinion that necessary time should be given to servants at their meals, he does not approve of their remaining drinking and talking too long at table:  concerning which practice he quotes a proverb in use at that time:  “Quand varlet presche a table et cheval paist en gue, il est temps qu’on l’en oste:  assez y a este;” which means, that when a servant talks at table and a horse feeds near a watering-place it is time he should be removed; he has been there long enough.