Batman vppon Bartholome his booke De proprietatibus rerum, newly corrected, enlarged and amended: with such additions as are requisite, vnto euery seuerall booke: taken foorth of the most approued authors, the like heretofore not translated in English. Profitable for all estates, as well for the benefite of the mind as the bodie. 1582.

The conditions of a good ser∣uaunt. Cap. 18.

THE condition of a good seruant stan∣deth in diuerse doinges: For a good seruant wil be taught, and is wittie and ready to vnderstand. Pro. 28. A wise ser∣uaunt shall haue mastery and Lordship

vpon nise children. Et Ecclesiast. 7. If thou hast a wise seruaunt, let him be to thée as thine owne soule, &c. Also a good seruaunt is meeke and seruiceable to do whatsoeuer becommeth him: In Psalte∣rio. O Lord I am thy seruaunt, and the sonne of thy seruing woman or hand∣maide. Philip. 2. He méeked himselfe and tooke the shape of a seruaunt. Also hée is merry and glad at meate. It is seemely that a seruaunt be merry and gladde of chéere: For all the seruice displeaseth, if the seruant haue no glad chéere. Gene. 45. And we shall be gladde to serue the King: And Esaye. 60. My seruauntes shall be gladde, and praised for ioye and gladnesse, &c. Also hée is good and gra∣tious to speake with. And seruauntes bée well loued, if they bée goodlye and good to speake with: And therefore it is sayde of Dauid, that serued Saule. 1. Re∣gum. 18. Dauid was loued of al the peo∣ple, and most of the Kinges seruauntes: And there it is sayde: Loe thou pleasest the king, and all his seruants loue thée: Also he is manly, bolde, and hardie, and putteth himselfe against the enimyes of his Lorde. 1. Regum. 15. Let no mans heart faile for him, I thy seruaunt shall goe and fight against the Philistines, &c. And he is trusty & true in things that is betaken him, and busie to pursue his Lords néeds. Luk. 19. Well be thou good & faithfull seruant. Et Ecclesi. 12. My ser∣uant Moses is in all mine house. And he is méeke & skilfull to procure the profit of his Lord. For a good seruaunt taketh more héede to multiply and increase his Lords goods and cattell then his owne. For in multiplyeng of his Lords goods and cattell, hée procureth his owne pro∣fite. Luke. 19.* 1.1 The noble man called his seruauntes, and betooke them ten Mi∣nas: (Mina is a certeine weyght and value) and he said to these seruants: Mer∣chaundise with it till I come, &c. Also a good seruaunt is wise, and ware, and cunning to giue accountes and reco∣ning of what hée hath receiued and de∣liuered of his Lordes goods and cattell: For hée hopeth certainly to haue mede and rewarde for making good accounts. And for such thinges that bée not ac∣counted, he is alway in doubt & in dread: As it is sayde Luke. 19. Loe Lorde thy Mina hath made ten Minas: And his Lorde sayde to him, And bee thon ha∣uing power ouer tenne Cities: Also a good seruaunt is busie, and studieth with all his heart and thought to araye and ordeine for his Lords profit, rather then for his owne, and hee ordeyneth for his Lordes meate and drinke, and bedde, or hée dispose himselfe to eate or to goe to bedde, or to take anye other rest. A good seruaunt accounteth neuer profite done to him, while he séeth that his Lorde, trauayleth. Luke. 12. Which of you hath a seruaunt, and commeth out of the fielde, and sayth first to him, Sit thou downe. Therefore 2. Regum. 10. Vrias is commended, that sayde to Dauid: My Lorde Ioab, and my Lordes seruaunts resteth on the grounde in the fields, and shall I goe into mine house and eate and drinke, &c. A true seruaunt that fea∣reth his Lorde, and knoweth his com∣ming disposeth not, nor arayeth himselfe to bedde nor to sléepe before the com∣ming of his Lord. Luke. 12. Well is the seruant, that his Lorde findeth him wa∣king, when he commeth: Also a busie ser∣uaunt waketh when other men sleepe, to kéepe safe his Lord. Therefore Dauid blamed worthely Abner and the other seruauntes of king Saule, that were slée∣ping. 1. Regnm. 26. None was waking, but all a sleepe. And it followeth: Yee bée children of death, that keepe not our Lordes commaundements: Also a seruant that is louing and diligent in his Lords seruice, is alway ready with his hand, and hath a waite vpon his Lord to do what that shall please him, that hee hath no lack neither default of seruice, or to receiue some benefi••e of his good lord. Psalmo. As the 〈…〉〈…〉 of a seruing woman is in the hands of her Ladye, &c. Also a good seruaunt ceaseth neuer of trauaile, and he is neuer idle, but alway busie a∣bout the profit of his Loode, for when hée doth eate or fast, sleepe or wake, his wit and thought in alwaye to ordeyne and doe the profite of his Lorde. Iob. 13. As an Hart desireth shadowe, and the hired man abideth, &c. Also a good

seruaunt is neuer costly to his Lorde in meate and drink neither in clothing, but sometime he holdeth him content with an olde cloth of his Lords all the yeare long, hee knoweth that hée shall haue more of his Lord when his seruice com∣meth out. And therefore in the lawe it is commaunded, that a Lord shal not let his seruant goe from him in the seuenth yeare without meat and drinke and clo∣thing on his chiefe couenant. Exod. 21. Et Deut. 15. Also a seruaunt that is ver∣tuous and well taught in manner and conditions, is oft gratious & well allow∣ed in the sight of his Lorde. Therefore a wise seruant doth his businesse to serue his Lord curteouslye. For sometime a Lorde loueth cleannesse more then ser∣uice. Psalmo. He that goeth in the cleane way serued me. Ec. 7. If thou hast a wise seruant, be he to thée as thine own soule, &c. Also a good seruaunt grudgeth not, neither plaineth not against his Lorde, though he blame him, and tell him his defaultes. For he knoweth well that a good Lord will not blame his seruaunt wrongfully, and such blaming tourneth to his profite, &c. Eccle. 10. Frée men and children shall serue a wise seruant, and a man that is taught, will not grudge, though men tell him his de∣faults, but he is rather very glad. Pro. 9. Tell a wise man his default, and he wil loue thee: and tell a foole his default, & he shall hate thée.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Luke. 19. 10. talents supposed to bee in value. 100 poundes, euery ta∣lent, by y^e which is signified many giftes.