The Good Wife's Guide (Le Ménagier de Paris)

A Medieval Household Book

Gina L. Greco, Christine M. Rose, Gina L. Greco, Christine M. Rose

• Publisher: Cornell University Press
• Year: 2012
• ISBN:
  9780801462115
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: European Medieval History
• Index: History

In the closing years of the fourteenth century, an anonymous French writer compiled a book addressed to a fifteen-year-old bride, narrated in the voice of her husband, a wealthy, aging Parisian. The book was designed to teach this young wife the moral attributes, duties, and conduct befitting a woman of her station in society, in the almost certain event of her widowhood and subsequent remarriage. The work also provides a rich assembly of practical materials for the wife's use and for her household, including treatises on gardening and shopping, tips on choosing servants, directions on the medical care of horses and the training of hawks, plus menus for elaborate feasts, and more than 380 recipes.

The Good Wife's Guide is the first complete modern English translation of this important medieval text also known as Le Ménagier de Paris (the Parisian household book), a work long recognized for its unique insights into the domestic life of the bourgeoisie during the later Middle Ages. The Good Wife's Guide, expertly rendered into modern English by Gina L. Greco and Christine M. Rose, is accompanied by an informative critical introduction setting the work in its proper medieval context as a conduct manual. This edition presents the book in its entirety, as it must have existed for its earliest readers.

The Guide is now a treasure for the classroom, appealing to anyone studying medieval literature or history or considering the complex lives of medieval women. It illuminates the milieu and composition process of medieval authors and will in turn fascinate cooking or horticulture enthusiasts. The work illustrates how a (perhaps fictional) Parisian householder of the late fourteenth century might well have trained his wife so that her behavior could reflect honorably on him and enhance his reputation.

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Introductory Note to Articles 1.1–1.3

The first three articles explain the religious aspect of life for the young wife. She is instructed in prayers, behavior, the ritual content of the Mass, and, at most length, the kinds of sin and the manner of making a confession, along with the virtues to remedy the Seven Deadly Sins. The author used a number of recognizable sources in putting together the information in these articles. Brereton-Ferrier’s and Pichon’s notes cite those of the author’s borrowings, often unacknowledged, that can be attributed to specific religious texts, but they cannot pin down the source of many of the author’s quotations or reference texts, and such an effort would require enormous expertise in the array of devotional works widely available to the French layman of the period. Even then, the true source may not have survived, or the author may have cobbled together his work from what he read and knew. Certainly, devotional books explaining the Mass were commonplace items in a household such as the narrator describes as his own, and even in homes of modest circumstances during the late Middle Ages. Books of hours or other collections of prayers could have provided the author with his texts concerning devotions, and the description of the Mass that appears in the early paragraphs of article 1.3 might have its origin in any one of the many commentaries on the liturgy written for the laity of the period.1 His general familiarity with the Bible is obvious, yet his versions of biblical stories are often not traceable to any Bible available at the time, or any collection of Bible stories such as Petrus Comestor’s Historia scholastica and its several French adaptations, called generally Bible historiale (see article 1.5, note 1). The author may have inserted them from memory, or from some as yet undiscovered source, and used them as evidence to point to his moral message. The material in article 1.3 on sins and virtues, which the young woman was to avail herself of in examining her conscience in preparation for confession, has its closest source in La Somme le Roy (1279) of Friar Laurent d’Orléans from the court of Philip the Bold.2 Toward the end of this article, especially in the paragraphs describing the virtues, the author has garbled and abridged some of Laurent’s work. He telescopes and transposes the discussion, rendering it unrecognizable and fairly confusing unless you have the Somme to hand as a lengthy supplement to this text—which, indeed, the young wife may have had. The narrator invites her to consult other works in his library that he provides for her further instruction, should she care to, and if God prompts her (1.3.118).

This treatise, like the one on hawking, feels rushed toward its end. Perhaps, as he says in paragraph 2.1.1, the narrator is a little guilty at overwhelming the girl with so many injunctions about her moral and practical life, and so he hits what he considers the high points of the Somme le Roy’s notions of vice and virtue. Article 1.3 makes sense generally, as one would expect in a compendium of moral instruction for youth, without providing chapter and verse of his prolix source full of sermons and specifics. Since there were several abridged versions of the Somme available in the fourteenth century, our text may have originated in one of these, such as the Livre de sagesse, or other versions noted by W. N. Francis.3 But as yet a direct source has eluded scholars. Brereton-Ferrier and Pichon do not use scribal error too often to explain mistakes in their exemplars, and we offer that excuse in a few places, and in general, as a possibility for obvious misreadings, since manuscripts A, B, and C are related to one another and to a lost original that may have been miscopied.

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1. See BF introduction (xxx–xxxix) on the biblical and literary sources of section 1.

2. The fourteenth-century English translation is The Book of Vices and Virtues: A Fourteenth Century English Translation of the Somme le Roi of Lorens D’Orléans, ed. W. N. Francis, Early English Text Society, O.S. 217 (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1942).

3. See ibid., xxvii–xxviii.

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¶1.1 Prayers and Orderly Dress

1. The beginning and the first article of the first section treats prayer and arising. You must arise in the morning—and morning means, with regard to the subject we are treating here, Matins.1 For just as we country folk describe the day as from dawn to night, or from sunrise to sunset, clerks who are more subtle say that is the artificial day, and that the natural day is 24 hours long, and begins at midnight and ends at the following midnight. So that is why I explained that morning refers to Matins. I mention it because the Matins bell rings then to wake up the monks to say the Matins and praise God, and not at all because I wish to imply that you, dear one, or any married women, must get up at that hour. But I do want to have pointed it out, so that at the hour that you hear the Matins ringing, you praise and hail Our Lord with some greeting or prayer before you fall back to sleep. To this purpose, proper orisons or prayers are included below. For either the hour of Matins or at daybreak, I have written down two prayers for you to address to Our Lord, and two others for Our Lady, appropriate to say when waking up or arising from bed.

2. First, here follows the midnight prayer. In saying it, you thank Our Lord for granting, through his grace, that you may live up to that moment. You will pray in this way:

3. Gracias ago tibi, Domine Deus omnipotens, qui es trinus et unus, qui es semper in omnibus, et eras ante omnia, et eris per omnia Deus benedictus per secula, qui me de transacto noctis spacio ad matutinales horas deducere dignatus es. Et nunc queso, Domine, ut donas michi hunc diem per tuam sanctam misericordiam sine peccato transire quatenus ad vesperum. Et semper tibi, Domino Deo meo, refferre valeam actiones graciarum. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

4. In French that means: “Lord God Almighty, Who are one in three persons, Who were, are, and will be in all things God, blessed through the ages, I give You thanks that You deigned to lead me from the beginning of this night to the morning hours. And now I beg that, in Your holy mercy, You sanction me to cross this day without sin, in such a way that in the evening I can thank You again, adore You, and greet You as my Lord and my God.”

5. Item, the other prayer to Our Lord follows: Domine sancte, Pater omnipotens, eterne Deus, qui me ad principium huius diei pervenire fecisti, tua me hodie salva virtute ut in hac die ad nullum declinem mortale peccatum, ne ullum incurram periculum; sed semper ad tuam justiciam et voluntatem faciendam omnis mea actio tuo moderamine dirigatur. Per Christum.

6. In French that means: “Lord God Almighty and Eternal Father, Who has allowed me to reach the beginning of this day, by Your holy power, protect me from all danger, so that I may turn away from any mortal sin and that by Your gentle moderation my thoughts may be directed to do Your holy justice and will.”

7. Item, the two prayers to Our Lady follow: Sancta Maria, mater domini nostri Iesu Christi, in manus filii tui et in tuas commendo hodie et omni tempore animam meam, corpus meum, et sensum meum. Custodi me, Domini, a cunctis viciis, a peccatis, et a temptacionibus diaboli; et ab eis libera me, Domine Iesu Christe, et adiuva me. Dona michi sanitatem anime et corporis. Dona michi bene agere et in isto seculo recte vivere et bene perseverare, et omnium peccatorum meorum remissionem concede. Salva me, Domine, vigilantem, custodi me dormientem ut dormiam in pace et vigitem in te, Deus meus. Amen.

8. In French, that means: “Mary, Holy Mother of Jesus Christ, I commend my soul, my body, and my mind, today and for all time, into the hands of you and your Blessed Son. Lord, preserve me from all vices, from all sins, and from all temptation by the devil, and deliver me from all dangers. Lord, sweet Jesus Christ, help me and give me health of soul and body. Give me the desire to do good, to live justly in this world, and to persevere. Grant me remission of all my sins. Lord, protect me while awake, guard me while asleep, so that I may sleep in peace and awake in You in the glory of Paradise.”

9. The other prayer to Our Lady follows in French: “O steadfast hope, Lady Protectress of all who place their trust in you, glorious Virgin Mary, I beg you now that in that hour when my eyes will be so heavy from the shadows of death that I will not be able to see the light of this world, or able to move my tongue to pray to you or call to you, when my miserable heart that is so weak will tremble for fear of the enemies from hell, and will be so anxiously frightened that all the members of my body will melt in sweat because of the painful anguish of death, then, most gentle and precious Lady, deign to look on me in pity and to help me, to have with you the company of angels and also the knighthood of Paradise, so that the devils, agitated and terrified by your succor, cannot have any glimmer, presumption, or suspicion of evil against me, or any hope or power of removing me from your presence. Rather, instead, most gentle Lady, may it please you then to remember the prayer that I make to you now, and receive my soul in your blessed faith, into your care and protection, and present it to your glorious Son to be vested in the robe of glory and accompanied to the joyous feast of the angels and all the saints. O Lady of the angels! O gate of Paradise! O Lady of the patriarchs, of the prophets, the apostles, the martyrs, the confessors, the virgins, and of all the saints! O morning star, more resplendent than the sun and whiter than snow! I join my hands and lift my eyes and bend my knees before you, tender Lady, in the name of the joy you had when your holy soul departed from your body without dread or fear and was carried in the presence of the singing angels and archangels, and presented to your glorious Son, who received it to dwell in eternal joy. I pray that you may rescue me and come before me in that hour of dread when death will be so near. Lady, be a comfort and refuge to my soul. Protect it carefully, so that the cruel enemies of hell, who are so terrifying to behold, may not accuse me of the sins that I have committed. Rather, let these sins first through your prayer be forgiven me, and by your Blessed Son erased. May my soul be presented by you, tender Lady, to your Blessed Son, and by your prayer attain eternal repose and joy never ending.”

10. You can say these prayers at Matins or when you awake in the morning, or at both times, or while getting up and dressed, or after dressing—all are fine times as long as it is before breaking fast and addressing other business. But since I mentioned getting dressed, I wish to speak here a little bit about clothing. About which, my dear, know that if you choose to behave according to my advice, you will consider and pay attention to our status and our means, attiring yourself with respect to the estate of your family and mine, amongst whom you will mingle and dwell each day. Make sure that you dress decently without introducing new fashions and without too much or too little ostentation. Before leaving your chamber or home, be mindful that the collar of your shift, of your camisole, or of your robe or surcoat does not slip out one over the other, as happens with drunken, foolish, or ignorant women who do not care about their own honor or the good repute of their estate or of their husband, and go with open eyes, head appallingly lifted like a lion, their hair in disarray spilling from their coifs, and the collars of their shifts and robes all in a muddle one over the other. They walk in mannish fashion and comport themselves disgracefully in public without shame, quite saucy. When spoken to about it, they provide an excuse for themselves on the basis of diligence and humility, saying that they are so conscientious, hardworking, and charitable that they have little thought for themselves. But they are lying: they think so highly of themselves that if they were in honorable company, they would not at all want to be less well served than the sensible women of equal rank, or have fewer salutations, bows, reverences, or compliments than the others, but rather more. On top of that, they are not worthy of it since they are ignorant of how to maintain the honor, not only of their own estate, but that of their husband and their lineage, on whom they bring shame. Be careful then, my dear, that your hair, your headdress, your kerchief, your hood, and the rest of your garments be neatly and simply arranged, so that anyone who sees you will not be able to laugh or mock you. Instead, make yourself an example of good order, simplicity, and respectability to all others. This should suffice for this first article.

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1. Here and elsewhere in the text, the narrator refers to the medieval way of noting time by the liturgical “hours,” the sequence of prayers said by the consecrated religious and many lay people at specific times of the day. The hours are: Matins (night or daybreak prayer), Lauds (dawning); Prime (6 a.m.); Terce (9 a.m.); Sext (noon); None (3 p.m.); Vespers (end of daylight); Compline (evening/close of day); Vigils (nocturnal).

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¶1.2 Behavior and Attire in Public

The second article.

1. The second article instructs that when traveling to town or church you should be suitably accompanied according to your estate, by that I mean by gentlewomen, and avoid suspect company. Never approach or allow in your company dishonorable women. When walking in public keep your head upright, eyes downcast and immobile. Gaze four toises1 straight ahead and toward the ground, without looking or glancing at any man or woman to the right or left, or looking up, or in a fickle way casting your gaze about in sundry directions,2 nor laugh nor stop to speak to anyone on the street. Once you arrive at the church, select as private and solitary a place as you can. Situate yourself in front of a beautiful altar or statue and remain there without changing places or moving about, holding your head straight, constantly moving your lips in orisons and prayers. Also, keep your eyes continuously on your book or on the face of the statue, without looking at man or woman, a painting or anything else, and without hypocrisy or affectation. Focus your thoughts on heaven and pray with your whole heart, and in such manner attend Mass every day and go to confession often. If you act and persevere in this way, honor and great benefit will come to you. What is said above must suffice for this beginning, for the good gentlewomen who will keep you company will provide you with sterling examples, as much by their deeds as by their teaching. The virtuous, wise, and worthy old priests to whom you will confess and the natural good sense that God has g...

Table of contents

• Preface
• Introduction. Maid to Order: The Good Wife of Paris
• Translation Protocols
• The Good Wife’s Guide: The English Text of Le Ménagier de Paris
• Prologue
• Introductory Note to Articles 1.1–1.3
• Prayers and Orderly Dress (1.1)
• Behavior and Attire in Public (1.2)
• The Mass, Confession, the Vices and Virtues (1.3)
• On Chastity (1.4)
• Devotion to Your Husband (1.5)
• Obedience (including the Story of Griselda) (1.6)
• The Care of the Husband’s Person (1.7)
• The Husband’s Secrets (1.8)
• Introductory Note to Article 1.9
• Providing Your Husband with Good Counsel (including the Story of Melibee) (1.9)
• Introductory Note to Article 2.1
• Le Chemin de povreté et de richesse (2.1)
• Horticulture (2.2)
• Choosing and Caring for Servants and Horses (2.3)
• Introductory Note to Article 3.2
• Hawking Treatise (3.2)
• Menus (2.4)
• Recipes (2.5)
• Glossary of Culinary Terms
• Bibliography