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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 September 2021
Headnote
These household rules are of particular interest for their focus on several of the offences enlarged upon in Directions: they tend to confirm Swift's particular concern with unauthorised absence, lying and drunkenness. For the garden Swift called ‘Naboth's Vineyard’, see Ehrenpreis.
The text, with its date of 7 December 1733, is taken from 1765a.
LAWS FOR THE DEAN‘S SERVANTS, DECEMBER 7th, M DCC XXXIII
If either of the two men-servants be drunk, he shall pay an English crown out of his wages for the said offence, by giving the Dean a receipt for so much wages received.
When the Dean is at home, no servant shall presume to be absent, without giving notice to the Dean, and asking leave, upon the forfeiture of sixpence for every half-hour that he is absent, to be stopt out of his or her board-wages.
When the Dean is abroad, no servant, except the woman, shall presume to leave the house for above one half-hour; after which, for every halfhour's absence he shall forfeit sixpence: And, if the other servant goes out before the first returns, he shall pay five shillings out of his wages, as above.
Whatever servant shall be taken in a manifest lie, shall forfeit one shilling out of his or her board-wages.
When the Dean goes about the house, or out-houses, or garden, or to Naboth's Vineyard; whatever things he finds out of order, by neglect of any servant under whose care it was, that servant shall forfeit sixpence, and see to get it mended as soon as possible, or suffer more forfeitures at the Dean's discretion.
If two servants be abroad together when the Dean is from home, and the fact be concealed from the Dean, the concealer shall forfeit two crowns out of his or her wages, as above.
If, in waiting at table, the two servants be out of the room together, without orders, the last who went out shall forfeit threepence out of his board-wages.
The woman may go out when the Dean is abroad for one hour, but no longer, under the same penalty with the men: But provided the two men-servants keep the house until she returns; otherwise, either of the servants, who goes out before her return, shall forfeit a crown out of his wages, as above.
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