The English Housewife

by Gervase Markham, Michael R. Best

Markham reveals the "pretty and curious secrets" of preparing everything from simple foods to such elaborate meals as a "humble feast" - an undertaking which entails preparing "no less than two and thirty dishes, which is as much as can stand on one table." He instructs the housewife on brewing beer and caring for wine, growing flax and hemp for thread, and spinning and dyeing. As a housewife was also responsible for the health and "soundness of body" of her family, he includes advice on the prevention of everything from the plague to baldness and bad breath. No other source from this period provides the same richness of information in such a readable style. Michael Best's introduction and his abundant notes make The English Housewife readily accessible to the contemporary reader.

Genres: History, Cookbooks, Food, Historical, Nonfiction, 17th Century, Cooking

384 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1986

Reviews

[Redsteve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book on various aspects of home management written at the beginning of the 17th Century by a member of the gentry who, unlike many other writers of the period, actually had years of experience running a small farm. As a result, his knowledge is very practical – although in many cases, his book is a conglomeration of the writings of other authors, he applied his organizational skills and real world experience about how things actually work. The writing is in Early Modern English (with, as far as I can tell, only spelling adjusted) but is pretty straightforward (i.e. not flowery) and readable. There is a glossary for assorted Elizabethan terms, mainly unusual plant names and cooking/farming/measurement terms. The English Housewife is intended to be paired with “The English Husbandman”, with subjects divided between “men’s tasks” and “women’s work” based on whether the tasks are done inside or outside the house. Obviously Markham couldn’t follow this 100% but I understand that the companion volume goes into much more detail on farming and animal husbandry then this book. In Markham’s eyes, a the woman of the house should be an expert in many things and at least conversant in many others (if only to avoid being swindled). The English Housewife has sections on home remedies, treatment of wounds/injuries, brewing medicine, recipes, sweets and decorative foods, the organization of meals and even banquets preserves, distilling, running a home dairy (including butter- and cheesemaking) processing wool and woolen cloth, hemp and flax, dying cloth, oats, malting, brewing, and preserving and “helping” (some would say “adulterating”) wines with a good section on terminology and what the Elizabethans valued in wines. In many cases, the best that you can say for the home medicines is that most of the ingredients are not actually dangerous. The recipes assume that the cook already knows what she’s doing and therefore contains little advice on proportions, temperatures or cooking times. Also virtually every dish includes sugar – including roast meats and salads – so few of the recipes would be palatable to a modern diner without serious adjustments. While Markham sets out to write a book for the thrifty housewife who should minimize the use of items/ingredients that the farm doesn’t produce itself, he frequently throws that resolution by the wayside and (especially in recipes and medical remedies) includes expensive imported items. I’m not a huge fan of the end notes vs. glossary arrangement that the editor used – whether a term appeared in one of the other seemed pretty arbitrary and only the end notes are indicated in the text. Solid 4 stars. Bonus: the section “On Cookery” includes a 17thC English version of pan perdu (“panperdy”).

[Andrea Zuvich · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must-have book for anyone who wants to understand daily life for women in the 17th century. This book is filled with useful information on cookery, laundry, cosmetics, clothing, etc - everything a housewife was ideally supposed to know. It is one of the most important books in my collection and I recommend it absolutely.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent source for info about the lives and customs of English women and their colonial American counterparts. This was one of the most widely used texts of the seventeenth century, giving readers the flavor of early modern England.

[Melissa]

5 Books

[Jules · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great reference book about the English home.

[Annabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fascinating, in so many ways. This text provided invaluable information and insight for me when I was researching food and eating in the Renaissance but it in fact provided me with so much more. I learnt about language, linguistics and education of the time through studying the text, as well as societal customs and relationships, among other things.

There is no doubt that this jam-packed and well-presented text was invaluable to my project, as well as inadvertently educating me further and changing some of my perspectives on Renaissance and Elizabethan England.

[Blaze · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for any modern medievalist! Gives an excellent insight into the day to day of medieval housewife.

[Catherine]

Well presented edition of the text.