EVELYN, John (1620-1706). Autograph manuscript of instructions for housekeeping, dictated by his wife, Mary Evelyn, for the use of Margaret Godolphin, inscribed at the head 'For a Family of Eight persons (as many as were in the Arck). This I think to be a decent provision conjecturaly computed as to the prices, little more or lesse, and within the Compasse you give me', n.p., dated '13' (the month illegible, and lacking the year), [probably summer, 1676], the manuscript closely written in brown ink, the household expenses listed in columns, on a bifolium, 3 pages, folio (330 x 225 mm), endorsed in an unidentified contemporary hand on the verso of the second leaf, 'Mrs Evelins directions concerning House-keeping for Me' (slightly darkened and duststained at edges, tears mostly in lower margins, affecting date in bottom left hand corner, and with loss of initials ['M.E.'] on first page, old professional repairs). Provenance: Alfred Morrison; Sotheby's sale of his collection, Part IV, 5 May 1919 (lot 2821); Francis Edwards; private collection. The original manuscript, entirely in John Evelyn's hand, of his wife's manual for the feeding, equipping and running of a household, compiled in response to a request from the recently married Margaret Godolphin. 'Deare Child, of the 500 li. p[e]r A[nnu]m (which you tell me what you would contract y[ou]r expenses to) & that you are to provide y[ou]r Husbands Clothes, Stable & all other house expenses (except his pocket mon[e]y I leave you 20 li. over and for y[ou]r owne pocket etc: 40 li: (in all 60 li:) and that little enough considering Sicknesse, Physicians, and innumerable accidents that are not to be provided against with any certainty. But (as the proverb y[o]u knowe is) to cut y[ou]r Cloake according to ye Cloth.' Mary Evelyn's recommendations are given under headings, such as 'Weekly expenses for the table', itemised in pounds, shillings and pence, and ranging from 'One joynt of Butchers meat' to 'Raw fruit according to the season: Mustard, vineg[a]r. Oyle'; also wood, candles, soap, brooms and mops; 'Bills of Fare' for the different days of the week, centred upon a three course dinner, and disclosing a dislike of Fridays, 'Fasting daies being of all others (I find) most troublesome in a family'; the cost of 'Living in Lond[on]', including housekeeping, gowns and clothing, two maids, footman and groom, and other staff, along with 'Y[ou]r Husb[an]ds 2 Geldings', and charities, amounting to £480: 4s: 0d annually; 'Houshold Stuffe etc', including linen, plate, pewter, copper and brass, glass etc, each category itemised in detail ('Ladle for pottage', 'a large flasket for the Laundry', 'To every Bed 2 paire of sheets. To y[ou]r owne 4, in all 12 paire', and an intriguing variety of now obsolete utensils, such as pewter 'Mazarines' and a 'Cisterne & Ladle to wash glasses'). A further paragraph summarises the qualities of 'a faithful Woman, or housemaid', before Mrs Evelyn's final words: 'Mr: E: writes this from me. If there be faults (as too many I believe there are) blame him with me & I shall beare it the better'. Evelyn's friendship with the young Margaret Blagge (1652-1678) was of deep importance to him. He esteemed her for her 'many and extraordinary virtues', was impressed by her accomplishments and beauty, and often mentions her in his Diary. At first wounded by her marriage (in secrecy) to Sidney Godolphin in 1675, he was to be bereft at her sudden death three years later. Margaret, whose mother had died early, had asked for advice on running her new establishment in a letter of circa 11 May 1676 (Frances Harris. Transformations of Love (2002), page 262, n.32). This wonderfully detailed and practical manual is Mary Evelyn's reply. After Margaret's death Godolphin gave her papers to Evelyn to assist him to write his Life of her. In 1685 Evelyn lent the manuscript to Pepys, suggesting that his clerk should copy it and return 'the original', as he intended to give it to his daughter [Susannah] if she were to marry (John Evelyn. Life of Mrs Godolphin, ed. Harriet Sampson (1939), Appendix B, 2). Francis Edwards, who purchased the present manuscript in 1919, was unable to trace its history further and it was not previously known to have survived. The Morrison collection also included a scribal copy of the manual (lot 2820 in the same sale), which is now in the Carl H. Pforzheimer collection in the Harry Ransome Humanities Research Centre, University of Texas.