The Boke of kervynge was published in 1508 and is a practical guide for everyday life describing how to serve at the table. This copy is the only one that survives, printed by William Caxton’s collaborator and successor Wynkyn de Worde. Young noblemen frequently spent time in service in the royal court, to learn the manners of polite society, and the Boke of kervynge was a helpful guide. An early owner, Edward Powell, wrote his name on a page towards the end.

The text is short and entertaining; to read it, click ‘Open Digital Library’.

Walter de Henley
The boke of husbandrye
[London: Wynkyn de Worde, 1508?]

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