In 1593 Robert Furse, a gentleman and lord of a manor in Devon, learned that he was dying, leaving a son of only nine years old. Unable to oversee his son's upbringing, he wrote a book for the child, his mentors and his successors, giving moral and practical advice. Furse's memoir sets out the family's history and properties, giving descriptions, values, and proofs of legal titles. He also includes character sketches and discusses lawsuits, gossip, scandal, murder and executions, all rendered in his own vernacular style. The book will interest not only historians of Devon but also readers interested in the life of the gentry in Tudor England.