This would not be slept,
Old guise must be kept.
1
Good huswiues, whom God hath enriched ynough,
forget not the feastes that belong to the plough.
The meaning is onelie to ioie and be glad,
for comfort with labour is fit to be had.
[Sidenote: Leicestershire.]
Plough Monday.[E452]
2
Plough Monday, next after that Twelftide is past,
bids out with the plough, the woorst husband is last.
If ploughman get hatchet or whip to the skreene,
maides loseth their cock if no water be seene.[E453]
[Sidenote: Essex and Suffolke.]
Shroftide.[E454]
3
At Shroftide to shrouing, go thresh the fat hen,
if blindfild can kill hir, then giue it thy men.
Maides, fritters and pancakes ynow see ye make:
let slut haue one pancake, for companie sake.
[Sidenote: Northamptonshire.]
Sheepe shearing.
4
Wife make vs a dinner, spare flesh neither corne,
make wafers and cakes, for our sheepe must be shorne.
At sheepe shearing neighbours none other thing craue,
but good cheere and welcome like neighbours to haue.
[Sidenote: Leicestershire.]
The wake day.[E455]
5
Fill ouen full of flawnes,[E456] Ginnie passe not for sleepe,
to morow thy father his wake day will keepe.
Then euerie wanton may daunce at hir will,
both Tomkin with Tomlin, and Jankin with Gill.
Haruest home.
6
For all this good feasting, yet art thou not loose,
till ploughman thou giuest his haruest home goose.[E457]
Though goose go in stubble, I passe not for that,
let goose haue a goose, be she leane, be she fat.
[Sidenote: Essex and Suffolke.]
Seede cake.
7
Wife, some time this weeke, if the wether hold cleere,
an end of wheat sowing we make for this yeere.
Remember you therefore though I doo it not:
the seede Cake, the Pasties, and Furmentie pot.[E458]
Twise a week roast.
8
Good ploughmen looke weekly, of custome and right,
for roast meat on Sundaies and Thursdaies at night.
This dooing and keeping such custome and guise,
they call thee good huswife, they loue thee likewise.
91.
¶ _The good huswifelie Physicke._
[1]
Good huswiues prouides, ere an sicknes doo come,
of sundrie good things in hir house to haue some.
Good Aqua composita,[E459] Vineger tart,
Rose water and treakle, to comfort the hart.
[2]
Cold herbes in hir garden for agues that burne,
that ouer strong heat to good temper may turne.
While Endiue and Suckerie, with Spinnage ynough,
all such with good pot herbes should follow the plough.
[3]
Get water of Fumentorie, Liuer to coole,
and others the like, or els lie like a foole.
Conserue of the Barberie, Quinces and such,
with Sirops that easeth the sickly so much.
[Sidenote: Physition.]
[4]
Aske _Medicus_ counsell, ere medcine ye make,
and honour that man, for necessities sake.
Though thousands hate physick, because of the cost,
yet thousands it helpeth, that else should be lost.
[Sidenote: Good diet.]
[5]
Good broth and good kéeping do much now and than,
good diet with wisedome best comforteth man.
In health to be stirring shall profit thée best,
in sicknes hate trouble, séeke quiet and rest.
[Sidenote: Thinke on thy soule and haue a good hope.]
[6]
Remember thy soule, let no fansie preuaile,
make readie to Godward, let faith neuer quaile.
The sooner thy selfe thou submittest to God,
the sooner he ceaseth to scourge with his rod.
92.
¶ _The good motherlie nurserie._
[1]
Good huswiues take paine, and doo count it good luck,
to make their owne brest their owne childe to giue suck.
Though wrauling and rocking be noisome so neare,
yet lost by ill nursing is woorser to heare.
[2]
But one thing I warne thee, let huswife be nurse,
least husband doo find thée too franke with his purse.
What hilback and filbellie maketh away,
that helpe to make good, or else looke for a fraie.
[3]
Giue childe that is fitly, giue babie the big,
giue hardnes to youth and to roperipe a twig.
Wee find it not spoken so often for naught,
that children were better vnborne than vntaught,
[4]
Some cockneies[E460] with cocking are made verie fooles,
fit neither for prentise, for plough, nor for schooles.
Teach childe to aske blessing, serue God, and to church,
then blesse as a mother, else blesse him with burch.
Thou huswife thus dooing, what further shall néede?
but all men to call thée good mother in déede.
93.
¶ _Thinke on the poore._
Remember the poore, that for Gods sake doo call,
for God both rewardeth and blesseth withall.
Take this in good part, whatsoeuer thou bee:
and wish me no woorse than I wish vnto thee.
94.
¶ _A comparison betweene good huswiferie and euill._[E461]
Comparing togither, good huswife with bad,
The knowledge of either, the better is had.
1
Ill huswiferie lieth
till nine of the clock.
Good huswiferie trieth
to rise with the cock.
2
Ill huswiferie tooteth,
to make hir selfe braue.[E462]
Good huswiferie looketh
what houshold must haue.
3
Ill huswiferie trusteth
to him and to hir.
Good huswiferie lusteth
hir selfe for to stir.
4
Ill huswiferie careth
for this nor for that.
Good huswiferie spareth
for feare ye wot what.
5
Ill huswiferie pricketh
hir selfe vp in pride.
Good huswiferie tricketh
hir house as a bride.
6
Ill huswiferie othing
or other must craue.
Good huswiferie nothing,
but needfull will haue.
7
Ill huswiferie mooueth
with gossep to spend.
Good huswiferie loueth
hir houshold to tend.
8
Ill huswiferie wanteth
with spending too fast.
Good huswiferie canteth[1][E463]
the lenger to last.
9
Ill huswiferie easeth
hir selfe with vnknowne.
Good huswiferie pleaseth
hir selfe with hir owne.
10
Ill huswiferie brooketh
mad toies in hir hed.
Good huswiferie looketh
that all things be fed.
11
Ill huswiferie bringeth
a shilling to naught.
Good huswiferie singeth,
hir cofers full fraught.
12
Ill huswiferie rendeth,
and casteth aside.
Good huswiferie mendeth,
else would it go wide.
13
Ill huswiferie sweepeth
her linnen to gage.
Good huswiferie keepeth,
to serue hir in age.
14
Ill huswiferie craueth
in secret to borow.
Good huswiferie saueth
to day for to morow.
15
Ill huswiferie pineth,
not hauing to eate.
Good huswiferie dineth,
with plentie of meate.
16
Ill huswiferie letteth
the Diuell take all.
Good huswiferie setteth
good brag of a small.
Good huswife good fame hath of best in the towne,
Ill huswife ill name hath of euerie clowne.
[1] scanteth. 1577.
_Thus endeth the booke of Huswiferie._
95.
_For men a perfect warning
How childe shall come by larning._
1
All you that faine would learne the perfect waie,
To haue your childe in Musick something séene,
Aske nature first what thereto she doth saie,
Ere further suite ye make to such a Quéene.
For doubtlesse _Grossum caput_ is not he
Of whom the learned Muses séene will be.[E464]
2
Once tride that nature trim hath done hir part,
And Ladie Musick farre[1] in loue withall,
Be wise who first doth teach thy childe that Art,
Least homelie breaker mar fine ambling ball.[E465]
Not rod in mad braines hand is that can helpe,
But gentle skill doth make the proper whelpe.
3
Where choise is hard, count good for well a fine,[E466]
Skill mixt with will, is he that teacheth best:
Let this suffice for teaching childe of thine,
Choose quickly well for all the lingring rest.
Mistaught at first how seldome prooueth well!
Trim taught, O God, how shortly doth excell!
4
Although as ships must tarrie winde and tide,
And perfect howers abide their stinted time;
So likewise, though of learning dailie tride,
Space must be had ere wit may thereto clime.
Yet easie steps, and perfect way to trust,
Doth cause good spéede, confesse of force we must.
5
Thus in the childe though wit ynough we finde,
And teacher good néere hand or other where,
And time as apt as may be thought with minde,
Nor cause in such thing much to doubt or feare.
Yet cocking Mams,[E467] and shifting Dads[E468] from schooles,
Make pregnant wits to prooue vnlearned fooles.
6
Ere learning come, to haue first art thou taught,
Apt learning childe, apt time that thing to frame,
Apt cunning man to teach, else all is naught,
Apt parents, glad to bring to passe the same.
On such apt ground the Muses loue to bilde,
This lesson learne; adue else learned child.
[1] ? faire [1614].
[In the edition of 1573, The Sonnet to Lady Paget, which follows the
Posies, is placed here.]
96.
¶ The description of a womans age by vi. times xiiij yeeres
prentiship, with a lesson to the same.
14. Two first seuen yeeres, for a rod they doe whine,
28. Two next, as a perle in the world they doe shine,
42. Two next, trim beautie beginneth to swerue,
56. Two next, for matrones or drudges they serue,
70. Two next, doth craue a staffe for a stay,
84. Two next, a beere to fetch them away.
A Lesson ( Then purchase some pelfe,
( by fiftie and thrée:
( or buckle thy selfe,
( a drudge for to bée.
97.
¶ _The Inholders posie._[1]
[1]
At meales my friend who vitleth here, and sitteth with his host,
Shall both be sure of better chere, and scape with lesser cost.[E469]
[2]
But he that will attendance haue, a chamber by himselfe,
Must more regard what pains do craue than passe of worldly pelfe.
[3]
Let no man looke to purchase linne[E470] with pinching by the waie,
But laie before he takes his Inne to make his purse to paie.
[4]
For nothing paie and nothing praie, in Inne it is the gise,
Where no point gain, there no point pain, think this if you be wise.
[5]
For toiling much and spoiling more, great charge smal gains or none,
Soone sets thine host at needams shore,[2][E471] to craue the beggers bone.
[6]
Foreséeing this, come day or night, take vp what place ye please.
Vse mine as thine, let fortune spight, and boldly take thine ease.
[1] Not in edition of 1573.
[2] A pun recorded by Ray. Needham is in Suffolk (M.).
98.
¶ _Certaine Table Lessons._
1
Friend, eat lesse, and drinke lesse,[1] and buie thee a knife,
else looke for a caruer not alway too rife.
Some kniueles their daggers for brauerie weare,
that often for surfetting neede not to feare.[E472]
2
At dinner and supper the table doth craue
good fellowly neighbour good manner to haue.
Aduise thee well therefore, ere tongue be too free,
or slapsauce be noted too saucie to bee.
3
If anything wanteth or seemeth amis,
to call for or shew it, good maner it is.
But busie fault finder, and saucie withall,
is roister like ruffen, no manner at all.
4
Some cutteth the napkin, some trencher will nick,
some sheweth like follie, in many a trick.
Let such apish[2] bodie so toieng at meate,
go toie with his nodie, like ape in the streate.[E473]
5
Some commeth vnsent for, not for thy good cheere,
but sent[3] as a spiall, to listen and heere.
Which being once knowne, for a knaue let him go,
for knaue will be knauish, his nature is so.
[1] eateles and drinkles. 1577.
[2] Let apishle. 1577.
[3] bent. 1577.
99.
¶ _Lessons for waiting servants._
1
One diligent seruiture, skilfull to waight,
more comelieth thy table than other some eight,
That stand for to listen, or gasing about,
not minding their dutie, within nor without.
2
Such waiter is fautie that standeth so by,
vnmindful of seruice, forgetting his ey.
If maister to such giue a bone for to gnaw,
he doth but his office, to teach such a daw.
3
Such seruiture also deserueth a check,
that runneth out fisging[E474] with meat in his beck.
Such rauening puttocks for vittles so trim,
would haue a good maister to puttock with him.
4
Who daily can suffer, or else can afoord,
his meat so vp snatched that comes from his boord?
So tossed[1] with cormorants, here and there some,
and others to want it that orderlie come?
5
Good seruiture waieth (once dinner begon,)
what asketh attendance and what to be don.
So purchasing maister a praise with the best,
gets praise to himselfe, both of maister and gest.
[1] toesed. 1577.
100.
¶ _Husbandly posies for the hall._
1
Friend, here I dwell, and here I haue a little worldly pelfe,
Which on my friend I kéepe to spend, as well as on my selfe.
2
What euer fare you hap to finde, take welcome for the best,
That hauing then disdaine thou not, for wanting of the rest.
3
Backbiting[E475] talk that flattering blabs know wily how to blenge,
The wise doth note, the friend[E476] doth hate, the enmie will reuenge.
4
The wise will spend or giue or lend, yet kéepe to haue in store,
If fooles may haue from hand to mouth, they passe vpon no more.
5
Where ease is sought, at length we sée, there plentie waxeth scant,
Who careles liues go borow must, or else full often want.
6
The world doth think the welthy man is he that least shall néed,
But true it is the godlie[1] man is he that best shall spéed.
[1] Cf. _ante_, ch. 72, st. 2.
101.
¶ _Posies for the parler._
1
As hatred is the serpents noisome rod,
So friendship is the louing gift of God.
2
The dronken friend is friendship very euill,
The frantike friend is friendship for the Deuill.
3
The quiet friend all one in word and déede
Great comfort is, like ready gold at néede.
4
With bralling fooles that wrall for euerie wrong,
Firme friendship neuer can continue long.
5
In time that man shall seldome friendship mis,
That waith what thing touch kept in friendship is.
6
Oft times a friend is got with easie cost,
Which vsed euill is oft as quickly lost.
7
Hast thou a friend, as hart may wish at will?
Then vse him so to haue his friendship still.
8
Wouldst haue a friend, wouldst knowe what friend is best?
Haue God thy friend, who passeth all the rest.
102.
¶ _Posies for the gests chamber._
1
The slouen and the careles man, the roinish[E477] nothing nice,
To lodge in chamber comely deckt, are seldome suffred twice.
2
With curteine som make scaberd clene, with couerlet their shoo,
All dirt and mire some wallow bed, as spanniels vse to doo.
3
Though bootes and spurs be nere so foule, what passeth some thereon?
What place they foule, what thing they teare, by tumbling thervpon.
4
Foule male some cast on faire boord, be carpet nere so cléene,
what maners careles maister hath, by knaue his man is séene.
5
Some make the chimnie chamber pot to smell like filthie sink,
Yet who so bold, so soone to say, fough, how these houses stink?
6
They therefore such as make no force what comly thing they spil,
Must haue a cabben like themselues, although against their wil.
7
But gentlemen will gently doe where gentlenes is sheawd,
Obseruing this, with loue abide, or else hence all beshreawd.
103.
¶ _Posies for thine owne bed chamber._
1
What wisdom more, what better life, than pleseth God to send?
what worldly goods, what longer vse, than pleseth God to lend?
2
What better fare than well content, agréeing with thy wealth?[1]
what better gest, than trustie friend, in sicknes and in health?
3
What better bed than conscience good,[2] to passe the night with sléepe?
what better worke than daily care fro sinne thy selfe to kéepe?
4
What better thought, than think on God and daily him to serue?
What better gift than to the poore that ready be to sterue?
5
What greater praise of God and man, than mercie for to shew?[3]
who merciles shall mercie finde, that mercie shewes to few?
6
What worse despaire, than loth to die for feare to go to hell?
what greater faith than trust in God, through Christ in heauen to dwell?
[1] what mirth to godly welth. 1577.
[2] quiet rest. 1577.
[3]
----than hatred to forsake
What merciles shall mercy get, that mercy none will take. 1577.
[1573 M.].
104.
¶ _A Sonet to the Ladie Paget._
[1]
Some pleasures take,
and cannot giue,
but onely make
poore thanks their shift:
Some meaning well,
in debt doo liue,
and cannot tell
how else to shift.
[2]
Some knock and faine
would ope the doore,
to learne the vaine
good turne to praise:
Some shew good face,
and be but poore,
yet haue a grace,
good fame to raise.
[3]
Some owe and giue,
yet still in det,
and so must liue,
for aught I knowe:
Some wish to pay,
and cannot get,
but night and day
still more must owe.
[4]
Euen so must I, for seruice past,
Still wish you good while life doth last.
105.
¶ _Principall points of Religion._
1
To praie to God continually,
To learne to know him rightfully.
2
To honour God in Trinitie,
3
The Trinitie in vnitie.
The Father in his maiestie,
The Sonne in his humanitie,
The holie Ghosts benignitie,
Three persons, one in Deitie.
4
To serue him alway holily,
5
To aske him all thing needfully,
6
To praise him in all companie,[1]
7
To loue him alway hartilie,[2]
8
To dread him alway christianlie,[3]
9
To aske him mercie penitently,[4]
10
To trust him alway faithfully,
11
To obey him alway willingly,
12
To abide him alway patiently,
13
To thanke him alway thankfully,
14
To liue here alway vertuously,
15
To vse thy neighbour honestly,
16
To looke for death still presently,[E478]
17
To helpe the poore in miserie,
18
To hope for heauens felicitie,
19
To haue faith hope and charitie,
20
To count this life but vanitie:
be points of Christianitie.
[1] alway worthely. 1577.
[2] steadfastlie. 1573 (M.), 1577.
[3] fearfullie. 1573 (M.), 1577.
[4] heartilie. 1573 (M.), 1577.
106.
¶ _The Authors beleefe._
[Sidenote: God the Father.]
1
This is my stedfast Créede, my faith, and all my trust,
That in the heauens there is a God, most mightie, milde and iust.
A God aboue all gods, a King aboue all kings,
The Lord of lords, chiefe gouernour of heauen and earthly things.
[Sidenote: Maker of Heauen.]
2
That power hath of life, of death, of heauen and hell,
That all thing made as pleaseth him, so woonderfull to tell:
That made the hanging Skies, so deckt with diuers lights,
Of darknes made the chéerfull daies, and all our restfull nights.
[Sidenote: The earth.]
3
That clad this earth with herbe, with trées, and sundrie fruites,
With beast, with bird, both wild and tame, of strange and sundrie suites:
That intermixt the same with mines like veines of Ore,
Of siluer, golde, of precious stones, and treasures many more.
[Sidenote: The waters, frost and snowe.]
4
That ioyned brookes to dales, to hilles fresh water springs,
With riuers swéete along the méedes, to profit many things:
That made the hoarie frosts, the flakie snowes so trim,
The honie deawes, the blustering windes, to serue as pleaseth him.
[Sidenote: The seas.]
5
That made the surging seas, in course to ebbe and flo,
That skilfull man with sailing ship, mought trauell to and fro:
And stored so the same, for mans vnthankfull sake,
That euery nation vnder heauen mought thereby profit take.
[Sidenote: The soul of man.]
6
That gaue to man a soule, with reason how to liue,
That doth to him and all things else, his blessing dailie giue:
That is not séene, yet séeth how man doth runne his race,
Whose dailie workes both good and bad, stand knowne before his face.
[Sidenote: Thunder and plagues.]
7
That sendeth thundring claps, like terrours out of hell,
That man may know a God there is, that in the heauens doth dwel:
That sendeth threatning plagues, to kéepe our liues in awe,
His benefites if we forget, or do contemne his lawe.
[Sidenote: Full of mercie.]
8
That dailie hateth sinne, and loueth vertue well,
And is the God of Abraham, Isac, and Israell,
That doth displeasure take, when we his lawes offend,
And yet amids his heauie wrath, his mercie doth extend.
[Sidenote: Christ the Sonne.]
9
This is that Lord of hostes, the father of vs all,
The maker of what ere was made, my God on whom I call:
Which for the loue of man, sent downe his onelie sonne,
Begot of him before the worldes were any whit begonne.
[Sidenote: Christes birth. Christ, God and man.]
10
This entred Maries wombe, as faith affirmeth sure,
Conceiued by the holy Ghost, borne of that virgine pure;
This was both God and man, of Jewes the hoped king,
And liued here, saue onely sinne, like man in euerie thing.
[Sidenote: Christ, our Messias.]
11
This is that virgins childe, that same most holie Preist,
The lamb of God, the prophet great, whom scripture calleth Christ,
This that Messias was, of whom the Prophet spake,
That should tread down the serpents head and our attonement make.
[Sidenote: Christes passion.]
12
This Judas did betray, to false dissembling Jewes,
Which vnto Pilat being Judge, did falsely him accuse:
Who (through that wicked Judge) and of those Jewes despight,
Condemned and tormented was, with all the force they might.
13
To liuing wight more euill, what could such wretches do?
More pearcing wounds, more bitter pains, than they did put him to?
They crowned him with thorne, that was the king of kings,
That sought to saue the soule of man, aboue all worldly things.
[Sidenote: Christes death.]
14
This was that Pascall lambe whose loue for vs so stood,
That on the mount of Caluerie,[1] for vs did shed his blood:
Where hanging on the Crosse, no shame he did forsake,
Till death giuen him by pearcing speare, an ende of life did make.
[Sidenote: Christes buriall.]
[Sidenote: Christes descension.]
15
This Ioseph séeing dead, the bodie thence did craue,
And tooke it forthwith from the crosse, and laid it in his graue,
Downe thence he went to hell, in vsing there his will,[E479]
His power[2] I meane, his slained corps in tumb remaining still.
[Sidenote: Christes resurrection.]
[Sidenote: Christes ascension.]
16
From death to life againe, the third day this did rise,
And séene[E480] on earth to his elect, times oft in sundrie wise:
And after into heauen, ascend he did in sight,
And sitteth on the right hand there, of God the father of might.
[Sidenote: Christ shall be our iudge.]
17
Where for vs wretches all, his father he doth pray,
To haue respect vnto his death, and put our sinnes away:
From thence with sounded trump, which noise all flesh shall dread,
He shall returne with glorie againe, to iudge the quicke and dead.
[Sidenote: The Iudges sentence.]
18
Then shall that voice be heard, Come, come, ye good to mée,
Hence, hence to hell you workers euill, where paine shall euer bée:
This is that louing Christ, whom I my Sauiour call,
And onely put my trust in him, and in none else at all.
[Sidenote: God the holy Ghost.]
19
In God the holy Ghost, I firmely do belieue,
Which from the father and the sonne a blessed[3] life giue,
Which by the Prophets spake, which doth all comfort send,
Which I do trust shall be my guide, when this my life shall ende.
[Sidenote: The Catholike Church.]
20
A holy catholike Church, on earth I graunt there is,
And those which frame their liues by that, shall neuer do[4] amis:
The head whereof is Christ, his word the chiefest post:
Preseruer of this temple great, is God the holy Ghost.
[Sidenote: The Communion of Saints.]
21
I do not doubt there is a multitude of Saints,
More good is don resembling them, than shewing them our plaints:
Their faith and workes in Christ, that glorie them did giue,
Which glorie we shall likewise haue, if likewise we do liue.
[Sidenote: Forgiueness of sinnes.]
22
At God of heauen there is, forgiuenesse of our sinnes,
Through Christes death, through faith in it, and through none other ginnes:
If we repentant here, his mercie dailie craue,
Through stedfast hope and faith in Christ, forgiuenes we shall haue.
[Sidenote: Mans resurrection.]
23
I hope and trust vpon the rising of the flesh,
This corps of mine that first must die, shall rise againe afresh:
The soule and bodie euen then, in one shall ioyned bée,
As Christ did rise from death to life, euen so through Christ shall wée.
[Sidenote: Life euerlasting.]
24
As Christ is glorified, and neuer more shall die,
As Christ ascended into heauen, through Christ euen so shall I:
As Christ I count my head, and I a member of his,
So God I trust for Christes sake, shall settle me in blis.
[25]
Thus here we learne of God, that there be persons thrée,
The Father, Sonne, the holy Ghost, one God in trinitée,
In substance all like one, one God, one Lord, one might,
Whose persons yet we do diuide, and so we may by right.
[26]
As God the Father is the maker of vs all,
So God the Sonne redéemer is, to whom for helpe we call,
And God the holy Ghost, the soule of man doth winne,
By moouing hir to waile for grace, ashamed of hir sinne.
[27]
This is that God of gods, whom euerie soule should loue,
Whom all mens hearts should quake for feare his wrath on them to moue:
That this same mightie God, aboue all others chiefe,
Shall saue my soule from dolefull Hell, is all my whole beliefe.
[1] Caluerine. 1577.
[2] soule. 1577.
[3] proceeding. 1577.
[4] speede. 1577.
107.
_Of the omnipotencie of God, and debilitie of man._
1
O God thou glorious God, what god is like to thée?
What life, what strength is like to thine, as al the world may see?
The heauens, the earth, the seas, and all thy workes therein,
Do shew (to who thou wouldst to know)[E481] what thou hast euer bin.