or
A merry new Ditty, wherein you may see,
The tricke of a Huswife, in every degree.
Then lend your attention while I doe unfold
As pleasant a story as you have heard told.
To the Tune of _Upon a Summers time_.
Draw neere you Countrey Girles [63.]
and lissen unto me,
Ile tell you here a new conceit
concerning Huswifery,
concerning Huswifery.
Three Aunts I had of late,
good Huswifes all were they,
But cruell death hath taken
the best of them away,
O the best &c--
O this was one of my Aunts,
the best of all the three,
And surely though I say it myselfe
a cleanly woman was she,
a cleanly &c.
[Illustration]
My Uncle carelesse was
in wasting of his store,
Which made my Aunt to have a care
to looke about the more,
to looke &c--
When Winter time drew on
neere to All hollow day:
My Aunt did cast her wits about
to save her Straw and Hay.
_to save &c_--
And like a provident woman,
as plainely did apeare,
She starv'd her Bullockes to save her Hay,
untill another yeare.
_O this was one of my Aunts,
the best of all the three
And surely, though I say't myselfe
a provident woman was shee._
But as she went to see
her cattell in the fields:
When she comes home, two pound of durt
hang dragling at her heeles.
_O this &c_
And there she let it hang
from Candlemas to May,
And then shee tooke a hatchet in hand,
and chopt it cleane away.
_O this &c_
In making of a cheese
my Aunt shewed her cunning,
Such perfit skill shee had at will,
shee never used running.[F. 91]
_O this &c_
For having strain'd her milke
in turning once about,
Shee had the best Curd that ever you saw
by the sent[F. 92] of the strayning clout.
_O this &c_
Shee was the choysest Nurse
that lived in all the West;
Her face was white as the charcoal flower
so was her neck and brest.
_O this was one of my Aunts_,
_the best of all the three_,
_And surely, though I say't myselfe_,
_a cleanly good Nurse was shee_.
The garments which she did weare
did shine like the brazen Crock,
And where she went, she bore such a sent
that the flyes blew in her frock.
_O this &c_
My Aunt so curious was,
as I to you may tell,
She used to make fat puddings
in markets for to sell.
_O this &c_
The smallest Candle end
my Aunt would never lose
It would helpe to make her puddings fat
with the droppings of her nose.
_O this &c_
Another trick she had
as I shall now declare,
Shee never swept the house,
about foure times a yeare.
_O this &c_
And when she swept the Hall,
the Parler or the Spence,
The dust was worth to her at least,
a shilling or 14 pence.
_O this &c_
One day my Aunt was set
by the fier side a spinning,
As she knew well what was to do
to wollen or to linnen.
_O this &c_
A change came in her minde,
her worke being in great hast,
She burn'd her Tow, her Wheele and all
because she would make no wast.
_O this &c_
My Aunt so patient was
of this I dare be bold,
That with her Neighbours shee
was never knowne to scolde.
_O this &c_
Her lips with lothsome words
she seldome would defile,
But sometimes she would whisper so loud
you might heare her half a mile
_O this &c_
Yet one condition more
unto you I will show,
Shee washt her dishes once a moneth,
and set them on a row.
_O this &c_
If other wise she had
but of a dish clout faile,
She would set them to the Dog to lick
and wipe them with his tayle.
_O this &c_
But to conclude in hast,
I hold it not amisse,
I love a cleanly huswife well
as may appeare by this.
_O this was one of my Aunts_
_the best of all the three_,
_And surely, though I say't myselfe_,
_a cleanely woman was she_.
L. P[F. 93]