[63.]Draw neere you Countrey Girles

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.

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:

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.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 sent⁹² 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. P⁹³