the karle for her sede ¶ The knowledge of stilling is one pretie feate the waters be holsome the charges not great What timely thou gettest while Summer doth last thinke Winter will helpe thee to spende it as fast ¶ In May is good sowing thy buck or thy frank that blacke is as Pepper and smelleth so ranke It is to thy land as a comfort or mucke and all thing it maketh as fatt as a bucke 93 At Phillip and Iacob go put of thy lambes that thinkest to haue any milke of their dammes At Lammas leaue milking for feare of a thing least Requiem eternam in Winter they sing 94 To milke and to folde them is much to require except thou haue pasture to fill their desire The nightes being short such hede ye may take not hurting their bodies much profite to make ¶ Fiue ewes to a Cowe milke go proue by a score shall double thy dairy else trust me no more Yet may a good huswife that knoweth the skill haue mixt or vnmixt at her pleasure and will. 95 Gredy of gaine ouer lay not thy ground and then shall thy cattell be lusty and sounde But pinch them of pasture while sommer doth last and plucke at their tailes ere and winter be past 96 To grasse with thy calues in some medow plot nere where neuer their mothers may see them nor here Where water inough is and barth to fit warme and looke well vnto them for taking of harme 97 Pinch wennels at no tyme of water or meate if euer ye hope for to haue them good neate In Sommer at all times in Winter in frost if cattell lack drink they be vtterly lost ¶ From May to mid August from dinner to two let Patche sleepe a snatch how so euer ye do Though sleping one hower refresheth among yet trust not Hob grouthed for sleping to long 98 In May at the furdest twy falow thy land much drowt may else after cause plough for to stand This tilth being done thou hast passed the wurst then after who ploweth plough thou with the furst 99 Get home with thy fewell mede redy to fet the sooner the easier cariage to get Take hede to thy Bees that be ready to swarme the losse therof now is a crownes worth of harme ¶ Iune 100 IN Iune get a wedehoke and a knife a gloue wede out such wedes as the corne doth not loue Slacke neuer thy weding for dearth nor for cheape the corne shall rewarde it or euerye reape 101 The May wede doth burne the thistle do freat the tyme pulleth downeward the Rie the Wheat The Docke and the Brake noy corne very much lyke Boddle to Barley no wede there is such 102 Wash shepe for the better wher water doth rū and let them go clenly and dry in the Sunne Then share them spare not at two dayes an ende the sooner the better their corps will amende 103 Rewarde not thy shepe when thou takest his cote with two or three notches as brode as a grote Let no such vngentlenes happen to thine least flye with his gentlenes make it to pine 104 Let lambes go vnclipped til Iune be half worne the better their coates will be growen to be shorne The Pye will discharge the for pulling the rest the lighter poore sheepe is then fedeth it best 105 At midsommer down with thy brimbles brakes and after abrode with thy forkes and thy rakes Set mowers a work while the medowes be growen the lenger now standing the worsse to be mowne 106 Prouide of thine owne to haue all thing at hand least worke the workman vnwroughten do stande Loue seldome to borrow that thinkest to saue for he that once lendeth twise looketh to haue 107 Good husbands that lay to saue al thing vpright for tumbrels and cartes haue a shed redy dight A store house for trinkets as close as a iayle that nothing be wanting the worth of a nayle 108 Thy cartes would be searched without within well clouted and greased ere hay time begin Thy hay being carted though Carters had sworne cartes bottome well boorded is sauing of corne ¶ Iuly 109 GO muster thy seruants be captaine thy selfe prouiding them weapon and other lyke pelfe Get bottels and wallets kepe fielde in the heate the feare is not muche but the daunger is great 110 With tossing and taking and setting on cockes grasse lately in swathes is hay for an Oxe That done go and Cart it and haue it away the battaile is fought ye haue gotten the day 111 Let hay be wel made or auise els a vous for moulding in goef or for fyering thy house Lay coursest asyde for the Oxe and the Cowe the finest for shepe Calfe and Gelding allowe 112 Then downe with thy hedlondes the corne about leaue neuer a dalop vnmowne and had out Though grasse be but thin about barley and pease yet picked vp clene it shal do thee great ease 113 Thy fallow betime for destroiyng of weede least Thistle and Dockefall to bloming and seede Such season may chance it shall stande thee vpon to till it againe ere the Summer be gon 114 Thy houses and barnes would be looked vpon and al thing amended ere haruest come on Things thus set in order at quiet and rest shall furder thy haruest and pleasure thee best 115 Saint Iaimes doth aduise to get reapers at had the corne being ripe doth but shed if it stand Be thankfull and sauing what euer is sent God sendeth the same for none other intent 116 Graunt haruest Lord more by a peny or two to call on his felowes the better to do Giue reapers thy larges a larges to crye and alwaies to loyterers haue a good eye 117 Reape wel scater not gather clene that is shorne binde fast shock a pace haue an eye to thy corne Lode safe carry home follow time being faire golfe iust in the barne it is out of dispaire 118 In goeuing at haruest learne skilfully how eche graine for to lay by it selfe on a mow Sede barley and peason golfe out of the way all other nygh hand golfe as iust as ye may 119 Corne caryed let such as be poore go and cleane and after let cattel go mouse it vp cleane Then spare it for pasture till Rowen be past to lengthen thy dairy no better thou hast 120 All haruest time haruest folke seruants and all must make altogether good cheare in thy Hall. Go fill them the blacke boll of bleeth to their song and let them be mery all haruest time long 121 Once ended thy haruest let none bee beguilde please such as did help thee man woman and childe Thus doing with alway such helpe as they can thou winnest the name of a husbandly man. Now think vpon God let thy tong neuer cease in thanking of him for his mightie encrease Accept my good will for a proofe go and trye the better thou thriuest the gladder am I. ¶ Of all thing this seemeth the summe one
done Count gaine halfe lost with watching cost A hundreth good pointes of Huswiferye ¶ No soner Sunne vp GEt vp in the morning as soone as thou wilt with ouer long slugging good seruant is spilt ¶ But nose in the cup. 2 Some slouens from sleping no sooner be vp but hand is in Aumberie and nose in the cup. ¶ That earely is done 3 Some works in the morning may trimly be done that al the day after can neuer be wonne ¶ Count huswifely wonne 4 Good husband without maketh welthy and fat good huswife within is as nedefull as that ¶ Cast dust in the yarde 5 Sluttes corners auoided shal farther thy health much time about trifles shal hinder thy wealth ¶ Go spin and go carde 6 Set some about charning some seething of souse some carding some spinning som trimming vp house ¶ Do as ye shall thinke 7 Set some to grinde mault or thy russhes to twine set some to peele hempe or to seething of brine ¶ Let meat neuer stinke 8 Some corneth som brineth som wil not be taught wher meat taketh vent there the huswife is naught ¶ To breakfast that come 9 Call seruants to breakfast by day starre appere a snatch and to worke fellowes tarry not here ¶ Geue euery one some 10 Let huswife be caruer let pottage be eate a dishfull eche one with a morsell of meate ¶ No more tittle tattle 11 What tacke in a pudding sayth gredy gut wringer giue such ye wote what ere pudding they finger ¶ To seruing your cattle 12 Let seruants once serued thy cattle go serue else maister and mistresse may quickly go sterue ¶ Learne you that will thee 13 No breakfast of custome prouide not to saue but onely to such as deserueth to haue ¶ Some daintie wil bee 14 No shewing to seruant what vitailes in store shew seruants their labour and shew them no more ¶ Of hauock beware 15 Where al things is common what nedeth a hutch where wanteth a sauer there hauock is much ¶ False Cattes will not spare 16 Where windows stand open the cattes make a fray yet wilde cats with two legs are worser then they ¶ Looke well vnto thine 17 An eye in a corner who vseth to haue reueleth a drab and preuenteth a knaue ¶ Slut slouthfull must whine 18 Make maide to be clenly or make her crye creake teach her to stirre when her mistresse doth speake ¶ Let holly wand threat 19 A wand in thy hand though ye fight not all make youth to their businesse the better to fall Let fisgig be beat 20 For feare of a foole had I wist cause thee to waile let fisgig be taught to shut dore after tayle ¶ To easy the wicket 21 With hir that will clicket make daunger to cope least happily hir wicket be easy to ope ¶ Will still appease clicket 22 As rod lytell mendeth where maners be spilt so naught wil be nought say and do what thou wilt ¶ Fight seldome ye shall 23 Much brauling with seruants what man cā abide pay home when thou fightest but loue not to chide ¶ Loue neuer to brall 24 As order is heauenly where quiet is had so errour is hel or a mischief as bad ¶ What better lawe 25 Such law as a warning will cause to beware doth make the whole house the better to fare ¶ To seruants than awe 26 The lesse of thy councell thy seruants doth know their duetie the better such seruants shall showe ¶ Good musicke regarde 27 Such seruants are often both paineful and good that sing in their labours as birdes in the wood ¶ Good seruaunts rewarde 28 Good seruants hope iustly some frendship to fele and looke to haue fauour what time they do wele ¶ By one time or twise 29 Take runnagate Robbins to pittie their nede and looke to be filched as true as thy Creede ¶ Is good to be wise 30 Take warning by once that a worse do not hap foresight is the stopper of many a gap ¶ Some chaunge for a shift 31 Make fewe of thy councell to change for the best least one that is trudging in fetcheth the rest ¶ Much chaunge little thrift 32 The stone that is rolling can gather no Mosse for Maistres and maydes by oft changing is losse ¶ Both liberal sticketh 33 One Dog for a Hogge and one Cat for a Mouse one ready to giue is inough in a house ¶ Some prouender pricketh 34 One gift ill accepted kepe next in thy purse whom prouender pricketh are often the wurse ¶ Brewe somewhat for thine 35 Where brewer is nedefull be brewer thy selfe what filleth the roofe wil helpe furnish thy shelfe ¶ Else bring vp no Swine 36 In buying thy drink by the firkin or Pot the skore doth arise the Hogge profiteth not ¶ Well brewed worth cost 37 One busshell wel brewed out lasteth some twaine two troubles for one thing is cost to no gaine ¶ Ill vsed halfe lost 38 To new is no profit to stale is as bad drinke sower or dead maketh husband halfe mad ¶ Remember good Gill. 39 Put graines to more water while graines be yet hot seeth them sturre thē as otemeale in pot ¶ Take payne with thy swill 40 Though heating be costly such swil yet in store shall profit thy porkelings a hundreth times more ¶ New bred is the Diuell 41 Newe bread is a waster but mouldy is wurse what Dogge getteth that way that loseth the purse ¶ Much crust is as euill 42 Much dowebake I praise not much crust is as ill the meane is the huswife say nay if ye wil. ¶ Good daîry doth ease 43 Good seruant in dairye that nedes not be tolde deserueth hir fee to be paide hir in golde ¶ Good cokerye doth please 44 Good Cooke to dresse dinner to bake to brewe is better than golde being honest and true ¶ Good droye yong or olde 45 Good droy to serue hogs to help wash to milke is some time as nedefull as some in their silke ¶ Good whitemeat worthe golde 46 Kepe dayrie house clenly kepe pan swete and told kepe butter and cheese to looke yellow as golde ¶ Make clenly thy guttes 47 Saue charmmilke saue welcord saue puddig and souse such offall doth stop many gappes in a house ¶ And learne to know sluttes 48 Though homely be milker let clenly be Cooke for dropnose and slut may be knowen by their looke ¶ In dairy no Cat. 49 Though Cat being good is a iewel in house yet euer in dairy haue trappe for a mouse ¶ Lay bane for a Rat. 50 Take hede how thou layest the bane for the rats for poysoning seruants thy selfe and thy brattes ¶ No scouring for pride 51 Though scouring be nedefull yet scourig to mutch is pride without profite and robbeth thine hutch ¶ Kepe kettle whole side 52 Kepe kettles from knocks set tubs out of sunne for mending is costly and crackt is soone done ¶ Take hede when ye wash 53 Maides wash
borne the worlde through sinne altogether forlorne At Christmas the day doth begin to take length of Christ our faith doth begin to take strength As Christmas is onely a figure or trope so onely in Christ is the strength of our hope At Christmas we banket the riche with the poore who then but the Miser but openeth his doore At Christmas of Christ many Carols we sing and giue many giftes in the ioy of that king At Christmas in Christ we reioyce and be glad as onely of whom our comfort is had At Christmas we ioy altogether with mirth for his sake that ioyed vs al with his birth A description of apt time to spend LEt such so fantasticall liking not this nor nothing else honest that auncient is Giue place to the time that so apte we do see appointed of God as it seemeth to bee At Christmas good husbaÌ„ds haue corne in the ground in Barne and in soller worth many a pound Things plenty in house besyde Cattel and shepe all sent them no doubt on good houses to kepe At Christmas the hardnesse of Winter doth rage a nipper of all thing in euery age Then lightly poore people the yong with the olde be sorest oppressed with hunger and colde At Christmas by labour is little to get that wanting the poore man in daunger is set What better a time than oâ— al the whole yeare thy nedy poore neighbour to comfort and cheare Against fantasticall scruplenesse AT this and at that thing some make a great mater some help not but hinder the poore with their clatter Take custome from feasting what coÌ„meth then last where one hath a dinner a thousand shal fast To dog in the maunger some liken I coulde that hay will eate none nor let other that would Some scarce in a yere giue a dinner or two nor wel can abide any other to do Play thou the good felow and harken to me hate none that be honest though mery they be For often times sene no more very a knaue than he that doth counterfet most to be graue Christmas husbandly fare GOod husband huswife now chiefly be glad things haÌ„dsom to haue as they ought to be had They both do ê“uide against christmas do com to welcom their neighbors good chere to haue som Good bread and good drink a good fyre in the hall brawne pudding and souse good mustard withall Biefe mutton and porke and good Pies of the best pig veale gose and capon and Turkey well drest Chese apples nuttes and good Charrols to heare as then in the contrey is counted good cheare What cost to good husband is any of this good houshold prouision onely it is Of other the like I do leaue out a meny that costeth the husband neuer a peny At Christmas be mery and thankfull withall feast thy poore neighbors the great with the small Yea al the yeare long to the poore let vs gine gods blessing to haue here as long as we liue ¶ Ianuarye 54 WHen Christmas is ended bid feasting adew go play the good husbaÌ„d thy stock to renew Be myndefull of rearing in hope of a gaine dame profit shal geue thee rewarde for thy payne 55 Who both by his calfe his lambe wil be known may well kill a neate and a shepe of his owne And he that wil reare vp a pyg in his house hath cheaper his bacon and sweter his souse 56 who eateth his veale pig lambe being froath shall thrise in a weeke go to bed without broath Vnskilfull that passe not but sell away sell shal neuer keepe good house where euer they dwell 57 Be gredy in spending and carelesse to saue and shortly be nedy and redy to craue Be wilfull to kill and vnskilfull to store and neuer looke long to keepe house any more 58 Lay dirt vpon heapes faire yarde to kepe sene when frost will abide into fielde with it clene In winter a fallow some loue to bestowe where pease for the pot they intende for to sowe 59 In making or mending as nedeth thy ditch get set to quicke set it learne cunningly which In hedging where clay is cut stake as ye knowe of Popler and Sallow for fewell to growe 60 Leaue killing of Cony let Doe go to Bucke and vermine thy borrowe for feare of ill lucke Fede Doue no more killing old doue house repaire saue Doue dong for hopyard in making holes faire ¶ Dig Gardain stroy malow now may ye at ease and set as as a deintie thy runcyfall pease Go cut and set Roses the best to be got of al the yeare long better time there is not 61 In time go and bargaine lest worser do fall for fewell for making for cariage and all To buy at the stub is the best for the buier more timely prouision more cheaper the fyer 62 Some burneth a load at a time in his Hall some neuer leaue burning till burnt they haue all Some making hauock with out any wit make many poore soules without fier to sit 63 From Christmas till May be wel entered in al cattel wax faint and looke poorely and thin But when as the prime grasse at first doth appeare then most is the daunger of all the whole yeare ¶ Calues faire that come betwene Christmas LeÌ„t take huswife to rere or else after repent Of such as fall betwene chaunge and the prime no rering but sell or go kill them in time ¶ House Calfe and go suckle it twise on a day and after a while set it water and hay Stake ragged to rubbe on no such as will bend then weane it well tended at fifty daies ende ¶ The senior weaned his yonger shall teach both how to drink water and hay for to reach More strokeÌ„ more made on wheÌ„ ought they do aile more gentle ye make them for yoke or to paile 64 Yong brome or good pasture thine ews do reqre warme barth and in saftie their Lambes do desire Looke often well to them for Foxes and dogges for pittes and for brimbles for vermine and hogges 65 Geld bulcalfe ram lambe as sone as they fall for therin is lightly no daunger at all Some spareth the tone for to pleasure the eye to haue him shew great when the butcher shall buy ¶ Sowes ready to farow this time of the yere are for to be made on and counted full deare For now is the losse of a fare of thy Sowe more great than the losse of two calues of thy Cow ¶ Of one Sow at once rere fewe aboue fiue and choose of the fairest and likest to thriue Vngelt of the best kepe a couple for store one Boare pig one Sow pig that sucketh before 66 Geld vnder the dame within fortnight at least and saue both thy money and life of thy beast Geld later with Gelders as many one do and looke of a dozen to geld away two 67 Thy Coltes for the saddle geld yong to be light for Cart do not so if thou iudgest