Seldome cleanely:
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.
[?]
Or to the tune of A ballett last was made.
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DRaw neere, you Countrey Girles,
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and lissen unto me,
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Ile tell you here a new conceit
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concerning Huswifery,
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concerning Huswifery,
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Three Aunts I had of late,
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good Huswifes all were they:
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But cruell death hath taken
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the best of them away,
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O the best of them away.
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O this was one of my Aunts,
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the best of all the three:And surely though I say it my selfe
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A cleanly woman was she,
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A cleanly woman was she.
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My Uncle carelesse was,
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in wasting of his store:Which made my Aunt to have a care
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To looke about the more,
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To looke, etc.
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When Winter time drew on,
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neere to Allhollon day:
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My Aunt did cast her wits about
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To save her Straw and Hay,
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To save, etc.
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And like a provident woman,
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As plainely did apeare:
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She starvd her Bullockes to save her Hay,
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Untill another yeare,
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O this was one of my Aunts,
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the best of all the three,
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And surely though I sayt my selfe
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a provident woman was shee.
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But as shee went to see
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her cattell in the fields:When shee comes home two pound of durt,
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Hang dragling at her heeles,
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O this was one of my Aunts, etc.
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And there shee let it hang
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from Candlemas till May:And then shee tooke a hatchet in hand,
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And chopt it cleane away,
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O this was one of my Aunts, etc.
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In making of a cheese
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my Aunt shewed her cunning:Such perfit skill shee had at will,
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Shee never used running,
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O this was one of my Aunts, etc.
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For having strained her milke,
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in turning once about,
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Shee had the best curd that ever you saw,
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By the sent of the strayning clout,
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O this was one of my Aunts,
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the, etc.
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The second part, To the same tune.
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SHee was the choysest Nurse,
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that lived in all the West:Her face was white as the charcoale flower
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So was her neck and brest,
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O this was one of my Aunts,
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the best of all the three
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And surely though I sayt my selfe,
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a cleanly good Nurse was she.
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The garments which she did weare,
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did shine like the brazen Crock:
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And where shee went she bore such a sent,
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That the flyes blew in her frock,
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O this was one of my Aunts, etc.
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My Aunt so curious was,
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as I to you may tell:Shee used to make fat puddings,
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In markets for to sell,
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O this was one of my Aunts, etc.
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The smallest candles end,
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my Aunt would never loose:It would helpe to make her puddings fat,
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With the droppings of her nose,
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O this was one of my Aunts, etc.
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Another trick she had,
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as I shall now declare,
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Shee never swept the house,
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About foure times a yeare,
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O this was one of my Aunts, etc.
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And when shee swept the Hall,
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the Parler or the Spence:The dust was worth to her at least,
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A shilling or 14. pence,
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O this was one of my Aunts,
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the, etc.
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One day my Aunt was set
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by the fier side a spinning:
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As she knew well what was to doe,
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To wollen or to linnen,
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O this was one of my Aunts, etc.
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A change came in her minde,
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her worke being in great hast:She burnd her Tow her Wheele and all,
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Because she would make no wast,
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O this was one of my Aunts, etc.
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My Aunt so patient was,
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of this I dare be bold,
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That with her neighbours shee
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Was never knowne to scold,
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O this was one of my Aunts, etc.
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Her lips with lothsome words,
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shee seldome would defile:But sometimes she would whisper so loud,
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You might heare her halfe a mile,
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O this was one of my Aunts, etc.
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Yet one condition more,
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unto you I will show:Shee washt her dishes once a moneth,
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And set them on a row,
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O this was one of my Aunts, etc.
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If otherwise she had,
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but of a dishclout faile,
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She would set them to the Dog to lick,
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and wipe them with his tayle.
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O this was one of my Aunts, etc,
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But to conclude in hast,
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I hold it not amisse:I love a cleanly huswife well,
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As may apeare by this,
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O this was one of my Aunts,
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the best of all the three
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And surely though I sayt my selfe,
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a cleanely woman was she.
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