22.

[1]winnew. 1557.

[2]"If the Cockle be left in, it will work, and some say make the Drink the stronger."—T.R.

[3]Stanzas 7-10 are not in 1577.

[4]20th November.

[5]"The rest may lie in the open Yard, for the Cattle to tread into Dung, which is the practice now a days, so that our Farmers are not so afraid of noying their Doors it seems as formerly, and that not without good reason."—T.R.

[6]T.R. thinks that here is meant "such Ground in Common Field-land, which the whole Shot (or parcel of Land belonging to many Men against which it lies) turn upon."

[7]St. 25 is not in 1577.

1No season to hedge,getbéetleand wedge.Cleaue logs now all,for kitchen and hall.2Dull working toolessoone courage cooles.3Leaue offtittle tattle,and looke to thy cattle.Serue yoong pooreeluesalone by themselues.4Warme barth for neate,woorth halfe their meate.The elder that nurteththe yonger soone hurteth.5Howse cow that is old,while winter doth hold.6Out once in a day,to drinke and to play.7Get trustie to serue,least cattle doo sterue.And such as in déedemay helpe at a néede.8Obserue this law,in seruing out straw.9In walking about,goodforkespie out.10At full and at change,spring tides are strange.If doubt ye fray,driue cattle away.11Dankling forgotwill quickly rot.12Here learne and trieto turne it and drie.13Nowstocksremooue,that Orchards looue.14Set stock to growetoo thick nor too lowe.Set now, as they com,both cherie[1]and plom.15Shéepe, hog, and ill beast,bids stock to ill feast.[2]16At Christmas is goodto let thy horse blood.17Mark here whatrableof euils in stable.18Mixe well (oldgaffe)horse corne with chaffe.Let Jack nor Gillfetch corne at will.19[3]Some countries giftto make hard shift.Some cattle well farewith fitches and tare.Fitches and taresbe Norfolkewares.20Tares threshed with skillbestowe as yée will.21Hide strawberies, wife,to saue their life.22Knot, border, and all,now couer ye shall.23Helpe bées, sweet conie,withlicourand honie.24Getcampersa ball,tocampetherewithall.

1No season to hedge,getbéetleand wedge.Cleaue logs now all,for kitchen and hall.

2Dull working toolessoone courage cooles.

3Leaue offtittle tattle,and looke to thy cattle.Serue yoong pooreeluesalone by themselues.

4Warme barth for neate,woorth halfe their meate.The elder that nurteththe yonger soone hurteth.

5Howse cow that is old,while winter doth hold.

6Out once in a day,to drinke and to play.

7Get trustie to serue,least cattle doo sterue.And such as in déedemay helpe at a néede.

8Obserue this law,in seruing out straw.

9In walking about,goodforkespie out.

10At full and at change,spring tides are strange.If doubt ye fray,driue cattle away.

11Dankling forgotwill quickly rot.

12Here learne and trieto turne it and drie.

13Nowstocksremooue,that Orchards looue.

14Set stock to growetoo thick nor too lowe.Set now, as they com,both cherie[1]and plom.

15Shéepe, hog, and ill beast,bids stock to ill feast.[2]

16At Christmas is goodto let thy horse blood.

17Mark here whatrableof euils in stable.

18Mixe well (oldgaffe)horse corne with chaffe.Let Jack nor Gillfetch corne at will.

19[3]Some countries giftto make hard shift.Some cattle well farewith fitches and tare.Fitches and taresbe Norfolkewares.

20Tares threshed with skillbestowe as yée will.

21Hide strawberies, wife,to saue their life.

22Knot, border, and all,now couer ye shall.

23Helpe bées, sweet conie,withlicourand honie.

24Getcampersa ball,tocampetherewithall.

[25]Let Christmas spieyard cleane to lie.No labour, no sweate,go labour for heate.Féede dooues, but kill not,if stroy them ye will not.Fat hog or ye kill it,or else ye doo spill it.[26]Put oxe in stall,er oxe doo fall.Who séetheth hir graines,hath profit for paines.Rid garden of mallow,plant willow andsallow.[27]Let bore life render,sée brawnesodtender,For wife, fruit bie,for Christmas pie.Ill bread and ill drinke,makes many ill thinke.Both meate and costill dressed halfe lost.[28]Who hath wherewithall,maychéerewhen he shall:But charged man,must chéere as he can.

[25]Let Christmas spieyard cleane to lie.No labour, no sweate,go labour for heate.Féede dooues, but kill not,if stroy them ye will not.Fat hog or ye kill it,or else ye doo spill it.

[26]Put oxe in stall,er oxe doo fall.Who séetheth hir graines,hath profit for paines.Rid garden of mallow,plant willow andsallow.

[27]Let bore life render,sée brawnesodtender,For wife, fruit bie,for Christmas pie.Ill bread and ill drinke,makes many ill thinke.Both meate and costill dressed halfe lost.

[28]Who hath wherewithall,maychéerewhen he shall:But charged man,must chéere as he can.

[1]chearrey. 1577.

[2]St. 15.Wind north, north eastbids stock to il feast. 1577.

[2]St. 15.

Wind north, north eastbids stock to il feast. 1577.

[3]Sts. 19 and 20 are not in 1573 (M.); sts. 19, 20, and 24 are not in 1577.

O dirtie DecemberFor Christmas remember.Forgotten month past,Doe now at the last.Béetle and wedges.1When frost will not suffer to dike and to hedge,then get thee a heat with thy beetle and wedgeOnceHallomascome, and a fire in the hall,suchsliuersdoo well for to lie by the wall.Grinding stone and whetston.2Get grindstone and whetstone, for toole that is dull,or often belettedandfreatbellie full.A wheele barrow also be readie to haueat hand of thy seruant, thy compas to saue.Seruing of cattle.3Giue cattle their fodder in plot drie and warme,and count them formiringor other like harme.Yoong colts with thy wennels together go serue,leastlurchedby others they happen to sterue.[1]Woodland countrie.4The rack is commended for sauing of doong,so set as the old cannotmischiefethe yoong:[E129]In tempest (the wind being northly or east)warme barth[E130]vnder hedge is asucker[2]to beast.Housing of cattel.Champion.5The housing of cattel while winter doth hold,is good for all such as are feeble and old:It saueth much compas, and many a sleepe,and spareth the pasture for walke of thy sheepe.[3]Champion.6Forchargesso little much quiet is won,if strongly and handsomly al thing be don:But vse tovntacklethem once in a day,to rub and tolickthem, to drink and to play.Ordering of cattel.7Get trustie to tend them, not lubberlie squire,that all the day long hath his nose at the fire.[E131]Nor trust vnto children poore cattel to feede,but such as be able to helpe at a neede.8Serue riestraw out first, then wheatstraw and pease,then otestraw and barlie, then hay if ye please:But serue them with hay while the straw stouer last,then loue they no straw, they had rather to fast.Forkes and yokes.9Yokes, forks, and such other, let bailie spie out,and gather the same as he walketh about.And after at leasure let this be hishier,tobeath[E132]them andtrimthem at home by the fier.Going of cattel in marshes.10As well at the full of the moone as the change,sea rages in winter be sodainly strange.Then looke to thy marshes, if doubt be to fray,for feare of (ne forte) haue cattel away.Looke to thy ling and saltfish.11Both saltfish and lingfish (if any ye haue)through shifting and drieng from rotting go saue:Least winter with moistnes doo make itrelent,and put it inhazardbefore[4]it be spent.How to vse ling and haberden.12Broome fagot is best to driehaberdenon,layboordvpon ladder if fagots be gon.For breaking (in turning) haue verie good eie,and blame not the wind, so the weather be drie.Remoouing of trées.13Good fruit and good plentie doth well in the loft,then make thee an orchard and cherish it oft:For plant or for stock laie aforehand to cast,but set or remooue it er Christmas be past.An orchard point.14Set one fro other full fortie foote wide,to stand as he stood is a part of his pride.More faier, more woorthie, of cost to remooue,more steadie ye set it, more likely to prooue.Orchard and hopyard.15To teach and vnteach in a schoole is vnmeete,to doe and vndoe to the purse is vnsweete.Then orchard or hopyard, so trimmed with cost,should not through follie be spoiled and lost.Letting horse blood.16Er Christmas be passed let horse be let blood,for many a purpose it doth them much good.The daie of S. Stephen old fathers did vse:if that doemislikethee some other daie chuse.Bréeding of the bots.17Looke wel to thy horses in stable thou must,that haie be not foistie, nor chaffe ful of dust:Nor stone in their prouender, feather, nor clots,nor fed with greene peason, for breeding of bots.Hog and hennes meate.18Some horsekeeperlashethout prouender so,someGillian spendalso often doth go.For hogs meat and hens meat, for that and for this,that corne loft is empted er chapman hath his.19[5]Some countries are pinched of medow for hay,yet ease it with fitchis as well as they may.Whichinnedand threshed and husbandliedight,keepes laboring cattle in verie good plight.20In threshing out fitchis one point I will shew,first thresh out for seede of the fitchis a few:Thresh few fro thy plowhorse, thresh cleane for the cow,this order in Norfolke good husbands alow.¶ Strawberies.21If frost doe continue, take this for a lawe,the strawberies looke to be couered with strawe.Laidouerlytrim vpon crotchis and bows,and after vncouered as weather allows.¶ Gilleflowers.22The gilleflower also, the skilful doe knowe,doe looke to be couered, in frost and in snowe.The knot, and the border, and rosemarie gaie,do craue the like succour for dieng awaie.¶ How to preserue bees.23Go looke to thy bees, if the hiue be too light,set water and honie, with rosemarie dight.Which set in a dish ful of sticks in the hiue,from danger of famine[6]yee saue them aliue.24[7]In medow or pasture (to growe the more fine)let campers be camping[8][E133]in any of thine:Which if ye doe suffer whenloweis the spring,you gaine to your selfe a commodious thing.

O dirtie DecemberFor Christmas remember.

Forgotten month past,Doe now at the last.

Béetle and wedges.

1When frost will not suffer to dike and to hedge,then get thee a heat with thy beetle and wedgeOnceHallomascome, and a fire in the hall,suchsliuersdoo well for to lie by the wall.

Grinding stone and whetston.

2Get grindstone and whetstone, for toole that is dull,or often belettedandfreatbellie full.A wheele barrow also be readie to haueat hand of thy seruant, thy compas to saue.

Seruing of cattle.

3Giue cattle their fodder in plot drie and warme,and count them formiringor other like harme.Yoong colts with thy wennels together go serue,leastlurchedby others they happen to sterue.[1]

Woodland countrie.

4The rack is commended for sauing of doong,so set as the old cannotmischiefethe yoong:[E129]In tempest (the wind being northly or east)warme barth[E130]vnder hedge is asucker[2]to beast.

Housing of cattel.

Champion.

5The housing of cattel while winter doth hold,is good for all such as are feeble and old:It saueth much compas, and many a sleepe,and spareth the pasture for walke of thy sheepe.[3]

Champion.

6Forchargesso little much quiet is won,if strongly and handsomly al thing be don:But vse tovntacklethem once in a day,to rub and tolickthem, to drink and to play.

Ordering of cattel.

7Get trustie to tend them, not lubberlie squire,that all the day long hath his nose at the fire.[E131]Nor trust vnto children poore cattel to feede,but such as be able to helpe at a neede.

8Serue riestraw out first, then wheatstraw and pease,then otestraw and barlie, then hay if ye please:But serue them with hay while the straw stouer last,then loue they no straw, they had rather to fast.

Forkes and yokes.

9Yokes, forks, and such other, let bailie spie out,and gather the same as he walketh about.And after at leasure let this be hishier,tobeath[E132]them andtrimthem at home by the fier.

Going of cattel in marshes.

10As well at the full of the moone as the change,sea rages in winter be sodainly strange.Then looke to thy marshes, if doubt be to fray,for feare of (ne forte) haue cattel away.

Looke to thy ling and saltfish.

11Both saltfish and lingfish (if any ye haue)through shifting and drieng from rotting go saue:Least winter with moistnes doo make itrelent,and put it inhazardbefore[4]it be spent.

How to vse ling and haberden.

12Broome fagot is best to driehaberdenon,layboordvpon ladder if fagots be gon.For breaking (in turning) haue verie good eie,and blame not the wind, so the weather be drie.

Remoouing of trées.

13Good fruit and good plentie doth well in the loft,then make thee an orchard and cherish it oft:For plant or for stock laie aforehand to cast,but set or remooue it er Christmas be past.

An orchard point.

14Set one fro other full fortie foote wide,to stand as he stood is a part of his pride.More faier, more woorthie, of cost to remooue,more steadie ye set it, more likely to prooue.

Orchard and hopyard.

15To teach and vnteach in a schoole is vnmeete,to doe and vndoe to the purse is vnsweete.Then orchard or hopyard, so trimmed with cost,should not through follie be spoiled and lost.

Letting horse blood.

16Er Christmas be passed let horse be let blood,for many a purpose it doth them much good.The daie of S. Stephen old fathers did vse:if that doemislikethee some other daie chuse.

Bréeding of the bots.

17Looke wel to thy horses in stable thou must,that haie be not foistie, nor chaffe ful of dust:Nor stone in their prouender, feather, nor clots,nor fed with greene peason, for breeding of bots.

Hog and hennes meate.

18Some horsekeeperlashethout prouender so,someGillian spendalso often doth go.For hogs meat and hens meat, for that and for this,that corne loft is empted er chapman hath his.

19[5]Some countries are pinched of medow for hay,yet ease it with fitchis as well as they may.Whichinnedand threshed and husbandliedight,keepes laboring cattle in verie good plight.

20In threshing out fitchis one point I will shew,first thresh out for seede of the fitchis a few:Thresh few fro thy plowhorse, thresh cleane for the cow,this order in Norfolke good husbands alow.

¶ Strawberies.

21If frost doe continue, take this for a lawe,the strawberies looke to be couered with strawe.Laidouerlytrim vpon crotchis and bows,and after vncouered as weather allows.

¶ Gilleflowers.

22The gilleflower also, the skilful doe knowe,doe looke to be couered, in frost and in snowe.The knot, and the border, and rosemarie gaie,do craue the like succour for dieng awaie.

¶ How to preserue bees.

23Go looke to thy bees, if the hiue be too light,set water and honie, with rosemarie dight.Which set in a dish ful of sticks in the hiue,from danger of famine[6]yee saue them aliue.

24[7]In medow or pasture (to growe the more fine)let campers be camping[8][E133]in any of thine:Which if ye doe suffer whenloweis the spring,you gaine to your selfe a commodious thing.

[1]"The old will be apt to hunge or gore the younger."—T.R.

[2]succor. 1620.

[3]and trimly refresheth the walk of the sheepe. 1577.

[4]er ere. 1577.

[5]Sts. 19 and 20 are not in 1577.

[6]from famen and daunger. 1577.

[7]St. 24 is not in 1577.

[8]"Football playing, at which they are very dextrous in Norfolk."—T.R.

Leaue husbandrie sleeping a while ye must doo,to learne of housekeeping a lesson or twoo.What euer is sent thee by trauell and paine,a time there is lent thee torendritagaine.Although ye defend it, vnspent for to bee,another shall spend it, no thanke vnto thee.How euer we clime, to accomplish the mind,we haue but a time thereof profit to find.

[1]Chap. 22 is wanting in 1573 (M). In 1577 it is printed in twice the number of lines.

1Of God to thy dooings a time there is sent,which endeth with time that in dooing is spent.For time is it selfe but a time for a time,forgotten ful soone, as the tune of a chime.Spring.Sommer.Haruest.Winter.2In Spring time we reare, we doo sowe, and we plant,in Sommer get vittels, least after we want.In Haruest we carie in corne and the fruit,in Winter to spend as we neede of ech suit.Childhood.Youth.Manhood.Age.3The yeere I compare, as I find for a truth,the Spring vnto childhood, the Sommer to youth,The Haruest to manhood, the Winter to age:all quickly forgot as a play on a stage.[E134]4Time past is forgotten, er men be aware,time present is thought on with woonderfull care,Time comming is feared, and therefore we saue,yet oft er it come, we be gone to the graue.

1Of God to thy dooings a time there is sent,which endeth with time that in dooing is spent.For time is it selfe but a time for a time,forgotten ful soone, as the tune of a chime.

Spring.Sommer.Haruest.Winter.

2In Spring time we reare, we doo sowe, and we plant,in Sommer get vittels, least after we want.In Haruest we carie in corne and the fruit,in Winter to spend as we neede of ech suit.

Childhood.Youth.Manhood.Age.3The yeere I compare, as I find for a truth,the Spring vnto childhood, the Sommer to youth,The Haruest to manhood, the Winter to age:all quickly forgot as a play on a stage.[E134]4Time past is forgotten, er men be aware,time present is thought on with woonderfull care,Time comming is feared, and therefore we saue,yet oft er it come, we be gone to the graue.

Childhood.Youth.Manhood.Age.

3The yeere I compare, as I find for a truth,the Spring vnto childhood, the Sommer to youth,The Haruest to manhood, the Winter to age:all quickly forgot as a play on a stage.[E134]

4Time past is forgotten, er men be aware,time present is thought on with woonderfull care,Time comming is feared, and therefore we saue,yet oft er it come, we be gone to the graue.

1Who liuing but daily discerne it he may,how life as a shadow doth vanish away;And nothing to count on so suer to trustas suer of death and to turne into dust.[E135]2The lands and the riches that here we possessebe none of our owne, if a God we professe,But lent vs of him, as his talent of gold,which being demanded, who can it withhold?Atrop, or death.3God maketh no writing that iustly doth sayhow long we shall haue it, a yeere or a day;But leaue it we must (how soeuer we leeue)when Atrop[E136]shall pluck vs from hence by the sleeue.4To death we must stoupe, be we high, be we lowe,but how and how sodenly, few be that knowe:What carie we then, but a sheete to the graue,to couer thiscarkas, of all that we haue?

1Who liuing but daily discerne it he may,how life as a shadow doth vanish away;And nothing to count on so suer to trustas suer of death and to turne into dust.[E135]

2The lands and the riches that here we possessebe none of our owne, if a God we professe,But lent vs of him, as his talent of gold,which being demanded, who can it withhold?

Atrop, or death.

3God maketh no writing that iustly doth sayhow long we shall haue it, a yeere or a day;But leaue it we must (how soeuer we leeue)when Atrop[E136]shall pluck vs from hence by the sleeue.

4To death we must stoupe, be we high, be we lowe,but how and how sodenly, few be that knowe:What carie we then, but a sheete to the graue,to couer thiscarkas, of all that we haue?

1What then of this talent, while here we remaine,to studie to yeeld it to God with a gaine?And that shall we doo, if we doo it not hid,but vse and bestow it, as Christ doth vs bid.2What good to get riches by breaking of sleepe,but (hauing the same) a good house for to keepe?Not onely to bring a good fame to thy doore,but also the praier to win of the poore.3Of all other dooings house keeping is cheefe,for daily it helpeth the poore with releefe;The neighbour, the stranger, and all that haue neede,which causeth thy dooings the better to speede.4Though harken[1]to this we should eueramong,[E137]yet cheefly at Christmas, of all the yeare long.Good cause of that vse may appeare by the name,thoughniggerlyniggards doo kick at the same.

1What then of this talent, while here we remaine,to studie to yeeld it to God with a gaine?And that shall we doo, if we doo it not hid,but vse and bestow it, as Christ doth vs bid.

2What good to get riches by breaking of sleepe,but (hauing the same) a good house for to keepe?Not onely to bring a good fame to thy doore,but also the praier to win of the poore.

3Of all other dooings house keeping is cheefe,for daily it helpeth the poore with releefe;The neighbour, the stranger, and all that haue neede,which causeth thy dooings the better to speede.

4Though harken[1]to this we should eueramong,[E137]yet cheefly at Christmas, of all the yeare long.Good cause of that vse may appeare by the name,thoughniggerlyniggards doo kick at the same.

[1]hardnes. 1577

1Of Christ cometh Christmas, the name with the feast,a time full of ioie to the greatest and least:At Christmas was Christ (our Sauiour) borne,the world through sinne altogether forlorne.2At Christmas the daies doo[2]begin to take length,of Christ doth religion cheefly[3]take strength.As Christmas is onely a figure ortrope,so onely in Christ is the strength of our hope.3At Christmas webanket, the rich with the poore,who then (but the miser) but openeth [h]is doore?At Christmas of Christ many Carols we sing,and giue many gifts in the ioy of that King.4.At Christmas in Christ we reioice and be glad,as onely of whom our comfort is had;[E138]At Christmas we ioy altogether with mirth,for his sake that ioyed vs all with his birth.

1Of Christ cometh Christmas, the name with the feast,a time full of ioie to the greatest and least:At Christmas was Christ (our Sauiour) borne,the world through sinne altogether forlorne.

2At Christmas the daies doo[2]begin to take length,of Christ doth religion cheefly[3]take strength.As Christmas is onely a figure ortrope,so onely in Christ is the strength of our hope.

3At Christmas webanket, the rich with the poore,who then (but the miser) but openeth [h]is doore?At Christmas of Christ many Carols we sing,and giue many gifts in the ioy of that King.

4.At Christmas in Christ we reioice and be glad,as onely of whom our comfort is had;[E138]At Christmas we ioy altogether with mirth,for his sake that ioyed vs all with his birth.

[1]A description of Christmas. 1577.

[2]the day doth. 1577.

[3]Of Christ our faith doth begin, etc. 1577.

1Let such (so fantasticall) liking not this,nor any thing honest that ancient is,Giue place to the time that so meete we doo seeappointed of God as it seemeth to bee.2At Christmas good husbands[E139]haue corne on the ground,in barne, and in soller, woorth many a pound,With plentie of other things,[1]cattle and sheepe,all sent them (no doubt on) good houses to keepe.3At Christmas the hardnes of Winter doth rage,a griper of all things and specially age:Then lightly[E140]poore people, the yoong with the old,be sorest oppressed with hunger and cold.4At Christmas by labour is little to get,that wanting, the poorest in danger are set.What season then better, of all the whole yeere,thy needie poore neighbour to comfort and cheere?

1Let such (so fantasticall) liking not this,nor any thing honest that ancient is,Giue place to the time that so meete we doo seeappointed of God as it seemeth to bee.

2At Christmas good husbands[E139]haue corne on the ground,in barne, and in soller, woorth many a pound,With plentie of other things,[1]cattle and sheepe,all sent them (no doubt on) good houses to keepe.

3At Christmas the hardnes of Winter doth rage,a griper of all things and specially age:Then lightly[E140]poore people, the yoong with the old,be sorest oppressed with hunger and cold.

4At Christmas by labour is little to get,that wanting, the poorest in danger are set.What season then better, of all the whole yeere,thy needie poore neighbour to comfort and cheere?

[1]Things plentie in house. 1577.

1At this time and that time[1]some make a great matter,som help not but hinder the poore with their clatter.Take custome from feasting, what commeth then last,where one hath a dinner, a hundred shall fast.2To dog in the manger some liken I could,that hay will eate none, nor let other that would;Some scarce in a yeere giue a dinner or twoo,nor well can abide any other to doo.3Play thou the good fellow, seeke none tomisdeeme,disdaine not the honest, though merie they seeme:For oftentimes seene, no more verie a knauethan he that doth counterfait most to be graue.

2To dog in the manger some liken I could,that hay will eate none, nor let other that would;Some scarce in a yeere giue a dinner or twoo,nor well can abide any other to doo.

3Play thou the good fellow, seeke none tomisdeeme,disdaine not the honest, though merie they seeme:For oftentimes seene, no more verie a knauethan he that doth counterfait most to be graue.

[1]this thing and that thing. 1577.

1Good husband and huswife now cheefly be glad,things handsom to haue, as they ought to be had;They both doo prouide against Christmas doo come,to welcome good neighbour, good cheere to haue some.Christmas cuntrie fare.2Good bread and good drinke, a good fier in the hall,brawne, pudding and souse, and good mustard withall.3Beefe, mutton, and porke,shred piesof the best,pig, veale, goose andcapon,[E141]and turkey well drest;Cheese, apples and nuts, ioly Carols to heare,as then in the countrie is counted good cheare.4.What cost to good husband is any of this?good houshold prouision onely it is.Of other the like, I doo leaue out a menie,that costeth the husbandman neuer a penie.

1Good husband and huswife now cheefly be glad,things handsom to haue, as they ought to be had;They both doo prouide against Christmas doo come,to welcome good neighbour, good cheere to haue some.

Christmas cuntrie fare.

2Good bread and good drinke, a good fier in the hall,brawne, pudding and souse, and good mustard withall.

3Beefe, mutton, and porke,shred piesof the best,pig, veale, goose andcapon,[E141]and turkey well drest;Cheese, apples and nuts, ioly Carols to heare,as then in the countrie is counted good cheare.

4.What cost to good husband is any of this?good houshold prouision onely it is.Of other the like, I doo leaue out a menie,that costeth the husbandman neuer a penie.

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