Humour, Wit, & Satire of the Seventeenth Century

English literature -- Early modern, 1500-1700; English wit and humor; Great Britain -- Civilization -- 17th century -- Literary collections

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]

FINIS.

London. Printed for John Wright _junior_,[F. 94] dwelling at the upper
end of the Old Baily.

    [Footnote 90: For tune, see Appendix.]

    [Footnote 91: Rennet.]

    [Footnote 92: Scent.]


[Illustration]

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

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Humour, Wit, & Satire of the Seventeenth Century

English literature -- Early modern, 1500-1700; English wit and humor; Great Britain -- Civilization -- 17th century -- Literary collections

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]

FINIS.

London. Printed for John Wright _junior_,[F. 94] dwelling at the upper
end of the Old Baily.

    [Footnote 90: For tune, see Appendix.]

    [Footnote 91: Rennet.]

    [Footnote 92: Scent.]


[Illustration]

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Humour, Wit, & Satire of the Seventeenth Century

Humour, Wit, & Satire of the Seventeenth Century

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