Now having shew’d his huswivery, Who did all things thus untowardly, Unto the good wife I’ll turn my rhyme, And tell you how she spent her time. She used to drive the cart and plow, But do’t well she knew not how. She made so many banks i’ th’ ground, He’d been better have given five pound That she had never ta’en in hand, So sorely she did spoil the land. As she did go to sow likewise, She made a feast for crows and pies, She threw away a handful at a place, And left all bare another space. At the harrow she could not rule the mare, But bid one land, and left two bare: And shortly after, well-a-day, As she came home with a load of hay, She overthrew it, nay, and worse, She broke the cart and kill’d a horse. The goodman that time had ill-luck; He let in the sow and killed a duck, And, being grieved at his heart, For loss on’s duck, his horse and cart, The many hurts on both sides done, His eyes did with salt water run. ‘Then now,’ quoth he, ‘full well I see, The wheel’s for her, the plow’s for me. I thee entreat,’ quoth he, ‘good wife, To take my charge, and all my life I’ll never meddle with huswivery more.’ The goodwife she was well content, And about her huswivery she went; He to hedging and to ditching, Reaping, mowing, lading, pitching. And let us hope that, like the Prince and Princess in the fairy tale, they lived happily ever afterwards. But I have my doubts. VI.--WOMEN IN MEN’S EMPLOYMENTS.