72 — ¶ A Description of Huswife and HuswiferieE428
1
Of huswife doth huswiferie challenge that name,
of huswiferie huswife doth likewise the same,
Where husband and husbandrie ioineth with thease,
there wealthines gotten is holden with ease.
2
The name of a huswife what is it to say?
the wife of the house, to the husband a stay.
If huswife doth that, as belongeth to hur:
if husband be godlie,1 there needeth no stur.
3
The huswife is she that to labour doth fall,
the labour of hir I doo huswiferie call.
If thrift by that labour be honestlie2 got:
then is it good huswiferie, else is it not.
4
The woman the name of a huswife doth win,
by keeping hir house, and of dooings therein.
And she that with husband will quietly dwell,
must thinke on this lesson, and follow it well.
1 wittie. 1577. Cf. post, ch. 100, st. 6.
2 be sued or got. 1577.