90 — ¶ The Ploughmans Feasting Daies
This would not be slept,
Old guise must be kept.
1
Good huswiues, whom God hath enriched ynough,
forget not the feastes that belong to the plough.
The meaning is onelie to ioie and be glad,
for comfort with labour is fit to be had.
Leicestershire.
Plough Monday.E452
2
Plough Monday, next after that Twelftide is past,
bids out with the plough, the woorst husband is last.
If ploughman get hatchet or whip to the skreene,
maides loseth their cock if no water be seene.E453
Essex and Suffolke.
Shroftide.E454
3
At Shroftide to shrouing, go thresh the fat hen,
if blindfild can kill hir, then giue it thy men.
Maides, fritters and pancakes ynow see ye make:
let slut haue one pancake, for companie sake.
Northamptonshire.
Sheepe shearing.
4
Wife make vs a dinner, spare flesh neither corne,
make wafers and cakes, for our sheepe must be shorne.
At sheepe shearing neighbours none other thing craue,
but good cheere and welcome like neighbours to haue.
Leicestershire.
The wake day.E455
5
Fill ouen full of flawnes,E456 Ginnie passe not for sleepe,
to morow thy father his wake day will keepe.
Then euerie wanton may daunce at hir will,
both Tomkin with Tomlin, and Jankin with Gill.
Haruest home.
6
For all this good feasting, yet art thou not loose,
till ploughman thou giuest his haruest home goose.E457
Though goose go in stubble, I passe not for that,
let goose haue a goose, be she leane, be she fat.
Essex and Suffolke.
Seede cake.
7
Wife, some time this weeke, if the wether hold cleere,
an end of wheat sowing we make for this yeere.
Remember you therefore though I doo it not:
the seede Cake, the Pasties, and Furmentie pot.E458
Twise a week roast.
8
Good ploughmen looke weekly, of custome and right,
for roast meat on Sundaies and Thursdaies at night.
This dooing and keeping such custome and guise,
they call thee good huswife, they loue thee likewise.