Seldom cleanly OR,  
A merry new Ditty, wherein you may see,  
The trick of a Huswife, in every degree:  
Then lend your attention while I do unfold,  
As pleasant a story as you have heard told,  
To the tune of, Upon a Summer's time.  
 

DRaw near you Country Girls,  
and ●●ssen unto me,  
I'll tell you here a new conceit  
concerning Housewifery,  
concerning Housewifery,   

Three Aunts I had of late,  
good Huswives all were they:  
But cruel death hath taken  
the best of them away,  
O the best of them away.   

O this was one of my Aunts,  
the best of all the three:  
And surely though I say it myself  
A cleanly woman was she,  
A cleanly woman was she.   

My Uncle careless was,  
in wasting of his store:  
Which made my Aunt to have a care  
To look about the more,  
To look, etc.   

●hen Winter time drew on,  
nee●e to ●lthollon day:  
My Aunt did cash her wits about  
To save her Straw and Hay,  
To save, etc.   

And like a provident woman,  
As plainly did appear:  
She starved her Bullocks to save her Hay,  
Until another year,  
O this was one of my Aunts,  
the best of all the three,  
And surely though I say't myself  
a provident woman was she.   

But as she went to fee  
her cattle in the fields:  
When she comes home two pound of dirt,  
Hang dangling at her heels,  
O this was one of my Aunts, etc.   

And there she let it hang  
from Candlemas till May:  
And then she took a hatchet in hand,  
And chopped it clean away,  
O this was one of my Aunts, etc.   

In making of a cheese  
my Aunt showed her cunning:  
Such perfect skill she had at will,  
She never used running,  
O this was one of my Aunts, etc.   

For having strained her milk.  
in turning once about,  
She had the best curd that ever you saw,  
By the scent of the straining clout,  
O this was one of my Aunts,  
the, etc.   

The second part, To the same tune.  
 

She was the choicest Nurse,  
that lived in all the West:  
Her face was white as the charcoal flower  
So was her neck and breast,  
O this was one of my Aunts,  
the best of all the three  
And surely though I say't myself,  
a cleanly good Nurse was she.   

The garments which she did wear,  
did shine like the brazen Crock▪  
And where she went she bore such a scent,  
That ●he flies b●ew in her frock,  
O this was one of my Aunts, etc.   

My Aunt so curious was,  
as I to you may tell▪  
She used to make ●at puddings,  
In markets for to sell  
O this was one of my Aunts, etc.   

The smallest candles end,  
my Aunt would never lose:  
It would help to make her puddings fat,  
With the droppings of her nose,  
O this was one of my Aunts, etc.   

Another trick she had,  
as I shall ●ow declare,  
She never swept the house,  
About some times a year,  
O this was one of my Aunts, etc.   

And when she swept the Hall,  
the Parlour or the Spence:  
The dust was worth to her at least,  
A shilling or 14. pence  
O this was one of my Aunts,  
the, etc.   

One day my Aunt was set  
by the fire si●e a spinning:  
As she knew well what was to do,  
To woollen or to linen,  
O this was one of my Aunts, etc.   

A change came in her mind,  
her work being in great haste:  
She burned her Tow her Wheel and all,  
Because she would make no waist,  
O this was one of my Aunts, etc.   

My Aunt so patient was,  
of this I dare be bold  
That with her neighbours she  
Was never known to scold,  
O this was one of my Aunts, etc.   

Her lips with loathsome words,  
she seldom would defile:  
But sometimes she would whisper so loud,  
You might hear her half a mile,  
O this was one of my Aunts, etc.   

Yet one condition more,  
unto you I will thou:  
She washed her dishes once a month,  
And set them on a row,  
O this was one of my Aunts, etc.   

If other wise she had,  
but of a dishclout fail,  
She would set them to the Dog to lick.  
and wipe 〈◊〉 with his tail.  
O this was one of my Aunts, &c,   

But to conclude in haste,  
I hold it not amiss:  
I love a cleanly huswife well,  
As may appear by this,  
O this was one of my Aunts,  
the best of all the three  
And surely though I say't myself,  
a cleanly woman was she.    
L. P.  
FINIS.   

London Printed for john Wright junior, dwelling at the upper end of the Old Bailie.