The Ladder to thrift. iy 
9. 
“. The Ladder to thrift. 
Chap. 9. 
O take thy calling thankfully, | 20 To answere stranger ciuilie, 
and shun! the path to beggery. but shew him not thy secresie. 
2 To grudge in youth no drudgery, 21 To vse no friend deceitfully, 
to come by knowledge perfectly. to offer no man villeny. 
3 To count no trauell slauerie, 22 To learne how foe to pacifie, 
that brings in penie sauerlie. but trust him not too trustilie. 
4 To folow profit earnestlie 23 To kéepe thy touch substanciallie, 
but meddle not with pilferie. and in thy word vse constancie. 
5 To get by honest practisie, 24 To make thy bandes aduisedly, 
and kéepe thy gettings couertlie. & com not bound through suerty. 
6 To lash not out too lashinglie, 25 To meddle not with vsurie, 
for feare of pinching penurie. nor lend thy monie foolishlie. 
7 To get good plot to occupie, 26 To hate to liue in infamie, 
and store and vse it husbandlie. through craft, and liuing shiftingly.° 
8 To shew to landlord curtesie, 27 To shun all kinde of treachery, 
and kéepe thy couenants orderlie. for treason endeth horribly. 
9 To hold that thine is lawfullie, 28 To learne to eschew ill copany, 
for stoutnes or for flatterie. and such as liue dishonestly. 
‘ce To wed good wife for companie, 29 To banish house of blasphemie, 
and liue in wedlock honestlie. least crosses crosse vnluckelie. 
I To furnish house with housholdry, 30 To stop mischance, through policy, 
and make prouision skilfully. for chancing too vnhappily. 
(2 To ioine to wife good familie, 31 To beare thy crosses paciently, 
and none to kéepe for brauerie. for worldly things are slippery. 
(3 To suffer none liue idlelie, 32 To laie to kéepe from miserie, 
for feare of idle knauerie. age comming on so créepinglie. 
(4 To courage wife in huswiferie, 33 To praie to God continuallie, 
and vse well dooers gentilie. for aide against thine enimie. 
(5 To kéepe no more but néedfullie, 34 To spend thy Sabboth holilie, 
and count excesse vnsauerie. and helpe the needie pouertie.* 
(6 To raise betimes the lubberlie, 35 To live in conscience quietly, 
both snorting Hob and Margerie.? and kéepe thy selfe from malady. 
(7 To walke thy pastures vsuallie, 36 To ease thy sicknes spéedilie, 
to spie ill neighbours subtiltie. er helpe be past recouerie. 
1S To hate reuengement hastilie, 37 To séeke to God for remedie, 
for loosing loue and amitie. for witches prooue ynluckilie. 
19 To loue thy neighbor neighborly, [38] These be the steps vnfainedlie : 
and shew him no discurtesy. to climbe to thrift by husbandrie. 
[39] These steps both reach, and teach thee shall: 
To come by thrift, to shift withall. 
Bey ares 25, 27, 28, 32, 37 are not in the edition of 1577. After 31 the edition of 
[577 has :— 
29 To train thy child vp vertuously 30 To bridle wild otes fantasie, 
that vertue vice may qualifie. to spend thee naught vnthriftely. 
! shonne. 1577. 2 To rise betimes up readely. 1577. 
3 naughtily. 1573, 1557. # poore in misery. 1577. 
