22-4 Biographical Sketch of the Author. 
was far from being what he terms “fantastically scrupulous,” 
or, as we should now say, of a puritanical disposition. He 
prefers a merry fellow to a grave designing villain :— 
“Play thou the good fellow! seeke none to misdeeme ; 
Disdaine not the honest, though merie they seeme; 
For oftentimes seene, no more verie a knave, 
Than he that doth counterfeit most to be grave.”? 
How strongly, too, does he support the keeping up of the old 
“ feasting-daies,” ‘Olde customes that good be let no man 
dispise,” the festivities of Christmas,” the Harvest Home, etc. 
His maxims on the treatment of servants and dependents are 
conceived in a truly Christian spirit, as when he says :— 
““Once ended thy harvest, let none be beguil'd, 
Please such as did help thee—man, woman, and child; 
Thus doing with alway such help as they can, 
Thou winnest the praise of the labouring man.” 
““Good servants hope justly some friendship to feel, 
And look to have favour, what time they do well.” 
And again, such as these— 
“Be lowly, not sullen, if aught go amiss, 
What wresting may lose thee, that win with a kiss.” 
“Remember the poor that for God’s sake do call, 
For God both rewardeth and blesseth withall. 
Take this in good part, whatsoever thou be, 
And wish me no worse than I wish unto thee.” 
The versification of Tusser does not call for any lengthened 
remarks. The greater portion of his work is written in the 
same anapzstic metre, which, though rough, is well adapted 
1 Chapter 30, stanza, 3. 
9 
@ ‘* What season then better of all the whole yeere 
Thy needie poor neighbour to comfort and cheere?” 
