|| 
Dairie 
matters. 
{ 
Tll hus- 
wiferie. 
106 
15 
18 
20 
Aprils husbandrie. 
Some pester the commons, with iades and with geese, 
with hog without ring and with sheepe without fleese. 
Some lose a daie labour with seeking their owne, 
some meet with a bootie they would not haue knowne. 
Great troubles and losses the champion sees,’ 
and euer in brauling, as wasps among bees: 
As charitie that waie appeereth but small, 
so lesse be their winnings, or nothing at all. 
Where champion wanteth a swineherd for hog, 
there many complaineth of naughtie mans dog. 
Where ech his owne keeper appoints without care, 
there corne is destroied er men be aware. 
The land is well harted with helpe of the fold, 
for one or two crops, if so Jong it will hold. 
If shepherd would keepe them from stroieng of corne, 
the walke of his sheepe might the better be borne. 
Where stones be too manie, annoieng thy land, 
make seruant come home with a stone in his hand. 
By daily so dooing, haue plentie yee shall, 
both handsome for pauing and good for a wall. 
From April beginning, till Andrew be past, 
so long with good huswife, hir dairie doth last. 
Good milchcow and pasture, good husbands prouide, 
the resdue good huswiues knowes best how to guide. 
Ill huswife vnskilful to make hir owne chees, 
through trusting of others hath this for hir fees. 
Her milke pan and creame pot, so slabbered and sost, 
that butter is wanting and cheese is halfe lost. 
1 “Our Author liv’d in the Reigns of King Henry the Eighth, King 
Edward the Sixth, Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth: during which time 
there were several commotions about the taking in of Common Field Land. 
. The greatest part of the privileges of Common Fields, etc., are but 
so many privileges to wrong and quarrel with their neighbours.” —T.R. 
