working life of women seventeenth century - School of Economics ...

AGRICULTURE AGRICULTURE 47two Weeks, and went herself to request it, whichsmall matter she could not obtain, but was denyed ;and as I understood by her, it might be one of thegreatest occasions of her grief which ever happenedunto her, yet in much Meekness and true Patienceshe stooped down, and quietly took up this her lastCross also, and is gone with it and all the rest, out of thereach of all her Enemies, . . . Three Nights andTwo Days before her Death, I was admitted to cometo her, though I may say (with grief) too late, yet itwas to her great joy to see me once more whom sheso dearly loved ; and would not willingly suffer meany more to depart out of her sight until she hadfinished her days, . . . Her Sufferings (in thecondition she was in) although I was a Prisoner, werefar greater then mine, for the whole time that shebecame my Wife, which was some Weeks above ThreeYears, notwithstanding there was never yet man,woman, nor child, could justly say, she had given themany offence . . . yet must . . . unreasonable mencleanse our Fields of Cattle, rummage our House ofGoods, and make such havock as that my Dear Wifehad not wherewithal to dress or set Food before meand her Children.'The duties of a Farmer's wife were described ahundred years earlier by Fitzherbert in the " Boke ofHusbandrie." He begins the " Prologue for thewyves occupacyon," thus, " Now thou husbande thathast done thy diligence and laboure that longeth to ahusband to get thy liuing, thy wyues, thy children,and thy seruauntes, yet is there other thynges to bedoen that nedes must be done, or els thou shalt notthryue. For there is an olde common saying, thatseldom doth ye husbande thriue without leue of hiswyf. By thys saying it shuld seem that ther be otheroccupaci6s and labours that be most covenientBatt (Mary), Testimosy to Lifc and Dentb of, pp. 57, 1683.for the wyfes to do, and how be it that I haue not theexperience of all their occupacyions and workes as Ihaue of husbandry, yet a lytel wil I speake what theyought to do though I tel the not how they shoulddo and excersyse their labour and occupacions.A lerson for the wyfe . . . alway be doyngof some good workes that the deuil may fynde thealway occupied, for as in a standyng water are engendredwormes, right so in an idel body are engenderedydel thoughtes. Here maie thou see yt of idelnescommeth damnatib, & of good workes and labourcommeth saluacion. Now thou art at thy libertie tochose whither waye thou wilte, wherein is greatdiversite. And he is an unhappye man or woman thatgod hath given both wit & reason and putteth him inchoise & he to chose the worst part. Nowe thouwife I trust to shewe unto the diuers occupacions,workes and labours that thou shalt not nede to beydel no tyme of ye yere. What thinges the wife isbounde of right to do. Firste and principally the wyfeis bound of right to loue her husband aboue fatherand mother and a1 other men . . .What workes a wyfe should do in generall.Firstin the mornyng when thou art wakCd and purposeto rise, lift up thy had & blis the & make a signe ofthe holy crosse . . . and remembre thy makerand thou shalte spede muche the better, & when thouart up and readye, then firste swepe thy house ;dresse up thy dyscheborde, & set a1 thynges in goodorder within thy house, milke ye kie, socle thy calues,sile up thy milke, take up thy children & aray th~,& provide for thy husbandes breakefaste, diner,Souper, & for thy children & seruauntes, & take thyparte wyth them. And to ordeyne corne & malt tothe myll, to bake and brue withall wh~ nede is.And mete it to the my11 and fro the myll, & se thatthou haue thy mesure agayne besides the tole or ellesthe mylner dealeth not truly wyth the, or els thy corne