Monday, October 18, 2010

L'Estrange: A Woman and her Maids.

It was the Way of a Good Housewifely Old Woman, to call up her Maids every Morning just at the Cock-Crowing. The Wenches were loth to rise so soon, and so they laid their Heads together, and kill'd the Poor Cock: For, say they, if it were not for his waking our Dame, she would not wake us: But when the Good Woman's Clock was gone, she'd mistake the Hour many times, and call em up at Midnight: So that instead of mending the Matter, they found themselves in a worse Condition now than before.

One Error makes way for another. First, we complain of small things: Then we shift, and instead of mending the Matter, we find it worse, 'till it comes at last to the Tinker's Work of Stopping one Hold, and making Ten.


Source: L'Estrange 209.
Ancillae et Gallus

Click here for a SLIDESHOW of all the Herrick images. Here you can see the old lady peeking through the window - and one of the maids see that they are being watched.

M0553 Perry055

No comments:

Post a Comment