A Rule For Women To Brynge Vp Their Daughters Poem by Thomas Underdowne

Ye Mothers that your Daughters wyll
brynge vp and nurture well:
These Rules do keepe, & them obserue,
Whiche I shall here nowe tell.
If they wyll go or gad abrode,
their legges let broken bee:
Put out their eyes if they wyll looke
or gase vndecentlye.
If they their eares wyll gyue to hark
what other men do saye:
Stoppe them vp quyte, if geue or take,
then cut their handes awaye.
If they dare lyghtly vse to talke,
their lyppes together sowe:
If they wyll ought lyghtly entende,
lette Grasse vpon them growe.
And at a worde, if she be yll,
let her yll aunswers haue:
And for her dower geue sharpe wordes
and for her house a graue.
Therfore ye Mothers, if ye vse
and kepe my Rules in mynde:
Daughters you shall haue none at all,
or those of Phenyx kynde.