Or elfe fhe dances with becoming grace,
Or fhape excuses the defects of face.
There fwims no goofe fo grey, but foon or late,
She finds fome honest gander for her mate.

Horses (thou fay'st) and affes men may try,
And ring fufpected veffels ere they buy:
But wives, a random choice, untry'd they take,
They dream in courtfhip, but in wedlock wake;
Then, not till then, the veil's remov'd away,
And all the woman glares in open day.

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You tell me, to preferve your wife's good grace, Your eyes muft always languifh on my face, Your tongue with conftant flatt'ries feed my ear, And tag each sentence with, My life! my dear! If by strange chance, a modest blush be rais'd, Be fure my fine complexion must be prais'd. My garments always must be new and gay, And feafts ftill kept upon my wedding-day. Then must my nurse be pleas'd, and favʼrite maid; And endless treats, and endless vifits paid, To a long train of kindred, friends, allies; All this thou fay'st, and all thou fay'ft are lies. On Jenkin too you caft a squinting eye : What! can your 'prentice raise your jealousy? Fresh are his ruddy cheeks, his forehead fair, And like the burnish'd gold his curling hair. But clear thy wrinkled brow, and quit thy forrow, I'd fcorn your 'prentice, fhould you die to-morrow.

Why

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I10

115

120

Why are thy chefts all lock'd? on what design? Are not thy worldly goods and treasure mine? Sir, I'm no fool; nor fhall you, by St. John, Have goods and body to yourself alone. One you fhall quit, in spite of both your eyes-I heed not, I, the bolts, the locks, the spies. If you had wit, you'd fay, "Go where you will, 130 "Dear spouse, I credit not the tales they tell : "Take all the freedoms of a marry'd life;

"I know thee for a virtuous, faithful wife."

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Lord! when you have enough, what need you care How merrily foever others fare?

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Tho' all the day I give and take delight,

Doubt not, fufficient will be left at night.

'Tis but a juft and rational defire,
To light a taper at a neighbour's fire.

There's danger too, you think, in rich array, 140
And none can long be modeft that are gay:
The Cat, if you but finge her tabby skin,
The chimney keeps, and fits content within;
But once grown fleek, will from her corner run,
Sport with her tail, and wanton in the sun;
She licks her fair round face, and frisks abroad,
To fhow her furr, and to be catterwaw❜d.

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Lo thus, my friends, I wrought to my defires
These three right ancient venerable fires.
I told 'em, Thus you fay, and thus you do,
And told 'em falfe, but Jenkin fwore 'twas true.

M 2

150

I, like

I, like a dog, could bite as well as whine,

And first complain'd, whene'er the guilt was mine.
I tax'd them oft with wenching and amours,

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When their weak legs scarce dragg'd'em out of doors;
And fwore the rambles that I took by night,
Were all to spy what damfels they bedight.
That colour brought me many hours of mirth;
For all this wit is giv'n us from our birth.
Heav'n gave to woman the peculiar grace
To spin, to weep, and cully human race.
By this nice conduct, and this prudent course,
By murm'ring, wheedling, ftratagem, and force,
I ftill prevail'd, and would be in the right,
Or curtain-lectures made a restless night.
If once my husband's arm was o'er my fide,
What! fo familiar with your spouse? I cry'd:
I levied first a tax upon his need;

Then let him-'twas a nicety indeed !
Let all mankind this certain maxim hold,
Marry who will, our fex is to be fold.
With empty hands no taffels you can lure,
But fulfome love for gain we can endure;
For gold we love the impotent and old,
And heave, and pant, and kifs, and cling, for gold.
Yet with embraces, curfes oft I mixt,

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Then kifs'd again, and chid and rail'd betwixt.
Well, I
my
will in peace,
may make
and die,
For not one word in man's arrears am I.

збо

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170

Το

66

184

To drop a dear difpute I was unable, Ev'n tho' the Pope himself had fat at table. But when my point was gain'd, then thus I spoke, Billy, my dear, how sheepishly you look? Approach, my spouse, and let me kifs thy cheek; "Thou should'st be always thus, refign'd and meek! "Of Job's great patience fince fo oft you preach, "Well fhould you practise, who fo well can teach. "'Tis difficult to do, I must allow, "But I, my dearest, will instruct you how. "Great is the bleffing of a prudent wife, "Who puts a period to domestic strife. "One of us two must rule, and one obey; "And fince in man right reafon bears the fway, "Let that frail thing, weak woman have her way. "The wives of all my family have rul'd "Their tender husbands, and their paffions cool'd. Fye, 'tis unmanly thus to figh and groan; "What! would you have me to yourself alone? "Why take me, Love! take all and ev'ry part! "Here's your Revenge! you love it at your heart. "Would I vouchfafe to fell what nature gave, 201 "You little think what cuftom I could have. "But fee! I'm all your own-nay hold-for shame! "What means my dear-indeed-you are to blame." Thus with my first three Lords I past my life; A very woman, and a very wife. What fums from these old fpoufes I could raise, Procur'd young husbands in my riper days.

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206

M 3

66

180

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Tho'

Tho' past my bloom, not yet decay'd was I,
Wanton and wild, and chatter'd like a pye.
In country dances ftill I bore the bell,
And fung as fweet as ev'ning Philomel.
To clear my quail-pipe, and refrefh my foul,
Full oft I drain❜d the spicy nut-brown bowl;
Rich luscious wines, that youthful blood improve,
And warm the swelling veins to feats of love:
For 'tis as fure as cold ingenders hail,
A liqu'rish mouth must have a lech'rous tail;
Wine lets no lover unrewarded go,
As all true gamefters by experience know.
But oh, good Gods! whene'er a thought I caft
On all the joys of youth and beauty paft,

To find in pleasures I have had my part,
Still warms me to the bottom of my heart.
This wicked world was once my dear delight; 225
Now all my conquests, all my charms, good night!
The flour confum'd, the best that now I can,

210

214.

220

Is e'en to make my market of the bran.

230

My fourth dear spouse was not exceeding true;
He kept, 'twas thought, a private mifs or two:
But all that fcore I paid-as how? you'll fay,
Not with my body, in a filthy way :

But I fo drefs'd, and danc'd, and drank, and din'd;
And view'd a friend, with eyes fo very kind,
As ftung his heart, and made his marrow fry,
With burning rage, and frantick jealousy.

235