Ehold the Woes of Matrimonial Life,
And hear with Rev'rence an experienc'd
Wife!
To dear-bought Wisdom give the Credit
due,
And think, for once, a Woman tells you true.'
In all these Tryals I have born a Part;
I was my felf the Scourge that caus'd the Smart;
For, fince Fifteen, in Triumph have I led
Five Captive Husbands from the Church to Bed.
Chrift faw a Wedding once, the Scripture fays, And faw but one, 'tis thought, in all his Days; Whence fome infer, whofe Confcience is too nice, No pious Christian ought to marry twice.
But let them read, and folve me, if they can,
The Words addreft to the Samaritan:
Five times in lawful Wedlock fhe was join'd;
And fure the certain Stint was ne'er defin'd.
Encreafe and multiply was Heav'n's Command,
And that's a Text I clearly understand.
This too, Let Men their Sires and Mothers leave,
And to their dearer Wives for ever cleave.
More Wives than one by Solomon were try'd,
Or else the Wifeft of Mankind's bely'd.
I've had, my felf, full many a merry Fit,
And truft in Heav'n I may have many yet.
For when my tranfitory Spouse, unkind
Shall die, and leave his woful Wife behind,
I'll take the next good Chriftian I can find.
Paul, knowing One cou'd never ferve our Turn, Declar'd 'twas better far to Wed, than Burn; There's Danger in affembling Fire and Tow,
I grant 'em that, and what it means you know.
The fame Apostle too has elsewhere own'd
No Precept for Virginity he found:
Take which we like, the Counsel, or our Will.
I Envy not their Blifs, if He or She
Think fit to live in perfect Chastity,
Pure let them be, and free from Taint of Vices
I, for a few flight Spots, am not so nice.
Heav'n calls us different Ways, on these bestows
One proper Gift, another grants to those :
Not ev'ry Man's oblig'd to fell his Store,
And give up all his Substance to the Poor;
Such as are perfect, may, I can't deny;
But by your Leave, Divines, fo am not Ì.
Full many a Saint, since first the World began,
Liv'd an unfpotted Maid in fpite of Man:
Let fuch (a God's Name) with fine Wheat be fed,
And let us honest Wives eat Barley Bread.
For me, I'll keep the Poft affign'd by Heav'n,
And use the copious Talent it has giv'n;'
Let my good Spouse pay Tribute, do me Right,
And keep an equal Reck'ning ev'ry Night;
His proper Body is not his, but mine;
For fo faid Paul, and Paul's a sound Divine,
Know then, of thofe five Husbands I have had, Three were just tolerable, two were bad,
The three were Old, but rich and fond befide,
And toil❜d most piteously to please their Bride :
· But fince their Wealth (the best they had) was mine.
The reft, without much Lofs, I cou'd refign.
Sure to be lov'd, I took no Pains to please,
Yet had more Pleasure far than they had Eafe.
Presents flow'd in apace: With Show`rs of
They made their Court, like Jupiter of old.
If I but fimil'd, a fudden Youth they found,
And a new Palfie feiz'd them when I frown'd
Ye Sov'reign Wives! give Ear, and undeftands
Thus fhall ye fpeak, and exercife Command.
For never was it giv'n to Mortal Man,
To lye fo boldly as we Women can.
Forfwear the Fact, tho' feen with bo:
And call your Maids to Witnefs how
Hark old Sir Paul ('twas thus I us
Whence is our Neighbour's Wife for
Treated, carefs'd, where-e'er fhe's
I fit in Tatters, and immur'd at hom
|