A merry Dialogue betwixt a married man and his wife concerning the affaires of this carefull life.
To an excellent Tune.
I Haue for all good wiues a Song,
I doe lament the womens wrong,
And I doe pitty them with my heart,
to thinks vpon the womens smart,
Their labours great and full of paine,
yet for the same they haue small gaine.
In that you say cannot be true,
for men doe take more paines then you,
We toyle, we moyle, we grieue and care,
when you sit on a stoole or chaire,
Yet let vs doe all what we can,
your tongues will get the vpper hand.
We women in the morning rise,
as some as day breakes in the skies,
And then to pleas [...] you with desire,
the first we doe, is, make a fire,
Then other work [...] we straight begin,
to sweepe the house, to card, or spin,
Why men worke at Plough and Cart.
which soone would break a womans hart
They sow, they mow, and reape the corne,
and many times doe weare the horne.
In praise of wines speake you no mo [...]
for these were lies you told before.
We women here doe beare the blame,
but men would séeme to haue the fame:
But trust me I will neuer yeeld,
my tongue's my owne, I thereon build,
Men may not in this case compare,
with women for their toyle and care.
Fie, idle women, how you prate,
tis men that gets you all your state,
You know tis true in what I say,
therefore you must giue men the way,
And not presume to grow too his,
your speeches are not worth a flye.
You men could not tell how to shift,
if you of women were bereft,
We wash your cloathes, and dresse your diet
and all to keepe your minds in quiet,
Our works not done at morne nor night,
to pleasure men is our delight.
Women are called a house of care;
they bring poore men vnto despaire,
That man is blest that hath not bin.
iniuted by a womens sin,
They'l cause a man if heale giue way,
to bring him to his liues decay.
The second part.
To the same tune
IF we poore women were as bad,
as men report being drunke or mad,
We might compare with many men,
and count our selues as bad as them,
Some oft are drunke and beat their wiues
and make them weary of their liues.
Why women they must rule their tonges,
that brings them to so many wrongs,
Sometimes their husbands to disgrace,
they'l call him knaue and rogue to's face,
Nay, worse then that, they'l tell him plaine
his will he shall not well obtaine.
We women in childbed take great care,
I hope yt like forrow wil fal to your share
Then would you thinke of womens smart,
and seeme to pitty them with your heart
So many things to vs belong,
we oftentimes doe suffer wrong.
Though you in childbid bide some paine,
your Babes tenues your ioyes againe,
Your Gossips comes vnto your ioy,
and sayes, God blesse your little Boy,
They say the child is like the Dad,
when he but little share in't had.
You talke like an Asse you are a Cockoldly foole,
Ile break your head wt a 3 legd stoole
Will you poore Women thus abuse,
our tongues and hands we need to vse.
You say our tongues doe make men fight,
our hands must serue to doe vs right.
Then I to you must giue the way,
and yéeld to women in what they say,
All you that are to chuse a wife,
be carefull of it as your life,
You sée that women will not yéeld,
in any thing to be compeld.
You Maides I speake the like to you,
there's many dangers doe ensue:
But howsoeuer fortunes serue,
sée that my rules you doe obserue.
If men once haue the vpper hand,
they'l kéepe you downe do what you can.
I will not séeme to vrge no more,
good wiues what I did say before,
Was for your good, and so it take,
I loue all women for my wiues sake.
And I pray you when you are sick and die,
call at my house and take my wife wye.
Well, come swéet heart, let vs agree:
content swéet wife, so let it be,
Where man and wife doe liue at hate,
the curse of God hangs ore the gate.
But I will loue thée as my life,
as euer man should loue his wife,
FINIS.
Printed for M. Trundle, Widdow.