A merry Dialogue betwixt a married man and his wife, concerning the affaires of this carefull life.
To an excellent Tune.
I have for all good wives a Song,
I doe lament the womens wrong,
And I doe pittie them with my heart,
to think upon the womens smart,
Their labour's great and full of paine,
ye for the same they have small gaine.
In that you say cannot be true,
for men doe take more paines then you,
We toile, we moile, we grieve and care,
when you sit on a stoole or chaire,
Yet let us do all what we can,
your tongues will get the upper hand.
We women in the morning rise,
as soone as day breaks in the skies,
And then to please you with desire,
the first we doe, is, make a fire,
Then other worke we straight begin,
to sweep the house, to card, or spin.
Why men doe 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 wives speake you no more,
for these were liles you told before.
We women here do beare the blame,
but men would seeme to [...]ave the fame [...]
But trust me, I will never yeeld,
my tongues mine [...], 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 get you all your state,
You know tis true in what I say,
therefore you must give men the w [...]y,
And not presume to grow too hie,
your speeches are not worth a fly.
You men could not tell how to shift,
if you of women were bereft,
We wash your cloathes, & dresse your diet,
and all to keep your mindes in quiet,
Our work's not done at morne nor night,
to pleasure men is our delight.
Women are called a house of care:
they bring poore men unto dispaire,
That man is blest that hath not bin
inlured by a womans sin,
They'l cause a man, if heele give way,
to bring him to his lives decay.
The second part. To the same Tune.
IF we poore women were as bad
as men report being drunk or mad,
We might compare with many men,
and count our selves as bad as them.
Some oft are drunk and beat their wives,
and make them weary of their lives.
Why, women they must rule their tongues
that bring them to so many wrongs,
Sometimes their husbands to disgrace,
they'l call him knaue and rogue to's face
Say, worse then that they'l tell him plain,
his will he shall not well obtaine,
We women in childbed take great care,
I hope the like sorrow wil fal to your share
Then would you thinke of womens smart,
and seeme to pity them with your heart,
So many things to us belong,
we oftentimes doe suffer wrong.
Though you in childbed bide some paine,
your Babes renue your ioyes againe,
Your Gossips comes unto your ioy.
and say, God blesse your little Boy,
They say, the childe is like the Dad
when he but little share in't had.
You talke like an asse you are a Cuckoldly fool,
I'l break thy head with a 3 legd stool
Will you poore Women thus abuse:
our tongues and hands we need to use.
You say our tongues do make men fight,
our hands must serve to do us right.
Then I to you must give the way,
and yeeld to women in what they s [...]
All you that are to chuse a wife.
be carefull of it as your life.
You see that women will no yeeld,
in any thing to be compeld.
You Maides, I speak the like to you,
there's many dangers doe ensue:
But howsoever fortunes serve,
see that my rules you doe observe,
If men once have the upper hand,
they'l keepe you downe do what you c [...]
I will not séeme to urge no more,
good wiues, what I did say before,
Was for your good, and so it take,
I loue all women for my wives sake.
And I pray you when you are sick and d [...]
call at my house and take my wife wy [...].
Well, come sweete heart let us agree [...]
content, sweet wife so let it be,
Where man and wife doth liue at hat [...].
the curse of God hangs ore the gat [...]
But I will love thee as my life.
as every man should love his wife.
Printed by the Assignes of Thomas Symcocke.