"Of Job's great patience fince so oft you preach, "Well should you practife, 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, 190 "Who puts a period to domestic strife. "One of us two must rule, and one obey; "And fince in man right reason bears the fway, "Let that frail thing, weak woman, have her cc way. “The wives of all my family have rul'd 195 "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 custom I could have. "But fee! I'm all your own--nay hold-for "fhame! "What means my dear---indeed---you are to "blame." Thus with first three Lords I past my life; 206 my A very woman, and a very wife. What fums from these old fspouses I could raise, Procur'd young husbands in my riper days. Tho' past my bloom, not yet decay'd was I, My fourth dear spouse was not exceeding true; He kept, 'twas thought, a private miss or two: 230 But all that score 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, 240 And now lies buried underneath a Rood, 245 255 Let men avoid us, and on them we leap; In pure good will I took this jovial spark, Had but 265 my husband piss'd against a wall, 270 Or done a thing that might have cost his life, She---and my niece---and one more worthy wife, Had known it all: what most he would conceal, To these I made no fcruple to reveal. Oft has he blush'd from ear to ear for shame, 275 That e'er he told a fecret to his dame. It fo befel, in holy time of Lent, (My husband, thank my stars, was out of town) 285 At Sermons too I fhone in fcarlet gay, "Twas when fresh May her early bloffoms yields, This Clerk and I were walking in the fields. 291 We grew fo intimate, I can't tell how, I pawn'd my honour, and engag'd my vow, That he, and only he, fhould ferve my turn. 295 I vow'd, I scarce could fleep fince first I knew him, 300 And durft be fworn he had bewitch'd me to him; If e'er I flept, I dream'd of him alone, And dreams foretel, as learned men have shown: All this I faid; but dreams, Sirs, I had none : I follow'd but my crafty Crony's lore, Who bid me tell this lye---and twenty more. 395 Thus day by day, and month by month we past; It pleas'd the Lord to take my spouse at last. I tore my gown, I foil'd my locks with dust, And beat my breafts, as wretched widows--muft. |