The nimble juice foon feiz'd his giddy head,
Frantic at night, and in the morning dead.

405

How fome with fwords their fleeping lords have flain, And fome have hammer'd nails into their brain, And fome have drench'd them with a deadly potion; All this he read, and read with great devotion.

415

410 Long time I heard, and fwell'd, and blufh'd, and frown'd; But when no end of thefe vile tales I found, When still he read, and laugh'd, and read again, And half the night was thus confum'd in vain; Provok'd to vengeance, three large leaves I tore, And with one buffet fell'd him on the floor. With that, my husband in a fury rose, And down he fettled me with hearty blows, I groan'd, and lay extended on my fide; Oh! thou haft flain me for my wealth (I cry'd) 420 Yet I forgive thee-take my laft embraceHe wept, kind foul! and ftoop'd to kiss my face; I took him fuch a box as turn'd him blue, Then figh'd and cry'd, Adieu, my dear, adieu! But after many a hearty struggle past,

life:

I condefcended to be pleas'd at last.
Soon as he faid, My mistress and my wife,
Do what you lift, the term of all your
I took to heart the merits of the cause,
And stood content to rule by wholesome laws;
Receiv'd the Reins of abfolute command,
With all the government of house and land,
And empire o'er his tongue, and o'er his hand.

N 3

425

As for the volume that revil'd the dames,

'Twas torn to fragments, and condemn'd to flames. 435 Now heav'n on all my husbands gone, beftow Pleasures above, for tortures felt below :

That reft they wish'd for, grant them in the grave,
And bless those fouls my conduct help'd to fave!

IM I

IMITATIONS

O F

ENGLISH POETS:

Done by the AUTHOR in his Youth.

N 4

IMITATIONS

OF

ENGLISH POETS.

W

I.

CHAUCER.

WOMEN ben full of Ragerie,
Yet fwinken nat fans fecrefie.
Thilke moral fhall ye understond,

From Schole-boy's Tale of fayre Ireland:
Which to the Fennes hath him betake,
To filch the gray Ducke fro the Lake.
Right then, there paffen by the Way
His Aunt, and eke her Daughters tway.
Ducke in his Trowses hath he hent,
Not to be fpied of Ladies gent.
"But ho! our Nephew, (crieth one,)
"Ho! quoth another, Cozen John;
And stoppen, and lough, and callen out,➡

This fely Clerk full low doth lout:

They asken that, and talken this,

15

Lo here is Cox, and here is Mifs.

But,