The Married-womans Case:
OR
Good Counsell to Mayds, to be carefull of hastie Marriage, by the
example of other Married-women. To the tune of
The Married-mans Case.
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YOu Maidens all, that are willing to wed,
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before you are we[l]l advised,
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[Ma]ke not too much haste to the mariage bed,
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lest the sheetes be too dearely prized:
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[Be] sure to try before you doe trust,
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[Too m]any love not but only for lust;
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[And] make their poore wives to leape at a crust:
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[And th]us lives a woman that's marry'd, is marry'd,
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[Thus li]ves a poore woman that marry'd.
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[?] liner single has little to care for,
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[?]ent and [?]et's prov[id]ed;
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[?]ly [?] mee: then [w]her-fore
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[?]est to be brided?
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[?] at rest,
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[?]h be possest;
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[?]udge at the best:
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[And thus lives a woman that's] marry'd, is marry'd,
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[Thus lives a poore woman that]'s marry'd.
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[?] rich man,
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[?]ion,
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[?] the can,
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[?]:
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[?] and his shooes,
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[?] flatly refuse,
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[?] chuse:
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[And thus lives a woman that's marry']d, is marry'd,
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[Thus lives a poore woman that's marr]y'd.
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A woman that marries a quarelling Coxcombe,
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hath cause enough to distaste her:
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For when to the Alehouse he bringeth a Fox home,
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hee'l finde some occasion to baste her:
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She seldome shall goe without her face blacke,
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She shall not want blowes, though vitle she lacke,
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Although from a man hee'l perhaps turne his backe:
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And thus lives a woman that's marry'd, is marry'd,
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Thus lives a poore woman that's marry'd.
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Not only at home hee's given to quarrell,
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but also in other places:
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Where now and then, to his wonderfull peril,
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he meetes with knocks and disgraces;
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And then his poore wife his Surgeon must bee,
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To cure his infirmities ready is shee;
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Yet for her endeavour ingratefull is hee:
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And thus lives a woman that's marry'd, is marry'd,
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Thus lives a poore woman that's marry'd.
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A woman that to a whore-monger is wed,
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is in a most desperate case:
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She scarce dares performe her duty in bed,
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with one of condition so base:
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For sometime shee's bitten with Turnbull-street Fleas,
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The Pox, or some other infectious disease,
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And yet, to her perill, his mind she must please:
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Oh, thus lives a woman that's marry'd, is marry'd,
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Thus lives a poore woman that's marr'yd.
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The second part, To the same tune.
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A Woman that marries a drunken sot,
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must looke for no competent living;
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For he all the day will sit at the Pot,
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and never takes thought for thriving:
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From Alehouse to Alehouse all day he will rome,
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While she sits with bread and faire water at home;
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What-ever he gets, he giveth her none:
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And thus lives a woman that's marry'd, is marry'd,
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Thus lives a poore woman that's marry'd.
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And if she have children, her griefe is the more,
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to heare them complaine for vittle,
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While their wretched father ith' Alehouse doth rore,
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and thinke of their want but little:
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Too many such husbands there be, the Lord knowes,
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That will have good liquor, how ere the world goes:
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But she that has such a one, needs no more woes:
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Yet thus lives a woman that's marry'd, is marry'd.
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Oh, thus lives a woman that's marry'd.
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A woman that is to a gamster espoused,
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her case is to be lamented:
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For he from his gaming can hardly be rouzed,
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by any meanes can be invented:
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Hee's either at S[li]dethrifth, at Tables or Dice,
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Where while he sits wishing for Kator and Size,
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His money consumeth away with a thrice:
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And thus lives a woman that's marry'd, is marry'd.
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Oh, thus lives a woman that's marry'd.
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As long as his purse with monies is lin'd,
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he never has power to give over;
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And if he have lost, tis still in his mind,
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that he shall his losses recover:
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And thus night and day with vaine folly hees led
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And wasts what should maintain his houshold with bread,
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Who oft are constrain'd to goe fasting to bed.
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And thus lives a woman that's marry'd, etc.
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A woman who's ty'de to a jealous asse,
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is a slave to his doubfull condition:
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She hardly dares looke any man in the face,
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but still it produceth suspition;
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He marketh her steps with so watchfull an eye:
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And though she all baseness doth scorne and d[e]fie,
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Yet he dreams of hornes, when he knowes no cause why:
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And thus lives a woman that's marry'd, etc.
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And thus it is difficult, doe what you can,
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a perfect good husband to light on:
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Then let no faire Maiden be in love with a man
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that she hath but onely set sight on:
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For marriage must not be accounted a toy,
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One houre brings much sorrowes or joy:
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Then do not (sweet Damsels) your fortunes [destroy]
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By being too hasty of marriage, of marriage,
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Think first how to live when y'are marry'd.
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And thus Ile conclude, as I began,
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with this friendly admonition:
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Let no woman heedlesly marry a man,
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before she has tride his condition:
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For time will bring every action to view,
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And try whether Lovers be faithlesse or true:
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And thus, gentle Maidens I bid you Adieu;
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Desiring you well to be marry'd, be marry'd,
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Or else may you never be marry'd.
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