The Marryed Mans Lesson:
OR,
A disswasion from Jealousie.
To the tune of, All you that will wooe a wench.
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YOu men who are marrid come hearken to mee,
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Ile teach you a Lesson if wise you will bee,
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Then take my advice thats intended for good,
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and so tis if it bee but well understood:
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Twill cause you to shun all contention and spleene,
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that daily betwixt man and woman are seene,
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I speake against jealousie that monster fierce.
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and wish I could conquer the Fiend with my verse,
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O Be not thou jealous I prethee deere Lad,
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for jelousie makes many good women bad.
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If thou have a good wife then I thee advise
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to cherish her well for shee is a rare prize,
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If shee bee indifferent betweene good and bad,
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good meanes to reforme her may easily be had:
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If shee bee so evill that there is few worse,
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imagin thy sinnes have deserved that curse,
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Then beare with true patience thy crosse as tis fit,
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and thou to a blessing thereby maist turne it.
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But be not, etc.
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Betweene these 3. winds the good, bad, & the meane,
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I ground the whole argument of this my Theme,
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For in them a mans humane blisse, or his woe,
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doth chiefly consist as experience doth show:
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Thus is it not counsell thats worthy regard,
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which teacheth to soften a thing that is hard,
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And what I intend is in every mans will,
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to turne to a vertue what seemeth most ill.
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Then be, etc.
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A wife that is good beeing beautifull may
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perhapps raise suspition that sheel goe astray,
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O note the fond humours that most men possesse,
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theyr neither content with the more nor the lesse,
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For if shee bee homely, then her hee will slight,
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to such neither faire, nor foule, can yeeld delight,
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If once heele bee jealous the other hee scornes,
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theres no greater plagues then imagined hornes.
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Then be not, etc.
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A wife thats indifferent betweene good and ill,
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is shee that in huswifery shewes her good will,
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Yet sometimes her voyce shee too much elevates,
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is that the occasion for which her hee hates:
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A soveraigne remedy for this disease,
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is to hold thy tongue let her say what shee please:
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Judge, is not this better then to fight and scratch,
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for silence will soonest a Shrew over match.
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However I pray thee shun jealousie Lad,
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for jealousie makes many good women bad.
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A wife thats all bad if thy lucke bee to have,
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seeke not to reclaime her by making her slave,
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If shee bee as bad as ever trod one ground,
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not fighting nor jealousie will heale that wound:
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For marke when a River is stopt in its course,
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it oreflowes the bankes then the danger is worse.
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Thy owne good example and patience with all,
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may her from her vices much rather recall.
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Then be not, etc.
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The second part. To the same tune.
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A Wife that is vertuous in every respect,
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who doth her vowd duety at no time neglect,
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Shees not free from censure, for fooles their bolts shoote
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as oft at the head as they doe at the foote:
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A kisse, or a smile, or a Jest, or a dance,
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familior discour[s]e or an amarous glance,
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All these as her witnesse envy doth bring,
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the credit of innocent women to sting.
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But be not thou jealous I pray thee deare Lad,
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for jealousie makes many good women bad.
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A wife thats indifferent if curbd over much,
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will grow worse & worse for their nature is such,
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The more thou with rigor dost seeke her to mend,
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the more theyl persist and grow desperat ith end,
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And thus from indifferency wanting good meanes,
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Some wel meaning women turn impudient queans,
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if goodnesse by beating thou seekst to infuse,
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For breaking her flesh thou all goodnesse dost bruse.
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Then be not, etc.
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A wife at the worst (as I told you before)
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a drunkard, a swearer, a scold, theefe, or whore,
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By gentle perswasions, reclaimed may bee,
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my selfe by experience, but lately did see:
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A man that with jealousie plagued had beene,
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when hee the last labour and trouble had seene,
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Hee cast off his care, and referd all tos wife,
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who soone left her vices and led a new life.
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Then be not, etc.
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I also have knowne a wife handsome and neate,
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of whom her fond husband did take a conceate,
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That other men lovd her because shee was faire,
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though on the contrary, to him shee did sweare:
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Hee watcht her, hee eyd her, hee noted her wayes,
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and once hee ins drink, he a scandall would raise,
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This usage irregular set her on fier,
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& so from thence foreward shee provd him no lyer,
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Then be not, etc.
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Consider each circumstance with good regard,
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how oft causelesse jelousie wins due reward,
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And likewise I wish thee to beare in thy brest,
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that patience and quietnes still is the best.
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For if she benought shele grow worse with restraint
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but patience may make of a harlot, a Saint,
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If faire meanes prevaile not, thoult nere dot by foule
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for meekenesse (if any thing) must win a soule
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Then be not, etc.
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Now lastly to both men and women I speake,
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from this foolish fancy their humors to breake,
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Bee loving and tractable each unto other,
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and what is amisse let affection still smother:
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So shall man and wife in a simpathy sweet,
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at boorde, and at bed (as they ought to doe) meete,
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All fighting and scratching, and scolding shall cease,
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where jelousies harbord there can bee no peace.
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Then be not thou jaelous I pray thee deare Lad,
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for jealousie makes many good women bad.
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