[T]he New Way of Marriage.
OR,
A Pleasant Contract between John and Kate.
[M]arriage that simple Contract still doth bind,
And mittigate the freedom of the mind:
Kate for prevention of that endless strife,
Will be a Mistris rather then a Wife.
To a Pleasant New Tune. With Allowance.
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John.
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DEarest do,
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You easily may,
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The place is agreeing to't,
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And no one can see us do't;
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then don't delay:
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The torment is so great,
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that I endure;
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That you must immediately
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kill or cure:
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For time admits of no demurr,
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in such a case as this:
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I'd erather dye,
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Then be so nigh,
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and not reap bliss.
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Kate.
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O kind John,
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why so fast?
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Yet for all this clatter,
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I know no such matter,
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there's no hast:
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I'm not at leisure yet
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to be undone,
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Though you languish
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Still in pain,
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and make moan:
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Let the Parson speak some words,
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and we shall soon agree;
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For my mind is to be kind,
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onely to thee.
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John.
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DEarest Love,
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Think what you say,
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If once the Parson prove it,
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You never can remove it,
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night nor day.
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Marriage is a tye,
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does fools confine,
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They no sooner enter in,
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but repine:
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Then who would feed
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In one poor Dish,
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and that unwholsome drest:
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When he is sure,
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He can procure,
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a nobler Feast?
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Then dear Kate,
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my only joy;
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I have a way more easie,
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And that I know will please thee,
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mark what I say:
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We will the modish way
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of love pursue,
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Love and lye without a tye,
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yet still be true.
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Thus in each others joys will we
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receive the rapting bliss,
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And this shall all the contract be,
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seal'd with a kiss.
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Kate.
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But dear John,
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it is well known,
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Youngmen their love doth last
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No longer then the pleasure's past,
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and so be gone.
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Therefore if you mean with me,
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to ease your mind:
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To this you must immediately
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be confin'd.
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That you on none but me do build,
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your faith and love alone:
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Then I will thus enviting yield,
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come dear John.
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John.
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Dearest since
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you thus comply,
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I plight my faith in trust,
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And to it will be just,
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until I dye:
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My fancy shall no more
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a roving flye,
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But to thee I constantly
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my self will tye:
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Till we have acted what we meant,
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and cloy'd each others heart,
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Then as we came, with joynt consent,
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we'l kiss and part.
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Kate.
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Well kind John,
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my love you have won,
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I like this indefferent well,
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When either with enjoyment swell,
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to stay, or be gone.
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Then don't with Courtship sue,
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you've gain'd the field,
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But to pleasure pay it's due,
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I freely yield.
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Being thus agreed, they went away
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all sorrow to remove:
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Within each other to enjoy,
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the sweets of Love.
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