The Fifteen Comforts of Matrimony: Responses from Men

The Sixth Comfort, &c

The next in course is he that weds a Shrew;
One that will talk, and wear the Breeches too;
Governs, insults, do's what e'er she thinks fit,
And he good Man, must to her Will submit;
Mannages all Affairs at home, abroad,
While he a Cypher seems, and stands for naught;
When e'er he speaks, she snaps him, and crys,
Pray hold your Tongue, who was't made you so wife?
You will be prating, though you nothing know:
This he must bear, and be contented too,
See his Friends slighted, and must silent be,
Till Death shall from the Torment set him free.

The Seventh Comfort, &c

Another that has liv'd some Years in Peace,
A wedded Life—do's now in strength decrease,
Nor able is to satisfie that Debt,
Which Marriage claims, and Women still expect,
Wherefore she now withdraws her Love and Care,
Reviles, and twits him of his Slights to her;
Makes it a daily Quarrel, flings and throws,
And Peace is now a Stranger to his House;
Nay, even his Servants, and his Children too,
E'en act the same they see the Mother do,
While he declining, and consumptive sits,
Bears all with patience, and to all submits.

The Eighth Comfort, &c

Another Lady, nicer bred and born,
Makes Huswif'ry, and Providence her Scorn
Her Maid and she must to the Wells repair,
She is not well, and goes to take the Air:
The House to Servants she entrusts at home,
And down on Saturday her Spouse must come,
And with him something very Costly bring,
Or Treat her there with some nice pretty thing,
She brought a Fortune, and it must be so,
But home to Rack and Ruin all do's go,
He sums his Gains, and finds it will not do;
In that for fifteen hundred pound she brought,
He'd better had a Huswife in her Smock.

The Ninth Comfort, &c

Another that with Prudence, and with Cares,
Has mannag'd well his Family Affairs,
Govern'd his Wife and Children with that ease,
Which always kept the Family in peace;
His sons and Daughters educated so,
None better bred, none cou'd gentiler go:
The Sons are now set up to drive their Trade,
The daughters married, and their Fortunes paid.
One Son runs out, another takes ill ways,
For which their Father's Pocket always pays;
The Daughter's Husband breaks, and she must come
And live a burthen on him again at home;
Until the daily Cares that they impart,
Break first his Substance, and then break his Heart.

The Tenth Comfort, &c

One thinking to encrease the Joys of Life,
Marries a Beautiful young Buxom Wife;
But soon he finds himself grow cloy'd and weak,
Nor can he give her half those Joys she'd take,
He now Consumptive, Pale and Meagre grows,
While she complaining to her Parents goes;
Says she can't Love him, such a one as he.
And now desires she may live sep'rately.
The poor fond Parents to him trudge in haste,
And reprimand him soundly for what's past.
He knows no Cause—Nor thinks he is to blame,
They tell him plainly she shall live with them,
And he allow her what is fit to have,
Which he must yield to if he'll quiet have.

The Eleventh Comfort, &c

Another has begun before her Time,
Tasted those joys—but still conceal'd her Crime
And now her Parents thinks her fit to Wed,
(The Man that has her's finely brought to Bed,)
Some hopeful Youth of Equal Worth is found,
And soon his Suit with glad Success is crown'd,
The Marriage Articles next agreed,
And the Impostor Virgin sooth'd to Bed;
The Am'rous Bridegroom on the Wanton flies,
Who modestly his first Attempt denys;
Again he moves her, she denys again,
Crys Lord I never shall endure a Man:
But warmer grown, he rushes on the Bride,
And panting now, is but with Sighs deny'd,
She yields a little to dissemble more,
Knowing the part she'd acted once before:
Wwhile he good Man, so pleas'd with what he'as done,