The Bride | Page 8

first is that she haue domestique cares,
Of priuate businesse for
the house vvithin,
Leauing her husband vnto his affaires,
Of things
abroad that out of doores haue bin:

By him performed as his charge to doe,
Not busie-body like inclin'd
thereto.
Nor intermedling as a number will,
Of foolish gossips, such as doe
neglect,
The things which doe concerne them, and too ill,
Presume
in matters vnto no effect:
Beyond their element, when they should looke,
To what is done in
Kitchin by the Cooke.
Or vnto childrens vertuous education,
Or to their maides that they
good huswiues be,
And carefully containe a decent fashion,
That
nothing passe the lymmits of degree:
Knowing her husbands businesse from her own,
And diligent doe that,
let his alone.
The second dutie of the wife is this,
(Which shee in minde ought very
carefull beare)
To entertaine in house such friends of his,
As she
doth know haue husbands welcome there:
Not her acquaintance without his consent,
For that way Iealousie
breeds discontent.
An honest woman will the scandall shun,
Of that report is made of
wantonnesse,
And feare her credit will to ruine run,
When euill
speakers doe her shame expresse:
And therefore from this rule a practise drawes,
That the effect may
cease, remoue the cause.
Th'ird dutie is, that of no proude pretence,
She moue her husband to
consume his meanes,
With vrging him to needlesse vaine expence,

Which toward the Counter, or to Ludgate leanes:
For many ydle huswiues (London knowes)
Haue by their pride bin

husbands ouerthrowes,
A modest woman will in compasse keepe,
And decently vnto her
calling goe,
Not diuing in the frugall purse too deepe,
By making to
the world a pecocke showe:
Though they seeme fooles, so yeelde vnto their wiues,
Some poore
men doe it to haue quiet liues.
Fourth dutie is, to loue her owne house best,
And be no gadding
gossippe vp and downe,
To heare and carry tales amongst the rest,

That are the newes reporters of the towne:
A modest vvomans home is her delight,
Of businesse there, to haue
the ouersight.
At publike playes she neuer will be knowne,
And to be tauerne guest
she euer hates,
Shee scornes to be a streete-wife (Idle one,)
Or field
vvife ranging vvith her vvalking mates:
She knows how wise men censure of such dames,
And how with
blottes they blemish their good names.
And therefore with the doue sheele rather choose,
To make aboade
where she hath dwelling place,
Or like the snayle that shelly house
doeth vse,
For shelter still, such is good-huswiues case:
Respecting residence where she doth loue,
As those good
housholders, the snayle and doue.
Fift dutie of a wife vnto her head,
Is her ohedience to reforme his will,

And neuer with a selfe conceit be led,
That her aduise prooues
good, his counsell ill:
In Iudgement being singular alone,
As hauing all the wit, her husband
none.

She must not thinke her wisedome to be thus,
(For we alasie are
weakelings vnto men)
What singular good thing remaines in vs,
Of
wife ones in a thousand, show me ten,
Her stocke of wit, that hath the most (I say,)
Hath scarse enough for
spending euery day.
When as the husband bargaines hath to make,
In things that are
depending on his trade,
Let not wifes boldnes, power vnto her take,

As though no match were good but what she made
For she that thus hath oare in husbands boate,
Let her take breech,
and giue him petti-coate.
Sixt dutie is, to pacific his yre,
although she finde that he empatient
be,
For hasty words, like fuell adde to fire,
And more, and more
insenceth wraths degree:
When she perceiues his choller in a fit,
Let her forbeare, and that's a
signe of wit.
Many occasions vnto men doe fall,
Of aduerse crosses, woemen not
conceiue,
To find vs honny, they doe meete with gall,
Their toyle
for vs, doe their owne ioyes bereaue:
Great shame it were, that we should ad their woe,
That doe maintaine,
and keepe, and loue vs so.
If that a hasty word sometime be spoke,
Let vs not censure therefore
they are foes,
Say tis infirmitie that doth prouoke,
Their hearts are
sorry for their tongues God knowes:
Since we by proofe each day and hower finde,
For one harsh word,
they giue ten thousand kind
The seuenth dutie that she must endeauour,
Is to obserue her

husbands disposition,
And thereunto conforme her selfe for euer,
In
all obedient sort, with meeke submission:
Resoluing that as his conditions are,
Her rules of life she must
according square.
His vertues and good parts which she doth finde,
shee must endeauor
for to imitate,
The vices whereunto he is enclin'd,
Shee must in
patience beare in milde estate:
So that the meekenesse of her louing carriage,
May be peace-maker,
of all strife in marriage.
She must not doe as foolish woemen vse,
When they are met about
the gossippes chat,
Their absent husbands with their tongues abuse,

But vtterly abhorre to offer that:
Resoluing that a husbands least disgrace,
Sould cause the wife to
haue a blushing face.
The eight last dutie she must take vpon her,
To binde all t'other