The Pleasures of a Single Life | Page 6

to assault my Soul, or dare }?Near my Retreat to hide one secret Snare. }?But so Divine, so Noble a Repast.?I'd seldom, and with Moderation caste.?For highest Cordials all their Virtue lose,?By a too freequent, and to bold an use;?And what would cheer the Spirits in distress;?Ruins our Health when taken to Excess.
I'd be concern'd in no litigious Jarr,?Belov'd by, all not vainly popular:?Whate'er Assistance I had power to bring?T'oblige my Country, or to serve my King,?Whene'er they call'd, I'd readily afford,?My Tongue, My Pen, my Counsel, or my Sword.?Law-suit I'd shun with as much Studious Care;?As I wou'd Dens where hungry Lyons are;?An rather put up injuries than be?A Plague to him, who'd be a plague to me.?I value Quiet at a Price too great,?To give for my Revenge so dear a Rate:?For what do we by all our bustle gain,?But counterfeit Delight for real Pain.
If Heav'n a date of many years wou'd give,?Thus I'd in Pleasure, Ease and Plenty live.?And as I near approach'd the Verge of Life,?Some kind Relation (for I'd have no Wife)?Should take upon him all my Worldly Care,?While I did for a better State prepare.?Then I'd not be with any trouble vext.?Nor have the Evening of my Days perplext.?But by a silent, and a peaceful Death,?Without a Sigh, Resign my Aged Breath:?And when committed to the Dust, I'd have?Few Tears, but Friendly drop'd into my Grave.?Then wou'd my Exit so propitious be,?All Men wou'd wish to live and dye like me.
FINIS.
AN ANSWER TO?THE?PLEASURES?OF A?SINGLE LIFE:?OR,?THE COMFORTS?OF?MARRIAGE?Confirm'd and Vindicated:?With the Misery of Lying alone, prov'd and asserted.
LONDON,?Printed for M. Goodwin_, near _Fleet Street, 1701.
AN?ANSWER?To the Pleasure of a Single LIFE, &c.
When from Dark nothing Heaven the World did make?And all was Glorious it did undertake;?Then were in Eden's Garden freely plac'd,?Each thing that's pleasant to the Sight and Tast;?'Twas fill'd with Beasts and Birds, Trees hung with Fruite?That might with Man's Cealestal Humour suite.?The World being made, both spacious and compleat,?Then Man was form'd most Nobly and Great;?When Heaven survey'd the Works that it had done,?Saw Male and Female, but found Man alone,?A baren Sex, and Insignificant, }?Then God made Woman to supply the want, }?And to make perfect which before was scant. }?The Word no sooner spoke, but it was done;?'Cause 'twas not fit for Man to be alone;?It was not in his power without a Wife,?To reap the happy Fruites of human Life;?Nay, more than this, Mankind long since had ceas'd,?And now had been surviv'd by senceless Beast,?He'd Slept and Wasted in obscurity,?And Darkly perish'd in his Infancy.?If Heaven, had not sent so blest a Creature,?To be the Treasure house of human Nature;?So the alwise Creator thought it best,?That Man and Wife together might be blest:?Appointed then immortal Bonds to tye,?Two Hearts in one, with equal Amity;?And so he than by his alwise Direction,?Both Souls united with the like affection;?So very sweetly and with such delight,?The swiftest Winged Minutes take their flight,?And thus Gods Love to Mankind did dispence,?The sacred Wedlock, which did then commence:?Not founded as some Criticks say, by chance;?But Heaven it self, did this blest State advance.?Not subject to the various Revolutions,?Of fickle fading human Institutions.?A Married Life was first contriv'd above,?To be an Emblem of Eternal Love;?And after by Divine indulgence sent,?To be the Crown of Man, and Wife's content;?Yet black Mouthed Envy Strives with all its might;?To blast the Credit of that sacred Rite.?The hard Mouth fops, a single Life applau'd,?And hates a Woman, that woun't be a Baw'd:?Nothing he values like a single Life,?For tho he loves a Whore, he hates a Wife,?Calls the poor Husband, Monkey, Ass or Dog,?And Laughs because he wears the Wedlock Clogg,?Yet freely they'l or'e tops of Houses Strolling,?And venture Bones each Night a Caterwouling?Expose himself to Falls, or Guns or Traps, }?And twenty other unforeseen Mishaps, }?All in his hot persuite of Whores and Claps. }
Thus single Sots, who Wedlock vainly slight,?Are Slaves to Lust both Morning, Noon and Night?Ruin their Health, their Honour and Estate,?And buy Repentance at a curssed rate:?While lawful Weded Couples spend their times,?In happy charming Pleasures without Crimes,?What greater Bliss, or Comfort in this Life,?Can Man desire, but with a vertuous Wife:?I'le with a Wife in lawful Wedlock sport,?While you in Woods with Beastes of Prey resort:?Your bawdy Books, your silent Consort be,?While happy Man and Wife in Love agree,?And both unite in mutual Harmonie.?Sodom for Sins like thine, by Fire was burn'd,?And from a City to a Lake was turn'd;?They Wedlock scornd, and Lust they made a Feast,?And far out did the senceless Savage Beast,?Even so, the shamless loathsom single Elff,?Worse than the Beast makes Sodom of himself;?And then to lessen those his hateful Crimes,?He Rails at Wedlock in confused Rhimes,?Calls Woman Faithless, 'cause she woun't consent,?To humour what his Brutish Thoughts invent;?No wonder then,