440

445

450

But the, your fex's mirrour, free from pride,
Was much too meek to prove a homicide.
But to my tale: Some fages have de fin'd
Pleasure the fovereign blifs of human-kind :
Our Knight (who frudy'd much, we may suppose)
Deriv'd his high philofophy from those;
For, like a prince, he bore the vast expence
Of lavish pomp, and proud magnificence:
His houfe was ftately, his retinue gay;
Large was his train, and gorgeous his array.
His fpacious garden, made to yield to none,
Was compafe'd round with walls of folid ftone;
Priapus could not half defcribe the grace
(Though God of gardens) of this charming place:
A place to tire the rambling wits of France
In long defcriptions, and exceed Romance ;
Enough to frame the gentleft bard that Sngs
Of painted mea lows, and of purling fprings. 455
Full in the centre of the Howery ground,
A cryftal fountain fpread its ftreams around.
The fruitful banks with verdant laurels crown'd;
About this foring (if ancient fame fay true)
The dapper Elves their moonlight fports purfue:
Their pigmy king, and little fairy queen,
In circling dances gambol'd on the green,
While tuneful fprites a merry concert made,
And airy mufic warbled through the ade.

451

470

Hither the noble knight would oft repair, 455
(His fce e of pleafure, and peculiar care).
For this he held it dear, and always bore
The filver key that lock'd the garden-door.
To this fweet place, in fummer's fultry heat.
He us'd from noife and bufinefs to retreat;
And here in dalliance fpend the live-long day,
"Solus cum ola," with his fprightly May:
For whate'er work was undifcharg'd a-bed,
The duteous knight in this fair garden sped.
But, ab! what mortal lives of blifs fecure?
How fhort a space our worldly joys endure! 476
O Fortune, fair, like all thy treacherous kind,
But faithlefs ftill, and wavering as the wind!-
O painted monfter, form'd mankind to cheat
With pleafing poifon, and with foft deceit!
This rich, this amorous venerable knight,
Amidft bis ease, his folace and delight,
Struck blind by thee, regus his days to grief,
And calls on death, the wretch's laft relief.
The rage of jealousy then feiz'd his mind, 485
For much he fear'd the faith of wo nan-kind.
His wife, no fuffer'd from his fide to tray,
Was captive kept; he witch'd hernight and day,
Abridg'd her pleafures, and confia'd her fway.
Full of in tears did hapless May complain,

430

490

And ghd full oft; but figh'd and wept in vain:
She looked on Damian with a lover's eye;

1

For, oh, 'twas fix'd, the muft po Tefs or die!
Nor lefs inpatience vex'd her amorous Squire,
Wild with delay, and burning with debre. 495
"Vatch'd as he was, yet could he not refrain
By fecret writing to diclofe his pain :
The dame by tgns rêveal'd her kind intent,
Till both were confcious what each other meant.
Ah, gentle Knight, what could thy eyes avail,
Though they could fee as far as fhips can fail?
VOL. VI.

'Tis better, fure, when blind, deceiv'd to bs,
Than be deluded when a man can fee!

Argus himself, fo cautious and fo wife,
Was over-watch'd, for all his hundred eyes: 505
So many an honeft husband may, 'tis known,
Who, wifely, never thinks the cafe his own.
The dame at last, by diligence and care,
Procur'd the key her Knight was wont to bear;
She took the wards in wax before the fire,
510
And gave th' impreffion to the trusty Squire.
By means of this, fome wonder shall appear,
Which, in due place and feafon, you may hear.
Well fung fweet Ovid, in the days of yore,
What flight is that, which love will not explore?
And Pyramus and Thifoe plainly show
The feats true lovers, when they lift, can do:
Though watch'd and captive, yet in spite of all,
They found the art of kiffing through a wall,

But now no longer from our tale to stray;
It happ'd, that once upon a fummer's day,
Our reverend Knight was urg'd to amorous
play;

He rais'd his fpoufe ere Matin-bell was rung,
And thus his morning canticle he fung.

Awake, my love, difclofe thy radiant eyes;
Arife, my wife, my beauteous lady, rife! 526
Hear how the doves with penfive notes complain,
And in foft murmus tell the trees their pain:
The winter's pat; the clouds and temperts fly;
The fun adorns the fields, and brightens all the
iky.

Fair without spot, whofe every charming pert
My bofom wounds, and captivates my heart;
Come, and in mutual pleafures let's engage,
Joy of my life, and comfort of my age.

This heard, to Damian traight a fign fhe made,
To hafte before; the gentle Squire obey'd: 536
Secret, and undefcry'd, he took his way,
And ambu❜d close behind an arbour lay.

It was not long ere january came,
And hand in hand with him his lovely dame; 540
Blind as he was, not doubting all was fure,
He turn'd the key, and made the gate fecure.

Here let us walk, he faid, obfervid by none,
Conscious of pleafures to the world unknown :
So may my foul have joy, as thou, iny wife, 545
Art far the dearest folace of my life;
Aud rather would I chufe, by Heaven above,
Relect what trust was in my paffion fhowa,
To die this inftant, than to lofe thy love.
When unendow'd I took thee for my own, 552
And fought no treasure but thy heart alone.
Old as I am, and now depriv'd of fight,
Whilst thou art faithful to thy own true Knight,
Nor age nor blindnefs rob me of delight.
Each other lofs with patience I can bear,
The lofs of thee is what I only fear.

553

Confider then, my lady, and my wife,
The folid comforts of a virtuous life.
As, firit, the love of Chrift himself you gain;
Next, your own honour undefil'd maintain; 50
And lastly, that which fure your mind muft

move,

My whole eftate fhall gratify your love:
Make your own terms, and ere to-morrow's fun
Difplays his light, by Heaven, it fhall, be done.
X X

را

710

In that nice moment, la! the wondering

knight

Look'd out, and flood reftor'd to fudden fight.
Straight on the tree his eager eyes he bent, 750.
As one whofe thoughts were on his fpoufe intent;
But when he saw his bofom-wife fo drefs'd,
His rage was fuch as cannot be exprefs'd:
Not frantic mothers when their infants die,
With louder clamours rend the vaulted fky: 755
He cry'd, he roar'd, he ftorm'd, he tore his hair;
Death!, hell! and furies! what doft thou do
there?

What ails my Lord? the trembling dame re

ply'd;

760

I thought your patience had been better try'd:
Is this your love, ungrateful and unkind,
This my reward for having cur'd the blind?
Why was I taught to make my husband fee,
By ftruggling with a Man upon a Tree?
Did I for this the power of magic prove?
Unhappy wife, whofe crime was too much love !!
If this be ftruggling, by this holy light, - - 766 5.
'Tis ftruggling with, a vengeance (quoth the
Knight):

So Heaven preferve the fight it has reftor'd,
As with thefe eyes I plainly faw thee whor'd;
Whor'd by my flave-perfidious wretch! may

hell

770

We leave them here in this heroic strain,
And to the Knight our story turns again;
Wao in the garden, with his lovely May,
Sung merrier than the Cuckow or the Jay:
Thi was his fong; "Oh kind and conftant be,
"Conftant and kind I'll ever prove to thee."
Thus finging as he went, at lait he drew
By eafy fteps, to where the Pear-tree grew :
The longing dame look'd up, and fpy'd her Love
Full fairly perch'd among the boughs above.
She ftopp'd, and fighing: Oh good Gods! fheSo help me, Fates, as 'tis no perfect fight,
cry'd,

As furely feize thee, as I faw too well! :
Guard me, good Angels! cry'd the gentle

716

What pangs, what fudden fhoots, diftend my
fide!

for that tempting fruit, so fresh, so green;
Help, for the love of Heaven's immortal Queen!
Help, dearest Lord, and fave at once the life
Of thy poor infant, and thy longing wife!

725

730

Sore figh'd the Knight to hear his Lady's cry,
But could not climb, and had no fervant nigh:
Old as he was, and void of eye-fight too,
What could, alas! a helplefs husband do?
And muft I languish then, the faid, and die,
Yet view the lovely fruit before my eye?
At least, kind Sir, for charity's fweet fake,
Vouchsafe the trunk between your arms to take;
Then from your back I might afcend the tree;
Do you but stoop, and leave the reft to me.
With all my foul, he thus reply'd again,
I'd spend my deareft blood to eafe thy pain.
With that, his back against the trunk he bent,
She feiz'd a twig, and up the tree she went.

735

Now prove your patience, gentle ladies all!
Nor let on me your heavy anger fall;
'Tis truth I tell, though not in phrafe refin'd;
Though blunt my tale, yet honeft is my mind.
What feats the Lady in the Tree might do,
I país, as gambols never known to you;
But fure it was a merrier fit, fhe swore,
Than in her life the ever felt before..

745

May,

Pray Heaven, this magic work the proper way!
Alas, my love! 'tis certain, could you fee,
You ne'er had us'd thefe killing words to me:

But fome faint glimmering of a doubtful light.
What I have faid (quoth he) I must maintain,
For by the immortal powers it seem'd too plain.
By all thofe powers, fome frenzy seiz'd your

mind.

(Reply the dame): are these the thanks I find?.
Wretch that I am, that e'er I was fo kind!
She faid; a rifing fgh exprefs'd her woe,
The ready tears apie began to flow,
And, as they fell, the wip'd from either eye 785
The drops (for women, when they lift, can cry).
The Knight was, touch'd, and in his looks ap-
pear'd

Signs of remorfe, while thus his fpoufe he.
chear'd:

Madam, 'ti paft, and my fhort. anger o'er;
Come down, and vex your tender heart no more a
Excufe me, dear, if aught amifs was faid,
For, on my foul, amends fhall foon be made:
Let my repentance your forgiveness draw,
By Heaven, I fwore but what I thought I faw.
Ah, my lov'd lord! 'twas much unkind (the
cry'd)

On bare fufpicion thus, to treat your bride.
But, till your ight 's establish'd, for a while,
Imperfect objects may your fenfe begle.
Thus when from Leep we firft our eyes dif
play,

The balls are wounded with the piercing ray,
And dulky vapours rife, and intercept the day.
XX 2

So, juft recovering from the fhades of night, Your fwimming eyes are drunk with fudden light,

Strange phantoms dance around, and kim before your ght:

Then, Sir, be cautious, nor too rashly deem;
Heaven knows how seldom things are what they
feem!
866

-Confult your reason, and you foon fhall find
Twas you were jalous, not your wife unkind:
Jove ne'er ípoke Gradle more true than this,
None judge fo wrong as thofe who thin: amifs.
With that the leap'd into her Lord's embrace,
With well-diffembled virtue in her face.

He Hugg'd her clo é, and tiis d her o'er and c'er,
Disturb'd with doubts and jealoufes no more:
Both, pleas'd and blefs'd, renew'd their mutual
Vows,

A fruitful wife, and a believing spouse.

815

Thus ends our tale; whofe moral rext to make,
Let all wife hufbands hence example take;
And pray, to crown the pleasure of their lives,
To be fo well deluded by their wives.

820

EHOLD the woes of matrimonial life,
And hear with reverence an experienc'd
wife!

To dear-bought wifdom give the credit due,
And think, for once, a woman tells you true.
In all thefe trials I have bor e a part,
I was myself the fcourge that caus'd the fmart;
For, fince fifteen in triumph have I led
Five captive Hubands from the (hurch to bed.
Chrift faw a wedding once, the Scripture fays,
And faw but one, 'tis thought, in all bis days;
Whence fome infer, whofe confcierce is too nice,
No pious Chriflian ought to marry twice.

But let them read, and folve me, if they can,
The words addrefs'd to the Samaritan :
Five times in lawful wedlock fhe was join'd; 15
And fure the certain flint was ne'er defin'd.
"Encr afe and multiply," was Heaven's com-
mand,

And that's a text I clearly understand.

30

Paul, knowing one could never ferve our turn
Declar'd 'twas better ar to wed than burn.
There's du ger in alembling fre and tow;
I grant them that, and what it means you know.
The fame apoide too has eliewhere own'd,
No precept for Virginity he found:

is but a counsel and we women ftill
Take which we line, the countel, or our will. 55
Ie vy not their blifs, if he or fre
Think ft to live in perfect chastity;
Pure let them be, a diree from taint of vice;
I, for a few fight spots, am not so nice.
Heaven calls us different ways, on these beflows
One proper gift, another grants to thofe:
Not every man's obliged to ell his ftore,
And give up all his fuburance to the poor;
Such as are perfect may, I car deny
But, by your leaves, Divines, to am not I.

41

45

Fell many a Saint ince firft the world began,
Liv'd an unipotted Maid, in fpite of man:
Let fuch (a-God's-1.ame) with fine wheat be
fed,

And let us honeft wives eat barley bread.
For me, I'll keep the poft af gr'd by heaven, 50
And ufe the copious talent it has given.
Let my good fpoufe pay tribute, do me right,
And Jeep an equal reckoning every night.
His proper body is not his, but mile?
For fo faid Paul, and Pat P's a fou, d divine,
Know then, of those five husbands I have had,
Three were juft tolerable, two were bad.
The three were old, but rich ad fold be de,
And teil'd noft piteously to pleate their bride:
But 1nce their wealth (the beft they had) was
mine,

The reft, without much lofs, I could refign,
Sure to be lov'd, I took no pains to please,

55

60

65

| Yet had more Pleasure far tha.. they had Påfe.
Prefents flow'd in apace: with flowers or gold,
They made their court, like jupiter of old.
If I but mil'd a fudden youth they found,
And a new pal y te z'd them when I frown'd.
Ye fovereign wives! give car and understand,
Thus all ye fpea, and exercife command.
For never was it given to mortal man,
To lie fo boldly as we women can:
Forfwear the fact, though feen with both his
eyes,

And call your maids to witness how he lies,

70

Har, old Sir Paul, ( twas thus I us'd to (ay)
Whence is our neighbour's wie fo rich and gay?
Treated, careis'd, where'er the's pleas'd to roam
I fit in tatters, ad immurd at home.
Why to her houfe don thou so oft repair?
Art thou fo amorous? aid is the fo fair.?
If I but fee a couí n or a friend,

This, too, "Let then their fires and mothers Lord! how you fwell, and rage like any fiend! lave,

"And to their dearer wives for ever cleave," 20
More wives than one by Solomon were try'd,
Or elfe the wifeft of manki d's bely'd.
I've had myself full many a merry fit ;
And truft in heaven, I may have many yet,
For when my transitory fpoufe unkind,
Shall die, and leave his woeful wife behind,
I'll take the next good Chriftiau I can find.

25

But you reel home, a drunken beaftly bear,
Then preach till mida ght in your eafy chair;
Cry, wives are falfe, and every woman evil,
And give up all that's female to the devil.

80

85

If poor (you fay) fte drains her husband's purse;
If rich, the keeps her prieft, or fomething work;
If highly born, intolerably vain,
Vapours and pride by turns poffefs her brain,

Now gayly mad, now fourly splenetic;
Freakith when well, and fretful when the 's fck.
If fair, then chatte fhe cannot long abide,
By preffing youth attack'd on every fide;
If foul, her wealth the lufty lover lures,
Or elfe her wit fome fool-gallant procures,
Or elfe the dances with becoming grace,
Or fhape excufes the defects of face.

95

I told them, thus you fay, and thus you do, 150
And told them falie, but Jenkin fwore 'twas true.
I, like a dog, could bite as well as whine,

And firtt complain'd, whene'er the guilt was

mine.

I tax'd them oft with wenching and amours,
When their weak legs fcarce dragg'd them out of
doors;

There swims no goose so g.ey, but, foon or late, And fwore the rambles that I took by night,
She finds fome honeft gander for her mate.

Horfes (thou fay'ft) and affes men may try, 100
And ring fuipected veffels ere they buy:
But wives, a random choice, untry'd they take;
They dream in courtship, but in wedlock wake:
Then, nor till then, the veil 's remov'd away,
And all the woman glares in open day.

Your

105

You tell me, to preferve your wife's good grace,
eyes muit always langui on my face,
Your tongue with conftant natteries feed my car,
And tag each fentence with, My life! my dear!
If, by trange chance, a modeit blu` be rais'd,
Be fure my fine complexion must be prais'd.
My garments always inuft be new and gay,
And feats till kept upon my wedding-day.
Then muft my nurie be pleas'd, and favourite

maid;

And endleis treats, and endless vilts paid,
To a long train of kindred, friends, allies.
All this thou fay'It, and all thou fay'st lies.

are

115

On jenkin too you caft a fquinting eye:
What can your 'prentice raife your jealoufy?
Fresh are his ruddy cheeks, his forehead fair, 120
And like the buraifh'd gold his curling hair.
But clear thy wrinkled brow, and quit thy forrow,
I'd icorn your 'prentice, thould you die to-

morrow.

Why are thy chefts all lock'd? on what defign?
Are not thy worldly goods and treasure mine?
Sir, I'm no rool; nor fhall you, by ɔt. jobu,
Have goods and body to yourfelt alone.

One you fhall quit, in fpite of both your eyes-
I heed not, I, the bolts, and locks, and ipies.
If you had wit, you 'd fay, "Go where you will,
"Dear fpoufe, I credit not the tale they tell :
"Take all the freedoins of a married life;
"I know thee for a virtuous, fa teful wife."
Lord! when you have enough, what need you

To light a taper at a neighbour's fire.

135

141

There's danger too, you think, in rich array,
And none can long be modeft that are gay.
The Cat, if you but finge her tabby skin,
The chimmey keeps, and fits content within;
But once grown fleek, will from her corner run,
Sport with her tail, and wanton in the fun; 145
She licks her fair round face, and frisks abroad,
To fhew her fur, and to be catterwaw'd,

Lo thus, my friends, I wrought to my deres
Thefe three right ancient venerable fires.

155

Were all to spy what damfels they bedight.
That colour brought me many hours of mirth;
For all this wit is given us from our birth.
Heaven gave to women the peculiar grace,
To pin, to weep, and cully human race,
By this nice conduct, and this prudent course,
By murmuring, wheedling, ftratagem, and force,
Inill prevail'd, and would be in the right,
Cr curtain-lectures made a rettle's night.
If once my husband's arin was o'er my fidé,
What! fo familiar with your spouse? I cry'd:
I levied urft a tax upon his need:
Then let him-'twas a nicety indeed!
et all mankind this certain maxim hold,
Marry who will, our fex is to be fold.
With empty hands no taffels you can lure,
But fuliome love for gain we can endure;
For gold we love the impotent and old,
And heave, and pant, and kiss, and cling, for
gold.
175

170

180

Yet with embraces, curfes oft I mix'd,
Then kifs'd again, and chid, and rail'd betwixt.
Well, I may make my will in peace, and die,
For not one word in man's arrears am I,
To drop a dear dispute I was unable,
Ev'n though the Pope himself had fat at table,
But when my point was gain'd, then thus I spoke:
"Billy, my dear, how theepishly you look!
"Approach, my fpoufe, and let me kifs thy
cheek;

"Thou should be always thus, refign'd and