The Fifteen Comforts of Matrimony: Responses from Men | Page 2

Heart.
The Fifth Comfort, &c.
But the least pitied is your Aged Ass, Who tho full Sixty, wou'd for
Forty pass: And that he may be sure a Crop to have, And carry Horns
fresh budding to his Grave, On one of Twenty, blooming as a Rose, His
dry and wither'd Carkass he bestows: She jilts, intrigues, and plays
upon him still, Keeps her Gallants, and Rambles at her Will; Do's
nothing but her Pride and Pleasure mind, And throws his Gold like
Chaff before the Wind; Until at length she beggars the old Slave, And
brings his Gray-Hairs with Sorrow to the Grave.
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, Proclaims her Chastity to
all the Town.
The Twelfth Comfort, &c.
Some are so fond, so blinded in their Choice,