And all the passengers he bore
Were on the new world set afhore,
He made it next his chief design
To plant and propagate a vine ;
Which since has overwhelm’d and drown'd
Far greater numbers, on dry ground,
Of wretched mankind, one by one,
Than all the flood before had done, .

S

AT I R R E

U. PO.N MARRIAGE.

SUR E marriages were never so well fitted,

,
As when to matrimony' men were committed,
Like thieves by justices, and to a wife
Bound, like to good-behaviour, during life:
For then 'twas but a civil contract made

5
Between two partners that set-up a trade;
And if both fail'd, there was no conscience
Nor faith invaded in the stricteft sense z.
No canon of the church, nor vow, was broke
When men did free their gall’d necks from the yoke;
But when they tird, like other horned beasts,
Might have it taken off, and take their rests,
Without being bound in duty to shew cause,
Or reckon with divine or human laws.

For since, what use of matrimony' has been,
But to make gallantry a greater sin

25

As if there were no appetite nor gust,
Below adultery, in modifh luft;
Or no debauchery were exquisite,
Until it has attain'd its perfect height.
For men do'now take wives to nobler ends,
Not to bear children, but to bear them friends ;
Whom nothing can oblige at such a rate
As these endearing offices of late.
For men are now grown wise, and understand
How to improve their crimes as well as land ;
And, if they ’ve iffue, make the infants pay
Down for their own begetting on the day,
The charges of the goffiping difburfe,
And pay beforehand (ere they 're born) the surfe; 36
As he that got a monster on a cow,
Out of design of fetting up a fhow.
For why should not the brats for all account,
As well as for the christening at the fount,
When those that land for them lay down the rate 35
O'th' banquet and the priett in fpoons and plate ?

The ancient Romans made the Itate allow
For getting all men's children above two :
Then married men, to propagate the breed,
Had great rewards for what they never did, 40
Were privilegd, and highly honour'd too,
For owning what their friends were fain to do ;
For so they 'ad children, they regarded not
By whom (good.men), or how, they were begot.
To borrow wives (like money) or to lend, 45
Was then the civil office of a friend,

And he that made a scruple in the case
Was held a miserable wretch and base;
For when they 'ad children by them, th’ honest men
Return'd them to their husbands back again.
Then, for th’ encouragement and propagation
Of such a great concernment to the nation,
All people were so full of complacence,
And civil duty to the public fense,
They had no name t' express a cuckold then, 55
But that which signified all married men ;
Nor was the thing accounted a disgrace,
Unless among the dirty popnlace,
And no man understands on what account
Less civil nations after hit upon 't:
For to be known a cuckold can be no
Dishonour but to him that thinks it fo ;
For if he feel no chagrin or remorse,
His forehead 's thot-free, and he 's ne'er the worse :
For horns (like horny callouses) are found 65
To grow on sculls that have receiv'd a wound,
Are crackt, and broken; not at all on thofe
That are invulnerate and free from blows,
What a brave time had cuckold-makers then,
When they were held the worthiest of men, 70
The real fathers of the commonwealth,
That planted colonies in Rome itsolf!
When he that help'd his neighbours, and begot
Most Romans, was the nobleft patriot!
For if a brave man, that preferv?d from death 75
One citizen, was honour'd with a wreath,

He

He that more gallantly got three or four,
In reason must deserve a great deal more.
Then, if those glorious worthies of old Rome,
That civiliz'd the world they 'ad overcome, 8
And taught it laws and learning, found this way
The best to save their empire from decay,
Why should not these, that borrow all the worth
They have from them, not take this lesson forth,
Get children, friends, and honour too, and money, 85
By prudent managing of matrimony?
For, if 'tis honourable by all confest, :
Adultery must be worshipful at least,
And these times great, when private men are come
Up to the height and politic of Rome.

90
All by-blows were not only free-born then,
But, like John Lilburn, free-begotten men ;
Had equal right and privilege with these
That claim by title right of the four seas :
For, being in marriage born, it matters not. 95
After what liturgy they were begot ;,
And if there be a difference, they have
Th' advantage of the chance in proving braves.
By being engender'd with more life and force
Than those begotten the dull way of course.

The Chinese place all piety and zeal , In serving with their wives the commonweal ; Fix all their hopes of merit and falvation , Upon their women's supererogation; With solemn vows their wives and daughters bind, 1o5 Like Eve in Paradise, to all mankind;.

And

1

100

119

IIS

And those that can produce the most gallants,
Are held the preciousest of all their saints
Wear rofaries about their necks, to con
Their exercises of devotion on;
That serve them for certificates, to show
With what vast numbers they have had to do :
Before they 're marry'd, make a conscience
T'omit no duty of incontinence ;
And the that has been oftenest prostituted,
Is worthy of the greatest match reputed.
But, when the conquering Tartar went about
To root this orthodox religion out,
They stood for conscience, and resolv'd to die,
Rather than change the ancient purity
Of that religion, which their ancestors
And they had prosper'd in so many years ;
Vow'd to their gods to sacrifice their lives,
And die their daughters martyrs, and their wives,
Before they would commit so great a fin
Against the faith they had been bred up in..

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