806

Then, Sir, be cautious, nor too rafhly deem;
Heav'n knows how feldom things are what they feem!
Confult your reason, and you foon fhall find
'Twas you were jealous, not your wife unkind:
Jove ne'er spoke oracle more true than this,
None judge fo wrong as those who think amifs.
With that she leap'd into her Lord's embrace, 810
With well-dissembled virtue in her face.

He hugg'd her close, and kiss'd her o'er and o'er,
Disturb'd with doubts and jealoufies no more:
Both, pleas'd and blefs'd, renew'd their mutual vows,
A fruitful wife, and a believing spouse.
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Thus ends our tale, whose moral next to make,

Let all wife husbands hence example take;
And pray, to crown the pleasure of their lives,

To be fo well deluded by their wives,

Plate VII.

Vol. II. facing p.107.

J. Wale delin

CMosley Soulp.

Ye sovereign Wives! give ear and understand, Thus shall ye speed and exercise Command.

Wife of Bath.

THE

WIFE of BATH

HER

PROLOGUE.

FROM

CHAU CE R.

EHOLD the woes of matrimonial life,

BEHOLD

And hear with rev'rence an experienc'd wife!

To dear-bought wisdom give the credit due,
And think, for once, a woman tells you true.
In all these trials I have borne a part,

I was myself the scourge that caus'd the smart
For, fince fifteen, in triumph have I led
Five captive hufbands from the church to bed.

Chrift faw a wedding once, the Scripture fays,
And faw but one, 'tis thought, in all his days;
Whence fomé infer, whose conscience is too nice,
No pious Chriftian 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 she was join'd;
And fure the certain ftint was ne'er defin❜d,

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10.

15

Encrease and multiply, was heav'n's command, And that's a text I clearly understand.

This too,
"Let men their fires and mothers leave,
"And to their dearer wives for ever cleave.

More wives than one by Solomon were try'd,
Or else the wifeft of mankind's bely'd.
I've had myself full many a merry fit;
And truft in heav'n I may have many yet.
For when my tranfitory spouse, unkind,
Shall die, and leave his woeful wife behind,
I'll take the next good Chriftian I can find.
Paul, knowing one could never ferve our turn,
Declar'd'twas better far to wed than burn.
There's danger in affembling fire and tow;

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I grant 'em that, and what it means you know.

The fame Apostle too has elsewhere own'd,

-No precept for Virginity he found:

"Tis but a counsel - and we women still

Take which we like, the counfel, or our will.

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I envy not their bliss, if he or she

Think fit to live in perfect chastity;

Pure let them be, and free from taint of vice;

I, for a few flight spots, am not so nice.

Heav'n calls us diff'rent ways, on these bestows

One proper gift, another grants to those:

Not ev'ry man's oblig❜d to fell his store,
And give up all his fubftance to the poor s

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