One, that depriues her selfe of whats her right,
Borne vnto care, and ignorant of ease,
A lustlesse liuing thing, without delight,
One, whom vnpleasantnesse best seemes to please:
Depriu'd of lifes sweete ioy, from kind remoued,
Of worthlesse parts, vnworthy to be loued.
Who will in paine pertake with such a one,
(Whom we may most vnhappy creature call,)
Who will assist her, when her griefe makes mone,
Or who vphold her if she chance to fall:
The burthen one doth beare is light to two,
For twisted cordes are hardest to vndoe.
The loue and ioy doth absolute remaine,
That in posteritie is fixed fast,
For thou in children art new borne againe,
When yeeres haue brought thee to thy breath-spent last:
Those oliue plants, shall from each other spring,
Till Times full period endeth euery thing.
This being thus, what sencelesse girles you be,
To iustifie a life not worth embracing,
Opposing silly maiden wits gainst me,
That will not yeelde an ynch to your out-facing:
For were heere present all the maydes in towne,
With marriage reasons I would put them down.
Prudence.
Kinke sisters all, now I haue heard the Bride,
Will you haue my opinion, not to flatter,
Sure I am turning to the wedding side,
I heare such good sound reason for the matter:
Let Grace, Doll, Besse, and Susan, Mary, Iane,
Leade apes in hell, I am not of their vaine.
As sure as death ile ioyne my selfe with man,
For I perswade me tis a happy life,
Ile be a Bride vvith all the speede I can,
It's vvonder how I long to be a vvife:
Grace heer's good counsell, had you grace to take it
Susan tis sound, oh Besse doe not forfake it.
Good husband-men vve see doe euer vse,
To chuse for forfit those that breede the best,
And none vvill keepe bad breeders that can chuse,
Euen so your fowlers that often brood the nest,
Are most esteem'd, & their kinds worthiest thoght
All barren things, by all are counted nought.
Who plantes an orchard vvith vnfruitfull trees,
None but a madman so vvill vvast his ground,
Or vvho sowes corne vvhere onely sand he sees,
Assured that there vvill no increase be found:
And in a vvord all that the vvorld containes,
Haue excellence in their begetting gaines.
For my part therefore I resolue me thus,
Vnto the purpose I was borne, ile liue,
All maydes are fooles that vvill not ioyne vvith vs,
And vnto men their right of marriage giue:
Most vvorthy Bride, here is my hand and vow,
I loue a man in heart, as vvell as thou.