Susan.
Is it euen so Grace, are you come to this,
You that perswaded me from loue of late,
When you knew who, sent me a Ring of his:
And would haue had me bin his turtle mate,
You cunningly did make me to forsake him,
Because I thinke in conscience you will take him.
Ile trust your word another time againe,
That can dissemble so against your heart,
Wishing that I should earnestly refraine,
From that which thou thy selfe embracer art:
This is braue doing, I commend you Grace,
But ile nere trust you more in such a case.
Bride.
I pray you here let this contention ende,
(We being all of selfe same woman kind,)
And each the other, with aduise befriend,
Because I see some of you well enclin'd:
To take good wayes, and so become good wiues,
Ile teach you certaine rules to leade your liues.
You that intend the honourable life,
And vvould vvith ioy liue happy in the same,
Must note eight duties doe concerne a wife,
To vvhich vvith all endeuour she must frame:
And so in peace possesse her husbands loue,
And all distast from both their hearts remooue.
The first is that she haue domestique cares,
Of priuate businesse for the house vvithin,
Leauing her husband vnto his affaires,
Of things abroad that out of doores haue bin:
By him performed as his charge to doe,
Not busie-body like inclin'd thereto.
Nor intermedling as a number will,
Of foolish gossips, such as doe neglect,
The things which doe concerne them, and too ill,
Presume in matters vnto no effect:
Beyond their element, when they should looke,
To what is done in Kitchin by the Cooke.
Or vnto childrens vertuous education,
Or to their maides that they good huswiues be,
And carefully containe a decent fashion,
That nothing passe the lymmits of degree:
Knowing her husbands businesse from her own,
And diligent doe that, let his alone.
The second dutie of the wife is this,
(Which shee in minde ought very carefull beare)
To entertaine in house such friends of his,
As she doth know haue husbands welcome there:
Not her acquaintance without his consent,
For that way Iealousie breeds discontent.