of man can restraine or keepe his wife within the limits of reason if Heavenly grace guide her not Now for the Readers better satisfaction hereafter followeth a relation of what degrees and callings and of what Countries and Nations those womē were whose names are Recorded in History for good or bad as also of what qualities and conditions the most part of them were of with the manner of some of their lives and deaths Hellen is said to bee Iupiters Daughter and that shee was so faite that for her beauty shee was ravished twice The first time was by Thesius the tenth King of Athens after that she was married to Menelaus King of Sparta or Lacedemonia from whom shee was stolne by Paris the sonne of Priam King of Troy for which second Rape of Hellen the Princes of Greece combined together in Armes and after tenne yeares siege of Troy they tooke it sack'd and fired it Hellen another of that name was the happy mother of the Illustrious and famous Christian Emperout Constantine the Great which Emperour restored and gave full freedome to the Gospels preaching after it had bin three hundred and odde yeares supprest and persecuted under the tenne bloody persecutions Hee repaired old Bizantium and named it Constantinople His mother Hellen was likewise the Religious foundresse of a magnificent Chappel upon the Mount Tabor where our Saviour was transfigured she was a most vertuous Empresse and as some writers say she and her Sonne Constantine were borne in London Also there was another Hellen the Mother of the unfortunate Constantine the last Emperour of Constantinople who was overthrowne by Mahomet the Great Emperour of the Turkes May 29 1453. On which day Constantine Paleologus lost the City with his Empire and life so that one Hellen and Constantine built it and two others of the same name lost it as aforesaid Lais was a famous Grecian or Corinthian whore she was so haunted with the Princes and Nobility of those times that shee was exceeding Rich and shee was at so high a rate that when Demosthenes the admired Orator demanded of her the price of a nights Lodging with her she told him that shee would not take lesse than 10000. Drachmas which in our mony is two hundred pound Sterling but Demosthenes not liking such a Bargaine answer'd her That he would not buy Repentance at so deare a rate She was ston'd to death by whores for her too much over-valuing of her selfe Thais was also another famous whore of Corinth and that of such singular beauty that shee would entertaine none but Kings and Princes She mightily befool'd the wise Philosopher Aristippus held him in a neare degree under a slavish command Livia was the light Empresse and Wife to Augustus Caesar it is related that she made him weare a Cuckoes Feather in his Cap. Semiramis was Empresse and wife to Ninus the grand-child of Nimrod shee was left a Widdow with one Sonne whose name was Ninias who was so effeminate a Prince that hee suffered his Mother Semiramis to reigne 42. yeares over him She was valiant and victorious but in the end shee was so overcome with a lustfull inordinate affection to her owne Son that he slew her with his owne hands in Babylon Pasiphae was the wife to Minos King of Crete now called Candi it is said she was in love with a Bull by whom shee had a Monster called Minotaurus but it is more probable that a Courtier named Taurus did use such familiarity with her that she brought forth a Sonne more like the said Taurus than to her Husband King Minos Hermia was a Strumpet of that excellent feature that Aristotle the famous Philosopher was so besotted on her that hee adored her with divine honours and offered sacrifice unto her Messalina was Empresse and wife to Claudius Caesar she was a Monster rather than a Woman and of such incredible insariablenesse that is unfit to be rehearsed Olympias was wife to Philip King of Macedon and Mother to Alexander the great shee was a woman of a haughty minde and bloody nature and so revengefull that she murdered Cleopatra the former wife to her Husband and her two children the one she kill'd in the armes of the Mother and the other she caused to be broyl'd alive in a Copper-bason it was suspected also that she poysoned her Husband King Philip At last she was slaine by the commandment of Cassander one of the successors of Alexander Mirha was the incestuous daughter of Cynare or Ciniras King of Cypris upon whom her owne Father begot the faire and beautifull youth Adonis the delightfull Darling of Venus Medusa a fiction Fury or Hellish Hagge Progne was one of the Daughters of Pandion King of Athens and wife to Tereus King of Thrace her Husband ravished and cut out the tongue of her Sister Philomela in revenge whereof Progne murthered her owne Son It is and caused him to be baked boyl'd and roasted for her Fathers her Husband Tereus supper and because her revenge flew so swift it is faigned that she was turn'd to a Swallow For further satisfaction looke Ovids Metamorphosis Lib. 6. Media was daughter to Ceta King of Colchos shee was a most beautifull Witch or Sorceresse she was so enamoured on the goodly personage of lason that she shew'd him the way to shun the dangers in the winning the Golden Fleece which after Iason had accōplished she ran away with him into Thesally Circe is feigned to be the Daughter of Sol and that by the Mothers side shee is Grand-child to Oceanus the Sea-god she was also a cunning Witch the wise Vlysses had something to doe with her as you may reade in the 14. booke of Ovids Metamorphosis Agripina was the Mother of the bloody Emperour Nero shee poison'd her Husband Claudius with his Son Brittanicus and lastly shee was murthered by command of her Sonne Nero who was formerly suspected to have incestuously strumpitted her Flora was a beautifull Whore in Rome who by her Trade had heaped up great treasures which she gave all to the common people at her death for the which they built a Temple to her and worshipped her calling her the Goddesse of Flowers Clitemnestra was wife to Agamemnon King of the Micenians he was the valiant Generall of the Greekes at the ten yeares siege and sacking of Troy but returning home to his Wife hee was most wickedly murthered by her procurement and by the hands of one Aegisthus who had long lived in Adultery with the said queane Queene Clitemnestra Pandora was a Woman so in favour with the gods that Pallas gave her wisedome Mercury gave her Eloquence Apollo Musicke Venus Beauty also they gave her a Boxe wherein were hidden and secret things inclosed as they said and withall commanded her straightly that she should not dare to open the said Boxe which neverthelesse shee did open and suddainly thence flew out of it all the griefes paines maladies and diseases that doe afflict miserable mankind This Fiction is
an Allusion or Embleme that women can hardly keepe Counsell and that they have a desire to doe that which they are forbidden Xantippe was a most famous delicate dainty devillish Shrew or Scold she was the wife to the wisest of the Philosophers Socrates shee hated nothing more than peace quietnesse On a time she hunted her Husband to and fro scolding from one roome to another that hee to bee rid of her went and sate in the street at his doore which shee perceiving went up into a Chamber above him and threw the pisse-pot on his head whereat when Socrates perceived people to laugh hee patiently said that he expected som raine would fall after so many claps of Thunder Saphira was an hypocriticall woman and the Wife to the dissembling Ananias Rhodope was a beautifull Strumpet of the Country of Thrace She was once fellow servant with Aesop the Phrygian Fabulist she was so notable in her Art as Cornelius Agrippa saith in his vanity of Sciences that shee got so much wealth that therewith shee paid for the building of a Piramis or Piramides which was a worke esteemed one of the Wonders of the World Deianiera was Wife to Hercules whose causelesse jealousie was the death of Hercules before which time hee so much doated on the beauty of Iole the daughter of Errytus King of the Aetolians that for her sake hee laid by his Armes and Monster-killing Clubbe and like a servile Handmaid in womans apparrell practis'd to spinne with a Distaffe to please his faire Mistris Love overcomes all things Briseis was a faire Lady given to Achylles at the siege of Troy shee was taken againe by Agamemnon for the which there was great strife betweene those two great Princes but at the last shee was restored againe to Achylles Arlotta or Harlot was a Skinners daughter of Cane in Normandy whom Robert the sixth Duke of that Province was so bold as to beget on her Willians the Conquerour King of England since which time most of such used women as are called She-friends are in memory of Arlot or Harlot called Harlots Faire Rosamond Clifford was the unfortunate Paramour to Henry the second King of England she was poysoned by the jealous Queene at the Mannour of Woodstocke in Oxfordshiere Jane Shore was the wife of Matthew Shore a Gold-smith of London shee was taken from the City to the Court by K. Edward the fourth with whom shee lived merily and dyed miserably in the reigne of K. Richard the 3. And thus a world of Histories are fraught With all degrees of women worse than naught But for the good ones to gaine their good will To them I humbly now direct my quill Lucretia was the wife of Tarquinnius Collatinus a Noble man of Rome which Noble and chaste Dame the proud and lustfull King Sextus Tarquinius Ravish'd violently for the which indignity she slew her selfe Portia was the Daughter of Cate and wife to Junius Brutus her father slew himselfe to save his honour her husband kild himselfe to escape the hands of Octavius Caesar and shee being taken prisoner being debar'd of weapons Knives Garters and all other things whereby shee might misdoe her selfe neverthelesse though shee were carefully and diligently watch'd shee suddenly went toward the fire and catch'd up hot burning Coales and swallowing them dyed to preserve her honour Dido some called her Elisa was the famous foundresse of the mighty City of Carthage in Affrica she was the Daughter to Bellus shee was married to Sichaeus who was Priest to Hercules A man of such mighty wealth that Pigmalian Dido's brother slew him so by that meanes Dido being a Widdow one Hiarbus King of Getulia or the Getes which some hold to bee Norway or Gothland made Suite to her for marriage which she refusing hee made Warre against her and she finding her selfe too weake to withstand his forces and withall not being minded ever to Marry the love of her first Husband had taken such deepe root in her heart shee kild her selfe Virgil doth frame in his Aeneades that she slew her selfe for the love of Aeneas which cannot possibly be so for Aeneas came from Troy 350. yeares at the least before Dido was borne or Rome or Carthage built Artemisia was a Queen replenished by beauty and chastity she was the Wife to Mausolaus or Mausolus King of Caria she loved her Husband so entirely that when hee was dead she caused him to be embalm'd and his heart to be taken out and dryed to powder which every day shee dranke a part of till all of it was dranke shee said that whilst he lived they both had but one heart and that she held no Sepulehre so worthy for the interring of his heart as was the living Sepulchre of her body Also shee caused a Monumentall Tombe to be built wherein shee laid the Corpes of her beloved Lord and Husband The Tombe was of that magnificent and stately structure that it was accounted one of the Wonders of the World the stone of the said Tombe was of an excellent and rare kinde of Marble it was in compasse 411. foot in height 37. foote and it was circled about with 36 Marble Pillars most curiously carved with Corinthian worke Pheadra was too loying to cast her selfe away for the love of Hippolitus Phillis did as much for Demophoon and Thisbe for the love of Piramus kild her selfe with a sword These three or foure last nam'd were overaboundant too to loving Creatures St. Vrsula was the daughter of a Brittish Prince named Dionetta shee with 〈◊〉 Virgins more who were under her command were assailed by the Barbarous Gâ—â—â—es and Vandals and because they would not yeeld their bodies to prostitution and their soules to Heathenish Idolatry they were all put to deathby their inhumane enemies There is a Monument in the City of Colleine of St. Vrsula and the said eleven thousand Virgin Martyrs Leodice the Wife to Ariathres King of Capadocia did unnaturally murther five of her sixe sonnes for the which the people violently fell upon her and kild her which being done they crowned the surviving sonne that was left Dominico Silvio Duke of Venice being deposed from his Dukedome because his Army was discomfited by Robert Duke of Puglya and Calabria his wife in her greatnesse was so daintily proud that the Dew was often gather'd from Roses and flowers to make Baths to bathe her in with costly perfumes and other devices yet before shee dyed her flesh did rot stinke in such a noysome manner that none could abide to come neare her in that miserable fashion she dyed When the Emperour of Germany Conradus the third had overcome the Faction of the Guelphes and taken their chiefe City called Monake in the Canton of Berne in Switzerland the Emperour commanded his souldiers to cut all the men in the City in pieces but hee granted the women so much mercy and favour as not only their lives and freedome but also to carry away as much as they
A IVNIPER LECTVRE A Iuniper Lecture With the description of all sorts of 〈◊〉 good and bad From the modest to the maddest from the most Civil to the scold Rampant â—heir praise and dispraise compendiously related The second 〈…〉 with many 〈…〉 Als◠〈…〉 adviâ—◠〈…〉 〈◊〉 Printed 〈…〉 and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Churchyard 〈…〉 To as many as can Read though but reasonably it makes no great matter whether they understand or no. HEre 's a strange Lecture toward my towardly or untowardly Reader for here shall be found many things worthy your observation I know you have heard of a Curtaine Lecture before now and shall very shortly heare of a Crab-tree Lecture also But for a Juniper Lecture although the phrase or stile be ancient yet the matter is new And because it doth take is liked so well I have inlarged it in many places with many new Lectures to it But why is it called a Juniper Lecture Marry for sundry small reasons why a Lecture partly in Verse indeed for no reason at all But as the gagling tongue of a scold leapes and skippes like a Squirrell from one twigge or branch to another observing neither Method or Measure so doth this various discourse and description of the good bad qualities of women skip from the vicious to the vertuous back againe from the best to the worst It is said that Iuniper being on fire is the most lasting wood in the World and that if the fire of it be rak'd up in the Embers or Ashes it will not be extinguished in a yeare or more which may bee alluded to some revengeful women who being once offended the fire of their malice will hardly be quenched in their Ashes or Graves Juniper is hot and drye in the third Degree as Galen saith and the tongue of a scold is altogether combustible It is full of prickles so are a curst womans words very piercing to the eares and sharpe to the heart Juniper hath also some qualities and vertues of good women for as it may be used it is a Counter-poison against any one that is envenomed so a vertuous woman is the honor preservation of her husbands person and estate the Berries Gumme is likewise good against gripings and gnawings in the stomacke so is a good wife a comfortable helpe to a mans aking heart It hath a good savour and so hath the good name of a worthy woman the Gumme of it is called Lachryma or Teares and for Teares women for the most part have them at command but the best is they are like April showres wet and dry in a moment But as every woman is not a patient Grissel so she is a rare Wonder amongst women that neither hath the skil or the desire to scold Vale. To the Reader I Sing the praise and dispraise of that Sex That gives men cause of comfort or to vex His joy or care his blessing or his curse His weale his woe his Saint or Divell or worse You vertuous worthy women few that be I know you 'le be so good to pardon me And yet what pardon need I crave of them Whom I will not offend nor yet condemne If women that are bad I doe offend It is the cause why these my lines are pend And if they be not angry I dare say That all my labour 's lost and cast away Thus free from feare or flattery on I runne To please or displease when my taske is done Our Grandam Eve in reverence I omit But yet she plaid the foole for want of wit And her weak follies incredulity She left unto her fraile posterity It is the earthly portion that we have From womb to tombe from cradle to the grave A woman was sins mother but another Most blessed woman was a Saviours mother And therefore it may well be understood As millions may bee bad there 's thousands good As some are Furies that do men torment So some are Fairies that gives some content As some are Destinies and fatall shrowes Like Clotho Lachasis Atropos To spin and reele our lives with â—ares and moanes And cut our threads at last with sighes and groanes Yet for our comfort there are Graces three T' affront those Fates faith hope and charity As there are witches that in mischiefe swell And Syrens Furies Harpies Hagges of Hell Yet Prudence Temperance Justice Fortitude Are vertues with such mighty force endu'd That those that doe possesse them are so arm'd They cannot bee by Hell or Hell-hounds harm'd Margery Quiet of Tame in Oxford-shire to her Ingenious friend the Author she acknowledging him to be a well-wisher to all good women MEn have the Art of flattery to commend That most whereto their vaine affections bend Our beauties they extoll unto the skies In prose and verse with many thousand lyes With tongue and pen our prayses they repeat How faire how fine how proper and how neate How handsome and how bony and how gay How delicate and dainty every way We silly women are with tooth and naile Mens flattery still our weaknesse doth assaile And wee alas beleeve them too too much And what they say wee strive still to be such For cause they praise us for those things we see Wee give our whole endeavours so to be To paint pounce frounce kemb curle purle powder sleeke And all new fashions to search out and seeke To please our praysers But if men could find What 't were to praise the vertue of the mind What honour doth belong to chastity What merit doth pertain to modesty If goodnesse with mens praises were but grac't We should bee then more modest and more chast But thou the Author of this following book Ingenious just impartiall paines hast tooke Thou dost commend the good condemne the ill For which all women of all sorts shall still Remaine thy friends and foes M.Q. The Table 1. LEcture by a Mistresse to her Apprentice as soone as she rises in the Morning with new additions p. 1 2. Lecture by a woman to her husband that hath beene marryed three or foure yeares p. 5 3. Lecture by a yong gentlewoman being a widow to an old man who offered to be a suitor to her with new additions p. 14 4. Lecture by an old rich widow to a young Gallant who came a woing to her that had little or no meanes p. 18 5. Lecture by a Countrey Farmers wife being a shrew to her husband for being abroad late at night with new additions p. 23 6. Lecture by a wife who was very jealous of her husband p. 28. 7. Lecture by a widow which was newly marryed to a widower with some additions p. 23. 8. Lecture by an old woman to her young husband whom she had newly marryed p. 3â— 9. Lecture by a proud dame because her husband would not allow her all the new fashions that are worne p. 37 10. Lecture by a mother to her daughter that was to be marryed forth-with p.
gip with a murren But for that matter let me alone I le remedy that or else I le want of my will I le keepe no such â—ine-snouted Minions as she is I le have a homely huswifely wench that hath more honesty than beauty and a better heart than a face I le not be thus plagued long out upon it an old woman that hath out-lasted the Date of foure Husbands and now come to be slighted by a Boy of foure and twenty Well thy unkinde dealing with me will bee the death of me before nature hath appointed it I tooke thee to be the staffe of my age but I doubt shortly thou wilt prove a rotten one with the pox You marry an old rich widow for a comfort well I have done 't is but folly to speake any more now but I wish all old women never to marry a yong man for my sake 9. A Lecture of a proud Dame to her husband because hee would not allow her all the new fashions that are worne and thus shee beginnes VVHy you whoreson raskally fellow didst thou marry me to disgrace me and make mee a shame to my selfe and all my Kin Oh it is accounted very poore and bace to have a Cotten wast-coate laid with Statute-lace no I will have no such garment other mens wives forsooth of an inferiour ranke to you can goe gallant and brave and have money in their purses at command and buy what fashion stuffe is in weare and never let their husband so much as know of it till they see it on their backes nor once question them what it cost I goe like a very drudge nay almost as bad as a dung-hill-raker He warrant there is such a one and such a one can change their Gownes as often as the earth doth her Livery that is twice in a yeare Hats Aprons sweete-Gloves and new-fashioned Gorgets and Hand-cherchiefes answerable to them nor must I have any new fashioned dressings to my head or a Lawne Crosse-cloth with a good lace but with an ordinary Lace which cost not above twelve pence a yard when every durty draggle-taile Ioane that came with nothing to their husbands but their cloathes on their backes can bestow twenty or thirty shillings on a bare Lace and they can have such things as they please and I must not or at the least can alter them without any contradiction Saturday night sets not a period to the weeke more certainly than the Shooemaker brings them new Shooes But I poore wretch which brought you as good a portion as any of them must goe like Ioane Hold my staffe with a Gowne and a Hat of the fashion which was worne in Eighty eight and a paire of hose and shooes at Easter I am sure I have had none since and now it is almost Christmas I have never a paire of gloves worth the drawing on upon my hands thou never bestowest above eight pence or tenne pence at the most of a paire for mee and not worth the throwing at a Dogge Well to be briefe mark what I say to thee I have complained so long in vaine that I am weary of that way but I le another way yfaith thou hadst beene better to have beene a little more freer of your purse and not have pinch'd me so for I know what I know well there is enough said for this time goe to I will want no apparrell or any thing else good man Rascall I will not yfaith picke English out of that if thou canst if thou wilt not bestow a new fashioned Hat on mee I le bestow an old fashioned Cap upon thee in troth I will that quickly too there is more cracke me that Nut sirrah 10. A Mothers Lecture to her daughter concerning Marriage and thus shee beginnes DAughter quoth shee you are now of years and size sufficient for marriage or merry-age as you may make it if you will be rul'd and your father and I have taken great care for the providing of a husband for you and not to hold you long in suspence it is young Master Oliver Little-good the sonne of old Ralph Littlegood the Usurer the Mother had no sooner nam'd the party but her daughter was ready to fall into a swowne and after shee came to her selfe she earnestly besought begg'd that of all men in the world she might not bee teoubled with that fellow and that she had rather to bee marryed to her grave than to be yoaked with such a brainelesse lumpe of ignorance The old man reply'd that hee was very rich and withall heire to a mighty estate of Lands and money and that Matrimony is matter of money and without money marriage is a marage and not merrie age The maid repli'd againe that shee knew he was rich and in possibility of great possessions but quoth shee but what but said the Mother I know what you meane by your but you would say that for all his wealth hee is but a foole you have hit my meaning right said the Daughter and I thinke there is no greater torment on the earth than for a woman to be match'd to a foole Nay quoth the Mother now I perceive you are an idle foolish baggadge and doe not know what 's good for your selfe I pray thee but marke and consider whether it bee not a great deale better to marrie with one that is a foole already naturally made to your hands or to bee wedded to one that hath wit and after that to take a great deale of care and paines to make him a foole doe but noâ—e the merrie lives that the wives of fooles have for they suffer them to say and doe what they list they make them their Masters they weare what apparrell and what fashion they please they eate and drinke what they have a minde to they goe to bed and rise at their pleasure they walke abroad and come home againe at their will when they are disposed they may have Horse Coach Sedan or Boare to convey them either by Land or by Water either to see publick showes or to visite and bee merry with private friends they may be liberall and bountifull of their husbands estate money or goods they may snap snarle and give them taunting and harsh speeches and they may bee intreated and su'd to to be quiet they may be scolding clamorus proud lascivious voluptuous high-fed rich clad commanding all not to bee commanded by any nay if you have but the vertue and volubility of the tongue with the helpe of lowring pouting frowning disdainefull scorning taunting slandering scoffing or if all these faile you may use many words to no sence or purpose in the way of defaming your husband and if it be his fortune to be a Cuckold doe you cry whoore first and taxe him with incontinency call him Whooremaster though your Conscience tell you that you lye ifever you did him any good deed either by your selfe or your friends let him be continually cast in the teeth and
upbraided with it and for your last remedy you must stampe teare your haire curse ban play the divell and crye with counterfeiting teares and then presently the relenting tame foole the Husband will wooe and sue and begge beseech cogge give gifts and make large promises and all for a little quiet life for it lyes in you to vexe him to the very heart and not to suffer him to take any rest day or night but with the Clapper of your tongue to ring him a perpetuall peale worse than sixteene funerall knelles you may hunt and course him from bed to bed and from one chamber to another and as wild Haggard Hawks are tam'd of man'd with being kept hungry and continuall waking so you must noise him rowze him torment and torture him with your tongue that he shall have no minde either to eate or sleepe and though you have a private friend in a corner yet by these harsh and discreete Documents and doings a woried or tyred husband may bee made an engine or warlike Ramme to batter and beare downe all Bulwarks or Sconces of scandalous defamation For take this of mee as an infallible truth though the charge of new fashions may vexe a Husband the cost of dyet may trouble him to weare a Cuckooes feather may molest him to walke or goe early or late may disturbe him to spend or waste his goods vainely may grieve him yet all these he will bee content to suffer with thankes and patience if his Wife will bee but pleased to bee quiet with her tongue For I tell you daughter if you can make such use of your tongue as the most part of wise women doe now a dayes you may awe the good man with his goods and family like an Empresse and if you have never so many faults they will never be seene or thought of if your tongue bee sharpe quicke nimble and can hold out untired For the which purpose you may whet your wits with a Cup or two extraordinary of nappy Ale strong waters Sacke or some other kinde of Huffe-cap drinke that may quicken your spirits elevate your braine for I was wont to doe so often and then I would talke to thy father beyond reason and measure and therefore it is not amisse to liquor your tongue it will goe with the more ease like a new oyl'd Jacke for it will runne so nimble that you shall hardly know what it sayes or to what end it runnes so fast Moreover it will bee a great poynt of policy in you to shew your selfe very precise and religious abroad as if you were a Saint for by that means you may blind the world and play the Divell at home the more securely and then the rest of your Gossips will pitty you and revile your husband Indeede your tongue may as you may use it make your house your earthly Paradise your Husbands Purgatory and your servants Hell and all these severall sorts of happines are yours if you marrie with a foole and have the gift to use your tongue as a wise woman should doe Ah Daughter didst thou know the toyle and torment that I had with thy father so long as he was a wise man thou wouldst pitty mee I endured eight yeares most miserable slavery with him my habite no other but old and unfashionable my dyet no other than such as hee did eate of and I bound to no bodies bed but his but at the last it was my happe to bee at a Gossips Feast where other good women beganne to talke of many matters which concerned them not much for it is no right Gossipping where they flatter not one another to their faces and back-bite their husbands and neighbours behind their backes Amongst them was an ancient Matron that with an eye of pittie looked on mee saying Mistris Smalworth mee thinkes by your Countenance and attire you are grieved in mind what is the matter I pray you impart your cause of sorrow to mee and I will give you such motherly Counsell as my weake ability can afford what is your husband unkinde to you or what other disaster is the cause of your heavinesse Whereupon I fetching a deepe sigh beganne to tell her that I had been more than seven yeares married to a wise discreet man but all the fault hee had was to bee a good husband and looke to every thing so narrowly that I could not have my will in all that I desired that I was restrained of that freedome and liberty which I had a minde to have and debard of that predominance and command which women are ambitious to aspire to though they know themselves altogether unworthy and uncapable of it for indeede Gossip quoth I I doe want nothing that may suffice any reasonable body nor doe I in word or deede offend him onely the maine rule and command of all I would have for I would faine controule and not be controuled With that I beganne to weepe and the good women all pittyed my case so that at the last the old Matron said that she was in the same predicament as I was when she was first marryed untill at the last shee met with an ancient experienc'd creature who gave her counsell to make her Husband a foole if ever she hoped to live a merry life and further that she presently gave her the same Counsell which she offered unto mee which I so well practised on my Husband thy Father that with my vexatious verbosity fluent loquacity I brought my good man to my bow that I could bend him which waies I listed I hammerd him and made him Maleable I turnd him wrought him and Wire-draw'd him and thus after I had liv'd long in a hard and miserable estate with a wise man I with a little good Counsell and an apt capacity to follow it in a yeare and a halfes space with the ingredients of pride scorne and scolding made him a foole so that now in good time bee it spoken I thanke my Starres there is not a Lady within the Walls of Europe lives a more pleasant life than I do And therefore daughter I charge you on my blessing never intangle your selfe to bee marryed to a wise man but for your owne quiet and delight be sure if you can to marry one that is a foole already for there are many stubborne fellowes as thy Father was that are very hard to be made so and so if you embrace my counsell herein you shall doubtlesse have greater pleasure and live at more ease and liberty 11. A Lecture Dialogue-wise betweene a man and his wife which is the scold rampant and thus they salute each other Hus. SWeete-heart me thinkes I finde a great alteration in you that you are not the woman that you have been towards me can you shew any reason for it Wife I pray doe not call me sweet-heart till such time as you use me as a wife for I am perswaded that your lips hang in your light that you doe hardly