A Good Wife is a Portion every day. OR
A Dialogue discovering a good Wife from a bad.
And happy is that man that hath such a one.
The Tune is, Pockingtons pound.
COme youngmen & listen to what I'le you show
then
William, and
Harry, and
Robin, &
John
When as you are minded a wooing to go,
for these Lines do concern you every one:
And what I declare,
I'le make it appear,
From
Eve it sprang out, and has last till this year,
For though she was Man's fall, mark what I say,
A good Wife is a portion every day.
For a good wife will be saving and fearful to waste,
but keep all things together so near as she can,
When that a Spend:thrift will let fly as fast,
and séeks by all means to undo her good man:
Though he carps and doth care,
She'l not pinch nor spare,
But junket abroad, and must have her fine cheer,
She thinkes what she brought will never decay,
When a good Wife is a portion every day.
A wife that is vertuous and civil beside
will honour her Husband, his words she'l obey,
She'l not strive to cross him what ever betide,
but make all things well when there should be a
With fair words she'l him draw
To submit to her Law,
Though his Beard it be frozen, in time she'l it thaw
Although he be given to wander and stray.
A good wife will lead him into the right way.
But she that takes no care but only for Pride
how Buckle and Thong together to hold,
She will have her humour whatever betide,
or else day and night at him she will scold,
For let a man starve,
As I am alive,
First he must ask his wife is he shall thrive:
And if she says no, his Estate will decay;
When a good Wife is a portion every day.
If a youngman hath but little withal to begin,
if he lights of a good wife his stock will increase,
What he gets without doors she'l save it within,
and if he be froward she'l strive to keep peace:
When a cross-grained wife
That's given to strife,
Will seek to make a man weary on's life:
What e're he says to her she'l not him obey,
When a good wife is a portion every day.
Therefore young Batchellors wherever you be,
let not this money your hearts so bewitch,
For 't 'ant that which makes a good husband you sée
nor Means altogether don't make a man rich:
The reason ile show you why,
You shan't say I lye,
She that brings a great deal looks to be maintained high
Her costly Attire an Estate will decay,
When a good wife &c.
I heard of two Brothers, the one was the Heir,
the other had little at all to begin,
He married a wife that was both rich and fair,
then for his poor Brother
[...]e car'd not a pin:
For he did live high,
And his wife she let flye
His means, till she brought him to poverty,
Then to his poor brother he sigh'd and did say,
A good wife &c.
Thus you may see how some are made poor,
and some that hath but little to fortune doth rise,
then he that has a good wife make much of her therefore
and do not against her no mischief devise:
But some men cannot see
When as they well be,
But seeks for to ruin their Family:
Then all the blame on the poor woman they lay,
When a good &c.
He that has a good wife, happy is that man,
if he does his indeavour his Living to get,
And not spend it abroad in Pot nor in Can,
she'l arive alwaies to keep him out of Debt;
Good Counsel she'l him give,
If he'l it receive,
And set him all times in a way for to live:
But a wife that is froward his Estate will decay
But a good &c.
But youngmen you'l say how should a man kno
[...]
how to choose a good wife from a bad,
In few lines I here will you show,
and teach you that will make your hearts glad
Chuse one that is civil,
And strives to shun evil,
For some are too cunning I think for the Devil,
But she that means honest will keep the right w
[...]
When a good &c.
Be sure don't take a wife that will swear and lye,
nor one that is given to flout or to jeer,
Though she has ne'r so much means, she'l make all fl
[...]
& spend more in a week then thou'lt get in a ye
[...]
Nor do not take one
That's too fluent in tongue,
She'l always be tattling of that she knows none
Though it be nonsence she will have her way,
when a good &c.
But if thou art minded for to have a Mate,
chu
[...]e one that is vertuous and civil beside,
Although thou art poor she'l live at the same rate.
and with patience will wait till thou canst bet
[...] provid
[...]
For content is a thing,
That comfort doth bring,
It makes a poorman as well as a Lord to sing:
Then let the red shank or Dane deny what I say
If a good wife &c.
Concluding my ditty of what I have told,
make much of thy wife tho thou'rt never so poor
And if thou'st got children esteem them as gold,
then thou'lt find a Salve for to cure thy sore:
To work do thou strive,
To keep them alive,
As thy charge grows up thy stock it will thrive:
Then youngmen remember th
[...]e words that I s
[...]
A good Wife is a Portion every day.
FINIS.
Printed for P. Brooksby at the golden Ball neer t [...] Hospital Gate in West Smithfield.