Until they're hamper'd in the Nooze,
Too fast to dream of breaking loofe :
When all the Flaws they ftrove to hide
Are made unready, with the Bride,
That with her Wedding-cloaths undreffes
Her Complaifance and Gentilesses;
Tries all her Arts, to take upon her
The Government from th' eafie Owner,
Until the Wretch is glad to wave
His lawful Right, and turn her Slaye;!
Finds all his Having and his Holding,
Reduc'd t'eternal Noife and Scolding;
The Conjugal Petard, that téarsa
Down all Portcullices of Ears,
And makes the Volly of one Tongue
For all their Leathern Shields too itrong;
When only arm'd with Noise and Nails,
The Female Silk-worms ride the Males,
Transform 'em into Rams and Goats,
Like Sirens with their charming Notes
Sweet as a Screech Owl's Serenade,
Orthofe enchanting Murmurs made
By th' Husband Mandrake and the Wife,
Both Bury'd (like themselves) Alive.
Quoth he, Thefe Reasons are but Strains
Of wanton, over-heated Brains,
Which Ralliers in their Wit or Drink,
Do rather wheedle with, than think,
Man was not Man in Paradife,
Until he was Created twice,
And had his better half, his Bride,
Carv'd from th' Original, his Side,
T' amend his natural Defects,
And perfect his recruited Sex;
Inlarge his Breed, at once, and leffen
The Pains and Labour of Increasing,
By changing them for other Cares,
As by his dry'd-up Paps appears;
His Body, that ftupendious Frame,
Of all the World the Anagram,
Is of two equal Parts compact,
In Shape and Symmetry exact.
Of which the Left and Female fide
Is to the Manly Right a Bride,
Both join'd together with fuch Art,
That nothing elle but Death can part. Those Heav'nly Attracts of yours, your Eyes, And Face, that all the World Surprize, That dazle all that look upon ye,....: And scorch all other Ladies Tawny; Those Ravishing and Charming Graces, Are all made up of two half Faces, That in a Mathematiek Line, 15 Like thofe in other Heavens, join, Of which if either grew alone, 'Twould fright as much to look upon: And so would that sweet Bud, your Lip, Without the other's Fellowship.se Our Noblest Senses act by Pairs, i Two Eyes to fee, to hear two Ears, i Th' Intelligencers of the Mind, Su To wait upon the Soul defign'de po But those that ferve the Body alone, Are fingle, and confin'd to one. aku The World is but two Parts, that meet, And clofe at th Equinoctial, fit; C 4
And fo are all the Works of Nature,'
Stamp'd with her Signature on Matter:
Which all her Creatures, to a Leaf,
Or smallest Blade of Grafs, receive. -
All which fufficiently declare
How 'ntirely Marriage is her Care,
The only Method that the uses,
In all the Wonders fhe produces.-
And those that take their Rules from her,
Can never be deceiv'd, nor err.
For what fecures the Civil Life
But pawns of Children, and a Wife;'
That lie, like Hoftages, at ftake,
To pay for all Men undertake;la
To whom it is as neceffary,
As to be born and breath, to marry.
So Univerfal, all Mankind.
In nothing else is of one mind.
For in what stupid Age, or Nation,
Was Marriage ever out of Fashion?
Unless among the Amazons,
Or Veftal Friars, and Cloifter'd Nuns yo
Or Stoicks, who, to bar the Freaks
And loose Exceffes of the Sex,
Prepofterously would have all Women
Turn'd up to all the World in common.
Though Men would find fuch mortal Fewds
In fharing of their publick Goods,
'Twould put them to more Charge of Lives,
Than they're supply'd with now by Wives;!
Until they graze, and wear their Cloaths,
As Beafts do, of their Native Growths:
For fimple wearing of their Horns,
Will not fuffice to ferve their turns.
For what can we pretend t' inherit,
Unless the Marriage-deed will bear it?
Could claim no Right to Lands or Rents,
But for our Parents Settlements.
Had been but younger Sons o'th' Earth,
Debarr'd it all, but for our Birth,
What Honours, or Eftates of Peers
Could be preferv'd, but by their Heirs?
And what Security maintains
Their Right and Title, but the Banes?
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