O good Woman, how happy are you, if, as well as your husband you can keep your self in these joys and delights.  What state or condition is there in this World that may be compared to such a loving, friendly and well accomplished match!  For without jesting, it happens hardly once in a thousand times that a match falls out so well.  And although it did, yet it is not free from a thousand crosses and dissatisfactions, which are done unto you either by children, wicked friends, or somtimes bad neighbours:  and are oftentimes so many, that if they were all drawn up in one Picture; we should, in good truth, see more grief and horror in it, then is demonstrated in the very Picture of Hell it self.  But one pound of the hony of sweet love, can easily balance a hundred weight of that terrible and bitter Wormwood.

But where is there one among all the whole number of tender young Gentlewomen, who being incountred by an airy exquisite Lover, that doth not start back with a thousand troublesom cogitations; and beleeves, that he, who thus earnestly affects her, is at the least possessed with one of these terribly evil natures?  Nay, perhaps with some what else, as a cross-grain’d pate, a grumbling gizzard, not wel in his sences, jealous thoughts, or the actions of a Cotquean are his companions; and that is more then all these, keeps hid a certain imbecility in his defective nature; which is no waies to be discovered till the nuptial rites be absolutely celebrated.

This seems to be a great occasion and reason to have an abhorrance for marrying.  But when we begin again with serious judgement to consider, the weaknesses, strange humors, and deficiences, that the most gaudiest and neatest Ladies are subject to; experience will teach us, that they are Cakes bak’d of one Dough, and Fruits of one Tree.

And therefore they are very happy, if two of one mind, and alike natured meet together; but if two of contrary humors happen together, there is nothing to be expected but grief, sorrow, and destruction; unless it happen that the understanding of the one knows extraordinarily how to assist the weakness of the other; by somtimes letting loose a rope and then drawing it in again; whereby they may the prudentlier sail against wind and tide.  These do arrive in the Haven of the Pleasures of Marriage, whereas others on the contrary suffer most miserable Shipwrack.

[Illustration:  116 Published by the Navarre Society, London.]

THE SIXTH PLEASURE.

The Woman hath got the Breeches.  What mischeefes arise by it.  Counsel for the unmarried.  To shun those that are evil natured.

Under a thousand Pleasures that we find in the estate of marriage, it is none of the least, to see the Woman put the breeches on, seeming that she will act the part of a Jack-pudding.  But melancoly men oftentimes cannot bear with such sort of jesting, and presently bawl and rail at such a Woman, calling her a Monster, or some other ill name.  Although they know very well that such sort of Monsters are now a daies so common, that if they were all to be shewn in Booths for farthings a peece, there would be less spectators, then there was to see the Sheep with five legs, or the great Crocodile.