A merry Dialogue betwixt a married man and his wife, concerning the affairs of this careful life.  

To an excellent Tune.  
 

I have for all good wives a Song,  
I do lament the women's wrong,  
And I do pity them with my heart,  
to think upon the women's smart,  
Their labour's great and full of pain,  
ye for the same they have small gain.   

In that you say cannot be true,  
for men do take more pains than you,  
We toil, we moil, we grieve and care,  
when you sit on a stool or chair,  
Yet let us do all what we can,  
your tongues will get the upper hand.   

We women in the morning rise,  
as soon as day breaks in the skies,  
And then to please you with desire,  
the first we do, is, make a fire,  
Then other work we strait begin,  
to sweep the house, to carded, or spin.   

Why men do work at Plough and Cart,  
which soon would break a woman's hart:  
They sow, they mow, and reap the corn,  
and many times do wear the horn.  
In praise of wives speak you no more,  
for these were liles you told before.   

We women here do bear the blame,  
but men would seem to ●ave the fame●  
But trust me, I will never yield,  
my tongues mine 〈◊〉, I thereon build,  
Men may not in this case compare  
with women for their toil and care   

Fie, idle women how you prate,  
'tis men that get you all your state,  
You know 'tis true in what I say,  
therefore you must give men the w●y,  
And not presume to grow too high,  
your speeches are not worth a fly.   

You men could not tell how to shift,  
if you of women were bereft,  
We wash your clothes, & dress your diet,  
and all to keep your minds in quiet,  
Our work's not done at morn nor night,  
to pleasure men is our delight.   

Women are called a house of care:  
they bring poor men unto despair,  
That man is blest that hath not been  
inlured by a woman's sin,  
They'll cause a man, if he'll give way,  
to bring him to his lives decay.    

The second part. To the same Tune.  
 

IF we poor women were as bad  
as men report being drunk or mad,  
We might compare with many men,  
and count ourselves as bad as them.  
Some oft are drunk and beat their wives,  
and make them weary of their lives.   

Why, women they must rule their tongues  
that bring them to so many wrongs,  
Sometimes their husbands to disgrace,  
they'll call him knave and rogue to's face  
Say, worse than that they'll tell him plain,  
his will he shall not well obtain,   

We women in childbed take great care,  
I hope the like sorrow will fall to your share  
Then would you think of women's smart,  
and seem to pity them with your heart,  
So many things to us belong,  
we oftentimes do suffer wrong.   

Though you in childbed bide some pain,  
your Babes renew your joys again,  
Your Gossips comes unto your joy.  
and say, God bless your little Boy,  
They say, the child is like the Dad  
when he but little share in't had.   

You talk like an ass you are a Cuckoldly fool,  
I'll break thy head with a 3 legged stool  
Will you poor Women thus abuse:  
our tongues and hands we need to use.  
You say our tongues do make men fight,  
our hands must serve to do us right.   

Then I to you must give the way,  
and yield to women in what they s●●●  
All you that are to choose a wife.  
be careful of it as your life.  
You see that women will no yield,  
in any thing to be compelled.   

You Maids, I speak the like to you,  
there's many dangers do ensue:  
But howsoever fortunes serve,  
see that my rules you do observe,  
If men once have the upper hand,  
they'll keep you down do what you c●●●   

I will not seem to urge no more,  
good wives, what I did say before,  
Was for your good, and so it take,  
I love all women for my wife's sake.  
And I pray you when you are sick and d●●●  
call at my house and take my wife wy●.   

Well, come sweet heart let us agree●  
content, sweet wife so let it be,  
Where man and wife doth live at hat●.  
the curse of God hangs over the gat●  
But I will love thee as my life.  
as every man should love his wife.     

Printed by the Assigns of Thomas Symcocke.