Advice to Bachelors,  
OR, A Caution to be careful in their Choice. As also, the deserved praise of a Careful Industrious Wife.  

If thou wilt change a single Life,  
to live free from annoy,  
Choose then a kind and careful Wife,  
she'll Crown thy days with Joy.   
To the Tune of, A Touth of the Times. Or, The Country Farmer.  
This may be Printed. R. P.  

BOth Robert and Richard, nay, William and Ned,  
If any of you have a fancy to wed,  
Come hither and take this good Counsel I give,  
So may you be happy as long as you live;  
For both good and bad amongst Women there be,  
And therefore I pray you be ruled by me,  
Choose one that is modest, discreet in her ways.   
And then the whole world cannot speak her due praise.  

Such wives they will always their Husbands obey,  
And never he given to wander or stray  
Among lazy Gossips her money to spend,  
She knows that it will her kind Husband offend,  
And therefore her study and care will be still,  
To love him and always submit to his will;  
For she that is modest, discreet in her ways,   
The world is not able to speak her due praise.  

Some Men-chuse a Wife by the weight of her purse,  
Which may be her money does prove but a Curse.  
Proud Wives they will flourish at such a loose care,  
Till they have clearly consumed an Estate.  
But as for the woman that strives to take care,  
If she has but decent apparel to wear,  
She seeks for no more, but her Husband obeys,   
And then, etc.  

Some Women are subject to thunder and brawl,  
And others with Wantoness will waste and spend all.  
And which is the worst of these two I don't know,  
The wife that is wanton, or she that's a Shrew,  
The one makes him clearly a weary of life,  
The other is still for contention and strife.  
But she that is modest, discreet in her ways.   
The world is not able to speak her d●e praise.  

A good Wife that marries a man that is poor,  
She'll make it her care to replenish his store,  
And like to the painful industrous Bee,  
She'll do her endeavour to labour with thee:  
If thou art in Anger she will not revile,  
But instead of frowns will afford thee a smile;  
And thus being modest, discreet in her ways,   
The world, etc.  

Ne'er strive for to marry a finikin Lass,  
We see they are often as brittle as Glass,  
They'll crack their Credit, consuming thy store,  
While she that is careful will labour for more:  
In troubles or crosses, or what e'ce may fall,  
A good wife will stand the brunt of it all,  
And do her endeavour her Husband to raise,   
The world, etc.  

A good wife will always be taking of care,  
And yet will not murmur, repine, or despair,  
But still is contented with what she enjoys,  
And is not for railing, and making a noise:  
Such women that never knows how for to scold,  
Adore them more dearer than Jewels or Gold,  
For she is most virtuous, discreet in her ways,   
The world, etc.  

For that is the Woman that still will contrive,  
To help her kind Husband in order to thrive,  
And secks for to please him, and never offend,  
G such a good wife we may truly commend:  
Nay, what though her portion, alas! be but small,  
Her virtues will make thee amends for it all,  
A wife that is wise and discreet in her ways,   
The world, etc.  

If it be thy fortune to find such a wife,  
Adore her and love her as dear as thy life,  
Ne'er grieve her, but labour always to provide  
Both Food and Apparel, and all things beside,  
So may you be ever united in Love,  
And blest in this life by the powers above,  
The wife that is verruous, discreet in her ways,   
The world is not able to speak her due praise.  
FINIS.   

Printed for P. Brookshy at the Golden Ball in Pye-Tomer.