A crevv of kind gossips, all met to be merrie complayning of their husbands, with their husbands ansvveres in their owne defence. Written, and newly inlarged by S.R.

The Second Husbands Answere.

MAisters, you heare my Huswife wantes her will, She tels her Gossips I doe vse her ill: And yet she doth confesse that I am kinde,

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In letting her haue Mony to her minde: Yet that's not all the Gentle womans longing, Theres other matters to her humours wronging. She would be Maister to command in all, Doe what she list; checke mee: ma••ry and shall. She sayes, I crosse her; but she crosses mee In my affayres, still busie she will be: I must yeeld her account whither I goe, In euery thing, Good-man why doe you so? This likes not mee, prethee let's haue it thus, I scorne to see my neighbour put downe vs; VVe will haue Plate as rich as they haue any, And yet not be beholding for a penny. How like an Asse my foolish Husband goes? Buy me a Sattin Doblet to them Hose. I can be well content with going plaine, But that my wife is of another vaine: She sweares she will go braue, I shall maintaine her, Or 'tis an argument I doe disdaine her; And that her onely care to goe so fine, Is but for credit both of hers and mine. Indeed by this my credit sure is tride, For I owe Money to maintaine her pride. VVith Mercers Bookes I am acquainted still, And large I furnish out the Toylors Bill. This is the onely credit that I get, For Brauery to run my selfe in debt. And when I tell her priuate twixt vs two, VVife let's be wise, these courses will not do, You doe not goe according to my purse, In Parish charges I shall speed the worse, VVe must be wise, if you farre meaner went,

It would best pleasepray, who should you content But mee? Therefore goe to your husbands minde, And I shall take it (Loue) most wondrous kinde. Oh on the ••odaine how sheele rage and sweare, That none in London baser minde doth beare, Sheele call me Gull, and sit her downe and cry, Then out in tearmes, What cursed hap had I? VVeary I am of this same wretched life, VVouldst thou haue me goe like an Oyster wife? Oh scuruy minded man, I euen scorne thee, And could finde in my heart base ••••aue to ( ) thee. Goest thou about to offer this disgrace? I would that I had neuer knowne thy face; VVhen first I saw thee, surely I was mad, For choyce of fourteene propper men I had; Yea, euen as handsome creatures to mine eye, As ere were girt in Girdles, (t'is no lye) And yet I left them all, to marry thee. VVhat greater crosse then this, could light on mee, To haue a Fellow grumbling at me still, And all I haue, comes from him 'gainst his will: O wretch, O Lob, who would be thus beclown'd? I deserue better for two hundred pound. Two hundred pound in Gold my Father gaue, To match me with this miserable Knaue, Whom with my very heart I doe disdaine: Oh would my bargaine were to make againe, Then I would flaunt it, I would cut it out, And wiser, ere I l••apt would looke about: I would haue none, but I would make him sweare, That when I list, I might the Breeches weare: My Sisters life is happy, I may say,

Her Husband dares not crosse her any way, She sayes, in's life he neuer gaue her checke, But can haue any thing euen with a becke: And why not I attaine the like degree, That am as proper (I am sure) as shee? Nay, and a little fairer too, I know, Who sees both Faces, he will sweare 'tis so, But well, within my head I haue a tricke, Some haue their Foreheads swell that be not sicke: Ile haue my will to be maintain'd in all, And if one will not, then another shall. Maisters, how like you this? iudge I beseech, (On Monday last this was her very speech) Nay, and she standes vnto it wondrous bold. The first tale's good, vntill the next be told, Vpon my life, this is a womans vaine, To wrong her Husband first, and then complaine.