A farrago of several pieces being a supplement to his poems, characters, heroick pourtraits, letters, and other discourses formerly published by him / newly written by Richard Flecknoe.

OF AN Old Batchellor

WHen he was young, he lov'd his Liberty too well to marry; and now he's old, his ease and quietness; nor does he love every night to be put in mind how old he is. He was as long in chusing a Wife, as Scoggen was in chusing a Tree to be hanged on; and at last re∣solv'd to chuse none at all, for the same Reason as the Fox refu'd to go to the Lyons Den, because he saw the footsteps of many going thither, but of none re∣turning back. Above all, that which chiefly deter'd him, was the very name of Wedlock the yoak of Marriage and and bonds of M••trimouy &c. All sound∣ing nothing but locks yoaks and bonds; or imprisonment, slavery and captivity. For the rest, they can say nothing for the profit or pleasure of Marriage, but he can say as much or more against it, and they have long since given him over for a Heretick, too obstinate in his o∣pinions

to be disputed with. In fine, he imagines all who are marryed, to be sick of it, though they complain not; because they hold their disease incura∣ble: but if there were a Physitian who could cure it, he thinks he would soon be Richer then Mayern.

For your Maids now, he hopes they will not be offended at this Character, but be of his opinion: since in point of Marriage they have always the worst bargain of the two, (as we shall pre∣sently declare) and if the name of Old Maid sounds ill, that of Nun sounds well, at least. and for Married Wives, we shall make them honourable amends, in the Character of an Excellent Wife.