The Fifteen comforts of rash and inconsiderate marriage, or, Select animadversions upon the miscarriages of a wedded state done out of French.

The Second COMFORT. The Credulous Coxcomb, the Gadding Jilt, and Cousin-Gallant.

IT is the Misfortune of some Men, (and those some are too many, God wot) to prepossess themselves with a Conceit, that Reason, Sence and Demonstration can ne∣ver convince them of; such is the case of the Husband that enjoys the second Comfort of Matrimony we are now discoursing of, who will not be persuaded by all the World, but she is the Hansomest Woman in it, tho he is much mistaken; but I cannot blame him; for Beauty is nothing but meer Fancy, and if I conceit black and blue to be a comely Complexion, it is so to me: Having thus in his own Opinion Married a Fine Wo∣man; he maintains her as finely: Her

brisk humour inclines her to Visits, Treats, and Jovial Meetings; tho this her Hus∣band disrelisheth, but all to no purpose; for she's of a gadding temp•…•…, and out she must for Health and Recreation; but how to contrive the way to effect it quietly, hic labor, hoc opus; she is invited to a Feast, and a pretended Friend or Relation (who is no more of kin to her than Sir George is to the Dragon) however he comes to her, and she Salutes him by the name of Cousin, good Cousin, dear Cousin! and her Mother, to palliate the business, calls him so too, she knowing the better how to manage that Amorous Affair, because it hath been her own Condition formerly; but the Husband is unwilling to have her go, alledging many faint and frivolous Excuses; yet to take off all Jealousie from the Good-man, her Friend will say, in good Faith, Cousin, I have no mind at all to go to this Feast, I have business to do, nor would I set a foot over the Threshold, God knows my heart, were it not for your and my she Cousins Credit; and you know 'tis neither Modest nor Modish, for a Gentlewoman of her Rank to bestow Visits without an Attendant; tho I am satisfied she is averse to any such kind of Promenade, or Collation; for of all Wo∣men,

that ever I knew, when she is abroad she makes such ado to come home, that she almost disturbs the Company. The silly Fop now begins to encline and grant the Request; but first asks what Company they expect at this Entertainment? Ex∣cellent Company indeed Cousin! there will be your Mother-in-Law, my Wife, your Cousin, Mr. such a ones Daughter, and most of the good Neighbourhood; Company fit for a Princess, Men and Wo∣men of Quality. Well (quoth the Man) you may go, for this once, but I hope you don't intend to make a Trade on't, have a care of your self, and be sure you don't bring Night home with you. Leave being thus obtained, the subtle Lady feigns an unwillingness, saying, indeed Love! I care not for going out at present, let me intreat you that I may stay at home; but he, having a great Confidence in the Cou∣sin, says, nay, nay, sweet Heart, I would not have you so ungentile, as to disappoint your Neighbours, since you are ready, and the Assignation is pre-design'd, prethee, Child go; whereupon away she frisks like Lightning with her Cousin-Gallant, fleer∣ing all the way at the contented one at home, saying, that he has some small smack of Jealousie, (and a great deal of Reason

for it.) To the Place they come, and are no sooner arrived, but she is Nobly re∣ceived for her Husband's sake, Treated with Airs, Balls, Banquets, and a thou∣sand pretty little Frolicks and amorous Gambals, not fit to be here mentioned: All her Lovers are now met together, like Flies in Summer, every one intending to have a lick at her Honey-pot; every one putting forward, as he finds opportunity. One Complements her at a very Modish rate; the other Presents her with a rich Diamond; one gives her the gentle Tread on the Toe, en passant, as the Frenchman hath it; the other gives her the amorous Squeeze of the hand; another leaning dis∣pondently upon his Elbow, reaches her with a languishing Eye; So that she must needs be void of all Sense, if she depart without understanding all their good in∣tentions. Thus every Spark endeavours (as much as in him lies) to make her Hus∣band bear the Turkish Ensign of Christian Matrimony in the Van; which at last proves the occasion of her shame and his sorrow; for either by the mis-manage∣ment, or mis-timing of her Amorous De∣signs, or the discovery of her Frolicks by some special Friend or Relation, the Hus∣band comes to understand the whole

Truth, and nothing but the Truth, which drives him into a strange Paroxysm of Profound Melancholy, that all the Helle∣bore among the Anticyrae can never reco∣ver him: if he attempt to strike her, that won't do, but only add fuel to her Fire; that will take off her Affection, so that she will never dally with him, but only to pass away the time for want of better Company, and make use of him only as a Cloak to shrowd and conceal her Lascivi∣ousness. Thus is the poor Gentleman sensi∣ble of the Second Matrimonial Solace, being now fast bound to Ixion's Wheel of Misery, where he must live in a most laguishing, and die in a very miserable Condition.