ashamed to do such a filthy act before him, then before men? I am sure, thou art not so shamlesse, but thou wouldst blush to have the meanest commoner in London see thee, in the action of thy filthy lust, and dost thou not shame more to have God, the maker of all things see thee, who revengeth sinne with death; he whose eyes are cleerer then the sunne, who is the searcher of the heart, and holdeth vengeance in his hands to punish sinners? Oh, let us tremble, that we but once durst have such a wanton communication, in the hearing of his Divine Majesty, who pronounceth damnation for such as give themselves over to adultery. It is not possible, saith the Lord, for any whoremaster, or lascivious wanton, to enter into the kingdome of God; for such sinnes, whole cities have sunke, kingdomes have beene destroyed; and, though God suffer such wicked livers to escape for a while, yet, at length, he payeth home in this world, with beggry, shame, diseases, infamy; and in the other life, perpetuall damnation. Weigh but the inconvenience, that growes through thy loose life, thou art hated of all that are good, despised of the vertuous, and only well thought of, of reprobates, rascals, ruffians, and such as the world hates, subject to their lust, and gaining thy living at the hands of every diseased leacher. O, what a miserable trade of life is thine, that livest of the vomit of sin, in hunting after maladies: But suppose, while thou art young, thou art favoured of thy companions; when thou waxest old, and that thy beauty is faded, then thou shall be lothed and despised, even of them that profest most love unto thee: Then, good sister, call to mind the basenesse of thy life, the hainous outrage of thy sin, that God doth punish it with the rigour of his justice. Oh, thou art made beautifull, faire, and well formed; and wilt thou then, by thy filthy lust, make thy body, which, if thou be honest, is the temple of God, the habitation of the divell? Consider this, and call to God for mercy, and amend thy life: Leave this house, and I will become thy faithfull friend in all honesty, and use thee as mine owne sister. At this, such a remorse of conscience, such a fearefull terror of my sin strook into my mind, that I kneeled down at his feet, and with teares besought him, that he would helpe me out of that misery, for his exhortation had caused in me a lothing of my wicked life, and I would not only become a reformed woman, but hold him as deare as my father that gave me life; whereupon, he kist me with teares, and so we went downe together, where we had further communication, and presently he provided me another lodging, where I not only used my selfe honestly, but also was so penitent, every day in teares for my former folly, that he tooke me to his wife; and how I have lived since, and lothed filthy lust, I referre my selfe to the Majesty of God, who knoweth the secrets of all hearts.

Thus, country-men, I have publisht the conversion of an English curtezan, which, if, any way, it be profitable, either to forwarne youth, or withdraw bad persons to goodnesse, I have the whole end of my desire; only craving, every father would bring up his children with carefull nurture, and every young woman respect the honour of her virginitie.

THE

ANATOMY OF A WOMANS TONGUE

DIVIDED INTO FIVE PARTS:

A MEDICINE, A POISON, A SERPENT, FIRE, AND THUNDER.

Whereunto is added divers new Epigrams nevers before printed. The fifth Edition, with more new Additions.

London, printed for Richard Harper, and are to be sold at his shop, at the Hospital-Gate, 1638. Duodecimo, containing eighteen pages.

The Frontispiece, or Meaning of the wooden Picture, in the Title-Page

This little emblem here doth represent
The bless'd condition of a man content,
Bless'd with a blessing sent him from above,
A quiet wife wholly compact of love;

In middle of the title I have plac'd them,

With hand in hand, my muse so much hath grac'd them.

The smiling sun, that o'er their heads doth shine,

Doth shew true love is heavenly and divine.

Now, at each corner of the title here,
Men discontented in their minds appear.

One sadly sits, his wife is grown so curst,

Her words like poison make him swell and burst.
Another man is by a serpent stung,

What is this serpent but a woman's tongue?
Another from the fire seems to turn,

To shew that women's tongues like fire will burn.
Another sounds his horn, and doth rejoice,
To drown a scolding woman's clamorous voice.
The cloud of thunder o'er his head, you see,
Doth shew what thund'ring tongues in women be.
Horns roar, and thunder rattles from the sky,
Yet women they will strain their voice as high.
Reader, no longer on the title look,
But cast thine eye a little on the book :
Read it quite o'er, and surely thou wilt say,
Thy money is well laid out, not cast away.

1

To the new-married Man.

YOUNG man, that now hast ventur'd on a wife, And know'st not the conditions of her life;

For thou may'st live perhaps with her a year,
Before her qualities to thee appear:

Make much of her on whom thy love is plac'd,
Be sure thou offer not the first distaste:
For, if thou dost, thou openest a way,
For discontent to enter in I say;

If she be kind of nature, mild, and chaste,
Make much of her, for thou a jewel hast;
If she be quarrelsome, and curs'd of nature,
Why policy will tame the fiercest creature.
Lions and tigers by policy are tamed,

And other creatures, which here are not named.
Some men will beat their wives, but that's the way,
To make them obstinate and go astray;

Others no means unto their wives allow,
And say, that is the way to make them bow;
But such as these are knaves and clownish boors,
For that's the way to make them to be whores.
But, if thou seest her strive to wear the breeches,
Then strive to overcome her with kind speeches.
If this will not prevail, why then be sure,
That such a wife as she is quite past cure,
With evil company refuse to go,

For that's enough to make a sheep a shrew.
And to this end that thou should ŝt careful be,
Here thou shalt know what I have done for thee.
If that a woman's tongue seem strange unto thee,
I'll shew what good or evil they may do thee.
Into five parts this tongue I will divide,
The first part is the best, as shall be try'd;
And these be they in order written under,
A Salve, a Poison, a Serpent, Fire, and Thunder;
And first a woman's tongue a salve I'll prove,
If she be one that doth her husband love,

How a Woman's Tongue may be said to be a Medicine.

THERE was a comely, handsome, proper maid, That lov'd a young man very well 'tis said, Unknown to him or unto any other,

For she conceal'd it even from her mother;
But she grew love-sick, and so wond'rous ill,
Because poor wench she could not have her will;
Which made her mother call her then to task,
What ail'd her to be sick, she her did ask.
The bashful maid at first would nothing say,
And yet, she being willing to obey,

Her mother's will, thus she to speak began,
And said she was in love with such a man;
If she enjoy'd him not, she was undone,
And made th' unhappiest creature under th' sun.
Her mother did at this begin to chide,
And said she was too young to be a bride :
Nevertheless to the man's friends she went,
To have both his good will, and their consent.
This motion did the young man's mother please,
But yet she said that he had a disease,
That was the cause of all her grief, alas!
But yet she would not tell her what it was.
But, to be short, they married were with speed,
Unto the love sick maid's content indeed,
And, since she found he was a lusty lad,
She wonder'd what disease her husband had:
She found her husband sound in wind and limb,
And no disease or sickness troubled him,
But on a time he went forth sound and well,
And came home very sick, the truth to tell;
For he had been among a drunken crew,
So the new-married wife his sickness knew:
Husband, quoth she, I now do understand
What your disease is, come give me your
Be of good comfort, for I will assure you,
I, under God, will undertake to cure you.
It is a catching sickness and disease,
Which to prevent, I'll tell you, if you please;
My words shall be as physick for your soul,
If I may freely speak without controul:
He gave consent, and thus she did begin,
To tell her husband 'twas a grievous sin:
It will, quoth she, if you do use this thing,
Both soul and body to confusion bring:
And that in time it will impair your health,
Weaken your body, and consume your wealth:

hand:

"Twill rob you of your senses and your wit,
And for all goodness make you quite unfit:
O'erthrow your credit; O let me persuade
You from this vice; wherefore should it be said
That you, that are of all men held discreet,
Should come home stumbling, reeling in the street?
When every little boy, to your disgrace,
Will laugh at you, and jeer you to your face.
And which is more, if this I often see,

bare.

It will go near to break the heart of me.
Then, if you love me, and me well respect,
Banish that vice, sweet-heart, and now reject
That company that you esteem so dear,
That ne'er will leave you till they leave you
So with such words as these she did prevail,
For she, poor heart, could neither scold nor rail :
And her kind loving words were not in vain,
For he was never after drunk again.

O happy men that do such wives enjoy,
Whose tongues are medicines to cure annoy.

How a Woman's Tongue may be said to be a Poison.

A MAN that had a nimble-tongued wife,
With whom he liv'd a discontented life:
For she would tell all that her husband did,
And from her gossips nothing should be hid.
If he sometimes did come home drunk to bed,
About the town it should be published.
If he a woman do salute or kiss,
Why all the town forsooth must know of this.
This made the poor man weary of his life,
Because he had such an unnatʼral wife.
Upon a time to his neighbour's house he went, .
Much vex'd in mind, and wondrous discontent.
He sits him down, but not a word he spake,
Until his buttons from his doublet brake;

It seems his heart, poor man, with grief was thrust,
Which made his buttons from his doublet burst.
He swell'd, as if he poisoned had been,

Which caused them to call their neighbours in;
Which when the people saw, quoth they, the man
Is surely poison'd; so away they ran,

Some for strong waters, some for sallet oil ;
Which when he saw, he could no less but smile:
Quoth he, 'tis true, it was a woman's tongue,
That hath, like poison, done me so much wrong.