University of Virginia Library

A Virtuous Wife.

Is, to her Husband, all we can call good,
That hath affinity with Flesh and Bloud:
Her Chaster thoughts are so Divinely swayd,
Although a Mother, she's a married Maid:
In that her Conversation doth dispense
It self no further then safe Innocence
May wisely warrant, She's an Enchiridion,
To her kinde Consort, fill'd with true Religion:
Which is her highest Learning, and the Stone
Lay'd to support her Life's foundation:
Her Passions are so regularly sweet,
That his Distempers, and her Mildenesse, meet
Like Flint and Feathers; for she truly knows,
From vain Resistance, vile Dis-union grows:
She's of her Husband's Counsel, though respect
Instruct her to Advise, more than Direct;
And of his Privacies so (wisely) wary,
She may be stil'd his Hearts best Secretary:
They are so much One, that whatsoever Fate
Bestows on Him, She doth participate;
His Sorrow, is her Sadnesse, and his Mirth,
(Occultly) doth beget a blooming Birth
Of Joyes in Her; And, as I have been shewn,
Two Needles touch'd with one Magnetique Stone,
And fix'd upon their Centers, though an Ocean;
Divide them, yet, One touch'd, gives Tother motion:
So is it with this loyal Pair of Creatures,
No Distance makes Antipathy of Natures:
She is Man's better Genius, and it is
(Almost) impossible, that any Blisse
Should be a stranger to him, whilest her Care
Devotes her humbled Heart, and Knee, in Prayer
For his Prosperity, whose Hands and Eyes,
Are Sin and Sorrow's sincere Sacrifice.
Her temperate Speech is so divinely calm,
And from her Ruby portals, spring a Balm
So pretious, and invaluably Pure
That Love makes every Kisse become a Cure:
She's never Jealous, 'cause she doth not know
By what strange means 'tis planted, or doth Grow:
Yet (rightly) thinks they cannot be without
The Guilt of Soul, who deal too much in Doubt;
And therefore (piously) doth well prevent
The Plague of both, by being Innocent.
Her Angel-Issue that about her Knee
Make her appear (as she is) true Charity;
Beget a Joy in her transcend Expressings,
And prove (what they were Meant) the Parents blessings
At whose Conception she did well agree
His Name should rather win priority
Than levity of Bloud, scorning the shame,
Which the Act shares, should nullifie the Fame
Of Generation, and that they should be
Onely the Fruits of Geniality:
Her own Example, is a powerfull guiding
Unto her Servants, that prevents all Chiding,
Or such domestique Noise, as makes the Act
Of Dehortation, worser than the Fact:
As I have heard an in-harmonious Chime
Of Words, convert the Counsel, to the Crime:
There is such Language in her Looks, her Eye
(Without a Voice) directs a Remedy;
Which is not so austere, but you may spie
Love mix'd with Power, Meeknesse with Majesty:
Her Care is in her House, where she confines
Her Thoughts, as well as Feet, and much inclines
To Uniformity, for you shall finde
The Order of her Houshold, like her Minde;
And so her Dresse, in which, she doth comply,
That cheapest Fitnesse, is best Bravery:
She is the Old man's Crutch, the Poor man's Treasure;
The Rashman's Remedy, the Young man's Pleasure;
The Wiseman's Jewell, Noble man's Renown;
The Peasant's Rest, the King's imperial Crown;
The Sick man's Salvatory, Souldier's Fort;
The Merchant's Providence, the Pilot's Port;
Which, if he lose, He soon shall understand,
That his worst Ship-wrack was upon the Land;
But if Grim Death, his Lamp of Life shall smother
He doth but change one Heaven for Another.