 | The Fair Penitent |  |
EPILOGUE, Spoken by Mrs. Bracegirdle, who play'd Lavinia.
You see the tripping Dame cou'd find no Favour,Dearly she paid for Breach of good Behaviour,
Nor cou'd her loving Husband's Fondness save her.
Italian Ladies lead but scurvy Lives,
There's dreadful dealing with Eloping Wives;
Thus 'tis, because these Husbands are obey'd
By force of Laws, which for themselves they made.
With Tales of old Prescriptions they confine,
The Right of Marriage-rule to their Male Line,
And Huff, and Domineer by Right Divine.
Had we the Pow'r we'd make the Tyrants know,
What 'tis to fail in Duties which they owe;
We'd teach the saunt'ring Squire, who loves to roam,
Forgetful of his own dear Spouse and Home;
Who Snores at Night supinely by her side,
'Twas not for this the Nuptial Knot was ty'd.
The plodding Petty-fogger, and the Cit,
Have learn'd at least this Modern way of Wit:
Each ill-bred, senseless Rogue, tho' ne'er so dull,
Has th'Impudence to think his Wife a Fool;
He spends the Night, where merry Wags resort,
With joking Clubs, and Eighten-penny Port,
While she poor Soul's contented to regale,
By a sad Sea-cole Fire, with Wigs and Ale.
And fill an absent Husband's empty place:
If you wou'd e'er bring Constancy in Fashion,
You Men must first begin the Reformation.
Then shall the Golden Age of Love return,
No Turtle for her wand'ring Mate shall mourn,
No Foreign Charms shall cause Domestick Strife,
But ev'ry marry'd Man shall toast his Wife;
Phillis shall not be to the Country sent,
For Carnivals in Town to keep a tedious Lent:
Lampoons shall cease, and envious Scandal die,
And all shall live in Peace like my good Man and I.
| The Fair Penitent | |