Nay, if my Lord affirm'd that black was white, 160
My word was this, Your honour's in the right.
Th' affuming Wit, who deems himself so wise,
As his mistaken patron to advise,

Let him not dare to vent his dang'rous thought,
A noble fool was never in a fault.

This, Sir, affects not you, whose ev'ry word
Is weigh'd with judgment, and befits a Lord:
Your will is mine; and is (I will maintain)
Pleafing to God, and should be so to man;
At least, your courage all the world must praise,

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Who dare to wed in your declining days.
Indulge the vigour of your mounting blood,
And let grey fools be indolently good,

Who, paft all pleasure, damn the joys of fenfe,
With rev'rend dulnefs and grave impotence.
Juftin, who filent fat, and heard the man,

179

Thus, with a philofophic frown, began.
A heathen author of the first degree,

(Who, tho' not Faith, had Senfe as well as we)
Bids us be certain our concerns to trust
To thofe of gen'rous principles, and just.
The venture's greater, I'll prefume to say,
To give your perfon, than your goods away:
And therefore, Sir, as you regard your reft,
First learn your lady's qualities at leaft:
Whether she's chafte or rampant, proud or civil,
Meek as a faint, or haughty as the devil;
Whether an eafy, fond, familiar fool,
Or fuch a wit as no man e'er can rule.

- 'Tis true, perfection none muft hope to find
In all this world, much less in womankind;
But if her virtues prove the larger share,
Blefs the kind fates, and thank your fortune rare.

180

18;

190

Ah, gentle Sir, take warning of a friend,

200

Who knows too well the state you thus commend; 195
And, fpite of all his praises, muft declare,
All he can find is bondage, cost, and care.
Heav'n knows, I fhed full many a private tear,
And figh in filence, left the world should hear;
While all my friends applaud my blissful life,
And fwear no mortal's happier in a wife;
Demure and chafte as any vestal Nun,
The meekest creature that beholds the fun!
But, by th' immortal pow'rs, I feel the pain,
And he that smarts has reason to complain.
Do what you lift, for me; you must be fage,
And cautious fure; for wisdom is in
But at these years, to venture on the fair;
By him who made the ocean, earth, and air,
To please a wife, when her occafions call,
Would bufy the most vig'rous of us all.
And trust me, Sir, the chafteft you can chufe
Will afk obfervance, and exact her dues.
If what I speak my noble Lord offend,
My tedious fermon here is at an end.

age:

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215

220

'Tis well, 'tis wondrous well, the Knight replies, Moft worthy kinfman, faith you're mighty wife! We, Sirs, are fools; and must refign the cause To heath'nish authors, proverbs, and old faws. He spoke with fcorn, and turn'd another way: What does my friend, my dear Placebo, fay? I fay, quoth he, by heav'n the man's to blame, To flander wives, and wedlock's holy name. At this the council rofe, without delay; Each, in his own opinion, went his way; With full confent, that, all difputes appeas'd,

235

The knight fhould marry, when and where he pleas'd.

Who now but January exults with joy?

The charms of wedlock all his foul employ:
Each nymph by turns his wav'ring mind poffeft, 230
And reign'd the fhort-liv'd tyrant of his breaft;
While fancy pictur'd ev'ry lively part,

And each bright image wander'd o'er his heart.
Thus, in fome public Forum fix'd on high,
A Mirrour shows the figures moving by;
Still one by one, in swift fucceffion, país
The gliding fhadows o'er the polish'd glass.
This Lady's charms the nicest could not blame,
But vile fufpicions had aspers'd her fame;

235

That was with fenfe, but not with virtue, bleft; 240
And one had grace, that wanted all the reft.
Thus doubting long what nymph he should obey,
He fix'd at laft upon the youthful May.

Her faults he knew not, Love is always blind,

But ev'ry charm revolv'd within his mind:
Her tender age, her form divinely fair,
Her eafy motion, her attractive air,
Her sweet behaviour, her enchanting face,
Her moving foftnefs, and majeftic grace.

245

Much in his prudence did our Knight rejoice, 250
And thought no mortal could difpute his choice:
Once more in haste he summon'd ev'ry friend,
And told them all, their pains were at an end.
Heav'n, that (faid he) inspir'd me first to wed,
Provides a confort worthy of my bed:
Let none oppose th' election, fince on this
Depends my quiet, and my future bliss.

A dame there is, the darling of my eyes,

255

Young, beauteous, artlefs, innocent, and wife; Chaste, tho' not rich; and, tho' not nobly born, 260 Of honeft parents, and may ferve my turn.

1

Her will I wed, if gracious Heav'n so please ;
To pass my age in fanctity and ease:

And thank the pow'rs, I may poffefs alone

The lovely prize, and share my blifs with none! 265
If you, my friends, this virgin can procure,
My joys are full, my happiness is sure.

270

280

One only doubt remains: Full oft I've heard, By cafuifts grave, and deep divines averr'd; That 'tis too much for human race to know The blifs of heav'n above, and earth below. Now should the nuptial pleafures prove fo great, To match the bleffings of the future state, Those endless joys were ill-exchang'd for these; Then clear this doubt, and fet my mind at ease. 275 This Juftin heard, nor could his fpleen controul, Touch'd to the quick, and tickled at the foul. Sir Knight, he cry'd, if this be all your dread, Heav'n put it past your doubt, whene'er you wed; And to my fervent pray'rs so far confent, That ere the rites are o'er, you may repent! Good Heav'n, no doubt, the nuptial ftate approves, Since it chaftifes ftill what beft it loves. Then be not, Sir, abandon'd to despair; Seek, and perhaps you'll find among the fair, One that may do your bufinefs to a hair; Not ev'n in with, your happinefs delay, But prove the fcourge to lash you on your way: Then to the skies your mounting foul shall go, Swift as an arrow foaring from the bow! Provided fill, you moderate your joy, Nor in your pleasures all your might employ, Let reafon's rule your strong defires abate, Nor please too lavishly your gentle mate. Old wives there are, of judgment moft acute, Who folve thefe queftions beyond all difpute;

287

2.90

295

Confult with thofe, and be of better chear;
Marry, do penance, ând difmifs your fear.

So faid, they rofe, nor more the work delay'd;
The match was offer'd; the proposals made.
The parents you may think would foon comply;
The Old have int'reft ever in their eye.
Nor was it hard to move the Lady's mind;
When fortune favours, ftill the Fair are kind.
I país each previous fettlement and deed,
Too long for me to write, or you to read;
Nor will with quaint impertinence display
The pomp, the pageantry, the proud array.

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305

The time approach'd, to Church the parties went,
At once with carnal and devout intent :

Forth came the Prieft, and bade th' obedient wife
Like Sarah or Rebeccah lead her life:
Then pray'd the pow'rs the fruitful bed to blefs,
And made all fure enough with holiness.

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314

And now the palace-gates are open'd_wide,
The guefts appear in order, fide by fide,
And plac'd in state the bridegroom and the bride.
The breathing flute's foft notes are heard around,
And the fhrill trumpets mix their filver found;
The vaulted roofs with echoing mufic ring,
Thefe touch the vocal ftops, and thofe the trembling
ftring.

Not thus Amphion tun'd the warbling lyre,
Nor Joab the founding clarion could infpire,

Nor fierce Theodamas, whofe fprightly ftrain

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324

Could fwell the foul to rage, and fire the martial train.
Bacchus himfelf, the nuptial feaft to grace,
(So Pocts fing) was prefent on the place:
And lovely Venus, Goddefs of delight,
Shook high her flaming torch in open fight,
And danc'd around, and fmil'd on ev'ry Knight:

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