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ſlesh, and there is no Man ſo fooliſh to hurt his owne fleſh. A Man ought to be a comforter of his Wife, then ſurely he ought not to be a tormenter of her; for with what face can a Man imbrace that body which his hands haue battered and bruiſed? Or with what heart can a Woman loue that Man which can find in his heart to beat her?
Alſo, when a Man findeth a painfull & carefull woman, which knoweth when to ſpend, and when to ſpare, and to keepe the houſe in good order, then the Husband will not deny ſuch a Wife any neceſſarie thing belonging to the Houſe: but if ſhe be a light Huſwife, who liueth without doing any thing, without caring for Husband, children, or ſeruants, or any other belonging to the Houſe, thereby ſhewing, although her body be in the Houſe, yet her mind is abroad, which redowneth to her ſhame, and to her Huſbands great hinderance: for when the Miſtreſſe is occupied in vanitie, the Seruants are careleſſe for her profit, but looke to their owne: for while the Miſtreſſe playeth, the Mayden ſtrayeth.
But thoſe men are to be laughed at, who hauing a Wife, and a ſufficient Wife to doe all the worke within dores, which belongs to a Woman to doe, yet the Husband will ſet Hens abrood, ſeaſon the Pot, & dreſſe the Meat, or any the like worke, which belongeth not to the Man: ſuch huſbands many times offend their Wiues greatly, and they wrong themſelues, for if they were imployed abroad in matters belonging to Men, they would be the more deſirous being come home to take their eaſe, and not trouble their Wiues and Seruants in medling with their matters: For the rule and gouernement of the Houſe belongeth to the Wife.
