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For women hate above all things,

That men should hold their leading strings;

Forget not this; and what I next

Relate to thee, in golden text

Of fairest script might well be writ

For great behoof and benefit

Of lovers.

Whatso man would get

Grace in a woman’s heart should let

Her go her ways, where’er she will,

For seek to check her, and you spill

All love betwixt you, whether she

Or spouse or mistress chance to be.

Though ’gainst his mistress one receive

Clear witness, let him not believe

Or hearken it, but say to those

Who bring the tale, they but disclose

Their want of wit, and words they waste;

To tell base tales of one so chaste

Argues a fool. Her vices e’en

Should he let pass as though unseen

And unsuspect. For those who treat

A woman ill, with hope the heat

Of love to raise in her, will find

That when again she’s wooed with kind

And loving words, ’tis like to that

Experience that sometimes a cat

Affords us, which men beat, then call

To come again beneath their thrall,

But if puss once gets loose, O rare

And deft his skill who caught her were.

But if the lady ’tis doth trim

Her lover’s beard, ’tis not for him