Page:The Arraignment of Lewd, Idle, Froward, and Unconstant Women (1622).djvu/44

 of moane. In the beginning a womans loue ſeemeth delightfull, but endeth with deſtruction; therefore hee that truſteth to the loue of a woman, ſhall be as ſure as hee that hangeth by the leaſe of a tree in the latter end of Summer: and yet there is a great difference betwixt the ſtanding poole, and the running ſtreame, although they are both waters.

Therefore of two euils, chuſe the leaſt, and auoyd the greateſt. But my meaning is not here to aduiſe thee to chuſe the leaſt woman: tor the little women are as vnhappy as the greateſt; for though their ſtatures be little, yet their hearts are big: then ſpeake faire to all, but truſt none, and ſay with Diogenes, It is too ſoone for a young man to marry, and too late for old men. One asked a Phyloſopher, what the life of a married man was? hee anſwered, Miſery: And what is his felicitie? Miſerie: for he ſtill lingers in hope of further ioy: And what is his end? and he ſtill anſwered, Miſery.

There are ſixe kindes of women that thou ſhouldeſt take heede that thou match not thy ſelfe to any one of them: that is to ſay, good nor bad, faire nor foule, rich nor poore; for if thou marrieft one that is good, thou mayſt quickly ſpill her with too much making of her: for when prouender prickes a woman, then ſhee will grow knauiſh: and if bad, then thou muſt ſupport her in all her bad actions, and that will be ſo weariſome vnto thee, that thou hadſt as good draw water continually to fill a bottomleſſe tub: if ſhe be faire, then thou muſt doe nothing elſe but watch her: and if ſhee bee foule and loathſome, who can abide her? if ſhe bee rich, then thou muſt forbeare her becauſe of her wealth: and if ſhe be poore, then