’Tis a Folly next to Madness for Women to be trying Masteries with their
Husbands; to say nothing of the Scandal they bring upon themselves and
their Families, by such a forfeiture of Honour, Discretion, Modesty,
and Good Manners. Nay, and ’tis well too, if from some Men, and upon
some Provocations, they scape the Discipline of a good Drubbing into the
Bargain.
There are divers Important Doctrines couch’d under this Fable; First,
the insuperable Obstinacy of a violent Woman. Secondly, the Scandal
of the Example, as well as the Folly of the Competition. Thirdly, The
Natural Issue of the Controversie, where the weakest must expect to goe
to the Wall. The World, Heaven be thanked, does not want Instances to
illustrate this Figure. So that there will be less need of amplifying
upon it. We are not here upon the Philosophy of the Freak, but upon the
Shameful Lewdness of the Practice. _Sirrah_, (says a Woman to a Friend of
mine, that took her off from beating her Husband,) _I’m a Wor’stershire
Woman, and I wont be Abus’d_. _Juvenal_’s _Homo sum_, says all in Two
Words. When the Devil of this Passion is rais’d, there’s no Abiding the
Storm, and there’s no Laying on’t. _One such Womans Tongue_ (says the
Poet) _is beyond all the Pans and Kettles in the Country, to bring the
Moon out of an Ecclipse_. Keep up the Dialogue and she Kills _you_; let
it fall, and you Kill _her_. This was the very Case of a Certain Divine
that Chid a Woman for Striking and Reviling her Husband. She left her
Husband immediately, and fell upon the Jacket of the Parson, who stood
Gaping at her a full Hour and a Half together, without one word of Reply.
The Passion put her at last into Fits, and the first word she said upon
coming to her self again, was no more then this, _Ah Sir_, says she,
_Ever while you live, Answer a Woman_.
To come now to the Doctrine that’s wrapt up in the Example. ’Tis
Scandalous with a Respect to the Ordinances both of God and Man; ’tis a
high Offence to common Decency in regard of the Sex, the Duty, and the
Relation: And then ’tis most abominably Indiscreet, because if the Man be
not a Coxcomb, the Woman is sure to be worsted; and if he be one, ’tis
as good as a _Noverint Universi_, that there’s _a Fool and a Shrew well
met_. The word _Yoak-Fellow_ goes a great way with a _Thrush-Woman_.
And so does the _Text_, that says, _They shall be both One Flesh_. From
whence she infers an Equality at least, if not a Right of Dominion; for
the Rib ought to have some Preference above the Clay.
This is not to be taken for a General Character of Women, but for a
Reproof only of some Eager-Spirited _Gypsies_ of the Sex; and for the
Honour also of those Angelical Perfections, which render them both the
Joy and the Blessing of Mankind, when they live Suitably in all Points to
the Intent of their Creation.