Seldome comes the better:
OR, An admonition to all sorts of people, as Husbands, Wiues, Masters, and Seruants, &c. to auoid mutability, and to fix their minds on what they possesse.
To the tune of the He-Deuill.
YOu men that are well wiued,
and yet doe raile on Fate,
As though you were depriued
thereby of happy state:
Learne well to be contented
with a good wife, if you get her,
For often when the old wife's dead,
seldome comes the better.
I once had a wife,
O would to God she had liued,
For while the Lord lent me her life,
indifferent well I thriued;
Yet cause that she would chide at me,
I wisht that death would fet her,
But since I haue got a worse then shée,
for seldome comes the better.
She would tell me for my good,
that I must leaue my vice,
But I not rightly vnderstood
her counsell of high price;
Full glad was I when she was dead,
so much at nought I set her,
But since I haue got a worse in her stead,
for seldome comes the better.
I now haue one thats not content
with any thing I doe;
The others tongue did me torment,
this scolds and beates me too.
I thought when I was rid of one,
that Fortune was my debtor:
But now I see when one wife's gone,
that seldome comes the better.
That wife would onely me reprooue,
for wasting of my store;
But this, as well as I doth loue
the good Ale pot, and more,
She'l sit at the Alehouse all the day,
and if the house will let her,
Shee'l run on the score, and I must pay;
thus seldome comes the better.
The other was a huswife good,
when she a penny spent,
It went from her like drops of bloud,
toth' Alehouse she ne're went,
Vnlesse it were to fetch home me,
for which at nought I set her,
But this wife is quite contrary,
for seldome comes the better.
And if I doe rebuke her as
a Husband ought and will,
She'l call me Rogue and Rascall base,
her tongue will ne're lye still;
Nay much adoe I haue to shun
her blowes if much I fret her;
The other quickly would haue done:
thus seldome comes the better.
The Second part,
To the same tune.
VVHen I consider well of this,
it sore doth vexe my minde;
O then I thinke what tis to misse
a wife that's true and kinde.
There's many men like me that haue
good Wiues, yet wish for neater,
And faine would send the old toth' graue,
in hope they shall haue better.
But that doth seldome come to passe,
though many hope it will:
Therefore let him that has a good Lasse,
desire to kéepe her still:
Nay, though she hath some small defect,
to chide when he doth fret her,
Yet let him not her loue neglect,
for seldome comes the better.
Some thinke that were their old Wiues dead,
such are their fickle mindes
They should get richer in their steads,
but few or none that findes
Their expectation answered.
suppose the portion's greater,
Yet he may say as I haue sed.
that seldome comes the better.
Ther's many Lads, and Lasses young,
that in good seruice light,
And yet they thinke that they haue wrong
to serue their time out quite,
They loue to shift from place to place,
toth'little from the greater,
Till at last they say in wofull case,
faith, seldome comes the better.
Change of pasture makes fat Calues,
this is a prouerbe vs'd,
Which fore another like if salues,
and helpes the first abus'd.
A roling stone ne're gathers mosse:
so hée that is a flitter
From house to house, shall find with losse,
that seldome comes the better.
Likewise some men and women both,
when they haue Seruants true,
To kéepe them ouer-long th'are loth,
but still they wish for new;
And hauing put the old away,
they take some farre vnfitter,
Which being tride, at last they say
faith, seldome comes the better.
And he that hath a perfect Friend,
let him retaine his loue,
Lest losing th'old, the new ith'end
a faigned frend doe prooue:
And so it happens many times,
as some can tell that yet are
Aliue, and doe lament their crimes,
with seldome comes the better.
Therefore let all both Men and Wiues.
Seruants and Masters all,
Thinke on this Prouerbe all their liues,
the vse on't is not small;
If you are well, your selues so kéepe,
and striue not to be greater;
Be sure to looke before you leape,
for seldome comes the better.
FINIS.
Printed at London.