Social Commentaries

The Aunswere for taking a Wyfe

by George Turberville c. 1540–c. 1610

From Epitaphes, Epigrams, Songs and Sonets (1567)

Social Commentaries

LOng you with gréedie minde to bleare mine eie
And make mée thinke of marige thus amisse?
I cannot déeme so yll of wyuing I,
To loue and wed for loue is perfite blisse.
A filthy Trull (you say) is lothsome sight,
Put case she be not passing faire to vewe?
If she with vertue doe the want requight
Of comely shape thou hast no cause to rue.
A gallant girle allures the lookers minde,
What shall we say the womans is the shame?
Bicause the cléerest eies by course of kinde
Can not abide the Sunne, is hee to blame?
A wanton wench to die will haue the hed,
Canst thou not sée before thou wade so farre?
His be the hurt that lookes not ere he wed,
The Husband may the woman make or mae.
Put case an aged Trot be somewhat tough?
If coyne shée bring the care will be the lesse,
If shée haue store of muck and goods ynough
Thou néedste not force so much of handsomnesse.
A bearing Wyfe doth make the husband glad,
A greater ioye than Childrens may not bée:
A barraine wench sometime must néedes be had
There doth not fruite spring out of euery trée.
So that I finde no reason, none at all
In that thou wilst a man to single lyfe,
And quite to shun the comfort that may fall
And daylie doth to him that hath a Wyfe.
For sure though some be shrewes as some there be,
(As of the shéepe are some that beare no wull)
Yet must we praise the match whereby we sée
The earth maintainde with men, and stored full.
But if you thinke so yll to take a Wyfe,
Let others wed, leade you the single lyfe.

MLA

Turberville, George. “The Aunswere for taking a Wyfe.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/turberville/68/.

Chicago

Turberville, George. “The Aunswere for taking a Wyfe.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/turberville/68/.

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