Contrary is the mind and practise of many wives, who 1being affected and addicted to one place more then another, as to the place where they were bred and brought up, where their greatest, best, and most friends dwell, and where they have good acquaintance, refuse to go and dwell where their husbands calling lieth, though he require, and desire them never so much. Thus many husbands are forced to their great damage for peace sake to yield unto their wives, and so either to relinquish their calling, or to have two houses; whence it followeth, that sometimes they must neglect their servants and calling, and sometimes be absent from their wives, if not from their children also. Some wives pretend that they cannot endure the smoke of the city, other that they cannot endure the air of the country: whereas indeed their own humour and conceit stuffs them more then either city smoke or country air. I cannot call such the daughters of Sarah herein: 2they are not like those forenamed holy women that trusted in God, and were subject to their husbands, but rather like to that light housewife of the Levite, who would not dwell in her husbands 3house at mount Ephraim, but at her fathers house in Beth-lehem Judah. Such wives as I speak of, in matrimonial chastity may be more honest, but in wifelike subjection are little more dutiful. Let this be taken for a fault, and it will be the sooner amended.
Contrary is the minde and practise of many wiues, who 1being affected and addicted to one place more then another, as to the place where they were bred and brought vp, where their greatest, best, and most friends dwell, and where they haue good acquaintance, refuse to goe and dwell where their husbands calling lieth, though he require, and desire them neuer so much. Thus many husbands are forced to their great dammage for peace sake to yeeld vnto their wiues, and so either to relinquish their calling, or to haue two houses; whence it followeth, that sometimes they must neglect their seruants and calling, and sometimes be absent from their wiues, if not from their children also. Some wiues pretend that they cannot endure the smoake of the citie, other that they cannot endure the aire of the countrie: whereas indeed their owne humour and conceit stuffes them more then either citie smoake or countrie aire. I cannot call such the daughters of Sarah herein: 2they are not like those forenamed holy women that trusted in God, and were subiect to their husbands, but rather like to that light housewife of the Leuite, who would not dwell in her husbands 3house at mount Ephraim, but at her fathers house in Beth-lehem Iudah. Such wiues as I speake of, in matrimoniall chastitie may be more honest, but in wiuelike subiection are little more dutifull. Let this be taken for a fault, and it will be the sooner amended.
- 1Contrary, when a wife makes her husband dwell where she will.
- 21 Pet. 3. 5, 6.
- 3Judg. 19. 2.Iudg. 19. 2.
