ithdraw your affections from
me, you might have had a fairer Plea before Men, for doing what you do;
tho' even that wou'd have been no Excuse at the Tribunal of God, whom you
principally offend by your present wicked Life. But your own Conscience
will tell you, if you dare ask it the Question, that it has been the
Business of my whole Life, since I have been married to you, to carry my
self towards you as a loving and a vertuous Wife ought to do to her
Husband; and have done all that lay in my Power to contribute to your
Satisfaction. I have never made your House uneasie to you, by any
unbecoming Words or Carriage; nor what occasion so ever you have given me,
have I been either Clamorous, or a Brawler. 'Tis true my Heart is almost
broke with Grief; and who can blame me? When I see your affection so
Estranged from me, your Estate wasted, and my self and Children ready to go
a Begging, whilst an impudent Quean is at your Cost maintain'd in her Silks
and Sattins; and which is worse than all the rest, your own Soul, in danger
of Eternal Ruine. And if this Affects you not, remember your own Reputation
in the World: You have lived in Credit and Repute among your Neighbours:
and will you Sacrifice that, and Entail Shame and Dishonour upon your Self
and Family, for gratifying the Lusts of a filthy and Lascivious Strumpet?
If you go on in this Course, you must Morgage your Lands to pay your Debts;
and what a shame will that be? Your Father left you an Estate, but you are
like to leave an Heir that will have nothing to inherit; and so will be an
Heir only in Name. Think, O my Husband, what a Reflection it will be upon
you, when Men shall say, Your Father left you an Estate to live upon, but
you have spent it upon Whores, and left your Children Beggars. This was
your Fathers House, but you have sold it to maintain your Miss. Consider
the Reproach that this will bring upon your Children: You brought 'em up
like Gentlemen, and then betray'd 'em to Want and Beggery. Have you forgot
the Vow you made when we were Married? You promis'd then to take none but
my self: Yet now you let a Harlot take away your Love from me, that am your
faithful and your loving Wife; and might have been by you Esteem'd so
still, if this Lewd Woman had not made strife between us: You promis'd at
your Marriage that none but Death should seperate us. And as my self has
never broke that promise, so you have never had from me any occasion given
you to do it: And I a