You Batchelors that sweet-hearts have, when as you are a Wooing, Be sure you look before you leap, for fear of your undoing: The after wit is not the best, and he that weds in hast sir, May like to me, bewail his case, if his wife do prove his Master. _But if ever &c._ You Married Men that have good wives, I wish you deal well by them, For they more precious are than Gold, if once you come to try them: A good wife makes a husband glad, then let him not distast her, But a Scold will make a man run mad, if once she proves his Master. _But if ever &c._ Printed for _F. Coles_, _T. Vere_,[F. 211] _J. Wright_, _J. Clarke_, _W. Thackeray_, and T. Passinger. [Footnote 211: Published from 1648 to 1680.] [93.] There was some halfe dozen of Citizens, that had oftentimes beene solliciters to _George_ (_Peele_), he being a Master of Art at the Universitie of Oxford, that hee would ride with them to the Commencement, it being at Midsomer. _George_, willing to pleasure the Gentlemen his friends, rode along with them. When they had rode the better part of the way, they baited at a village called Stoken, five miles from Wickham; good cheere was bespoken for dinner, and frolicke was the company, all but _George_, who could not be in that pleasant vaine that did ordinarilie possess him, by reason he was without mony: but he had not fetcht fortie turnes about the Chamber, before his noddle had entertained a conceit how to money himself with credit, and yet glean it from some one of the Company. There was among them one excellent Asse, a fellow that did nothing but friske up and down the Chamber, that his money might bee heard chide in his pocket: this fellow had _George_ observed, and secretly convay'd his gilt Rapier and Dagger into another Chamber, and there closely hid it: that done, he called up the Tapster, and upon his cloake borrowes 5 shillings for an houre or so, till his man came, (as he could fashion it well enough:) so much money he had, and then who more merry than _George!_ Meate was brought up, they set themselves to dinner, all full of mirth, especially my little foole, who dranke not of the conclusion of their feast: dinner ended, much prattle past, every man begins to buckle to his furniture: among whom this Hichcock missed his Rapier: at which all the Company were in a maze; he, besides his wits, for he had borrowed it of a speciall friend of his, and swore he had rather spend twenty Nobles. This is strange, quoth _George_, it should be gone in this fashion, none beeing heere but our selves, and the fellowes of the house, who were examined, but no Rapier could be heard of: but _George_ in a pittifull chafe, swore it should cost him fortie shillings, but hee would know what was become of it, if Art could do it; and with that he caused the Oastler to saddle his Nag, for _George_ would ride to a Scholler, a friend of his, that had skill in such matters. O, good M.