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fo paffionately lov'd her Spouse Abradatus, that fhe could not furvive him; but flew her felf upon his dead Body. The celebrated Sulpitia could not be reftrain'd from venturing her Life and Fortune voluntarily through the Seas, to find out her dear banifh'd Lentulus in Affliction. The renown'd Artemifia, after her Husband's Death, drank-up all the Ashes of his Body, and made her felf his living Sepulchre: to fhew that the Power of Love can fometimes go farther than Mortality. The remarkable Pifca loved her fick Spouse better than her own Life; and finding his Diftemper incurable, bare him Company to Death. They both imbrac'd each other, and threw themselves headlong together into the Sea. True Love fears no Shipwracks, Dangers nor Death. What fignifies the Peril of being drown'd to a faithful Lover, or to be bury'd with her Husband in a Salt-Water-Wave? They will live together to their dying Day. Their Hearts and Souls are infeparable. Their united Paffions almost exceed the Power of Death it felf in Victory and Triumph. It can hardly part them. Hero and Leander will love ftill, fet the Hellefpont be never fo boisterous, till they are both caft away. They perhaps thought it their Happiness to perifh together for Company; but their Fidelity and Amour will ever be immortal in Story. However, our virtuous Wife may peradventure prove a greater Favourite of Neptune's, or a better Friend of Jupiter's, in her trafficking Voyages; and, by God's Bleffing, fafely bring back again, not only her beloved Husband with Honour, but alfo a fuitable Return of Riches, to the wifh'd for Shoar: which will be the making of the Fortune of her glorious Family, as well as the

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Reward of her prudént Negotiations, after the moft difficult Pallage.

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II. BY Land alfo, fhe will make him a most faithful and diverting Fellow-Traveller. The cold Alps cannot terrify her from following her beloved Husband's Fortune over them, through all Difficulties and Obstructions, either into Banishment or the Field of Battle. Affection is refolute; her Courage, undaunted and her Valour, unlimited. Thefe invincible Virtues will carry her through all Restraints, Confinements or Difcouragements, to right her injur'd Spoufe, and regain her own Liberty. Love can never be immur'd or imprifon'd. His Fellowship is her fole Delight; and the Fruition of his Company, the undeniable Satisfaction of her Soul. War cannot deter her from her Duty. She defpifes all Hazards. She will go through the most frightful Extremities of Fire and Smoak in a Camp, or the greatest Hardships of Wind, Water and Weather in Travelling; to accompany him, to ferve him, to venture her Life for him upon Occafion in all the Viciffitudes of humane Affairs. In Circumstances of Diftrefs or Perfecution, fhe will be his chief Comforter, Preferver and Safeguard. If he is driven from his native Country, the will contentedly take the fame Fare, and diligently indeavour to restore him to his own again with Joy. If he is taken Prifoner, the will heartily chufe the fame Lot, and cunningly contrive his Liberty, either by Escape, Refcue or Ranfom. If he is forc'd to fly from Place to Place, fhe will willingly run' the fame Rifque, and conftantly become his faithful Follower to the World's End. Neither the difmal Mountains of America, nor

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the fandy Deferts of Arabia, can difcourage her from bearing him Company in Search of better Fortune; to make the best Advantage of their Exile in Foreign Commerce. What more can be defir'd? Till divine Providence fhall be pleas'd to blefs fuch a happy Pair, with immenfe Treafures, by their induftrious Travels, Troubles and Traffick, and fend them both fafe Home again, by a profperous Voyage, to injoy the Fruits of their Labour, as well as the Recompence of their Sufferings in a ftrange Land.

THESE are the diligent Views of our virtuous Lady, both in Trade and Politicks, which come little fhort of the wealthieft Merchants, without any Difparagement, if the can effect her good Defign by her trading Misfor tunes for the Benefit of her banish'd Family. But, on the contrary, fome unthinking, unthrifty and improvident Women, not to fay Ladies of Quality and good Senfe, are fo unlike the Merchant-Ships here mention'd, that they feldom ever trouble their Heads about any beneficial Commerce, or bringing in their Food from a-far for the Sake of their Families. They fcarce ever go farther than the Eaft India-Houfe for Apparel, the South Sea-Company for Money, or the common Markets for their daily Fare: Of which the Two Firft fpoil all other Trade at Home, and Traffick from Abroad; and the Laft only fatten-up their Domeftick Servants in to Idleness and Indolence, for want of better Work and more ufeful Imployments. What an Age of Dainties, Delicacies and Delights is this we live in; degenerating from the Rules of Providence, and the Wisdom of all Antiquity? Nothing is minded now-a-days but our own Eafe and Indulgence; nothing regarded,

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but our own Pleasure and Ambition; nothing valued, but our own Vanities and Extravagancies. Is it poffible to believe, that any discreet Wives fhould take more Care of their Fineries, than their Families; of their Houfholdftuff, than their Husbands; of their China, than their Children? Was ever any brittle worthlefs Ware fo much admir'd, next to idolizing and adoring on't? Nothing breeds more ill Blood, Quarrels and Uneafinefs at Home. If one fingle Difh happens to be broken by fome Accident, there is no Peace in the Houfe * till the whole Oriential Stock has been ranfack'd to match it, and make-up the Set. Is it credible, that any prudent Ladies fhould turn fuch bufy Stock-Jobbers; as to part with their Plate, and Jewels, to put their Money into precarious Funds; to fink all their Fortunes in the Froth or Suds of the South-Sea, and beggar them-, felves by chimerical Bubbles; in Contempt of Better Merchandife, or more certain and ferviceable Manufactures? They rambled after Riches, and loft All but the Shadow in the Water. They were in Queft more of Wealth than of Wisdom. And yet they had better have delighted in Things farther-fetch'd and dearer-bought, according to their ufual Cuftom. If they had been bit or defrauded farther off, or in France, it would have been lefs Diffatisfaction. To be cheated at Home, is the main Grievance. But I forbear to aggravate their Sorrow, Folly or Misfortunes!

VERSE XV.

SHE rifeth alfo while it is yet Night, and giveth Meat to her Houshold, and a Portion to her Maidens.

PARAPHRASE.

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HIS virtuous and vigilant Wife never indulges her Self in overmuch Sleep; as not only hurtful to her Health, but also prejudicial to her Houfhold-Affairs: well-knowing, that her Family requires a watchful Eye, as much as fhe ftands in Need of Reft. She is therefore an early Rifer; which is both Good for her own Body and her Family-Bufinefs. She scorns to lie a-Bed after Break of Day, and neglect her bounden Duty. She is a Woman of greater Diligence; and generally gets up the first of the Family: either to make Provifion for those Men-Servants that are going Abroad to work in the Fields, or to fet her Maidens their feveral Tasks at Home. She forecafts all her Domeftick Affairs over-night, and rifes before Day-Light to fet all her Things in good Order. Thus after fhe is up fo early in the Morning, and has paid her Devotions to God firft for her felf, Husband, Children, Servants, and familiar Friends; begging his divine Blef fing upon all their honeft Indeavours: Then the falls immediately to work; preparing for her Houthold their Meat in due Seafon, and

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