The Henpect Man

RIDEs behind his Wife, and lets her wear the spurs and governs the Reins. He is a Kind of preposterous Animal, that being curbed in goes with his Tail forwards. He is but subordinate and ministerial to his Wife, who commands in chief, and he dares do nothing without her Order. she takes Place of him, and he creeps in at the Bed’s Feet, as if he had married the Grand seignor’s Daughter, and is under Correction of her Pantofle. He is his Wife’s Villain, and has nothing of his own further than she pleases to allow him. When he was married he promised to worship his Wife with his soul instead of his Body, and endowed her among his worldly Goods with his Humanity. He changed sexes with his Wife, and put off the old Man to put on the new Woman. she sits as the Helm, and he does but tug like a slave at the Oar. The little Wit he has being held in capite has rendered all the rest of his Concerments liable to Pupilage and Wardship, and his Wife has the Tuition of his during his or her Life; and he has no Power to do any Thing of himself, but by his Guardian. His Wife manages him and his Estate with equal Authority, and he lives under her aribtrary Government and Command as his superior Officer. He is but a kind of Messuage and Tenement in the Occupation of his Wife. He and she make up a Kind of Hermaphrodite, a Monster, or which the one half is more than the whole; for he is the weaker Vessel, and but his Wife’s Helper. His Wife espoused and took him to Husband for better or worse, and the last Word stands. He was meant to be his Wife’s Head, but being set on at the wrong End she makes him serve (like the Jesuits Devil) for her Feet. He is her Province, an Acquisition that she took in, and gives Laws to at Indiscretion; for being overmatched and too feeble for the Encounter, he was forced to submit and take Quarter. He has inverted the Curse, and turned it upon himself; for his Desire is towards his Wife, and she reign over him and with Esau has sold his Birthright for a Mess of Matrimony. Wit he has being held in capite has rendered all the rest of his Concerments liable to Pupilage and Wardship, and his Wife has the Tuition of his during his or her Life; and he has no Power to do any Thing of himself, but by his Guardian. His Wife manages him and his Estate with equal Authority, and he lives unde rher aribtrary Government and Com mand as his superior Office. He is but a kind of Messuage and Tenement in the Occupation of his Wife. He and she make up a Kind of Hermaphrodite, a Monster, or which the one half is more than the whole; for he is the weaker Vessel, and but his Wife’s Helper. His Wife espoused and took him to Husband for better or worse, and the last Word stands. He was meant to be his Wife’s Head, but being set on at the wrong End she makes him serve (like the Jesuits Devil) for her Feet. He is her Province, an Acquisition that she took in, and gives Laws to at Indiscretion; for being overmatched and too feeble for the Encounter, he was forced to submit and take Quarter. He has inverted the Curse, and turned it upon himself ; for his Desire is towards his Wife, and she reign over him, and with Esau has sold his Birthright for a Mess of Matrimony. His Wife took his Liberty among his worldly Goods, to have and to hold till Death them do part. He is but Groom of his Wife’s Chamber, and her menial Husband, that is always in waiting, and a slave only in the Right of his Wife.