the henpecked husband
curs'd be the man, the poorest wretch in life,
the crouching vassal to a tyrant wife!
who has no will but by her high permission,
who has not sixpence but in her possession;
who must to he, his dear friend's secrets tell,
who dreads a curtain lecture worse than hell.
were such the wife had fallen to my part,
i'd break her spirit or i'd break her heart;
i'd charm her with the magic of a switch,
i'd kiss her maids, and kick the perverse bitch.