Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper, 162 Thy head, thy sovereign, one that cares for thee, 163 And for thy maintenance commits his body 164 To painful labor both by sea and land, 165 To watch the night in storms, the day in cold, 166 Whilst thou liest warm at home, secure and safe, 167 And craves no other tribute at thy hands 168 But love, fair looks, and true obedience— 169 Too little payment for so great a debt. 170 Such duty as the subject owes the prince, 171 Even such a woman oweth to her husband; 172 And when she is froward, peevish, sullen, sour, 173 And not obedient to his
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KATE . . .
Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper, 162
Thy head, thy sovereign, one that cares for thee, 163
And for thy maintenance commits his body 164
To painful labor both by sea and land, 165
To watch the night in storms, the day in cold, 166
Whilst thou liest warm at home, secure and safe, 167
And craves no other tribute at thy hands 168
But love, fair looks, and true obedience—169
Too little payment for so great a debt. 170
Such duty as the subject owes the prince, 171
Even such a woman oweth to her husband; 172
And when she is froward, peevish, sullen, sour, 173
And not obedient to his honest will, 174
What is she but a foul contending rebel 175
And graceless traitor to her loving lord? 176
I am ashamed that women are so simple 177
To offer war where they should kneel for peace, 178
Or seek for rule, supremacy, and sway 179
When they are bound to serve, love, and obey. 180
Why are our bodies soft and weak and smooth, 181
Unapt to toil and trouble in the world, 182
But that our soft conditions and our hearts 183
Should well agree with our external parts? 184
Footnotes
162–70. Thy husband . . . debt: See Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians 5.22–28 (“ Wives, submit yourselves unto your husbands, . . . for the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church . . .”). In the Geneva Bible, the marginal gloss adds “So the husband ought to nourish, govern, and defend his wife from perils.” To watch: i.e., to keep watch throughout at thy hands: i.e., from your hands
171–76. Such duty . . . lord: See 1 Peter 2.13–3.7: “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king . . . or unto governors. . . . Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands. . . .”
177. simple: foolish
179. sway: power
182. Unapt: unsuited
183. conditions: qualities
