_Unfortunate marriage_.] Amongst these passions and irksome accidents, unfortunate marriage may be ranked: a condition of life appointed by God himself in Paradise, an honourable and happy estate, and as great a felicity as can befall a man in this world, [2368]if the parties can agree as they ought, and live as [2369]Seneca lived with his Paulina; but if they be unequally matched, or at discord, a greater misery cannot be expected, to have a scold, a slut, a harlot, a fool, a fury or a fiend, there can be no such plague. Eccles. xxvi. 14, He that hath her is as if he held a scorpion, &c. xxvi. 25, a wicked wife makes a sorry countenance, a heavy heart, and he had rather dwell with a lion than keep house with such a wife. Her [2370]properties Jovianus Pontanus hath described at large, Ant. dial. Tom. 2, under the name of Euphorbia. Or if they be not equal in years, the like mischief happens. Cecilius in Agellius lib. 2. cap. 23, complains much of an old wife, dum ejus morti inhio, egomet mortuus vivo inter vivos, whilst I gape after her death, I live a dead man amongst the living, or if they dislike upon any occasion, [2371]Judge who that are unfortunately wed What 'tis to come into a loathed bed.
The same inconvenience befalls women. [2372]At vos o duri miseram lugete parentes, Si ferro aut laqueo laeva hac me exsolvere sorte Sustineo:———
Hard hearted parents both lament my fate, If self I kill or hang, to ease my state.
