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.