Wherein they declare their hot zeal in sending their husbands to the warres, in defence of King and Parliament, as also the proceedings of the King at York, with their full determination in maintaining this their Resolution, to the admiration of the Reader. This was a political tract published during the ‘phoney’ war of 1642 before hostilities had been declared and whilst King and Parliament were still jockeying for position.
There was obviously a lot of activity at the time (notice that George Thomason has added the date Aug 26 over the picture), as on the first page the anonymous author mentions ‘daily noise of Drummes’ and ‘the powder which is continually spent, together with the cracking of Guns in the streets’ . Perhaps there was an ulterior motive in this exhortation to the men as she goes on; ‘our continual scolding shall make them goe to the warres, and then we will in our husbands absence, live as merrily may be, drinke, feast and walk abroad’.
The woodcut is obviously reused. The speech bubble has been crudely added and there is no reason in the text for the man to be wearing cuckold’s horns or holding a writing tablet, but it’s a nice image of a respectably dressed couple from the time. She is wearing a wide brimmed hat with plumes, a fine laced kerchief and cuffs, waistcoat with sleeves of a different colour to the body, a decorated petticoat and apron. He has a hat through which his horns protrude, a short tabbed doublet, plain band with breeches and hose.
The 1640s Picturebook 