ANSWER. NATURE foreseeing how men would devise Both these await upon one simple heart, AN ODE. WHAT is love once disgrac'd, Sanctifies his lover's sin. Jove could not hide Io's scape, Both did fault, and both were fram'd They can flatter now and then, And tell them many wanton tales, And greater sin, 'cause great of 'gree : If he be high that doth the deed. Could not Venus dignify, But Vulcan trapp'd her, and her blame Than lead a wanton life with shame. FROM THE SECOND PART OF MAMILLIA. (ED. 1593.) VERSES AGAINST THE GENTLEWOMEN SINCE lady mild, too base in array, hath liv'd as an exile, courtress. Dames now a days, fie none, if not new guised in all points. Fancies fine, sauced with conceits, quick wits very wily, Words of a saint, but deeds guess how, feign'd faith to deceive men, Courtsies coy, no vail,* but a vaunt, trickt up like a Tuscan, Pac'd in print, brave lofty looks, not us'd with the vestals, In hearts too glorious, not a glance but fit for an empress, As minds most valorous, so strange in array, marry, stately. Up fro the waist like a man, new guise to be cas'd in a doublet, Down to the foot perhaps like a maid, but hos'd to the kneestead, Some close breech'd to the crotch for cold, tush, peace 'tis a shame, sir. Hairs by birth as black as jet; what? art can amend them; A perriwig frounc'd fast to the front, or curl'd with a bodkin, Hats fro France, thick pearled for pride and plum'd like a peacock, Ruffs of a size, stiff-starch'd to the neck, of lawn, marry, lawless, Gowns of silk; why those be too bad, side wide with a witness, Small and gent i' the waist, but backs as broad as a burgess, Needless noughts, as crisps and scarfs, worn a la morisco, Fum'd with sweets, as sweet as chaste, no want but abundance. vail] i. e. (I suppose) mark of recognition: to "vail (i. e. lower) the bonnet," was a common expression. See also note § p. 228. The 4to. "vale." 308 FROM THE ORPHARION, (1599.) ORPHEUS' SONG. HE that did sing the motions of the stars, Of Hesper, henchman to the day and night; Sings now of love, as taught by proof to sing, Women are false, and love a bitter thing. I lov'd Eurydice, the brightest lass, More fond to like so fair a nymph as she; In Thessaly so bright none ever was, But fair and constant hardly may agree: False-hearted wife to him that lov'd thee well, To leave thy love, and choose the prince of hell! Theseus did help, and I in haste did hie To Pluto, for the lass I loved so: The god made grant, and who so glad as I? She slipp'd aside, back to her latest love, Unkind, she wrong'd her first and truest feere! To change and fleet, and every way to shrink, * Phoebe's] The 4to. " Phœbus." + fond] i. e. foolish, simple. feere] Or pheere,-see note* vol. i. p. 111. $ delight] The 4to. " delights." THE SONG OF ARION. SEATED upon the crooked dolphin's back, Such plaints he throbb'd, as made the dolphin stay: What are fair women but rich nature's wealth? Women are sweets that salve men's sourest ills; With that he div'd into the coral waves, |