But what doe you that neither give nor take,
(As only made for hearing, and for seeing,)
Although created helpers for Mans sake:
Yet Man no whit the better for your being,
That spend consume and Idle out your howers,
Like many garden-paynted vselesse flowers.
Your liues are like those worthles barren trees,
That never yeald (from yeare to yeare) but leaues:
Greene-bowes vpon them only all men sees,
But other goodnes there is none receaues,
They flourish sommer and they make a showe,
Yet to themselues they fruitles spring & growe.
Consider beast, and fish and foule, all creatures,
How there is male and female of their kinde,
And how in loue they doe inlarge their natures:
Even by constrayn'd necessity inclyn'd:
To paire and match, and couple tis decreed,
To stocke and store the earth, with what they breed.
In that most powerfull word, still power doth lye,
To whose obedience all must subiect bee,
That sayd at first, _Increase and multiply_,
Which still enduers from age to age we see:
Dutie obligeth every one should frame,
To his dread will, that did commaund the same.
_It is not good for Man to be alone_,
Sayd that great God, who only knowes whats best:
And therefore made a wife of _Adams_ bone,
While he reposing slept, with quyet rest,
Which might presage, the great Creator ment,
In their coniunction, sume of earths content,
_Mistris Susan_.
Good _Mistris Bride_, now we haue hard your speach
In commendation of your Nuptiall choyse,
Giue me a little favour I beseech,
To speake vnto you with a Virgins voyce:
Though diuers elder maydes in place there be,
Yet ile begin, trusting they'le second me.
We are your fellows but to Church you say,
As custome is that maydes, should bring the _Bride_
And for no longer then the wedding day,
You hould with vs, but turne to tother side:
Boasting of Honour you affend vnto,
And so goe forward making much adoe.
But this vnto you lustly I obiect,
In the defence of each beloued mayde,
_Virginity_, is life of chast respect,
No worldly burden thereupon is layd:
Our syngle life, all peace and quiet bringes,
And we are free from carefull earthly things.
We may doe what we please, goe where we list,
Without pray _husband will you giue me leaue_
Our resolutions no man can resist,
Our own's our owne, to giue or to receiue,
We live not under this same word obay:
_Till Death depart us_, at our dying day.
We may delight in fashion, weare the same,
And chuse the stuffe of last devised sale:
Take Taylors counsell in it free from blame,
And cast it off assone as it growes stale:
Goe out, come in, and at selfe pleasure liue,
And kindly take, what kind youngmen do giue.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account