The perfectest of all created things, The purest gold, that suffers no allay;[156] The sweetest flower that on th' earths bosome springs, The pearle vnbord, whose price no price can pay: The Christall Glasse that will no venome hold,[157] The mirror wherein Angels loue to looke, _Dianaes_ bathing Fountaine cleere and cold, Beauties fresh Rose, and vertues liuing booke. Of loue and fortune both, the Mistresse borne, The soueraigne spirit that will be thrall to none; The spotlesse garment that was neuer worne, The Princely Eagle that still flyes alone. She sees the world, yet her cleere thought doth take No such deepe print as to be chang'd thereby; As when we see the burning fire doth make, No such impression as doth burne the eye. _Wife._ No more (sweete maid) our strife is at an end, Cease now: I fear we shall transformèd be To chattering Pies, as they that did contend To match the Muses in their harmony. _Widow._ Then let us yeeld the honour and the place, And let vs both be sutors to the maid; That since the Goddesse giues her speciall grace, By her cleere hands the offring be conuaide. _Maid._ Your speech I doubt hath some displeasure mou'd, Yet let me haue the offring, I will see; I know she hath both wiues and widdowes lou'd, Though she would neither wife nor widdow be. (pp 5-15.) [Footnote 145: Misprinted 'sent.' G.] [Footnote 146: A legal phrase = freedom or liberty. G.] [Footnote 147: Nicolas, as before, has 'observes.' G.] [Footnote 148: Nicolas, as before, reads 'net.' G.] [Footnote 149: The reference is to the wavy or vandyked cutting of the vellum MS. whereby the one copy fits into the other. Recently two very ancient MSS. were thus unexpectedly brought together in H. M. Public Record Office. G.] [Footnote 150: = cultivated. G.] [Footnote 151: Cf. 'Orchestra,' Vol. I., page 192, with relative note. G.] [Footnote 152: = in the fabric. G.] [Footnote 153: = peer. G.] [Footnote 154: In the previous editions of the Rhapsody, this line has always been imputed to the Wife, and the following one to the Widow; but as throughout the Contention each party praises her own state, whilst she ridicules that of the other, the transposition in the text appeared to be imperiously called for. Nicolas.] [Footnote 155: By the rule of note 8, Wife seems necessary to be here prefixed; but see our Memorial-Introduction for a critical notice of this and other portions. G.] [Footnote 156: = alloy. G.] [Footnote 157: It was long a "Vulgar Error" that certain 'christall glasses' flew into bits on poison being put into them. G.] III. A LOTTERY.[158]