“Which though it be strange, yet not strange as the course he hath taken with the princess Pamela whom he hath placed in the other lodge: but how think you accompanied? Truly with none other but one Dametas, the most arrant doltish clown that I think ever was without the privilege of a bauble, with his wife Miso and daughter Mopsa, in whom no wit can devise anything wherein they may pleasure her but to exercise her patience and to serve for a foil of her perfections. This loutish clown is such that you never saw so ill-favoured a vizor; his behaviour such that he is beyond the degree of ridiculous; and for his apparel, even as I would with him: Miso his wife so handsome a beldam, that only her face and her splay-foot have made her accused for a witch; only one good point she hath, that she observes decorum, having a forward mind in a wretched body. Between these two personages (who never agreed in any humour, but in disagreeing) is issued forth mistress Mopsa, a fit woman to participate of both their perfections: but because a pleasant fellow of my acquaintance set forth her praises in verse, I will only repeat them, and spare mine own tongue, since she goes for a woman. The verses are these, which I have so often caused to be sung, that I have them without book. What length of verse can serve, brave Mopsa’s good to show? When virtues strange, and beauties such, as no man them may know: Thus shrewdly burden’d then, how can my Muse escape? The Gods must help, and precious things must serve, to shew her shape, Like great God Saturn fair, and like fair Venus chaste: As smooth as Pan, as Juno mild, like Goddess Iris fac’t, With Cupid she forsees, and goes God Vulcan’s pace: And for a taste of all these gifts, she steals God Momus’ grace. Her forehead Jacinth-like, her cheeks of Opal hue, Her twinkling eyes bedeck’d with Pearl, her lips a Sapphire blue: Her hair like Crapal stone; her mouth O heav’nly wide! Her skin like burnished gold, her hands like silver ore untry’d. As for her parts unknown, which hidden sure are best: Happy be they which will believe, and never seek the rest.