Marke but this flea, and marke in this, How little that which thou deny'st me is; It suck'd me first, and now sucks thee, And in this flea, our two bloods mingled bee; Thou know'st that this cannot be said 5 A sinne, nor shame, nor losse of maidenhead, Yet this enjoyes before it wooe, And pamper'd swells with one blood made of two, And this, alas, is more then wee would doe. Oh stay, three lives in one flea spare, 10 Where wee almost, yea more then maryed are. This flea is you and I, and this Our mariage bed, and mariage temple is; Though parents grudge, and you, w'are met, And cloysterd in these living walls of Jet. 15 Though use make you apt to kill mee, Let not to that, selfe murder added bee, And sacrilege, three sinnes in killing three. Cruell and sodaine, hast thou since Purpled thy naile, in blood of innocence? 20 Wherein could this flea guilty bee, Except in that drop which it suckt from thee? Yet thou triumph'st, and saist that thou Find'st not thy selfe, nor mee the weaker now; 'Tis true, then learne how false, feares bee; 25 Just so much honor, when thou yeeld'st to mee, Will wast, as this flea's death tooke life from thee. [The Flea _is placed here in the 1633 edition:_ _1635-69 place it at beginning of_ Songs and Sonets: The Flea. _or no title_, _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _C_, _Cy_, _D_, _H40_, _H49_, _L74_, _Lec_, _N_, _O'F_, _P_, _S_, _S96_, _TCC_, _TCD_] [3 It suckt mee first, _1633-54_, _D_, _H49_, _Lec_, _S96:_ Mee it suck'd first, _1669_, _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _C_, _Cy_, _L74_, _N_, _P_, _S_, _TC_ and now sucks] and now it sucks _1669_] [5 Thou know'st that _1633-54_, _D_, _H49_, _Lec:_ Confess it. This cannot be said _1669_, _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _Cy_, _H40_, _L74_, _N_, _O'F_, _P_, _S_, _S96_, _TC_] [6 nor shame, nor losse _1633-54_ (shame _1633_), _D_, _H49_, _Lec:_ or shame, or loss _1669_, _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _Cy_, _H40_, _L74_, _N_, _O'F_, _P_, _TC_] [9 would] could _1669_] [11: yea, _1633-54_, _D_, _H49_, _Lec:_ nay, _1669_, _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _C_, _H40_, _L74_, _N_, _O'F_, _S_, _TC_] [16 you] thee _A18_, _Cy_, _N_, _O'F_, _S_, _S96_, _TC_] [21 Wherein] In what _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _Cy_, _L74_, _N_, _O'F_, _S_, _S96_, _TC_] [22 drop] blood _1669_] _The Curse._ Who ever guesses, thinks, or dreames he knowes Who is my mistris, wither by this curse; His only, and only his purse May some dull heart to love dispose, And shee yeeld then to all that are his foes; 5 May he be scorn'd by one, whom all else scorne, Forsweare to others, what to her he'hath sworne, With feare of missing, shame of getting, torne: