ELEGIE I.
Iealosie.
FOND woman, which would'st have thy husband die,
And yet complain'st of his great jealousie;
If swolne with poyson, hee lay in' his last bed,
His body with a sere-barke covered,
5Drawing his breath, as thick and short, as can
The nimblest crocheting Musitian,
Ready with loathsome vomiting to spue
His Soule out of one hell, into a new,
Made deafe with his poore kindreds howling cries,
10Begging with few feign'd teares, great legacies,
Thou would'st not weepe, but jolly,'and frolicke bee,
As a slave, which to morrow should be free;
Yet weep'st thou, when thou seest him hungerly
Swallow his owne death, hearts-bane jealousie.
15O give him many thanks, he'is courteous,
That in suspecting kindly warneth us.
Wee must not, as wee us'd, flout openly,
In scoffing ridles, his deformitie;
Nor at his boord together being fatt,
20With words, nor touch, scarce lookes adulterate.
Nor when he swolne, and pamper'd with great fare,
Sits downe, and snorts, cag'd in his basket chaire,
Must wee usurpe his owne bed any more,
Nor kisse and play in his house, as before.
25Now I see many dangers; for that is
His realme, his castle, and his diocesse.
But if, as envious men, which would revile
Their Prince, or coyne his gold, themselves exile
Into another countrie,'and doe it there,
30Wee play'in another house, what should we feare?
There we will scorne his houshold policies,
His seely plots, and pensionary spies,
As the inhabitants of Thames right side
Do Londons Major; or Germans, the Popes pride.
Elegie I. Iealosie. 1635-54: Elegie I. 1633 and 1669: no title or Elegie (numbered variously, according to scheme adopted) A18, A25, B, Cy, D, H49, JC, Lec, N, O'F, P, S, S96, TCC, TCD, W
1 woman,] woman 1633
4 sere-barke 1633-54, B, Cy, H49, Lec, O'F, S, W: sere-cloth 1669, D, P: sore barke A18, A25, JC, N, TC
10 few] some few A18, N, TC
12 free; Ed: free, 1633-69: free. D
16 us. 1633-35: us, 1639-69
21 great 1633-54, A18, A25, D, H49, JC, Lec, N, S, TC, W: high 1669, B, O'F, P, S96: his Cy
fare, Ed: fare 1633-69
25 Now ... dangers;] Now do I see my danger; 1669
that all MSS.: it 1633-69
26 diocesse] Diocys D: Diocis W
27-29 (as envious ... do it there,) 1669
30 another] anothers 1669 We into some third place retired were B, O'F, P, S96
34 Major; 1650-54: Major, 1633-39: Mayor; 1669
ELEGIE II.
The Anagram.
MARRY, and love thy Flavia, for, shee
Hath all things, whereby others beautious bee,
For, though her eyes be small, her mouth is great,
Though they be Ivory, yet her teeth be jeat,
5Though they be dimme, yet she is light enough,
And though her harsh haire fall, her skinne is rough;
What though her cheeks be yellow, her haire's red,
Give her thine, and she hath a maydenhead.
These things are beauties elements, where these
10Meet in one, that one must, as perfect, please.
If red and white and each good quality
Be in thy wench, ne'r aske where it doth lye.
In buying things perfum'd, we aske; if there
Be muske and amber in it, but not where.
15Though all her parts be not in th'usuall place,
She'hath yet an Anagram of a good face.
If we might put the letters but one way,
In the leane dearth of words, what could wee say?
When by the Gamut some Musitions make
20A perfect song, others will undertake,
By the same Gamut chang'd, to equall it.
Things simply good, can never be unfit.
She's faire as any, if all be like her,
And if none bee, then she is singular.
25All love is wonder; if wee justly doe
Account her wonderfull, why not lovely too?
Love built on beauty, soone as beauty, dies,
Chuse this face, chang'd by no deformities.
Women are all like Angels; the faire be
30Like those which fell to worse; but such as shee,
Like to good Angels, nothing can impaire:
'Tis lesse griefe to be foule, then to have beene faire.
For one nights revels, silke and gold we chuse,
But, in long journeyes, cloth, and leather use.
35Beauty is barren oft; best husbands say,
There is best land, where there is foulest way.
Oh what a soveraigne Plaister will shee bee,
If thy past sinnes have taught thee jealousie!
Here needs no spies, nor eunuches; her commit
40Safe to thy foes; yea, to a Marmosit.
When Belgiaes citties, the round countries drowne,
That durty foulenesse guards, and armes the towne:
So doth her face guard her; and so, for thee,
Which, forc'd by businesse, absent oft must bee,
45Shee, whose face, like clouds, turnes the day to night,
Who, mightier then the sea, makes Moores seem white,
Who, though seaven yeares, she in the Stews had laid,
A Nunnery durst receive, and thinke a maid,
And though in childbeds labour she did lie,
50Midwifes would sweare, 'twere but a tympanie,
Whom, if shee accuse her selfe, I credit lesse
Then witches, which impossibles confesse,
Whom Dildoes, Bedstaves, and her Velvet Glasse
Would be as loath to touch as Joseph was:
55One like none, and lik'd of none, fittest were,
For, things in fashion every man will weare.
Eleg. II. The Anagram. 1635-54: Elegie II. 1633, 1669: Elegie. (numbered variously) A18, A25, B, Cy, D, H49, JC, L74, Lec, M, N, O'F, P, S, S96, TCC, TCD, W
4 they] theirs 1669, S96
teeth be 1633-69, D, H49, JC, Lec: teeth are A18, A25, B, Cy, L74, M, N, O'F, S, TC, W
6 hair fall] hair's foul 1669
is rough 1633, 1669, A18, A25, B, D, H49, JC, L74, Lec, M, N, P, S, TC, W: is tough 1635-54, O'F, Chambers
16 an Anagram] the Anagrams 1669
18 the 1633: that 1635-69
words 1633-69, A25, B, L74, M, N, O'F, P, S, TC: letters D, Cy, H49, W
22 unfit. D: unfit; 1633-69
28 deformities.] deformities; 1633
29 faire] fairer S, S96
35 say,] say, 1633
37 bee,] bee 1633
41-2 When Belgiaes ... towne: 1633-54: Like Belgia's cities when the Country is drown'd, That ... towns; 1669: Like Belgia's cities the round country drowns, That ... towns, Chambers: MSS. agree with 1633-54, but before countries read variously round (A18, A25, Cy, D, H49, JC, L74, Lec, M, N, P, TC, W), lowe (B), foul (O'F, S, S96, which read country drowns ... towns)
49 childbeds 1633-54, Lec, W: childbirths 1669, A18, A25, B, Cy, D, H49, JC, L74, O'F, P, S, S96, TC
52 confesse, Ed: confesse. 1633-69
53-4 Whom ... Joseph was: 1669 and all MSS [or a Velvet 1669]: om. 1633-54
ELEGIE III.
Change.
A lthough thy hand and faith, and good workes too,
Have seal'd thy love which nothing should undoe,
Yea though thou fall backe, that apostasie
Confirme thy love; yet much, much I feare thee.
5Women are like the Arts, forc'd unto none,
Open to'all searchers, unpriz'd, if unknowne.
If I have caught a bird, and let him flie,
Another fouler using these meanes, as I,
May catch the same bird; and, as these things bee,
10Women are made for men, not him, nor mee.
Foxes and goats; all beasts change when they please,
Shall women, more hot, wily, wild then these,
Be bound to one man, and did Nature then
Idly make them apter to'endure then men?
15They'are our clogges, not their owne; if a man bee
Chain'd to a galley, yet the galley'is free;
Who hath a plow-land, casts all his seed corne there,
And yet allowes his ground more corne should beare;
Though Danuby into the sea must flow,
20The sea receives the Rhene, Volga, and Po.
By nature, which gave it, this liberty
Thou lov'st, but Oh! canst thou love it and mee?
Likenesse glues love: and if that thou so doe,
To make us like and love, must I change too?
25More then thy hate, I hate'it, rather let mee
Allow her change, then change as oft as shee,
And soe not teach, but force my'opinion
To love not any one, nor every one.
To live in one land, is captivitie,
30To runne all countries, a wild roguery;
Waters stincke soone, if in one place they bide,
And in the vast sea are more putrifi'd:
But when they kisse one banke, and leaving this
Never looke backe, but the next banke doe kisse,
35Then are they purest; Change'is the nursery
Of musicke, joy, life, and eternity.
Eleg. III. Change. 1635-54: Elegie III. 1633, 1669: no title or Elegye (numbered variously) A18, A25, B, Cy, D, H49, JC, L74, Lec, N, O'F, P, S, S96, TCC, TCD, W
1 workes] word 1669
4 Confirme] Confirms 1669, A25, L74, P
5 Women] Women, 1633
forc'd unto none] forbid to none B
8 these 1633-54, D, H49, Lec: those 1669, A18, A25, B, Cy, JC, L74, N, P, TC, W
11 Foxes and goats; all beasts 1633-54: Foxes, goats and all beasts 1669
13 did] bid 1669
17 a plow-land] plow-lands P
18 corne] seed P
20 Rhene,] Rhine, 1669
Po. 1633: Po, 1635-69
21 liberty 1633: libertie. 1635-69
23 and ... doe,] then if so thou do, A18, A25, B, Cy, D, H49, JC, L74, Lec, N, O'F, P, S96, TC, W
24 like i.e. alike as in A18, N, TC
31 bide] abide 1669
32 more putrifi'd 1633-39: more purifi'd 1650-54: worse purifi'd 1669: worse putrifi'd A18, A25, Cy, D, L74, Lec, N, O'F, P, S, S96, TC, W: worst putrifi'd B, H49, JC