Had I foreseen what is ensued,
And what now with pain I prove,
Unhappy then I had eschewed
This unkind event of love:
Maids foreknow their own undoing,
But fear naught till all is done,
When a man alone is wooing.
Dissembling wretch, to gain thy pleasure,
What didst thou not vow and swear?
So didst thou rob me of the treasure
Which so long I held so dear.
Now thou provest to me a stranger:
Such is the vile guise of men
When a woman is in danger.
That heart is nearest to misfortune
That will trust a feigned tongue;
When flatt'ring men our loves importune
They intend us deepest wrong.
If this shame of love's betraying
But this once I cleanly shun,
I will go no more a-maying.
From Vinculum Societatis, or the Tie of Good Company, 1687.
SILVIA, now your scorn give over
Lest you lose a faithful lover:
If this humour you pursue,
Farewell Love and Silvia too.
Long have I been unregarded,
Sighs and tears still unrewarded:
If this does with you agree,
Troth, good Madam, 'twon't with me.
From The Marrow of Compliments, 1655.
MAIDS[66] they are grown so coy of late
Forsooth they will not marry;
Though they be in their teens and past,
They say that they can tarry.
But if they knew how sweet a thing
It were in youth to marry,
They'd sell their petticoats, smocks, and all
Ere they so long would tarry.
The wench that is most coy of all,
If she had time and leisure,
Would lay by all her several thoughts
And turn to love and pleasure;
For even the wisest heads sometimes
Put on the face of folly,
And maids do nevermore repent
Than when they are too holy.
Winter nights are long, you know,
And bitter cold the weather;
Then who's so fond to lie alone
When two may lie together?