 | Ouids elegies |  |
ELEGIA. 10. Ad puellam, ne pro amore præmia poscat.
Svch as the cause was of two husbands warre,Whom Troian ships fetcht from Europa farre.
Such as was Leda, whom the God deluded
In snow-white plumes of a false swanne included.
Such as Amimone through the drie fields strayed.
When on her head a water pitcher layed.
Such wert thou, and I fear'd the Bull and Eagle,
And what ere loue made Ioue should thee [illeg.].
Now all feare with my mindes hot loue abates,
No more this beauty mine eyes captiuates.
Ask'st why I change? because thou crau'st reward;
This cause harh thee from pleasing me debard.
While thou wert plaine I lou'd thy minde and face:
Now inward faults thy outward forme disgrace.
Loue is a naked boy, his yeares saunce staine,
And hath no cloaths, but open doth remaine.
Will you for gaine haue Cupid sell himselfe?
He hath no bosome, where to hide base pelfe.
Loue and Loues sonne are with firce armes to oddes
The whore stands to be bought for each mans mony,
And seekes vild wealth by selling of her Cony.
Yet greedy bawdes command she curseth still,
And doth constraind, what you do of good will.
Take from irrationall beasts a president,
'Tis shame their witts should be more excelent.
The Mare askes not the horse, the cow the bull,
Nor the milde ewe gifts from the ramme doth pull.
Onely a woman gets spoyle from a man
Farmes out her selfe on nights for what she can.
And lets what both delight, what both desire,
Making her ioy according to her hire.
The sport being such, as both alike sweet try it
Why should one sell it and the other buy it.
Why should I loose, and thou gaine by the pleasure,
Which man and woman reape in equall measure?
Knights of the post of periuries make saile
The vniust Iudge for bribes becomes a stale.
'Tis shame sould tongues the guilty should defend
Or great wealth from a iudgment seat ascend.
'Tis shame to grow rich by bed marchandize,
Or prostitute thy beauty for bad prize.
Thankes worthely are due for things vnbought,
For beds ill hyr'd we are indebted nought.
The hirer payeth al, his rent discharg'd
From further duty he rests then inlarg'd
Faire Dames forbeare rewards for nights to craue
Ill gotten goods good end will neuer haue.
The Sabine gauntlets were too deerely wunne,
That vnto death did presse the holy Nunne.
The sonne slew her, that forth to meete him went,
Yet thinke no scorne to aske a wealthy churle,
He wants no gifts into thy lap to hurle.
Take clustred grapes from an ore-laden vine,
Many bounteous loue Alcinous fruite resigne.
Let poore men shew their seruice; faith and care
All for their Mistresse, what they haue, prepare,
In verse to prepare kinde Wenches t'is my part,
And whom I like eternize by mine art.
Garments do weare, iewells and gold do wast,
The fame that verse giues doth for euer last.
To giue I loue, but to be ask't disdayne,
Leaue asking, and I'le giue what I refraine.
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