Wittes Pilgrimage (by Poeticall Essaies): Through a VVorld of amorous Sonnets, Soule-passions, and other Passages, Diuine, Philosophicall, Morall, Poeticall, and Politicall. By Iohn Davies |
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Amans quid cupiat scit, quod sapiat non videt.
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 | Wittes Pilgrimage |  |
Amans quid cupiat scit, quod sapiat non videt.
Wouldst thou (wise Husband) haue thy mariage BedSolon the excellent Lavv-giuer would haue men keepe cōpany vvith their vviues in bed but thrice a moneth. that live as Cities & States vse after a certaine time betvvene to renevv their leagues, & confederacies one vvith another: So hee vvould haue loue to procure the man to be a continuall vvoer to the vvife to keepe avvay the Monster Saciety.
(Without Saciety, to glut Desire?
Then Thou, and It must oft be sundered,
VVith Loue, and leaue to make Loue more intire:
For, no ioy vnder Heau'n, but satiates;
The more it is, the lesse while it endures:
And, the lesse vs'd, the more it consolates;
The truth whereof, too wel-knowne proofe assures.
Too much of what so ere, producd by Nature,
Makes Nature too too much disordered:
Too much of Uenus lessens strength and stature,
In the Ingendrers and Ingendered.
And Fire, and Flax must flame, if they do touch,
And Men, and Women ioyne that (bare) embrace:
Who then do seldome part before too much
Their deerst Embracements doth too much debase.
To wed a wife, and not to Bed her too
VVere too vnkind a part for Grooms to play:
To woo, and not vse that for which we woo
Were Faith, and Hope, through strange Loue, to betray
But yet to Bed hir, and to Lie still by her
Is more vnkindly done then not to Bed hir:
And better were it, for Thee, quite to fly hir
Then not to vse hir well, when thou hast wed hir.
And well thou dost not vse hir, she may deeme,
If well thou dost not then thy selfe approue:
And though of Action she may carelesse seeme,
Yet may she feare thy slouth is sin in loue.
Then must Temptation on thy weaknesse work
If still thou Bed, or rarely Bed thy Wife:
In each of which, Temptation still doth lurke;
And all Temptation tendeth but to Strife.
In marriage Duties vse the Golden Meane:
For so their Loue is without Measure still,
And Soules, and Bodies are as stronge, as cleane!
But, all that married are haue not the Guift
So to Deuide themselues, sith Bedds some haue
But for them selues (poore Soules) wherewith they shift)
Who, being One, haue Two, but on's their Graue.
In reason these should be togeather thrust,
Sith they are onely rich in cold Desire,
Who lie togeather more for heate, then Lust,
Heate, that comes only from Afflictions fire.
Fleshe these do touch, as oft as Fleshe they tast,
That's seld [God wott] so Flesh, and they are Two:
A blessed odds that makes the Striuers chast,
And makes them liue well, though it them vndoo.
Now, if this Lore dislikes some youthfull Blouds
That still do boyle with heate of Loue, or Lust,
[Which must bee coold (still) in Lusts running Floudds,]
Then must they do, perforce, what needs they must.
Yet let them know, to know each other so
Both Grace, and Nature thereby takes offence,
A man may make his Wife, well, lett that go,
The name of Whore fitts not Obedience.
But Marriage is by Heau'n, aucthorized,
Sith, by the Heau'n-wright, wrought in Paradice:
Then, who defiles Hir vndefiled Bedd,
Makes hir not vertuous, but a Vaile for Vice.
And Ouer-much, doth ouer much Defile
That blessed Bedd, which Grace doth purifie:
Then lett not Sinne oremuch it selfe beguile
To think that Bedd, so much doth sanctifie.
And if that any man a wife hath gott
That lookes but for so much, accurst is Hee:
And Wiues that haue, like Husbands, to their Lott,
Are like vccurst, so, both accursed bee.
The one, by Heau'n, accurst, by Happ, the other;
So, both are curst, though in a diuerse Kinde
But, blessed Father, and a blessed Mother
Those curst, by Happ, may make, if blest in mind.
Then, if wee ought, before a Friend we choose,
Wee neede to eate ten times as much with those
Whose All wee make our All vntill our last:
For in that Match our selues wee make or marre;
Then had wee neede to leaue, before wee take:
That's leaue our Choise, by choosing better farre:
Then, leaue our life, ere faith, or Choise forsake.
Now, you that yet are free, must needs bee bound,
To him that hath thus freed you (ere this Tye)
From casting Anchor where you may bee drownd
In Seas of Lust, and waues of Miserie.
Bee sure of Sea-roome ere these Surges swell,
That may lie hidd in deep'st profundities
Keepe well that Compasse that may guide you well,
In mists of Loue to cleere Felicitie.
The fairest Face hath not still fairest grace;
Nor yet the Black, in show, still black in Deede:
Who oft are bright in Mind, though black in Face.
And oft the fairest Flowers beare blackest Seede.
Then lest faire Coulor, coulor fowlest Vice
Iudge thou of Coulors by cleere Iudgments Eye:
If Coulor should to death thy life entice,
Die, without Coulor, ere for Coulor die:
So shalt thou liue (and neuer coulor dying
Which show of life) thy life still glorifying!
| Wittes Pilgrimage | |