University of Virginia Library

Most deare Parthenia (Argalus reply'd)
Had thy deceiued eye but stept aside,
And lookt vpon thy Argalus his brest;
I know, I know, thy language had profest
Another faith: thy lips had ne're let flie,
At vnawares, so great an Heresie:
Tis not the change of fauour, that can change
My heart; nor Time, nor Fortune can estrange
My best affections, so for euer fixt
On thee; nothing, but Death, can come betwixt
My soule, and thine; If I had lou'd thy face,
Thy face alone; my fancy had giuen place,
Ere this, to fresh desiers, and attended
Vpon new fortunes, and the old had ended.
If I had lou'd thee, for thy heauenly eye,
I might haue courted the bright maiesty
Of Tiran: If thy curious lips had snar'd
My lick'rish thoughts, I might haue soone prepar'd
A blushing Currall, or some full ripe Chery,
And pleas'd my lips, vntill my lips were weary;
Or if the smoothnesse of thy whiter brow
Had charm'd mine eyes, and made my fancy bow
To outwards obiects, polisht Marble might
Haue giuen as much content, as much delight;
In briefe, had Argalus his flatter'd eye
Bin pleas'd with beauties bare Epitomy,
Thy curious picture might haue then supply'd
My wants, more full, then all the world beside;
No, no; 'Twas neither brow, nor lip, nor eye
Nor any outward exc'lence vrg'd me, why
To loue Parthenia: 'Twas thy better part,
Which mischiefe could not wrong, surpris'd my heart.
Thy beauty was but like a Christall case,
Through which, the Iewell of admired grace
Transparent was, whose hidden worth did make
Me loue the Casket, for the Iewels sake;
No, no; my well-aduised eye pierc'd in
Beyond the filme; sunk deeper then the skin;
Else, had I now bin chang'd, and that firme duty
I owe my vowes, had faded, with thy beauty;
Nay, weepe not (my Parthenia;) let those teares
Ne're waile that losse, which a few after yeares
Had claim'd as due; Cheare vp; thou hast forsaken
But that, which sicknesse would (perchance) haue taken,
With greater disaduantage; or else age,
That common euill, which Art cannot asswage;
Beauty's but bare opinion: White and Red
Haue no more priuiledge, but what is bred
By humane fancie; which was ne're confinde
To certaine bounds, but varies like the winde;
What one man likes, another disrespects;
And what a third most hates; a fourth, affects;
The Negro's eye thinkes blacke beyond compare,
And what would fright vs most, they count most faire:
If then opinion be the Tutch, whereby
All beautie's tride; Parthenia, in my eye
Out shines faire Hellen; or who else she be,
That is more rich in beauties wealth, then she.
Cheare vp: The soueraignty of thy worth, enfranches
Thy captiue beauty; and thy vertue blanches
These staines of fortune; Come; it matters not
What others thinke: a letter's but a blot
To such as cannot reade; but, who haue skill,
Can know the faire impression of a Quill
From grosse and heedlesse blurres; and such can thinke
No paper foule, that's fairely writ with Inke:
VVhat others hold a blemish in thy face,
My skilfull eyes reade Characters of grace;
VVhat hinders then; but that without delay,
Triumph may celebrate our nuptiall day?
She that hath onely vertue to her guide,
Though wanting beautie, is the fairest Bride.