University of Virginia Library

ELEGIA. 13 Ad amicam, si peccatura est, vt occultè peccet.

Seeing thou art faire, I barre not thy selfe playing,
But let not me poore soule know of thy straying.
Nor doe I giue thee counsell to liue chast,
But that thou would'st dissemble, when 'tis past.
She hath not tred awry, that doth deny it.
Such as confesse haue lost their good names by it.
What madnesse ist to tell nights pranckes by day?
And hidden secrets openly to bewray?
The strumpet with the stranger will not doo.
Before the roome be cleere, and doore put too.
VVill you make ship-wrack of your honest name?
And let the world be witnesse of the same.
Be more aduis'd, walke as a puritan,
And I shall thinke you chaste, do what you can.
Slip still onely deny it, when 'tis done,
And before folke immodest speeches shunne.
The bed is for lasciuious toyings meete,
There vse all tricks, and tread shame vnder feete.
VVhen you are vp, and drest, be sage and graue,
And in the bed hide all the faults you haue.
Be not asham'd to strip you being there,
And mingle thighes yours euer mine to beare.
There in your Rosie lips my tongue in-tombe,
Practise a thousand sports when there you come.
Forbeare no wanton words you there would speake,
And with your pastime let the bed-stead creake.
But with your robes put on an honest face,
And blush, and seeme as you were full of grace.
Deceiue all, let me erre, and thinke I am right,
And like a Wittall thinke thee voide of slight.
VVhy see I lines so oft receiu'd, and giuen?
This bed and that by tumbling made vneuen?
Like one start vp your haire tost and displac'd,
And with a wantons tooth your neck new rac'd.
Graunt this, that what you do I may not see,
If you weigh not ill speeches, yet weigh mee.
My soule fleetes, when I thinke what you haue done,
And thorough euery veine doth cold blood runne.
Then thee whom I must loue, I hate in vaine,
And would be dead, but dead with thee remaine.
Ile not sift much, but hold thee soone excus'd,
Say but thou wert iniuriously accus'd.
Though while the deed be doing you be tooke.
And I see when you ope the two leau'd booke,
Sweare I was blinde, deny if you be wise,
And I will trust your words more then mine eyes,
From him that yeelds the palme is quickly got,
Teach but your tongue to say, I did it not,
And being iustifi'd by two words thinke,
The cause acquit's you not, but I that winke.