University of Virginia Library

Search this document 
Minerva Britanna

Or A Garden of Heroical Deuises, furnished, and adorned with Emblemes and Impresa's of sundry natures, Newly devised, moralized, and published, By Henry Peacham

expand section 


58

Pulchritudo fœminea.

A Virgin naked, on a Dragon sits,
One hand out-stretch'd, a christall glasse doth show:
The other beares a dart, that deadly hits;
Vpon her head, a garland white as snow,
Of print and Lillies. Beautie most desir'd,
Were I her painter, should be thus attir'd.
Her nakednes vs tells, she needes no art:
Her glasse, how we by sight are mooud to loue,
The woundes vnfelt, that's giuen by the Dart
At first, (though deadly we it after prooue)
The Dragon notes loues poison: and the flowers,
The frailtie (Ladies) of that pride of yours.