Natures Picture Drawn by Fancies Pencil To the Life Being several Feigned Stories, Comical, Tragical, Tragi-comical, Poetical, Romancical, Philosophical, Historical, and Moral: Some in Verse, some in Prose; some Mixt, and some by Dialogues. Written by the Thrice Noble, Illustrious, and most Excellent Princess, The Duchess of Newcastle [i.e. Margaret Cavendish]. The Second Edition |
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 | Natures Picture Drawn by Fancies Pencil To the Life |  |
There once a Lord and Lady married were,
And for Sev'n years did live a Happy Pair:
He seem'd to love his Wife, as well he might,
For she was Modest, Virtuous, Fair, and Bright;
A Disposition suitable and kind;
No more Obedience Man in VVife could find:
She did esteem him so, and priz'd him such,
Of Merit, she thought no Man had so much;
And lov'd him more than Life lov'd perfect Health,
Or Princes for to rule a Commonwealth.
But such the Natures of most Husbands be,
That they love Change, and seek Variety;
Or else like Fools or Children, eas'ly caught
With pleasing looks, or flatt'ring tongues are brought
From Virtues side, in wicked ways to run,
And seldom back with Virtue do return.
But Misery may drive them back again,
Or else with Vices they do still remain.
And for Sev'n years did live a Happy Pair:
He seem'd to love his Wife, as well he might,
For she was Modest, Virtuous, Fair, and Bright;
A Disposition suitable and kind;
No more Obedience Man in VVife could find:
She did esteem him so, and priz'd him such,
Of Merit, she thought no Man had so much;
And lov'd him more than Life lov'd perfect Health,
Or Princes for to rule a Commonwealth.
But such the Natures of most Husbands be,
That they love Change, and seek Variety;
Or else like Fools or Children, eas'ly caught
With pleasing looks, or flatt'ring tongues are brought
From Virtues side, in wicked ways to run,
And seldom back with Virtue do return.
But Misery may drive them back again,
Or else with Vices they do still remain.
87
It chanc'd this Lord a Lady fair did meet,
Her Countenance was pleasing, Speech was sweet;
And from her Eyes such wanton Glances went,
As from her Heart Love-Messages had sent;
VVhereby this Lord was catch'd in Cupid's Snare,
How to address, he only now takes care.
But he straight had access, and Courtships makes,
The Lady in his Courtships pleasure takes;
And Pride she takes, that she could so allure
A Husband from a Wife, that was so pure
As Heaven's Light, and had the Praise and Fame
Of being the most Fair and Virtuous Dame.
At last this Lady by her wanton Charms,
Inchanted had this Lord, till in his arms
He might embrace her in an amorous way,
His Thoughts were restless, working Night and Day
To compass his Designs; nor did he care
To lose his Wife's affection, but did fear
His Mistress to displease; and as her Slave,
Obey'd her will in all that she would have.
But she was subtil, and of Nature bad;
A crafty Wit, in making Quarrels, had:
For which she seemed to be Coy and Nice,
And sets her Beauty at so great a price,
That she would never yeeld unless that he
From his Chast Wife would soon divorced be:
Straight he, to please her, from his VVife did part,
For which his VVife was grieved at the Heart,
And sought her self obscurely for to hide,
And in a solitary House did 'bide,
As if she had a grievous Criminal been,
Or Causer was of his adulterous Sin;
And for a Penance, she did strictly live;
But she was Chast, and no offence did give:
Yet she in sorrow liv'd, no rest could find,
Sad melancholy thoughts mov'd in her Mind:
Most of her time in Prayers she did spend,
Which as sweet Incense did to Heav'ns ascend;
Did often for her Husband Mercy crave,
That they would pardon all his Faults, and save
Him from Destruction, and that they would give
Him Happy Days as long as he should live.
But after he his Mistress had enjoy'd,
And that his Amorous Appetite was cloy'd;
Then on his Virtuous Wife his Thoughts did run,
The later Lady he did strive to shun:
For often they did quarrel and fall out;
He gladly would be rid of her, no doubt.
At last he was resolv'd his VVife to see,
And to be Friends, if that she would agree.
But when he saw his VVife, his Heart did ake,
As being guilty, all his Limbs did shake:
The terror of his Conscience did present
To him her wrongs, but yet to her he went.
She being set near to a Fountain low,
Her Tears did make the Stream to overflow.
Thither he came, and on the Earth did kneel,
But in his Soul such passions did he feel
Of Shame, Fear, Sorrow, as he could not speak:
At last his Passion through his Lips did break,
Begging her Pardon, and great Vows did make
Of Reformation, and that for her sake
He would all Pain or Punishment endure,
And that no Husband should to Wife be truer.
Her Countenance was pleasing, Speech was sweet;
And from her Eyes such wanton Glances went,
As from her Heart Love-Messages had sent;
VVhereby this Lord was catch'd in Cupid's Snare,
How to address, he only now takes care.
But he straight had access, and Courtships makes,
The Lady in his Courtships pleasure takes;
And Pride she takes, that she could so allure
A Husband from a Wife, that was so pure
As Heaven's Light, and had the Praise and Fame
Of being the most Fair and Virtuous Dame.
At last this Lady by her wanton Charms,
Inchanted had this Lord, till in his arms
He might embrace her in an amorous way,
His Thoughts were restless, working Night and Day
To compass his Designs; nor did he care
To lose his Wife's affection, but did fear
His Mistress to displease; and as her Slave,
Obey'd her will in all that she would have.
But she was subtil, and of Nature bad;
A crafty Wit, in making Quarrels, had:
For which she seemed to be Coy and Nice,
And sets her Beauty at so great a price,
That she would never yeeld unless that he
From his Chast Wife would soon divorced be:
Straight he, to please her, from his VVife did part,
For which his VVife was grieved at the Heart,
88
And in a solitary House did 'bide,
As if she had a grievous Criminal been,
Or Causer was of his adulterous Sin;
And for a Penance, she did strictly live;
But she was Chast, and no offence did give:
Yet she in sorrow liv'd, no rest could find,
Sad melancholy thoughts mov'd in her Mind:
Most of her time in Prayers she did spend,
Which as sweet Incense did to Heav'ns ascend;
Did often for her Husband Mercy crave,
That they would pardon all his Faults, and save
Him from Destruction, and that they would give
Him Happy Days as long as he should live.
But after he his Mistress had enjoy'd,
And that his Amorous Appetite was cloy'd;
Then on his Virtuous Wife his Thoughts did run,
The later Lady he did strive to shun:
For often they did quarrel and fall out;
He gladly would be rid of her, no doubt.
At last he was resolv'd his VVife to see,
And to be Friends, if that she would agree.
But when he saw his VVife, his Heart did ake,
As being guilty, all his Limbs did shake:
The terror of his Conscience did present
To him her wrongs, but yet to her he went.
She being set near to a Fountain low,
Her Tears did make the Stream to overflow.
89
But in his Soul such passions did he feel
Of Shame, Fear, Sorrow, as he could not speak:
At last his Passion through his Lips did break,
Begging her Pardon, and great Vows did make
Of Reformation, and that for her sake
He would all Pain or Punishment endure,
And that no Husband should to Wife be truer.
Which when she heard, she sighing, did reply,
You come too late, my Destiny is nigh;
My Bark of Life with Grief is over-fraught,
And ready is to sink with its own weight:
For show'rs of Tears, and stormy Sighs do blow
Me to the Ports of Death, and Shades below.
You come too late, my Destiny is nigh;
My Bark of Life with Grief is over-fraught,
And ready is to sink with its own weight:
For show'rs of Tears, and stormy Sighs do blow
Me to the Ports of Death, and Shades below.
He being affrighted at the word she spake,
In haste he rose, her in his arms did take:
Wherewith she pleas'd, and smiling, turn'd her Eye
Upon his Face, so in his arms did dye.
And being dead, he laid her on the ground;
He in the Fountain, and her Tears, was drown'd.
Impatiently in a high discontent
There dy'd, so had a watry Monument.
In haste he rose, her in his arms did take:
Wherewith she pleas'd, and smiling, turn'd her Eye
Upon his Face, so in his arms did dye.
And being dead, he laid her on the ground;
He in the Fountain, and her Tears, was drown'd.
Impatiently in a high discontent
There dy'd, so had a watry Monument.
| Natures Picture Drawn by Fancies Pencil To the Life | |