 | Poesis Rediviva |  |
To a Lady of Pleasure.
Cease, Phryne, cease, leave off thy Charms,
Leave the circling of thine arms.
Each circle is a Magick spell,
VVould Devils raise in flesh to dwell.
VVho's passionate with wanton love,
Unto himself a hell doth prove.
By passions, Poets furies meant;
Their snakes were sins, which men torment.
Mischief with mischief's tangled in;
The twines of snakes are wayes of sin.
Their skins are gay, but tails lodge stings;
Thus are the pleasures Venus brings.
These kisse like Judas, and betray;
And Crocodile-like, both weep and slay.
Thus Teile trees yield a pleasing shade,
But of their fruit's a poison made:
Or Sodoms Apples, th' fruits of sin,
Are fair without, and foul within.
To fish for Souls, Lust's hells gilt bait,
On which a sharper hook doth wait.
Murder with Fornication twins;
Murder ends, what Lust begins.
The spurious issues of base wombs,
Where they have life receive their tombs.
Lust from the best things venom makes;
As th' Spider from th' best herbs it takes.
Ensigns of peace translates to wars,
Where Souls have wounds, and Honour scars.
Her mouth streams honey, heart hath gall:
Lust's sweets are thus embitter'd all.
When lustful Amorists fires do name,
Sure they anticipate here hells flame.
Leave the circling of thine arms.
Each circle is a Magick spell,
VVould Devils raise in flesh to dwell.
VVho's passionate with wanton love,
Unto himself a hell doth prove.
By passions, Poets furies meant;
42
Mischief with mischief's tangled in;
The twines of snakes are wayes of sin.
Their skins are gay, but tails lodge stings;
Thus are the pleasures Venus brings.
These kisse like Judas, and betray;
And Crocodile-like, both weep and slay.
Thus Teile trees yield a pleasing shade,
But of their fruit's a poison made:
Or Sodoms Apples, th' fruits of sin,
Are fair without, and foul within.
To fish for Souls, Lust's hells gilt bait,
On which a sharper hook doth wait.
Murder with Fornication twins;
Murder ends, what Lust begins.
The spurious issues of base wombs,
Where they have life receive their tombs.
Lust from the best things venom makes;
As th' Spider from th' best herbs it takes.
Ensigns of peace translates to wars,
Where Souls have wounds, and Honour scars.
Her mouth streams honey, heart hath gall:
Lust's sweets are thus embitter'd all.
When lustful Amorists fires do name,
Sure they anticipate here hells flame.
Who sin in's breast, a Devil keeps therein:
But Madg'len like they sev'n lodge, lodge this sin.
Where Lust doth enter it the strong man bindes;
It makes a Sampson weak, and so him blindes.
Here hairs are lesse then sins, lust takes the hair
As it did Sampsons, but the sin leaves there.
In th' act of sin the tumid members tell
Lust is a venom, which can make them swell.
But Madg'len like they sev'n lodge, lodge this sin.
Where Lust doth enter it the strong man bindes;
It makes a Sampson weak, and so him blindes.
Here hairs are lesse then sins, lust takes the hair
As it did Sampsons, but the sin leaves there.
In th' act of sin the tumid members tell
Lust is a venom, which can make them swell.
| Poesis Rediviva | |