Claraphil and Clarinda :: :: University of Virginia Library

Renounce this Humor and attend
The fair advisings of a Friend;
Thou never wilt have sober Brains:
Whilest Love lies lurking in thy Veines
These folded Arms, and broken Lutes,
Are Symptomes of forsaken suites:
Thou sure hast seen some Lady, who
As thou wouldst have her, will not do.

Why then be Mute
And cease thy Suit.
Apply thy self to me,
I'le teach thee who
To win and woo
Yet keep thy Liberty.

Ay me!
Will never get her thee
Nor a sigh, nor a shrug, nor a tear,
If she be fair and free,
She must see that in thee,
Or thou never shalt come near
The thing that thy Minde
And Desires have dessign'd;
Some will lie down with Language and Ayrs,
Some in Wine
Will resign,
Or if prais'd,
VVill be rais'd,
With a Puritan fall to your Prayers.

But if a Lady Great
You would encounter,
Whose Fame and Family are seated high;
'Tis Honor doth the Feat,
With that ye Mount her,
For onely Eagles do at Eagles flie;
If you can reach her in the royal Road,
With Panegyrick and Seraphick Ode
Ye do it Alle mode;

But, if the waiting Creature must procure,
Tempt her with Treasure, and ye have her sure,
A vostre Serviteur.

If you meet
With one whose Wit
All Beauty else disdains,
That will suppose
A Fountain flows
Of Violets in her Veins,
Tell her, the Glory of her Face
May make Scithians sue for Grace,
And Treason turn to Truth,
The lustre of her Eyes excell
Those bright Spheres where Angels dwell
With ever-yielding Youth.

But when y'are wanting One
To be ranting on,
Pity 'tis you should be barr'd in,
For you may repair
Unto Lady-Fair,
Go your ways in Grays-Inn Garden,
There the Graces are,
And good Faces are
Which the grim God of War
Never plunder'd,
Have but care enough,
You'll finde Ware enouh,
And you may spare enough
For five hunder'd.

That will love half an hour,
If ye bring Treasure,
Or else they bar the Door
Against your Pleasure,
Yet much I fear, they have met with their Matches,
Since Musqueteers of late plunder'd their Patches.

Besides enacted now they see,
The downfall of Adultery;
And 'tis a Paradox they vow,
For to be fair and faithfull to:
They say the Sword destroys the Gown,
Their Love and Liberties go down,
Then they frown.

But bid defiance you that can,
Unto the Farthingall and Fan,
For no Commodity we see,
But hath its Dis-commodity;
Then ho!
Toth' Tavern let's go,
And drink down Disasters,
For Madamazella is meat for your Masters.

Be then Free-men,
And let the Women,
Sue for an Act of Grace:
Or not deal
With those will tell
Of Crime, or Person, Time and Place;

If I can but
Well allure thee to't
We'll endeavour such a brace of Lives
So fair and high
We'll skorn to lie
With Wenches or with Wives:
I mean but those
Whom the Fates dispose
In a very noble Nuptial flame;
All other Fires
Are wilde Desires,
And crucifie the Fame.