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VIRTUE and BEAUTY in DANGER.
FAIR beauty of England, fair beauty moſt bright,
Is all my heart’s pleaſure, my joy and delight,
Then grant me, fair Lady, thy true love to be,
That I may ſay welcome good Fortune to me.
The turtle ſo chaſte, and ſo true in her love,
By gentle perſuaſions her fancy will move;
Then be not entreated fair Lady in vain,
For nature requireth what I ſhould obtain.
The Phenix ſo famous that liveth alone,
Is vowed to chaſtity, being but one:
But be not my darling ſo ſte in deſire,
Leſt thou like the Phenix do pennance in fire.
But, alas! Gentle Lady, I pity your fate,
In being reſolv’d to lie without a mate;
For if of our courting the pleaſure you knew,
You would have a liking the fame to purſue.
Long time have I ſued the fame to obtain,
Yet I am requited with ſcorn and diſdain:
But if you will grant your goodwill unto me,
You ſhall be advanced to princely degree.
Promotions and honour may often entice,
The chaſteſt that liveth, though ever ſo nice,
What woman ſo worthy but would be content,
To live in a palace where Princes frequent.
Two brides young and princely to church I have led,
Two Ladies now lately have decked my bed:
Yet hath thy love taken more root in my heart,
Than all their contentments, whereof I had part.
