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But if thou obtain’ſt it, thou haſt nothing won,
And I loſe nothing, yet am quite undone;
But if of my Jewel the King does deceive me,
No King can reſtote though a kingdom he gave me.
My colour is chang’d ſince you ſaw me laſt,
My favour is vaniſh’d, my beauty is paſt;
The roſy red ſhes that fat in my cheek,
To paleneſs is turn’d which all men diſlike.
I paſs not for a Princeſs to love I proteſt.
The name of a Virgin contenteth me beſt,
I have not deſerved to ly by your ſide,
Nor yet to be courted for King Edward's Bride.
The name of a Princeſs I never did crave,
No ſuch type of honour thy handmaid will have;
My breaſt ſhall not harbour ſo lofty a thought,
Nor be with rich proſſers to wantenneſs brought.
If wild wanton Roſamond, one of our fort,
Had never frequented King Henry’s fair court;
Such heaps of deep ſorrow ſhe never had ſeen,
Nor taſted the rage of ſo jealous a Queen.
All men have their freedom to ſhow their intent,
They win not a woman except ſhe conſent;
Who then can impute unto them any fault?
Who ſtill goes upright, until men make them halt.
’Tis counted a kindneſs in men for to try.
And virtue in women the fame to deny,
For women unconſtant can never be prov’d,
Until by their betters therein they be mov’d.
If woman and modeſty once he can ſever,
Then farewel good name and credit for ever,
And royal King Edward, let me be exil’d,
E’er any man know that my body’s defil’d.
