Part 72 (1/2)

876. HOW HIS SOUL CAME ENSNARED.

My soul would one day go and seek For roses, and in Julia's cheek A richesse of those sweets she found, As in another Rosamond.

But gathering roses as she was, Not knowing what would come to pa.s.s, It chanc'd a ringlet of her hair Caught my poor soul, as in a snare: Which ever since has been in thrall; Yet freedom she enjoys withal.

_Richesse_, wealth.

877. FACTIONS.

The factions of the great ones call, To side with them, the commons all.

881. UPON JULIA'S HAIR BUNDLED UP IN A GOLDEN NET.

Tell me, what needs those rich deceits, These golden toils, and trammel nets, To take thine hairs when they are known Already tame, and all thine own?

'Tis I am wild, and more than hairs Deserve these meshes and those snares.

Set free thy tresses, let them flow As airs do breathe or winds do blow: And let such curious net-works be Less set for them than spread for me.

883. THE SHOWER OF BLOSSOMS.

Love in a shower of blossoms came Down, and half drown'd me with the same: The blooms that fell were white and red; But with such sweets commingled, As whether--this I cannot tell-- My sight was pleas'd more, or my smell: But true it was, as I roll'd there, Without a thought of hurt or fear, Love turn'd himself into a bee, And with his javelin wounded me: From which mishap this use I make, _Where most sweets are, there lies a snake: Kisses and favours are sweet things; But those have thorns and these have stings._

885. A DEFENCE FOR WOMEN.

Naught are all women: I say no, Since for one bad, one good I know: For Clytemnestra most unkind, Loving Alcestis there we find: For one Medea that was bad, A good Penelope was had: For wanton Lais, then we have Chaste Lucrece, a wife as grave: And thus through womankind we see A good and bad. Sirs, credit me.

887. SLAVERY.

'Tis liberty to serve one lord; but he Who many serves, serves base servility.

888. CHARMS.

Bring the holy crust of bread, Lay it underneath the head; 'Tis a certain charm to keep Hags away, while children sleep.

889. ANOTHER.

Let the superst.i.tious wife Near the child's heart lay a knife: Point be up, and haft be down (While she gossips in the town); This, 'mongst other mystic charms, Keeps the sleeping child from harms.

890. ANOTHER TO BRING IN THE WITCH.

To house the hag, you must do this: Commix with meal a little p.i.s.s Of him bewitch'd; then forthwith make A little wafer or a cake; And this rawly bak'd will bring The old hag in. No surer thing.

891. ANOTHER CHARM FOR STABLES.

Hang up hooks and shears to scare Hence the hag that rides the mare, Till they be all over wet With the mire and the sweat: This observ'd, the manes shall be Of your horses all knot-free.

892. CEREMONIES FOR CANDLEMAS EVE.