MAY I find a woman fair;
And her mind as clear as air!
If her beauty go alone,
'Tis to me, as if 'twere none !
May I find a woman rich;
And not of too high a pitch!
If that pride should cause disdain,
Tell me, Lover! Where's thy gain?
May I find a woman wise;
And her falsehood not disguise!
Hath She wit, as She hath will,
Double-armed She is to ill!
May I find a woman kind;
And not wavering like the wind!
How should I call that Love mine,
When 'tis his! and his! and thine!
May I find a woman true!
There is Beauty's fairest hue!
There is Beauty, Love, and Wit;
Happy he can compass it!
LIKE a ring, without a finger,
Or a bell, without a ringer;
Like a horse was never ridden,
Or a feast, and no guest bidden;
Like a well, without a bucket,
Or a rose, if no man pluck it:
Just such as these, may She be said,
That lives, ne'er loves; but dies a Maid!
The ring, if worn, the finger decks!
The bell, pulled by the ringer, speaks!
The horse doth ease, if he be ridden!
The feast doth please, if guests be bidden!
The bucket draws the water forth!
The rose, when plucked, is still most worth!
Such is the Virgin, in my eyes,
That lives, loves, marries, ere She dies.
Like to a stock not grafted on,
Or like a lute not played upon;
Like a jack, without a weight,
Or a bark, without a freight;
Like a lock, without a key,
Or a candle in the day:
Just such as these, may She be said,
That lives, ne'er loves; but dies a Maid!
The grafted stock doth bear best fruit!
There's music in the fingered lute!
The weight doth make the jack go ready!
The freight doth make the bark go steady!
The key, the lock doth open right!
The candle's useful in the night!
Such is the Virgin, in my eyes,
That lives, loves, marries, ere She dies.
Like a call, without 'Anon, Sir!'
Or a question, and no answer;
Like a ship was never rigged,
Or a mine was never digged;
Like a wound, without a tent,
Or civet-box, without a scent:
Just such as these, may She be said,
That lives, ne'er loves; but dies a Maid!
Th' 'Anon, Sir!' doth obey the call!
The question answered, pleaseth all!
Who rigs a ship, sails with the wind!
Who digs a mine, doth treasure find!
The wound, by wholesome tent, hath ease!
The box perfumed, the senses please!
Such is the Virgin, in my eyes,
That lives, loves, marries, ere She dies.
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