A good Wife, or none.
To a pleasant new Tune.
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THe blazing Torch is soone burnt out,
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the Diamonds light abides:
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The one in glory shines about,
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the other its vertue hides:
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That sparke (if any) shall be mine,
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that else gives light to none;
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For if to every one shee shine,
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I had rather lie alone.
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The Glow-worm in the dark gives light,
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unto the view of many;
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The Moone she shewes her selfe by night,
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and yeelds her selfe to any:
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But if my Love should seeme to be,
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of every one so knowne:
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She never more should shine on me,
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I had rather lie alone.
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Ile not consume nor pine away,
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as other lovers doe;
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For such as wandring walke astray,
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and never will prove true:
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Ile set as light by any shee,
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as shee by me hath done:
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And fixe my love on constancie;
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or else will lye alone.
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A willow Garland for my head,
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I never meane to weare;
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I need no pillow for my bed,
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I yet am void of care:
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A single life, is without strife,
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and freed from sigh and grone;
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For such contentments of my life,
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Ile choose to lie alone.
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Once did I love the fairest Love,
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that ever eye did see:
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But she did most inconstant prove,
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and set no love by me:
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And ever since my mind is such,
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to lend my love to none;
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Because I have been crost so much,
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Ile ever lie alone.
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The beautie of the fairest Flowre,
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so pleasing to the eye,
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Doth fade and wither in an houre,
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and no man sets thereby:
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So deales my fairest faire with me,
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her joyes in Love are gone;
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Wherefore the wanton world shall see,
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Ile choose to lye alone.
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The second Part. To the same tune.
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WEll may we picture Cupid blinde,
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which roving shot his dart,
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And made my lover most unkinde,
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to steale away my heart:
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Which cannot be restord againe,
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it is so love sicke growne;
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For she hath kild it with disdaine,
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therefore Ile lie alone.
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Within that face I once did see
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two diamond eyes, whose bright
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And glistring beames so dazled me,
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that I was ravisht quite,
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And struck so blind, I could not see
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the way that I had gone:
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But from fond love Im now set free,
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and choose to lye alone.
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This single life breeds golden ease,
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no jealous thoughts offend;
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Unwedded wights goe where they please,
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and feare no changing friend;
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While married mates with musing mind,
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doe sob, and sigh, and grone,
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Because their Turtles prove unkind:
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therefore, Ile lye alone.
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What if the Willow Garland be
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appointed for my lot;
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Yet this content shall comfort me,
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false love is soone forgot:
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A second Love may make amends,
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now that the first is gone;
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For Cresid kind had choyce of friends,
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else still had lien alone.
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For if I could but cull my Choyce,
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out of Dianas traine,
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Who will not heare the tempters voice;
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then might I love againe:
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And choose some yet more constant light,
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then that which lately shone,
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My equall fancie to requite:
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or still Ile lye alone.
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For time and opportunitie,
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will win the coyest Dame,
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And overcome the chastest she,
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that beares the bravest name:
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Yea, Man was made for Womans good,
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not like the idle drone:
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But for to heat and stirre the blood;
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and not to lye alone.
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