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EBBA 30216

British Library - Roxburghe
Ballad XSLT Template
A peerelesse Paragon,
OR,
Few so chast, so beautious or so faire,
for with my love I think none can compare.
To the tune of the mother beguild the daughter.

IN times of yore, sure men did doate,
and beauty never knew:
Else women were not of that note,
as daily come to view.
For read of all the faces then
that did most brightly shine,
Be judgd by all true judging men,
they were not like to mine.

King Pryam loved Hecuba,
and thought her wondrous faire,
But had he seene mine, I dare say
there had beene no compare.
Stout Hector held Andromicha
a stately beautious Queene,
But shes, no Troylus Cressida,
yet faire as ere was seene:

Nay all the faces Jupiter
did like and phansie most,
Are to her substance shadowes meere
of whom I make my boast:
Surely you wonder what she is,
whose beauty I proclaime,
Ile tell you truely, and not misse
though she be without name.

My love shee is the Non-pareil
of all that ere was seene,
And had not Venus come ith way
shee had been beauties Queene:
Her comely feature, lovely lookes,
I will describe at large,
God Cupid puts her in his bookes,
and of this Jem takes charge.

The Grecian Helen was a Moore,
compard with my deare Saint,
The faire facd Hyrens beauty poore,
and yet shee does not paynt,
Andromeda whom Perseus lovd,
was blacker then the night,
Her lineaments so well approvd
in praise of them ile write.

Queene Vesta for her chastitie
with her may not compare,
Nor Lucrece for her honestie,
shees like the Phenix rare:
A Sommers day I could commend
her parts weret nere so long,
But yet her parts so farre extend,
I feare to doe her wrong.

The second part, To the same tune.

BUt yet my tongue cannot refraine
to set her praises forth;
Then list, and ile describe her plaine
and show you her true worth:
Her haire not like the golden wire
but black as any Crow;
Her beetle browes, all men admire,
her forehead wondrous low.

Her squinting, staring, goggle eyes
poore children doe affright,
Her nose is of the Sarazens size,
oh shees a matchlesse wight.
Her eares so hound like, that they fall
upon her shoulder bone,
I know not truly how to call
her, shees such a worthy one.

Her oven mouth, wide open stands,
her teeth like rotten pease;
Her blabber lips my heart commands,
her neck all bit with fleas:
Her tawnie duggs like two great hills,
hang Sow-like to her wast,
Her bodies round as a wind mill,
and yet I hold her chast.

Her belly tun-like to behold,
no more shall be exprest,
But if the truth were plainely told,
Im sure they are the best:
Her brawnie blind cheeks plump and round
as any Horse of war,

Her speckled thighs they are not sound
her knees like hoggs heads are.

Her leggs are like the Elephants,
the calfe and small all one,
Her ancles they together meet,
and still knock bone to bone;
Her pretty foot not bove th eighteenes
so splaid as never was,
An excellent usher for a man
that walks the dewy grasse.

Her shoulders are so Camel-like,
sheed make an excellent Porter,
I vow I never knew her like.
if any man consort her.
No shoulder of mutton like her hand
for thicknes, breadth, and fat,
With a scurvy mange upon her wrest,
oh Jove how I love that.

Thus have you heard my Love set forth
and yet no flatterie usd,
Your judgement, is shee not of worth,
let her not be abusd.
If any to her have a mind,
hee wrongs mee many waies;
For as shees beautious, so shees kind,
and here conclude my praise.


FINIS.
Printed at London for Thomas Lambert.

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