The olde Bride,
OR
The gilded Beauty.
To a dainty new tune.
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NOr morning red
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nor blushing faire,
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Be through your glasse
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or curtaine spide:But cloudy gray,
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like the short haire
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Of your old ever-
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lasting Bride.
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So old,
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So wondrous old,
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In the nonage of time,
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Ere Adam wore a beard
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she was in her prime.
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Whose swarthy dry
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Westphalia lips,
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Are sunke to mumy
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in her skin,
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Whose gums are empty,
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and her lips
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Like eye-lids hairy,
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and as thin:
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So old,
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So wondrous old,
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In the nonage of time,
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Ere Adam wore a beard
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she was in her prime.
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For amorous sighs
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which Virgins use,
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She coughs aloud
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through lungs decaid,
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And with her palsie
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cannot chuse
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But quake like trembling
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of a maid:So old,
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So wondrous old,
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in the nonage of time
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Ere Adam wore a beard
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she was in her prime.
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If that her Bridegroome
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be ill sped,
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Hees not the first
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that hath been sad:For hees the last
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heire to her bed,
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Of seven before
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that she hath had.
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So old,
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So wondrous old,
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In the nonage of time
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Ere Adam wore a beard
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she was in her prime.
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Why should her husband
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then vexe heaven,
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Or for a plenteous
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off-spring beg?Since all the issue
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can be given,
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Is that which runneth
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in her leg.
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So old,
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So wondrous old,
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in the nonage of time
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Ere Adam wore a beard
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she was in her prime.
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Of losing her
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there is no doubt.
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Nor need you aske
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where she doth dwell:For you may easily
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scent her out,
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As hounds do finde
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their game by th smel.
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So old,
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So wondrous old,
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in the nonage of time
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Ere Adam wore a beard
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she was in her prime.
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The second part, To the same tune.
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HEr nose and chin
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are now grown friends,
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& meet together
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lovingly:From danger these
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her mouth defends,
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So neere they joyne
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in unity.
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So old,
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So wondrous old,
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in the nonage of time
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Ere Adam wore a beard
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she was in her prime.
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Her painting serves
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her turne no more,
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Her face is like
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a ruind wall
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That hath so oft
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been plaisterd ore,
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With age at length
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it needs must fall.
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So old,
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So wondrous old,
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in the nonage of time
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Ere Adam-wore a beard
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she was in her prime.
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Her husband hath
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no cause to dread,
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(As many doe
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through jealousie)
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That any will
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defile his bed,
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Theres none will use
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such charity,
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So old,
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So wondrous old,
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in the nonage of time
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Ere Adam wore a beard
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she was in her prime.
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What hath been spoken
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is not meant
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Any old woman
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to disgrace,
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But she who is
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to mariage bent,
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When deaths characters
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in her face.
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So old,
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So wondrous old,
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in the nonage of time
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Ere Adam word a beard
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she was in her prime.
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