Life scums the cream of beauty with time’s spoon,
And draws the claret wine of blushes soon.
Then1 boils it in a skillet clean of youth,
And2 thicks it well with crumbled bread of truth,
And sets it on3 the fire of life, which does4 5
Burn clearer much when health her bellows5 blows.
Then takes the eggs of fair and bashful eyes,
And puts them in a countenance that’s wise,
And cuts a lemon in of6 sharpest wit;
Discretion, as a knife, is used for it.7 10
A handful of chaste thoughts double refined,
Six spoonfuls of a nobl’and8 gentle mind,
A grain of mirth, to give’t a little taste,
Then takes it off, for fear the substance waste,
And puts it in a basin of good health,9 15
And with10 this meat doth Nature please herself.
- Then] There 1653
- And] Then 1653
- And sets it on] Sets it upon 1664, 1668
- does] growes 1653
- Burn clearer much when health her bellows] The clearer, if the Bellowes of Health 1653
- And cuts a lemon in of] Cuts in a Lemmon of the 1664, 1668
- Discretion, as a knife, is used for it.] By Discretions Knife, as he thinkes fit. 1653
- nobl’and] Noble, and 1653
- good health,] Rich Wealth, 1653
- with] in 1653