A lady on the ground a-mourning lay1
Complaining to the gods, and thus did say:
“You gods,” said she, “why do you me torment?
Why give you life, without the mind’s content?
Why do you passions in a mind create, 5
Then leave it all to Destiny and Fate?
With knots and snarls they spin the thread of life,2
Then weave it cross and make a web of strife.
Come, Death—though Fates are cross, yet thou’rt a friend,
And in the grave dost peace and quiet send.” 10
It chanced a gentleman that way came by,
And seeing there a weeping beauty lie:
“Alas, dear lady, why do you so weep,
Unless your tears you mean the gods shall keep?
Jove3 will present those tears to Juno4 fair, 15
For pendants and for necklaces to wear,
And so present that breath to Juno fair,
That she may always move in perfumed air.
Forbear, forbear, make not the world so poor;
Send not such riches, for the gods have store.” 20
“I’m one,”5 said she, “to whom Fortune’s a foe,
Crossing my love, working my overthrow:6
A man which to Narcissus7 might compare
For youth and beauty—and the graces fair
Do8 him adorn—on him my love is placed, 25
But his neglect doth make my life to waste;
My soul doth mourn; my thoughts no rest can take;
He9 by his scorn doth me unhappy make.”
With that she cried, “O Death,” said she, “come quick,
And in my heart thy leaden arrow10 stick!” 30
“Take comfort, lady, grieve and weep11 no more,
For Nature handsome men hath more in store.
Besides, dear lady, beauty will decay,
And with that beauty love will flee away.
If you take time, this heat of love will waste,12 35
Because ’tis only on a beauty placed,
But if your love did from his virtue spring,13
You might have loved, though not so fond14 have been.
The love of virtue is for to admire
The soul, and not the body to desire: 40
That’s a gross15 love, which only dull beasts use,
But noble man to love the soul will choose.
Because the soul is like a deity,
Therein16 pure love will live eternally.”
“O sir, but Nature hath the soul so fixed 45
Unto the body, and such passions mixed,
That nothing can divide or disunite,
Unless that Death will separate them quite,
For when the senses in delights agree,
They bind the soul, make17 it a slave to be.” 50
He answered.
“If that the soul in man18 should give consent
In every thing the senses to content,
No peace but war amongst mankind would19 be,
And desolation20 would have victory.
No man could tell21 or challenge what’s his own; 55
He would be master that is strongest grown.22
Lady, love virtue, and let beauty die,
And in the grave of ruins let it lie.”
With that she rose, and with great joy, said she:
“Farewell, fond love and foolish vanity.” 60
The men condemned the tale because, said they,
“None but a fool would preach so, wise men pray.”23
“But ladies,24 hear me,” did another say:
To love but one is a great fault,
For Nature otherwise us25 taught: 65
She caused varieties for us to taste,
And other appetites in us she placed,
And caused dislike in us to rise,
To surfeit when we gormandize,
For of one dish we glut our palate, 70
Although it be but of a salad.
When Solomon26 the Wise did try
Of all things underneath the sky,
Although he found it vanity,
Yet by it Nature made us free. 75
For by the change, her works do live
By several forms that she doth give,
So that inconstancy is Nature’s play,
And we, her various works, must her obey.
A woman said that men were foolish lovers, 80
And whining passions love oft27 discovers.
“They’re full of thoughts,” said she, “yet never pleased,
Always complaining, and yet never eased;
They28 sigh, they mourn, they groan, they make great moan,
They’ll sit cross-legged with folded arms alone. 85
Sometimes their dress is careless with despair;
With hopes raised up, ’tis29 costly, rich, and rare,
Setting their looks and faces in a frame,
Their garb’s affected by their mistress’s30 name.
Flattering their loves, forswearing; then each boasts31 90
What valiant deeds he’s32 done in foreign coasts:
Through what great dangers his adventures run,33
Such acts as Hercules34 had never done,
That everyone that hears doth fear his35 name,
And every tongue that speaks sounds forth his36 fame. 95
And thus their tongues extravagantly move,
Caused by vainglorious, foolish, amorous love,
Which only those of his own sex approve.”37
But when their rallery38 was past,
The tale upon a man was cast; 100
Then crying peace to all that talking were,
They were bid hold their tongues and lend an ear.39