A Woman Dressed by Age

A milk-white hair-lace wound up all her hairs,
And a deaf coif did cover both her ears.
A sober look1 about her face she ties,
And a dim sight doth cover half her eyes.
About her neck a kercher of coarse skin,                                5
Which time had crumpled and worn creases in.
Her gown was turned to melancholy black,
Which loose did hang upon her sides and back.
Her stockings cramps had knit, red worsted gout,
And pains, as garters, tied her legs about.                              10
A pair of palsy gloves her hands did cover,2
With weakness stitched, and numbness trimmed all over.3
Her shoes were corns, and hard skin sewed together;
Hard skin was4 soles, and corns the upper leather.
A mantle of diseases laps her round,                                       15
And thus she’s dressed, till Death lays her in5 ground.

  1. look] Countenance 1653
  2. did cover,] draw on, 1653
  3. all over.] upon. 1653
  4. was] were 1653
  5. lays her in] her lays i’th’ 1664, 1668