T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.
The Description of Women
Anonymous(From The Rawlinson MS. (c. 1610–20) Poet. 216) |
ALL you that lovers be, | |
And like the amorous trade, | |
Come learn of me, what women be, | |
And whereof they be made. | |
Their heads are made of llash, 1 | 5 |
Their tongues are made of say, | |
Their love, of silken changeable, | |
That lasteth but a day. | |
Their wit, mockador is, | |
Of durance is their hate, | 10 |
The food they feed on most is caipe, | |
Their gaming is checkmate. | |
Of fustan their discourse | |
Their zeal is made of frees, | |
And they that on their favour wait, | 15 |
Get most when most they leese. | |
Their glory springs from satten, | |
Their vanity from feather, | |
Their beauty is stand further of, | |
Their conscience made of leather. | 20 |
Their humors water chamblett, | |
But canvas fits them best; | |
Perpetuana is their folly, | |
Their earnest is but jest. | |
Their life is love in Heues, | 25 |
Their doings are their pleasure; | |
They lawless are, yet all they wear, | |
They buy standing measure. | |
Their eyes are made of lecke, | |
Their lips of sops in wine: | 30 |
The worst of them the elder is, | |
Their longing thoughts are pine. | |
Their foreparts are of rue, | |
Their hinder parts of docks; | |
Of hardest brass are their hearts, | 35 |
Their hands are made of box. | |
Their malice is of lead, | |
Their avarice of money, | |
Their subtility of fox fur is, | |
Their traffick is of coney. | 40 |
Or if, in plainer terms, | |
They would with-all be dealt, | |
Of beaver are their snow-white thighs, | |
Their thighs are made of felt. |
Note 1. ? ffash. Ms. [back] |