The Espousal

Beneath the shadow of a beaver hat,
Meek Caleb at a silent meeting sate;
His eye-balls oft forgot the holy trance,
While Tabitha demure, return'd the glance.
The meeting ended, Caleb silence broke,
And Tabitha her inward yearnings spoke.

CALEB
Beloved, see how all things follow love,
Lamb fondleth lamb, and dove disports with dove;
Yet fondled lambs their innocence secure,
And none can call the turtle's bill impure;
O fairest of our sisters, let me be
The billing dove, and fondling lamb to thee.

TABITHA
But, Caleb, know that birds of gentle mind
Elect a mate among the sober kind,
Not the macaws, all deck'd in scarlet pride,
Entice their mild and modest hearts aside;
But thou, vain man, beguiled by Popish shows,
Dotest on ribbands, flounces, furbelows.
If thy false heart be fond of tawdry dyes,
Go, wed the painted arch in summer skies;
Such love will like the rainbow's hue decay,
Strong at the first, but passeth soon away.

CALEB
Name not the frailties of my youthful days,
When vice misled me through the harlot's ways;
When I with wanton look thy sex beheld,
And nature with each wanton look rebell'd;
Then parti-colour'd pride my heart might move
With lace; the net to catch unhallow'd love.
All such-like love is fading as the flower,
Springs in a day, and withereth in an hour:
But now I feel the spousal love within,
And spousal love no sister holds a sin.
I know thou longest for the flaunting maid,
Thy falsehood own, and say I am betray'd;
The tongue of man is blister'd o'er with lies,
But truth is ever read in woman's eyes;
O that my lip obey'd a tongue like thine!
Or that thine eye bewray'd a love like mine!

CALEB
How bitter are thy words! forbear to tease,
I too might blame — but love delights to please.
Why should I tell thee, that when last the sun
Painted the downy peach of Newington,
Josiah led thee through the garden's walk,
And mingled melting kisses with his talk?
Ah Jealousy! turn, turn thine eyes aside,
How can I see that watch adorn thy side?
For verily no gift the sisters take
For lust of gain, but for the giver's sake.

TABITHA
I own, Josiah gave the golden toy,
Which did the righteous hand of Quare employ;
When Caleb hath assign'd some happy day,
I look on this and chide the hour's delay:
And when Josiah would his love pursue,
On this I look and shun his wanton view.
Man but in vain with trinkets tries to move,
The only present love demands is love.

CALEB
Ah Tabitha, to hear these words of thine,
My pulse beats high, as if inflamed with wine!
When to the brethren first with fervent zeal
The spirit moved thy yearnings to reveal,
How did I joy thy trembling lip to see
Red as the cherry from the Kentish tree;
When ecstasy had warm'd thy look so meek,
Gardens of roses blushed on thy cheek.
With what sweet transport didst thou roll thine eyes,
How did thy words provoke the brethren's sighs!
Words that with holy sighs might others move,
But, Tabitha, my sighs were sighs of love.

TABITHA
Is Tabitha beyond her wishes blest?
Does no proud worldly dame divide thy breast?
Then hear me, Caleb, witness what I speak,
This solemn promise death alone can break;
Sooner I would bedeck my brow with lace,
And with immodest fav'rites shade my face,
Sooner like Babylon's lewd whore be drest
In flaring di'monds and a scarlet vest,
Or make a curtsy in Cathedral pew,
Than prove inconstant, while my Caleb's true.
When I prove false, and Tabitha forsake,
Teachers shall dance a jig at country wake;
Brethren unbeaver'd then shall bow their head,
And with profane mince-pies our babes be fed.
If that Josiah were with passion fired
Warm as the zeal of youth when first inspired;
In steady love though he might persevere,
Unchanging as the decent garb we wear;
And thou wert fickle as the wind that blows,
Light as the feather on the head of beaus;
Yet I for thee would all the sex resign,
Sisters, take all the rest — be Caleb mine.
Though I had all that sinful love affords,
And all the concubines of all the lords,
Whose couches creak with whoredom's sinful shame,
Whose velvet chairs are with adult'ry lame;
Ev'n in the harlot's hall, I would not sip
The dew of lewdness from her lying lip;
I'd shun her paths, upon thy mouth to dwell,
More sweet than powder which the merchants sell;
O solace me with kisses pure like thine!
Enjoy, ye lords, the wanton concubine.
The spring now calls us forth; come, sister, come,
To see the primrose and the daisy bloom.
Let ceremony bind the worldly pair,
Sisters esteem the brethren's words sincere.

TABITHA
Espousals are but forms. O lead me hence,
For secret love can never give offence.
Then hand in hand the loving mates withdraw.
True love is nature unrestrained by law.
This tenet all the holy sect allows;
So Tabitha took earnest of a spouse.