Book III, 45: On two Suitors

The Soule is like a Virgin; for whose love
Two jealous Suitors strive: Both daily move
For Nuptiall favour; Both, with Lovers Art,
Plead for the Conquest of the Virgins heart:
The first, approaching, knockt, and knockt agin;
The Doore being op'ned, at his entring in,
He blushd; and (as young bashfull Lovers use)
Is more then halfe discouraged, ere he sues:
At length, that love, that taught him what to feare,
Gave resolution to present her eare
With what he hop'd, and in a lovers fashion,
He oft repeates the Story of his Passion:
He vowes his Faith, and the sincere perfection,
Of undissembled, and entyre Affection;
He sues for equall mercy from her Eye;
And must have love, or else, for love, must dye:
His present meanes were short: He made profession
Of a faire Ioynture, though but small possession:
And in word, to make his passion good,
He offers to deserve her with his Blood:
The other boldly enters: with the strong
And sweet-lip'd Reth'ricke of a Courtly tongue,
Salutes her gentle eares: His lips discover
The amorous language of a wanton Lover:
He smiles and faunes, and now and then lets flye
Imperious glaunces from his sparkling Eye;
Bribes her more orient neck with pearl; with charms
-Enclosing Bracelets decks her yvory Armes;
He boasts th' extent of his Imperiall Power,
And offers Wealth and Glory for a Dower:
Betwixt them both the Virgin stands perplext;
The first Tale pleas'd her well, untill the next
Was told: She lik'd the one, the other Loth
To make a choyce: She could affect them Both:
The one was Iocund, full of sprightly mirth:
The other, better borne; of nobler birth:
The second su'de in a compleater fashion;
I, but the first show'd deeper wounds of Passion:
The first was sadly modest: And the last
More rudely pleasant: His faire lookes did cast
More am'rous flames; But yet the tothers eye
Did promise greater Nuptiall Loyalty:
The last's more rich; yet Riches, but for life,
Make a poore Widow, of a happy Wife:
The first's Estate's but small, if not made good
By Death: Faire Ioyntures comfort Widow hood:
Whō shal this Virgin Her thoughts approve
The last, for present wealth, the first, for love:
Both may not be enjoy'd: Her heart must smother
Her love to one, if she affect the other:
Ah, silly Virgin, Is the choyce so hard
In two extreames? Can thy weake thoughts reward
Two so unequall, with a like Respect?
Knowst thou not which to slight, & which t'affect?
Submit to better judgement, and advise
With thy best Friend: O trust not thine owne eyes:
This last, that seemes so pleasant, so acute,
Is but a Slave, drest in his Lords old Suite:
He brags of Glory, and of Princely Power,
When he is kickt and baffled every hower:
The Treasure that he boasts is not his owne,
He basely stole it, and the Theft is knowne;
For which, he is arraign'd, condemn'd to th'paines
Of death; His sentence is, to hang in Chaines:
His plott's to bring thee in as deepe as He;
Beleeve't; It is thy Blood he seekes, not Thee:
The Bribes he gave thee, are but stolne: Fond Girle,
Discard those Bracelets, and disclaime that Pearle:
The first, whose oft repeated knocks did crave
Admittance, was the Lord to that base slave:
His Faith is loyall, and as firme his Vow:
To him, his life's not halfe so deare, as thou:
That wealth, that honour, that dissembled power,
That pleasant Pesant offer'd as a Dower,
Is that faire Lords: Nor peace, nor pow'r or wealth
Can any challenge from him, but by stealth:
Match there, my Soule, and let thy sacred Vowes
Plight holy Contracts with so sweet a Spouse:
His left hand's full of treasure; And his right;
Of peace, and honour, and unknowne delight:
Hee'l give thee wealth; and in that wealth, content,
For present meanes; And (when thy Glasse has spent
Her latest Sand, that Time untransitory
Thy dayes) a Joynture of Eternall Glory.