The Guiltless Inconstant

My first love, whom all beauties did adorn.
Firing my heart, supprest it with her scorn ;
Since like the tinder in my breast it lies.
By every sparkle made a sacrifice.
Each wanton eye can kindle my desire,
And that is free to all which was entire.
Desiring more, by the desire I lost.
As those that in consumptions linger most.
And now my wand'ring thoughts are not confin'd
Unto one woman, but to womankind :
This for her shape I love, that for her face.
This for her gesture, or some other grace :
And where that none of all these things I find,
I choose her by the kernel, not the rind :
And so I hope, since my first hope is gone,
To find in many what I lost in one ;
And, like to merchants after some great loss.
Trade by retail, that cannot do in gross.
The fault is hers that made me go astray ;
He needs must wander that hath lost his way :
Guiltless I am ; she doth this change provoke,
And made that charcoal, which to her was oak.
And as a looking-glass from the aspect.
Whilst it is whole, doth but one face reflect ;
But, being crackt or broken, there are grown
Many less faces, where there was but one ;
So love unto my heart did first prefer
Her image, and there placed none but her ;
But, since 'twas broke and martyr'd by her scorn,
Many less faces in her place are born.