Book XI, Chapter 69

SO Knightly Mandeuil demeanes himselfe against the Foes
Of Melek Mandibron, that he in Aegypt famous groes.
And, of himselfe, that Soldan did to Mandeuil commend
A greater Match, than els his Thoughts with hope could apprehend,
For vertuous, beautious, Birth, & Wealth, a Match for none to mēd.
This Ladie (also of the blood, and heire vnto her Father,
A mightie Prince in those same Parts) he courteth now, the rather
To intermit that home-bred Loue, which seaz'd on him indeed,
As for to proue how such as he with such as she might speede,
And there experimented, here to cease or els proceede.
Fye, Mandeuil, how good so ere thy Merits otherwise,
In making Loue vnmeant thou didst thy selfe but mis-aduise.
Though thou could'st buzze about the flame, & keepe vnskorcht thy wings,
Few safely play with edge-Tooles, sin to iest at holy things.
With women, made for Men, therefore soone won, yeat edging Sute,
With Marrage, praisde enough in him did first it institute:
With Women, who when all was made, and Man of all possest,
Yeat lacketh Man an Helpe, sayd God, and Man with Woman blest:
With marrage, that legitimates our Propagation, and
Two Hearts in one transplants, in all befalne, or taine in hand:
With women, that no lesse attract our Senses them to leeke,
Than Hunger for to labour Foode, or Anguish Ease to seeke:
With Marrage, that preferreth vs, and stayes vs in content,
Vnanimieth weale or woe, as either vs is sent:
In Nature Women, Marrage by Tradition, either twaine
So sacret, and autentick, as we naither should profaine.
To trifle then or Them, or This, were not so slight a sin,
As that thy Vertues, Mandeuil, would fault, think I, therein.
But for she was a Pagan, and thy selfe a Christian theare,
And she the Soldans Tender, thou didst forme a Loue for feare.
For that thou should'st reny thy Faith, and her thereby possesse,
The Soldan did capitulat, in vaine: the more thy blesse:
For than a Woman euermore the Diuell tempteth lesse.
Yeat that they tempt, not theirs but ours the sinne: for if I see,
And steale, a pretious Gemme, the Gemme faults not, the Theft in me.
Howbe[…]t when to actiue and to passiue loue it groes,
And Women then shall alter, them as Diuels then suppose:
And like of Men, if Men alike shall Reputation lose.

This faire Aegyptian Ladie (of the English Toy in this,
To wit, in forward Loue to whom the farthest Commer is)
Might easly haue bin wonne of him, not at an easie rate,
If to his Faith a Recreant had Miscrent bin his state.
But he, immoueable aswell in Faith, as former Loue,
Did there so well, as he from thence with honor did remoue.
On Elenor he still deuisde: yeat sometimes, to allay
Those Moodes, by mustring in his mind these thoughts, did thus assay.
Full soone the fairest Face, thought he, would cease from being such,
If not preserued, curiously, with tendring more than much.
Or age at least, and that not old, so alters it that was,
That Helen did disclaime her selfe, for Helen, in her Glas.
That great Phisition that had liu'd, in health, an age admirde,
Did answer, askt the cause, not he had done as Flesh desirde.
Then Mandeuil bethinks him of the Labyrinth of Cares,
Incumbring married Men, and neer that life, and loue, forswares.
How tedious were a Shroe, a Sloy, a Wanton, or a Foole,
(All foure a-like threatning Mislike, when time should Dotage coole,)
How seldome Women come vndow'd with one, or some, or all,
Or answerable Faults to these (to men not Crosses small,)
The Flattries, and the Fooleries, whereby are women wonne,
With fishing long to catch, perhaps, a Frog, when all is done,
And all that Sexs Infirmities, his Thoughts did ouer-runne.
But like as Mothers beate their Babes, & sing them when they crie,
Loues Incantations so did he with Malice such defie:
The Amorous with the sea-Crabs gaet doe angring Amours flie.
This humour, and the honor, by this Knight in Aegypt wonne,
Ore-passe we, and in Persia see what Ienkinson hath done.