She, weepes; he, wooes; he would, but she would not: He, tell's his birth; shee, pleades virginitie: He saith, selfe-pride doth rarest beauty blot: (And with that word he kist her louingly:) Shee, yeeldingly resists; he faines to die: Shee, fall's for feare; he, on her feareleslie.
But this braue generall of all the _Greekes_, Was quickly foyled at a womans hands, For who so rashly such incounters seekes, Of hard mis-hap in danger euer stands: Onely chaste thoughts, vertuous abstinence, Gainst such sweet poyson is the sur'st defence.
But who can shun the force of beauties blow? Who is not rauisht with a lonely looke? Grac'd with a wanton eie, (the hearts dumb show) Such fish are taken with a siluer hooke: And when true loue cannot these pearles obtaine _Vnguentum Album_ is the only meane.
Farre be it from my thought (diuinest Maid) To haue relation to thy heauenly hew, (In whose sweete voice the Muses are imbaid) No pen can paint thy commendation due: Saue only that pen, which no pen can be, An Angels quill, to make a pen for thee.
But to returne to these vnhappie Louers, (Sleeping securely in each others armes) Whose sugred ioies nights sable mantle couers, Little regarding their ensuing harmes: Which afterward they iointlie both repented: "Fate is fore-seene, but neuer is preuented."
Which saying to be true, this lucklesse Dame Approued in the sequele of her story: Now waxing pale, now blushing red (for shame), She scales her lips with silence (womens glory) Till _Agamemnon_ vrging her replies, Thus of his death she truely prophecies.
The day shall come, (quoth she) O dismal daie! When thou by false _Ægistus_ shalt be slaine: Heere could she tell no more; but made a stay. (From further speech as willing to refraine:) Not knowing then, nor little did she thinke, That she with him of that same cup must drinke.
But what? (fond man) he laughs her skil to scorne, And iesteth at her diuination: Ah to what vnbeliefe are Princes borne? (The onely ouer-throw of many a Nation:) And so it did befall this lucklesse Prince, Whom all the world hath much lamented since.
Insteede of teares, he smileth at her tale: Insteede of griefe, he makes great shew of gladnes: But after blisse, there euer followes bale; And after mirth, there alwaies commeth sadnes: But gladnesse, blisse, and mirth had so possest him, That sadnes, bale, and griefe could not molest him.