pride of truth.

  'Well could he ride, and often men would say,
  "That horse his mettle from his rider takes:
  Proud of subjection, noble by the sway,
  What rounds, what bounds, what course, what stop he makes!"
  And controversy hence a question takes
  Whether the horse by him became his deed,
  Or he his manage by th' well-doing steed.

  'But quickly on this side the verdict went:
  His real habitude gave life and grace
  To appertainings and to ornament,
  Accomplished in himself, not in his case,
  All aids, themselves made fairer by their place,
  Came for additions; yet their purposed trim
  Pierced not his grace, but were all graced by him.

  'So on the tip of his subduing tongue
  All kind of arguments and question deep,
  All replication prompt, and reason strong,
  For his advantage still did wake and sleep.
  To make the weeper laugh, the laugher weep,
  He had the dialect and different skill,
  Catching all passions in his craft of will,

  'That he did in the general bosom reign
  Of young, of old, and sexes both enchanted,
  To dwell with him in thoughts, or to remain
  In personal duty, following where he haunted.
  Consents bewitched, ere he desire, have granted,
  And dialogued for him what he would say,
  Asked their own wills, and made their wills obey.

  'Many there were that did his picture get,
  To serve their eyes, and in it put their mind;
  Like fools that in th' imagination set
  The goodly objects which abroad they find
  Of lands and mansions, theirs in thought assigned;
  And labouring in moe pleasures to bestow them
  Than the true gouty landlord which doth owe them.

  'So many have, that never touched his hand,
  Sweetly supposed them mistress of his heart.
  My woeful self, that did in freedom stand,
  And was my own fee-simple, not in part,
  What with his art in youth, and youth in art,
  Threw my affections in his charmed power
  Reserved the stalk and gave him all my flower.

  'Yet did I not, as some my equals did,
  Demand of him, nor being desired yielded;
  Finding myself in honour so forbid,
  With safest distance I mine honour shielded.
  Experience for me many bulwarks builded
  Of proofs new-bleeding, which remained the foil
  Of this false jewel, and his amorous spoil.

  'But ah, who ever shunned by precedent
  The destined ill she must herself assay?
  Or forced examples, 'gainst her own content,
  To put the by-past perils in her way?
  Counsel may stop awhile what will not stay;
  For when we rage, advice is often seen
  By blunting us to make our wills more keen.

  'Nor gives it satisfaction to our blood
  That we must curb it upon others' proof,
  To be forbod the sweets that seems so good
  For fear of harms that preach in our behoof.
  O appetite, from judgement stand aloof!
  The one a palate hath that needs will taste,
  Though Reason weep, and cry it is thy last.

  'For further I could say this man's untrue,
  And knew the patterns of his foul beguiling;
  Heard where his plants in others' orchards grew;
  Saw how deceits were gilded in his smiling;
  Knew vows were ever brokers to defiling;
  Thought characters and words merely but art,
  And bastards of his foul adulterate heart.

  'And long upon these terms I held my city,
  Till thus he 'gan besiege me: "Gentle