ly redd,
Doe blush afresh if by them fedd.
Some wanton youthes doe gaze too much 15
Though naked breasts are hidd from touch.
When due salutes are past, they shunn
A seconde kisse: yea, half vndone
Shee thinkes herselfe, when wantons praise
Her hande or face with such loose phraise 20
As they haue learnt at acts and scenes,
Noe hand in hand with them shee meenes,
Shall giue them boldnes to embalme,
Ther filthie fist in her chast palme.
Her pretious honners overlookes, 25
At her retires the best of bookes.
Whatsoeuer else shee doth forget
Noe busines shall her prayers[2] let.
Those that bee good, shee prizes most,
Noe time with them shee counteth lost. 30
Her chast delights, her mind, aduance
Above Lot-games or mixed dance.
Shee cares not for an enterlude,
Or idly will one day conclude.
The looser toungs that filth disclose 35
Are graueolencie to her nose.
But when a vertuous man shall court
Her virgin thoughts in nuptiall sort:
Her faire depor[t]ment, neyther coy
Nor yet too forward, fits his ioy, 40
And giues his kisses leaue to seale
On her fayre hand his faythfull zeale.
Blest is his conquest in her loue,
With her alone death cann remoue.
And if before shee did adorne 45
Her parents' howse, the cheerefull morne
Reioyceth now at this blest payre,
To see a wife soe chast soe fayre.
They happy liue; and know noe smart
Of base suspects or iealous heart; 50
And if the publike bredd noe feare,
Nor sadd alarms did fill ther care,
From goodnes flowes ther ioy soe cleere
As grace beginnes ther heauen heere."

The poem has no subscription, nor, from the appearance of the paper, should
I say there had been one. The comparatively modern phraseology points to a
late era. The poem is bound up with a quantity of John Stowe's papers, and
I think is in his handwriting, upon comparing it with other papers known to
be his in the same book. As it is my chief object (next to contributing to
the preservation and publication of these ancient ballads) to obtain data
regarding the anonymous productions of the earlier days of England's
literature, any remarks, allow me to say, that other contributors will
favour our {220} medium of intercommunica