The dances ended, all the fairy train For pinks and daisies search'd the flow'ry plain; 625 Thus, with a frown, the King bespoke his Queen. 'Tis too apparent, argue what you can, The treachery you women use to man: A thousand authors have this truth made out, And sad experience leaves no room for doubt. 630 Heav'n rest thy spirit, noble Solomon, A wiser monarch never saw the sun: All wealth, all honours, the supreme degree Of earthly bliss, was well bestow'd on thee! For sagely hast thou said, Of all mankind, 635 But shouldst thou search the spacious world around, Yet one good woman is not to be found. Thus says the King, who knew your wickedness; The son of Sirach testifies no less. 640 O may some wildfire on your bodies fall, Or some devouring plague consume you all; As well you view the lecher in the tree, 645 No impious wretch shall 'scape unpunish'd long, And will you so, reply'd the Queen, indeed? 650 655 For her, and for her daughters, I'll engage, Breathe a soft sigh, and drop a tender tear; 660 665 What though this sland'rous Jew, this Solomon, Call'd women fools, and knew full many a one; 670 The wiser wits of later times declare How constant, chaste, and virtuous, women are : And witness next what Roman authors tell, 675 But since the sacred leaves to all are free, And men interpret texts, why should not we? By this no more was meant, than to have shown, That sov'reign goodness dwells in Him alone, 680 Who only Is, and is but only One. 685 But grant the worst; shall women then be weigh'd Whose reigu indulgent God, says holy writ, David, the monarch after heav'n's own mind, 690 Well, I'm a woman, and as such must speak; Silence would swell me, and my heart would break. Know then, I scorn your dull authorities, 696 Your idle wits, and all their learned lies. By heav'n, those authors are our sex's foes, Whom, in our right, I must and will oppose. I yield it up; but since I gave my oath, 701 That this much-injur'd Knight again should see, And one whose faith has ever sacred been.... And so has mine (she said)....I am a Queen: 705 Her answer she shall have, I undertake; And thus an end to all dispute I make. Try when you list; and you shall find, my lord, 710 715 We leave them here in this heroic strain, And to the Knight our story turns again; Who in the garden, with his lovely May, Sung merrier than the cuckoo or the jay: This was his song; "Oh kind and constant be, "Constant and kind I'll ever prove to thee." Thus singing as he went, at last he drew, By easy steps, to where the pear-tree grew: The longing dame look'd up, and spy'd her love Full fairly perch'd among the boughs above. She stopp'd, and sighing; Oh good gods! she cry'd, What pangs, what sudden shoots distend my side; O for that tempting fruit, so fresh, so green; Help, for the love of heav'n's immortal Queen; Help, dearest lord, and save at once the life Of thy poor infant, and thy longing wife! Sore sigh'd the Knight to hear his lady's cry, But could not climb, and had no servant nigh: 719 725 Old as he was, and void of eye-sight too, With all my soul, he thus reply'd again! 730 In that nice moment, lo! the wond'ring Knight 735 740 745 750 |