T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.
The Description of Women
Anonymous(From The Rawlinson MS. (c. 1610–20) Poet. 216) |
ALL you that lovers be, | |
| And like the amorous trade, | |
| Come learn of me, what women be, | |
| And whereof they be made. | |
| Their heads are made of llash, 1 | 5 |
| Their tongues are made of say, | |
| Their love, of silken changeable, | |
| That lasteth but a day. | |
| Their wit, mockador is, | |
| Of durance is their hate, | 10 |
| The food they feed on most is caipe, | |
| Their gaming is checkmate. | |
| Of fustan their discourse | |
| Their zeal is made of frees, | |
| And they that on their favour wait, | 15 |
| Get most when most they leese. | |
| Their glory springs from satten, | |
| Their vanity from feather, | |
| Their beauty is stand further of, | |
| Their conscience made of leather. | 20 |
| Their humors water chamblett, | |
| But canvas fits them best; | |
| Perpetuana is their folly, | |
| Their earnest is but jest. | |
| Their life is love in Heues, | 25 |
| Their doings are their pleasure; | |
| They lawless are, yet all they wear, | |
| They buy standing measure. | |
| Their eyes are made of lecke, | |
| Their lips of sops in wine: | 30 |
| The worst of them the elder is, | |
| Their longing thoughts are pine. | |
| Their foreparts are of rue, | |
| Their hinder parts of docks; | |
| Of hardest brass are their hearts, | 35 |
| Their hands are made of box. | |
| Their malice is of lead, | |
| Their avarice of money, | |
| Their subtility of fox fur is, | |
| Their traffick is of coney. | 40 |
| Or if, in plainer terms, | |
| They would with-all be dealt, | |
| Of beaver are their snow-white thighs, | |
| Their thighs are made of felt. |
| Note 1. ? ffash. Ms. [back] |