COME all you wanton wenches | |
| That longs to be in trading, | |
| Come learn of me, loves Mistress | |
| To keep your selves from Jadeing! | |
| When you expose your faces, | 5 |
| All baites for to entrap men, | |
| Then have a care to husband your ware, | |
| That you prove not bankrout chapmen, | |
| Be not at first too nice nor coy | |
| When gamesters you are courting, | 10 |
| Nor forward to be sporting; | |
| In speeches free, not in action be, | |
| For fear of less resorting. | |
| |
| Let not your outward gesture | |
| Betray your inward passion; | 15 |
| But seem to neglect, when most you do affect, | |
| In a cunning scornful fashion. | |
| Be sparing of your favors | |
| When men’s love grow most eager; | |
| Yet keep good guard, or else all is marred. | 20 |
| When they your fort beleagar; | |
| Grant but a touch or a kiss for a taste, | |
| And seem not to be willing | |
| Always for to be billing. | |
| With a touch or a pinch, or a nip or a wrench, | 25 |
| Disappoint their hopes fulfilling. | |
| |
| If once you grow too lavish, | |
| And all your wealth discover, | |
| You cast off hope; for then with too much scope | |
| You do dull your Eager lover. | 30 |
| Then order so your treasure, | |
| And so dispend your store, | |
| That tho’ men do taste, their loves may never waste, | |
| But they still may hope for more. | |
| And if by chance, being wrapt in a trance, | 35 |
| You yield them full fruition | |
| Won by strong opposition, | |
| Yet nip and tear, and with pouting swear | |
| ’Twas against your disposition. | |
| |
| Thus seeming much displeased | 40 |
| With that did most content, | |
| You whet desire, and daily add fire | |
| To a spirit almost spent. | |
| Be sure at the next encounter | |
| You put your love to strive; | 45 |
| Yet be not rude, if need he will intrude, | |
| So shall your trading thrive, | |
| So shall you still be freshly wooed, | |
| Like to a perfect maid. | |
| And do as I have said, | 50 |
| Your faining seems true, | |
| And like Venus ever new, | |
| And your trading is not betrayed. | |
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