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(From Choyce Drollery, 1656)
1 I LOVE thee for thy curled hair, | |
| As red as any Fox, | |
| Our forefathers did still commend | |
| The lovely golden locks. | |
| Venus her self might comelier be, | 5 |
| Yet hath no such variety. | |
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2 I love thee for thy squinting eyes, | |
| It breeds no jealousy, | |
| For when thou do’st on others look, | |
| Methinks thou look’st on me, | 10 |
| Venus her self, etc. | |
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3 I love thee for thy copper nose, | |
| Thy fortune’s ne’re the worse, | |
| If shows the metal in thy face | |
| Thou shouldst have in thy purse, | 15 |
| Venus her self, etc. | |
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4 I love thee for thy chestnut skin, | |
| Thy inside’s white to me, | |
| That colour should be most approved, | |
| That will least changed be. | 20 |
| Venus her self, etc. | |
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5 I love thee for thy splay mouth, | |
| For on that amorous close | |
| There’s room on either side to kiss, | |
| And ne’re offend the nose. | 25 |
| Venus her self, etc. | |
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6 I love thee for thy rotten gums, | |
| In good time it may hap, | |
| When other wives are costly fed, | |
| I’ll keep thy chaps on pap. | 30 |
| Venus her self, etc. | |
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7 I love thee for thy blobber lips, | |
| ’Tis good thrift I suppose, | |
| They’re dripping-pans unto thy eyes, | |
| And save-alls to thy nose. | 35 |
| Venus her self, etc. | |
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8 I love thee for thy hunched back, | |
| ’Tis bowed although not broken, | |
| For I believe the Gods did send | |
| Me to Thee for a Token. | 40 |
| Venus her self, etc. | |
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9 I love thee for thy pudding waist, | |
| If a Taylor thou do’st lack, | |
| Thou need’st not send to France for one, | |
| I’ll fit thee with a sack. | 45 |
| Venus her self, etc. | |
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10 I love thee for thy lusty thighs | |
| For tressels thou must boast, | |
| Sweet-heart thou hast a water-mill, | |
| And these are the mill-posts. | 50 |
| Venus her self, etc. | |
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11 I love thee for thy splay feet, | |
| They’re fools that thee deride, | |
| Women are always most esteemed, | |
| When their feet are most wide. | 55 |
| Venus her self may comelier be, etc. | |
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