Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.
John Fletcher. 15791625213. Hear, ye Ladies
HEAR, ye ladies that despise | |
What the mighty Love has done; | |
Fear examples and be wise: | |
Fair Callisto was a nun; | |
Leda, sailing on the stream | 5 |
To deceive the hopes of man, | |
Love accounting but a dream, | |
Doted on a silver swan; | |
Danaë, in a brazen tower, | |
Where no love was, loved a shower. | 10 |
Hear, ye ladies that are coy, | |
What the mighty Love can do; | |
Fear the fierceness of the boy: | |
The chaste Moon he makes to woo; | |
Vesta, kindling holy fires, | 15 |
Circled round about with spies, | |
Never dreaming loose desires, | |
Doting at the altar dies; | |
Ilion, in a short hour, higher | |
He can build, and once more fire. | 20 |