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On euerie side doth suffer wrong and blame,
Since that your wicked toongs in one agree
To call them shamelesse, if they loue you well;
And cruell, if your loue they do expell.
And now you hold vs (which is worst of all)
For such accursed women, and so naught
That all those ils which vnto you befall,
You say you haue them onely by our fault.
For you misfortunes deaths, and other harmes
You say they come by our enchants and charmes.
Nay they do rather happen vnto you
By want of wisedome and your simple sence,
And not by our beautie; for most true
It is that Paris folly and offence
Did cause the ruine of King Priames towne:
And not faire Hellens beautie cast it downe.
Buy why so like dishonest women do you
With lying toongs so basely vs entreate?
When that so oft you do allure vs to you
With feastes, and maskes, and all of them so great,
That scarce you let vs rest in any sort,
But forcibly do draw vs to your sport.
Then of our honours, and of our estates
You haue no care, and no respect at all,
For we no sooner gone out of your gates,
And from your feastes, which we regarded small,
But by and by your toongs do goe awrie,
Misterming vs that could not you denie.
And yet you are so blinded in this ill,
And troublesome, when that your suites you mooue,
That you will haue the woman (gainst her will)
To die in hot desire of your loue.
So rude you be, that you are not content
To haue some small and modest fauour lent.
And thus the liues of these poore silly dames,
Which otherwise were modest, milde, and chaste,
And therewithall their honours, and good names,
Like traitours vile you conquer, spoile, and waste.
So that those women, that haue gone astray,
By your meanes were brought vnto decay.
But now what pen, what toong, or golden verse
Of women may the vertues rare set downe?
How may my simple skill and wit reherse
Their praises and perfections of renowne?
Their constancie, their loue, and faith so pure,
Which in their harts remaines so firme and sure.
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