Classic Poem

But tell me, was not I the man,
By whom thy credit (first) began?
Did I, or cost, or Money spare
To make thy Beautie seeme more rare?
How oft in filed Prose, and Verse
Did I thy worth'lesse praise rehearse?
I famous made thee first of all,
When countenance thine God knowes was small:
And by such toyes as I had pend,
Each one thy person did commend.
 Supposing All I write was true,
 Then Willow-Garland none I knew.

As Goddesse I did worship thee,
An Angell I thought thee to be:
Thee for a Saint I then did take,
And offrings at thy shrine did make,
I homage sware to thee as Queene,
And loyall subject thine was seene.
Of thee for Lady I made choyce,
And as thy servant did rejoyce,
I termed thee my Mistresse still,
And (as thy Man) did wait with will:
 Not dreaming once then for to find,
 The Willow-Garland gainst my minde.

In LONDON then my biding was,
Where CURRANT then I made thee passe
When (then) thou wast as now too late
I finde thee but a COUNTERFAIT,
And there I kept thee company,
Untill my kinred it did spie:
For which their ill-will soone I got,
Although (a straw) I cared not;
So I might have thy faithful love,
I was content their hate to prove:
 For nothing could my minde dislike,
 But Willow-Garland full of spight.

The Cittie then we left with speede,
To see the Countrie wee agreed,
Where all the Summer whole we lay,
To view their rivall sports and play,
Thou welcome wert still for my sake:
My Tenants much of thee did make,
Their care poore soules was whole bent
(As them I wild) thee to content;
And what in Countrey could be got,
We had it all, we lackt it not.
 Though (she) now with me is not scant,
 The Willow-Garland I did want.

Such sports we had, and such delights,
As Countrey yeelds to greatest wights;
As Hawking, Hunting, Fishing wet,
The sport still to thy choyce was set:
Thus merry rode we up and downe,
Which cost me many a golden crowne.
And all this while I had such care
Of my behaviour every where;
As not the most suspitious eye
Could ought by me suspect or spie:
 Nor that I should hereafter keepe,
 The Willow-Garland nothing meet.

To Oxford (which thou long besought
Of me to see) I then thee brought;
Where Gallants whil'st we did remaine,
Most franckly did thee entertaine:
Such friends I had then in that Towne,
Though Students they, in plaine blacke gowne,
Yet were they of right gentle blood,
And such as should dispend much good:
Their Colledges they shewed to thee,
With Orders theirs most curteously.
 And crau'd thou wouldst not (on me) tho
 The Willow-Garland sad bestow.

Then did I give thee as before
(And so did meane for evermore)
New toyes, to please thy fickle minde;
Thou still didst bountifull me finde.
No new Devise, nor pretty Knacke,
If thou didst lik't, that thou didst lacke.
Name but the time that ever I
Of any thing did thee denie?
I know thou canst not (faithlesse Dame)
Then hide thy blushing-cheeke for shame:
 Since thou hast giv'n mee (for my joy)
 The Willow-Garland full of noy.

When Cherries could not gotten be
With us, for Money, Love, nor Fee;
I fourescore Miles did send in haste,
Lest that thy longing should be past,
And for one pound five pounds I paid,
Before my Man could have them weigh'd,
So got I thee rare Plumbes, and Nuts,
Peare, Apples too, to fill thy guts;
Thou sayest, these were but trifles All,
Yet cost they not as trifles small.
 What I did pay I will not boast,
 The Willow-Garland more they cost.