Classic Poem

A Gentleman, marking his Mistresse angrie countenaunce without cause, tolde her of it in verse, as followeth.
By countenaunce a face, a man may fynde
(I say, fayre Dame, by outward view of face)
Such sundry thoughts, as occuple the minde:
Sometime by one, and efte another grace.
Looke, with that thoughts the minde is aye possessed
Straight by the lookes the same is plaine expressed.

The frowning face declares a froward harte,
And skouling browes a sullen stomack showes;
The glauncing lookes, of priuie grutch a parte,
Which hidden lyes within the heart, God knowes:
The staring looke declares an earnest minde
The trouling eye vnconstant as the winde.

The smyrking looke declares a merry minde,
When smiling lookes are forste from heauy heart:
For some can smile, that in their hearts could finde
To weepe (God wot) of greefe to ease their smarte.
But who so smirking smiles with merry cheare,
That countenance shewes that some good newes is neare.

Some finely vse a winking kinde of wile,
Some looke alofte, and some doo still looke downe:
And some can fayne a frowning kinde of smile,
And some can smile, that in their hearts doo frowne:
And so doo I, and so doo many moe,
That laugh sometime, when we could weepe for woe.

But cuery looke, a meaning dooth declare,
Some good, some bad, some mery, and some sad:
The countenaunce shewes how euery one dooth fare,
Some griefe, some ioye, some sullen, and some mad:
And though that many be by lookes deceiued,
Yet by the lookes are meanings plaine perceiued,