Classic Poem

Learn women all from this housewifery,
Make you conserve of Lovers to keep by.
Had I no Sweet-heart but this sullen Boy,
Were I not well provided of a joy?
To extreme want how likely to be hurl'd
Is that ill houswife, who in all the world
But one Love onely, but one Servant hath?
Corsica will be no such fool. What's faith?
What's constancy? Tales which the jealous feign
To awe fond girls: names as absurd as vain.
Faith in a woman (if at least there be
Faith in a woman unreveal'd to me)
Is not a vertue, nor a heavenly grace,
But the sad penance of a ruin'd face,
That's pleas'd with one, cause it can please no more.
A handsome woman sought unto by store
Of gallant youths, if pleas'd with one alone
No woman is, or is a foolish one.
What's beauty (tell me) if not view'd? or view'd,
If not pursu'd? or if pursu'd, pursu'd
By one alone? Where Lovers frequent are,
It is a signe the partie lov'd is rare,
Glorious and bright. A womans honour is
T' have many Servants: Courtly Dames know this,
Who live in Towns, and those most practise it
Who have most wealth, most beauty, and most wit.
'Tis clownishnesse (say they) to reject any,
And folly too, since that's perform'd by many,
One cannot do: One Officer to wait,
A second to present, a third to prate,
A fourth for somewhat else; so it doth fall
Out oft, that favours being generall
No favours seem: or jealousie thus throwne
To whet them, all are easier kept then one.
This merry life is by great Ladies led
In Towns, and 'twas my fortune to be bred
With one of them; by whose example first,
Next by her rules, I in Loves art was nurst
Up from my childhood: she would often say,
" Corsica, thou must use another day
Thy Lovers like thy garments, put on one,
Have many, often shift, and wear out none.
For daily conversation breeds distast,
Distast contempt, and loathing at the last.
Then get the start, let not the servant say,
H' as turnd his Mistresse, not she him, away.