Abuses Stripped and Whipped, Book · Satire 2
OF DESIRE OR LVST.
SATYR. 2.
LVstfull desire, (although twere rather fit.
To some bruite creature to attribute it)
Shall in mans heart retaine the second place;
Because it shrouds her vile deformed face
VnderUnder Loues vizard, and assumes that name,
Hiding her owne fault with the others blame:
Tis a base passion, from the which doth flow
Many base humours; tis the ouerthrow
Of all in whom it enters; 'tis an euill,
Worse then to be possessed with a diuell:
This 'tis that oft hath caused publike strife,
And priuate discord; this makes man and wife
Grow each to other cold in their affection,
And to the very marrow sends infection;
And as Phisicians say, it makes the face
Looke wan, pale, yellow, and doth much deface
The beauty of it; and as for the fight
It either dums it or bereaues it quight;
It dries the body, and from thence doth sprout
Griefes of the stomack, leprosie and gout,
With other such; beside it doth decay
Not life alone, but also takes away,
Both memory and vnderstanding toe;
So Doctors that hauehave tride it, say t'will doe.
And which way comes that foule disease to vsus
We call the French, so vile and odious:
Ist not by Lust? Breed not such-like desires,
Children begotten by vncertaine Syres?
Strange Generations, beds so oft defilde;
That many a father scarcely knowes his childe?
Or, is't not hence this common Prouerbe growes,
Tis a wise child that his oane father knowes?
Doth it not others reputations foyle?
And them e'ne of their dearest Iewels spoyle?
Yes, yes; and hence a thousand other crimes
Doe daily spring, and yet in these our times
Tis highly made of: yea tis lust doth weare
The richest garments, and hath curiou'st fare;
The softest beds it hath for to repose,
With sweet perfumes, but sure there's need of those.
Drawne in a coach it visits now and then
Some neere acquaintance, mongst the Noblemen;
Yet doth it not the Court alone frequent,
But is ith' Cittie as much resident:
Where when it walkes the street it doth imploy,
Either a Prentice, or a roaring-boy
To vsher it along, and few disdaine it,
But those vnable for to entertaine it.
'Twere much to note the paine that some indure,
And cost that they'le be at for to procure
Their beastly wils: There's many spend their stocks
In ruffes, gownes, kirtles, peti-coats, and smocks,
For which one's paid with that shal make him craul,
(If he be friended) to some Hospitall.
Another's quitted for his wel-spent stuffe,
By some grim Sergeant with a Counter-buffe:
The last it brings, if still that course he followes,
First to the Gaole, and so forth to the Gallowes.
And what hauehave you obserued to hauehave bin
The vsuall associats of this sinne?
But filthy speeches, bold fac't impudence.
Vnseemely actions, ryot, negligence,
And such as these; yea to procure their lust
It makes them into any mischiefs thrust,
How hatefull or apparent ere they be,
Or put in practise any villanie.
Moreouer, where it enters once, the minde,
Cannot true rest, nor any quiet finde.
We see it also makes them for to craue,
Not what is best, but what they long to hauehave,
Yea, Lust hath many mischiefes that ensue it,
Which most men see, but few the lesse eschew it:
Men rather now, as if t'were no offence,
Are growne to such a shamelesse impudence,
They vaunt and bragge of their lasciuious facts,
No lesse then some, of braue Heroick acts.
And not a few of this same humor be,
That would be term'd the foes of chastitie.
By whom if I see ill, Ile sure conceale it,
For they themselues will to their shames reueale it:
There's others who disliking so to vaunt,
VVill, si non castè, tamen cautè grant,
For that's their Motto, they make modest showes,
But what they doe in secret, man nere knowes:
Some make a Baud of their diuine profession,
Like Shauelings in Auricular-confession.
Th' other are bad, and sure of God accurst,
But of all others, these I deeme the worst.
There's other Gallants would desire but this,
VVithout suspition for to talke and kisse:
For other pleasures they do neuer craue them,
Nay if they might, they sweare they will not hauehave them
So mean, perhaps: but time brings alteration,
And a faire woman is a shrewd temptation:
Then many make their fained louelove to be
A cloake to couer their immodestie:
These will protest and vow, and sweare their life
Consists in hauing whom they wooe, to wife,
Yet if the villaines can their lust fulfill,
They will forsweare them and be liuing still:
Some doe court all, and not alone doe proue,
But for because with all they are in louelove,
With such deep passion, that they cannot smother,
Their hot affection till they meete another:
But why will man against himselfe and Reason,
Consent to such a Tyrant in his treason?
Why will he so his liberties foregoe
To be a slaue to such a monstrous foe?
For what is this same passion We call lust,
Ist not a Brutish longing and vniust,
And foule desire of the soule, to gaine
Some euill pleasure? Or to speake more plaine,
A furious burning passion, whose hot fumes
Corrupts the vnderstanding, and consumes
The very flesb of man? then what's the fact?
What may I terme that vile and shamefull act,
But this; The execution of an ill,
Out of set purpose and with a good will,
In spight of Reason? Tell me ist not base?
When men shall so their worthy sex disgrace,
To giuegive their bodies in a deed vncleane,
With a foule nasty prostituted queane?
Or in their vnderstanding be so dull
As to obserue on idle short-heeld trull?
A puling female Diuell that hath smiles,
Like Syrens songs, and teares like Crocadiles.
Yet there be some (I will not name them now)
Whom I hauehave seene vntounto such Puppits bow,
And be as seruiceable as a groome,
That feares another man will beg his roome:
They had beene glad ful oft to please their pride,
With costly gifts, and forc't for to abide,
Imperious scoffs, with many scornefull words;
Such as the humors they are in, affords
And yet for these thei'le venter Honors, liues;
If they command it; when for their poore Wiues:
(Though they in Beauty, louelove and true delight,
Exceed them more then day-time doth the night)
Theyle scarcely take vppon them for to speake,
In any case of theirs their, loues so weake,
Yea and their lust doth wrap them in such blindnes
They cannot giuegive them one poore look in kindnes.
Moreouer for their lust they hauehave not laid
Base plots alone, like him that was conueyd
In a close trunk, because in secrecy,
He would (vnseene) enioy his venery.
I say not only therein hauehave they retcht,
Their damn'd inuentions, It hath also stretcht,
VntoUnto strange lusts, of which I wil not speake,
Because I may offend the minde that's weake,
Or least I to some simple one should show,
Those sinnes by naming, he did neuer know:
And here I leaue: there's lurking holes such store,
This stinking Vermin I wil hunt no more.