Sore sigh’d the knight, who this long sermon heard;
  At length, considering all, his heart he cheer’d, 510
  And thus replied:  My lady, and my wife,
  To your wise conduct I resign my life: 
  Choose you for me, for well you understand
  The future good and ill, on either hand: 
  But if an humble husband may request,
  Provide, and order all things for the best;
  Yours be the care to profit, and to please;
  And let your subject servant take his ease.

    Then thus in peace, quoth she, concludes the strife,
  Since I am turn’d the husband, you the wife:  520
  The matrimonial victory is mine,
  Which, having fairly gain’d, I will resign: 
  Forgive if I have said or done amiss,
  And seal the bargain with a friendly kiss. 
  I promised you but one content to share,
  But now I will become both good and fair: 
  No nuptial quarrel shall disturb your ease;
  The business of my life shall be to please: 
  And for my beauty, that, as time shall try—­
  But draw the curtain first, and cast your eye. 530

    He look’d, and saw a creature heavenly fair,
  In bloom of youth, and of a charming air. 
  With joy he turn’d, and seized her ivory arm;
  And like Pygmalion found the statue warm. 
  Small arguments there needed to prevail;
  A storm of kisses pour’d as thick as hail. 
  Thus long in mutual bliss they lay embraced,
  And their first love continued to the last: 
  One sunshine was their life, no cloud between;
  Nor ever was a kinder couple seen. 540

    And so may all our lives like theirs be led;
  Heaven send the maids young husbands fresh in bed! 
  May widows wed as often as they can,
  And ever for the better change their man! 
  And some devouring plague pursue their lives,
  Who will not well be govern’d by their wives!

* * * * *

FOOTNOTES: 

[Footnote 79:  ‘Bittour:’  bittern.]

* * * * *

THE CHARACTER OF A GOOD PARSON.[80]

  A parish priest was of the pilgrim train;
  An awful, reverend, and religious man. 
  His eyes diffused a venerable grace,
  And charity itself was in his face. 
  Rich was his soul, though his attire was poor;
  (As God had clothed his own ambassador;)
  For such, on earth, his bless’d Redeemer bore. 
  Of sixty years he seem’d; and well might last
  To sixty more, but that he lived too fast;
  Refined himself to soul, to curb the sense; 10
  And made almost a sin of abstinence,
  Yet, had his aspect nothing of severe,
  But such a face as promised him sincere.