Vncertaine, Fortunes Favours, Bee, And, as the Moone, So Changeth Shee
OVr Author, peradventure, giveth us
Dame Fortune (for these Reasons) pictur’d, thus:
She hath a Comely-body, to declare,
How pleasing shee doth usually appeare
To them, that love her Favours. She is blinde,
(Or, hath still closed eyes) to put in minde,
How blindly, and how heedlesly, she throwes
Her Largesse, where her Bounty, she bestowes.
She stands upon a Ball; that, wee may learne,
Of outward things, the tottering, to discerne:
Her Ball hath wings; that it may signifie
How apt her Favours are, away to flie.
A Skarfe displayed by the wind, she beares,
(And, on her naked-Body, nothing weares)
To shew, that what her Favorite injoyes,
Is not so much for Vsefulnesse, as toyes.
Her Head is hairelesse, all, except before;
To teach thee, that thy care should be the more
To hold her formost kindnesse, alwayes fast;
Lest, she doe show thee slipp’ry tricks, at last.
And, lastly, that her changing may be showne;
She beareth in her Hand a Wayned-moone.
By this Description, you may now descry
Her true conditions, full as well as I:
And, if you, still, suppose her, worth such honour,
You have my leave to wooe, and wayt upon her.
Moreover (to her credit) I confesse,
This Motto falsly saith, her Ficklenesse
Is like the Moones: For, she hath frown’d on mee
Twelve Moones, at least; and, yet, no Change I see.