Love Banished Heaven
Love banished heaven, in earth was held in scorn,
Wand’ring abroad in need and beggary;
And wanting friends, though of a goddess born,
Yet craved the alms of such as passèd by:
I, like a man devout and charitable,
Clothed the naked, lodged this wand’ring guest,
With sighs and tears still furnishing his table,
With what might make the miserable blest;
But this ungrateful, for my good desert,
Enticed my thoughts against me to conspire,
Who gave consent to steal away my heart,
And set my breast his lodging on a fire.
Well, well, my friends, when beggars grow thus bold,
No marvel then though charity grow cold.
Michael Drayton.