O I was shap't in comeliness,
My face was fashion'd fair,
My breath was sweet, I used to bless
The treasure of my hair;
A many prais'd my body's grace,
And follow'd with the eye
My faring in the village ways,
And I knew why.
Love came my way, fire-flusht and gay,
Where I did stand:
“This is the day your pride to lay
Under a true man's hand.”
I bow'd my head to hear it said
In words of long ago;
For ever since the world was made
Our lot was order'd so.
And I was bred in pious bed,
Brought up to be good:
Respect yourself, my mother said,
And rule your own mood.
Fend for yourself while you're a may,
And keep your own counsel,
And pick at what the neighbours say
As a bird picks at groundsel.
But Love said Nay to Watch and Pray
When the birds were singing,
And taught my heart a roundelay
Like the bells a-ringing;
And so blindfast I ran and cast
My treasure on the gale —
Would the storm-blast had snapt the mast
Before I fared to sail!