False in thy glass all objects are,
Some sett too near, and some too far:
Thou art the fire of endless night,
The fire that burns, and gives no light.
All torments of the damn'd we find
In only thee,

O Jealousie!

Thou tyrant, tyrant of the mind.

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X.

CONSTANT PENELOPE.

The ladies are indebted for the following notable documents to the Pepys Collection, where the original is preserved in black-letter, and is intitled, "A "Looking-glass for Ladies, or a Mirrour for Married "Women. Tune, Queen Dido, or Troy town."

WHEN Greeks and Trojans fell at strife,
And lords in armour bright were seen;

When many a gallant lost his life

About fair Hellen, beauty's queen;
Ulysses, general so free,

Did leave his dear Penelope.'

When she this wofull news did hear,
That he would to the warrs of Troy;
For grief she shed full many a tear,

At parting from her only joy:
Her ladies all about her came,:
To comfort up this Grecian dame.

Ulysses, with a heavy heart,

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Let me no longer live, she sayd,
Then to my lord I true remain ;
My honour shall not be betray'd
Until I see my love again;
For I will ever constant prove,
As is the loyal turtle-dove.

Thus did they part with heavy chear,
And to the ships his way he took ;
Her tender eyes dropt many a tear ;
Still casting many a longing look:
She saw him on the surges glide,
And unto Neptune thus she cry'd:

Thou god, whose power is in the deep,
And rulest in the ocean main,
My loving lord in safety keep
Till he return to me again:

That I his person may behold,
To me more precious far than gold.

Then straight the ships with nimble sails
Were all convey'd out of her sight:
Her cruel fate she then bewails,

Since she had lost her hearts delight.
Now shall my practice be, quoth she,
True vertue and humility.

My patience I will put in ure,
My charity I will extend;
Since for my woe there is no cure,
The helpless now I will befriend :
The widow and the fatherless
I will relieve, when in distress.

Thus she continued year by year
In doing good to every one;

Her fame was noised every where,

To young an old the same was known, That she no company would mind,

Who were to vanity inclin❜d.

Mean while Ulysses fought for fame,

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'Mongst Trojans hazarding his life:

Young gallants, hearing of her name,
Came flocking for to tempt his wife:

For she was lovely, young, and fair,

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No lady might with her compare.

With costly gifts and jewels fine,
They did endeavour her to win ;
With banquets and the choicest wine,

For to allure her unto sin:

Most persons were of high degree,

Who courted fair Penelope.

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With modesty and comely grace
Their wanton suits she did denye:
No tempting charms could e'er deface
Her dearest husband's memorye;
But constant she would still remain,
Hopeing to see him once again.

Her book her dayly comfort was,

And that she often did peruse ;

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She seldom looked in her glass;

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Powder and paint she ne'er would use.

I wish all ladies were as free

From pride, as was Penelope.

She in her needle took delight,
And likewise in her spinning-wheel;

Her maids about her every night

Did use the distaff, and the reel :

The spiders, that on rafters twine,

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Scarce spin a thread more soft and fine.

Sometimes she would bewail the loss
And absence of her dearest love:
Sometimes she thought the seas to cross,

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Her fortune on the waves to prove.
I fear my lord is slain, quoth she,
He stays so from Penelope.

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