Hear, Ye Ladies

Hear, ye ladies that despise

What the mighty Love has done;

Fear examples and be wise:

Fair Callisto was a nun;

Leda, sailing on the stream

To deceive the hopes of man,

Love accounting but a dream,

Doted on a silver swan;

Danaë, in a brazen tower,

Where no love was, loved a shower.

Hear, ye ladies that are coy,

What the mighty Love can do;

Fear the fierceness of the boy:

The chaste Moon he makes to woo;

Vesta, kindling holy fires,

Circled round about with spies,

Never dreaming loose desires,

Doting at the altar dies;