Classic Poem

From Envy springs ay-watchful Iealousie ,
(Ore-plus of Loue , as iealous Lovers would)
Which (worse then Hell ) hates al Rivalitie ,
And cannot brooke that any other should
Possesse that wee or ours would, or doe hold:
Yet some restraine it onely vnto Loue;
For being (as they say) more manifold,
It Obtrectation hight, which who doth prove
Shal finde the Minde vnlike it selfe to moue.

For, she can thinke of nought but that alone
That makes her iealous, and when shee 's restrain'd
Of former freedome, shee is not her owne;
But like a Body bound t' a Racke , is pain'd,
And thinks of nought but paine be'ng so constrain'd:
This is the Linx in Loue that never sleepes ,
And oft (too oft) by Lust is entertain'd:
Who through nine walles of Mudd , or Mettle peeps,
And so (like Argus ) Love's beloved keepes.

Now, as the thinges belov'd are good or badd,
So iealousie is good or badd thereby.
If Men be iealous of their thoughts that gadd
From the chiefe- Good , good is that iealousie;
And in a Prince tis no impiety ,
When he suspects Ambition in his State ,
Nor in the mari'd is't an Heresy,
If loving- iealousie without debate
Doe keepe each other's Love from cause of hate .

Like may bee sedd of Parents, Kinne , and Frendes ,
So longe as it aymes but at like respect ,
An harmelesse iealousie from harme defends
Those whom they governe and by kinde affect:
Such ieal'usie doth in God our good effect;
Which makes him watch vs, where wee wake or sleepe,
Who in his loue thereby doth vs protect
From al those vnseene ills that on vs creepe,
And by the same his honor safe doth keepe.

But iealousie conceau'd through cause vniust,
Be it in Weddlocke, Freindshippe , or where not,
Makes Loue a Languishment ; for false mistrust
Is not by God , but by his Foe begott,
Which Loue with Lust doth evermore besott;
Hence come the Quarrells twixt the mari'd Paires ,
When they through iealousie are overshott,
This makes Affraies too oft of great Affaires ,
And ruynes that which loyal Love repaires.

The fell disturber of Love's sweete repose,
Copesmate of Care , tormenter of the Minde ,
The Canker of faire Venus ' sweetest Rose ,
The Racke that over-racks the over-kinde,
The over-watchful Eye of Loue stil blinde:
The Hart of Caution wherein ay are bredd
The vital Sp'rites of Arte to State assign'd;
Soule of Regard , alive when it seemes deade,
All this is Iealousie that holds the Heade .

The Caucasus whereto Loue's Hart is bound,
The Vulture which the thoughts thereof devoures,
The Primum mobile which turneth round
The Braine , which to the rest vnrest procures,
A Sore which nought, that's good for ought , recures,
That's Mummy made of the meere Hart of Love ,
A temp'rall Hell , whose torment still endures,
The Pennaunce of Mistrust , which Lovers proue;
All this is Iealousie which I reprove.

And now to ende (where we should haue begunne
When we began to touch corrupt Affects )
With Pride , because from her al Vice doth runne
(As from the Fountaine ) which the Soule infects;
Which may be thus describ'd by her effects .
A swelling of the Hart which doth proceede
From Selfe-conceite , that gainst the Soule reflects,
And showes more glorious then it is indeede,
Which makes vs thinke our gifts al men's exceede.