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Elegies
The Perfume

by John Donne

Once, and but once found in thy company, 
All thy supposd escapes are laid on mee; 
And as a thiefe at barre, is question'd there 
By all the men, that have beene rob'd that yeare, 
So am I, (by this traiterous meanes surpriz' d) 
By thy Hydroptique father catechiz' d. 
Though he had wont to search with glazed eyes, 
As though he came to kill a Cockatrice, 
Though he hath oft sworne, that he would remove 
Thy beauties beauties and food of our love, 
Hope of his goods, if I with thee were seene, 
Yet close and secret, as our soules, we'have beene. 
Though thy immortall mother which doth lye 
Still buried in her bed, yet will not dye, 
Takes this advantage to sleepe out day-light, 
And watch thy entries, and returnes all night, 
And, when she takes thy hand, and would seeme kind, 
Doth search what rings, and armelets she can finde, 
And kissing notes the colour of thy face, 
And fearing least thou'art swolne, doth thee embrace; 
To trie if thou long, doth name strange meates, 
And notes thy palenesse, blushing, sighs, and sweats; 
And politiquely will to thee confesse 
The sinnes of her owne youths ranke lustinesse; 
Yet love these Sorceries did remove, and move 
Thee to gull thine owne mother for my love. 
Thy little brethren, which like Faiery Sprights 
Oft skipt into our chamber, those sweet nights, 
And kist, and ingled on thy fathers knee, 
Were brib'd next day, to tell what they did see: 
The grim eight-foot-high iron-bound serving-man, 
That oft names God in oathes, and onely then, 
He that to barre the first gate, doth as wide 
As the great Rhodian Colossus stride, 
Which, if in hell no other paines there were, 
Makes mee feare hell, because he must be there: 
Though by thy father he were hir'd to this, 
Could never witnesse any touch or kisse. 
But Oh, too common ill, I brought with mee 
That, which betray'd mee to my enemie: 
A loud perfume, which at my entrance cryed 
Even at thy fathers nose, so were wee spied. 
When, like a tyran King, that in his bed 
Smelt gunpowder, the pale wretch shivered. 
Had it beene some bad smell, he would have thought 
That his owne feet, or breath, that smell had wrought. 
But as wee in our Ile emprisoned, 
Where cattell onely,' and diverse dogs are bred, 
The pretious Unicornes, strange monsters call, 
So thought he good, strange, that had none at all. 
I taught my silkes, their whistling to forbearer 
Even my opprest shoes, dumbe and speechlesse were, 
Onely, thou bitter sweet, whom I had laid 
Next mee, mee traiterously hast betraid, 
And unsuspected hast invisibly 
At once fled unto him, and staid with mee. 
Base excrement of earth, which dost confound 
Sense, from distinguishing the sicke from sound; 
By thee the seely Amorous sucks his death 
By drawing in a leprous harlots breath; 
By thee, the greatest staine to mans estate 
Falls on us, to be call'd effeminate; 
Though you be much lov'd in the Princes hall, 
There, things that seeme, exceed substantiall. 
Gods, when yee fum'd on altars, were pleas'd well, 
Because you'were burnt, not that they lik'd your smell; 
You' are loathsome all, being taken simply alone, 
Shall wee love ill things joyn'd, and hate each one? 
If you were good, your good doth soone decay; 
And you are rare, that takes the good away. 
All my perfumes, I give most willingly 
To'embalme thy fathers corse; What? will hee die? 
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