Ladyes Of the New Dresse
Last one.
LADYES OF THE NEW DRESSE
THAT WEARE THEIR GORGETS & RAYLES DOWN TO THEIR WASTES
&
THE LADIES ANSWER
*
Both poems are written by Dean Corbet (b1582, d1635). Possibly around 1621 (the poem refers to an incident from that time)
*
Ladyes, that weare black cipress-vailes, (cipress-fine crape or gauze)
Turn’d lately to white linen-rayles;
And to your girdle weare your bands, (alludes to the great length of the falling bands from the shoulder)
And shew your armes, instead of hands.
What can you does in Lent so meet
As, fittest dress, to weare a sheet?
‘Twas once a band is now a cloake,
An acorne one day proves an oke:
Weare but your linen to your feet,
And then your band will prove a sheet.
By which devise, and wise excesse,
You’l doe your penance in a dresse;
And none shall know, by what they see,
Which lady’s censur’d, and which free.
*
THE LADIES ANSWER
*
Blacke Cypresse vailes are shroudes on night,
White linen railes are raies of light,
Which, though we to the girdles weare,
We’ve hands to keep your hands off there.
A fitter dresse we have in Lent,
To shew us trewly penitent.
Whoe makes the band to be a cloke,
Makes John-a-style of John-an-oake.
We weare our garments to the feet,
Yet need not make our bands a sheet:
The clergie weare as long as we,
Yet that implies conformitie.
Be wise, racant what you have writt,
Least you do pennance for your witte;
Love’s charm hath power to weare a stringe,
To tye you as you tied your ringe;+
There by love’s sharpe, but just decree,
You may be consured, we go free.
*
+ Incident in 1621 - Corbet preached before the King. He forgot his words and fiddled with his ring.
LADYES OF THE NEW DRESSE
THAT WEARE THEIR GORGETS & RAYLES DOWN TO THEIR WASTES
&
THE LADIES ANSWER
*
Both poems are written by Dean Corbet (b1582, d1635). Possibly around 1621 (the poem refers to an incident from that time)
*
Ladyes, that weare black cipress-vailes, (cipress-fine crape or gauze)
Turn’d lately to white linen-rayles;
And to your girdle weare your bands, (alludes to the great length of the falling bands from the shoulder)
And shew your armes, instead of hands.
What can you does in Lent so meet
As, fittest dress, to weare a sheet?
‘Twas once a band is now a cloake,
An acorne one day proves an oke:
Weare but your linen to your feet,
And then your band will prove a sheet.
By which devise, and wise excesse,
You’l doe your penance in a dresse;
And none shall know, by what they see,
Which lady’s censur’d, and which free.
*
THE LADIES ANSWER
*
Blacke Cypresse vailes are shroudes on night,
White linen railes are raies of light,
Which, though we to the girdles weare,
We’ve hands to keep your hands off there.
A fitter dresse we have in Lent,
To shew us trewly penitent.
Whoe makes the band to be a cloke,
Makes John-a-style of John-an-oake.
We weare our garments to the feet,
Yet need not make our bands a sheet:
The clergie weare as long as we,
Yet that implies conformitie.
Be wise, racant what you have writt,
Least you do pennance for your witte;
Love’s charm hath power to weare a stringe,
To tye you as you tied your ringe;+
There by love’s sharpe, but just decree,
You may be consured, we go free.
*
+ Incident in 1621 - Corbet preached before the King. He forgot his words and fiddled with his ring.