ABSTRACT
NO W are our brows bound with vi&orious wreaths, Our bruifedarms hung up for monuments; Our ftern alarums changed to merry meetings; Our dreadful marches to delightful meafures. Grim-vifag'd war hath fmooth'd his wrinkled front; And now, inftead of mounting barbed fteeds T o flight the fouls of fearful adverfaries, H e capers nimbly in a lady's chamber, T o the lafcivious pleafing of a lute. (i) But I, that am not fhap'd for fportive tricks, Nor made to court an am'rous looking glafs, I , that am rudely ftampt, and want love's majefly, T o ftrut before a wanton, ambling nymph ; I , that am curtaiPd of this fair proportion, Cheated of feature by diffembling nature, Deform'd, unfinifti'd, fent before my time Into this breathing world, fcarce half made up, And that fo lamely, and unfafliionably, T h a t dogs bark at me, as I halt by them: W h y I, (in this weak piping time of peace)
Have
•7 he Life and Death 0 / R I C H A R D I I L 1 8 7 Have no delight to pafs away the time ; Unlefs to fpy my fhadow in the fun, And defcant on my own deformity. And therefore, fince I cannot prove a lover, To entertain thefe fair wellfpoken days * I am determined to prove a villain, Aad hate the idle pleafures of thefe days.
