Who ever guesses, thinks, or dreames he knowes
Who is my mistris, wither by this curse;
His only, and only his purse
May some dull heart to love dispose,
And shee yeeld then to all that are his foes;
May he be scorn'd by one, whom all else scorne,
Forsweare to others, what to her he'hath sworne,
With feare of missing, shame of getting, torne:
Madnesse his sorrow, gout his cramp, may hee
Make, by but thinking, who hath made him such:
And may he feele no touch
Of conscience, but of fame, and bee
Anguish'd, not that'twas sinne, but that'twas shee:
In early and long scarcenesse may he rot,
For land which had been his, if he had not
Himselfe incestuously an heire begot:
May he dreame Treason, and beleeve, that hee
Meant to performe it, and confesse, and die,
And no record tell why:
His sonnes, which none of his may bee,
Inherite nothing but his infamie:
Or may he so long Parasites have fed,
That he would faine be theirs, whom he hath bred,
And at the last be circumcis'd for bread:
The venom of all stepdames, gamsters gall,
What Tyrans, and their subjects interwish,
What Plants, Mynes, Beasts, Foule, Fish,
Can contribute, all ill which all
Prophets, or Poets spake; And all which shall
Be annex'd in schedules unto this by mee,
Fall on that man; For if it be a shee
Nature before hand hath out-cursed mee.
[The Curse. 1633-69: A Curse. or The Curse. A18, A25,
B, C, D, H40, H49, JC, L74, Lec, N, O'F,
S, TCC, TCD: Dirae. P, Q]
[2 curse] course 1669]
[3 His only, and only his purse 1633-54, A18, A25, B,
C, D, H40, H49, JC, L74, Lec, N, O'F, S,
TC: Him, only for his purse 1669, Chambers: His one and
his onely purse P]
[4 heart 1633-54 and MSS.: whore 1669 and Chambers]
[5 And she yeeld then to 1633-54 and MSS.: And then yield
unto 1669, Chambers]
[8 getting, Ed: getting 1633-69
torne: Ed: torne; 1633-54: torne. 1669. Compare 16
and 24]
[9 cramp,] cramps, 1669, Chambers, and most MSS.]
[10 him 1633-54 and MSS.: them 1669, Chambers]
[12 fame,] shame; A18, A25, N, P, TC]
[14-16 In early and long scarceness ... an heire begot:
1633, B, D, H40, H49, Lec, O'F (which gives
alternate version in margin), S:
Or may he for her vertue reverence
One that hates him onely for impotence,
And equall Traitors be she and his sense.
1635-69, A18, A25, C, JC, N, P, Q, S, TC]
[18 Meant] Went A18, N, TC]
[26 Tyrans, 1633-35: Tyrants, 1639: tyrants, 1650-69]
[27 Mynes, A18, A25, B, H40, JC, L74, N, O'F,
P, Q, S, TC: Myne, 1633-69, D, H49, Lec]
[28 ill 1669: ill, 1633-54]