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THE BARGAIN, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Take heed, take heed, thou lovely maid
Last Line: My soule and body, two grains more, I'lle adde.
Subject(s): Love - Materialism


1.

TAke heed, take heed, thou lovely Maid,
Nor be by glittering ills betrai'd;
Thy selfe for Mony? oh, let no man know
The Price of beauty fal'n so low!
What dangers oughtst thou not to dread,
When Love that's Blind is by blind Fortune led?

2.

The foolish Indian that sells
His precious Gold for beads and bells,
Does a more wise and gainful traffick hold,
Then thou who sell'st thy selfe for gold.
What gaines in such a bargain are?
Hee'lle in thy Mines dig better Treasures farre.

3.

Can Gold, alas, with Thee compare?
The Sun that makes it's not so fair;
The Sun which can nor make, nor ever see
A thing so beautiful as Thee,
In all the journeys he does passe,
Though the Sea serv'd him for a looking-glasse.

4.

Bold was the Wretch that cheapened Thee,
Since Magus, none so bold as he:
Thou'rt so divine a thing, that Thee to buy
Is to be counted Simony;
Too dear he'le finde his sordid price,
Ha's forfeited that, and the Benefice.

5.

If it be lawfull Thee to buy,
Ther's none can pay that rate but I;
Nothing on earth a fitting price can be,
But what on earth's most like to Thee.
And that my Heart does only bear;
For there Thy selfe, Thy very selfe is there.

6.

So much thy selfe does in me live,
That when for it thy selfe I give,
'Tis but to change that piece of Gold for this,
Whose stampe and value equall is.
Yet lest the Weight be counted bad,
My Soule and Body, two Grains more, I'lle adde.





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