by Ben Jonson (1572 - 1637)
Beauties, have ye seen this Toy
Language: English
1st Grace: Beauties, have ye seen [this]1 Toy, Call'd Love, a little Boy, Almost naked, wanton, blind; Cruel now, and then as kind? If he be amongst ye, say; He is Venus Run-away. 2nd Grace: She, that will but now discover Where the winged Wag doth hover, Shall, to Night, receive a Kiss, How, or where her self would wish: But, who brings him to his Mother, Shall have that Kiss, and another. 3rd Grace: [H'hath of marks]2 about him plenty: You shall know him among twenty. All his body is a fire, And his breath a flame entire, That being shot, like lightning, in, Wounds the heart, but not the skin. 1st Grace: At his sight, the Sun hath turned, Neptune in the waters, burned; Hell hath felt a greater heat: Jove himself forsook his seat: From the Centre, to the Skie, Are his Trophees reared hie. 2nd Grace: Wings he hath, which though ye clip, He will leap from lip, to lip, Over liver, [lights]3, and heart, But [not]4 stay in any part; And, if chance his arrow misses, He will shoot himself, in kisses. 3rd Grace: He doth bear a golden Bow, And a Quiver, hanging low, Full of Arrows, that out-brave Dian's shafts: [where]5, if he have Any head more sharp than other, With that [first]6 he strikes his Mother. 1st Grace: Still the fairest are his fuel. When his days are to be cruel, Lovers hearts are all his food; And his baths their warmest blood: Nought but wounds his hand doth season; And he hates none like to Reason. 2nd Grace: Trust him not: his words, though sweet, Seldom with his heart do meet. All his practice is deceit; Every gift it is a bait; Not a kiss, but poyson bears; And most treason in his tears. 3rd Grace: Idle minutes are his raign; Then, the Stragler makes his gain, By presenting Maids with toys, And would have ye think 'em joys: 'Tis the ambition of the Elf, To have all childish, as himself. 1st Grace: If by these ye please to know him, Beauties, be not nice, but show him. 2nd Grace: Though ye had a Will, to hide him, Now, we hope, ye'le not abide him. 3rd Grace: Since ye hear his falser play; And that [he is]7 Venus Run-away.
H. Lawes sets stanzas 1-3, 5-10
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with The Description of the Masque, with nuptual songs, at the Lord Viscout Haddington's Marriage at Court. On the Shrove-Tuesday at Night. 1608., 1608.
1 Lawes: "a"2 Lawes: "Marks he hath"
3 Lawes: "lips" (possibly a typo)
4 Lawes: "nee'r"
5 Lawes: "what" (possibly a typo)
6 Lawes: "kisse"
7 Lawes: "hee's"
Authorship:
- by Ben Jonson (1572 - 1637), no title, first published 1608 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Henry Lawes (c1595 - 1662), "Beauties, have ye seen this Toy", published 1655, stanzas 1-3,5-10 [ 2 sopranos, bass, continuo ], from The Second Book of Ayres, and Dialogues, no. 50, Confirmed with The Second Book of Ayres and Dialogues, for One, Two, and Three, by Henry Lawes, John Playford, London 1655, Page 49. [sung text checked 1 time]
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Iain Sneddon [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2022-01-01
Line count: 72
Word count: 388