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The Chronicle
A Ballad

Margarita first possest,
If I remember well, my brest,
Margarita first of all;
But when a while the wanton maid
With my restless heart had plaid,
Martha took the flying ball.

Martha soon did it resign
To the beauteous Catharine.
Beauteous Catharine gave place
(Though loth and angry she to part
With the possession of my heart)
To Elisa's conqu'ering face.

Elisa till this hour might reign
Had she not evil counsels ta'ne.
Fundamental laws she broke,
And still new favorites she chose,
Till up in arms my passions rose,
And cast away her yoke.

Mary then and gentle Ann
Both to reign at once began.
Alternately they sway'd,
And sometimes Mary was the fair,
And sometimes Ann the crown did wear,
And sometimes both I' obey'd.

Another Mary then arose
And did rigorous laws impose.
A mighty tyrant she!
Long, alas, should I have been
Under that iron-scepter'd queen,
Had not Rebecca set me free.

When fair Rebecca set me free,
'Twas then a golden time with me.
But soon those pleasures fled,
For the gracious princess dy'd
In her youth and beauties pride,
And Judith reingned in her sted.

One month, three days, and half an hour
Judith held the soveraign power.
Wondrous beautiful her face,
But so weak and small her wit,
That she to govern was unfit,
And so Susanna took her place.

But when Isabell came
Arm'd with a resistless flame
And th'artillery of her eye;
Whilst she proudly marcht about
Greater conquests to find out
She beat out Susan by the by.

But in her place I then obey'd
Black-ey'd Bessie, her viceroy-maid,
To whom ensu'd a vacancy.
Thousand worse passions than possest
The interregnum of my brest.
Bless me from such an anarchy!

Gentle Henriette than
And a third Mary next began,
Then Jone, and Jane, and Audria.
And then a pretty Thomasine,
And then another Katharine,
And then a long et caetera.

But should I now to you relate,
The strength and rishes of their state,
The powder, patches, and the pins,
The ribbans, jewels, and the rings,
The lace, the paint, and warlike things
Theat make up all their magazins:

If I should tell the politick arts
To take and keep men's hearts,
The letter, embassies, and spies,
The frowns, and smiles, and flatteries,
The quarrels, tears, and perjuries,
Numberless, nameless mysteries!

And all the little lime-twigs laid
By Matchavil the waiting-maid;
I more voluminous should grow
(Chiefly if I like them should tell
All chage of weathers that befell)
Then Holinshead or Stow.

But I will briefer with them be,
Since few of them were long with me.
An higher and nobler strain
My present emperess does claim,
Heleonora, first o'th' name;
Whom God grant long to reign!

Abraham Cowley.