Confined Love

• Some man unworthy to be possessor
• Of old or new love, himself being false or weak,
• Thought his pain and shame would be lesser
• If on womankind he might his anger wreak,
• And thence a law did grow,
• One might but one man know;
• But are other creatures so?
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• Are Sun, Moon, or Stars by law forbidden
• To smile where they list, or lend away their light?
• Are birds divorced, or are they chidden
• If they leave their mate, or lie abroad a-night?
• Beasts do no jointures lose
• Though they new lovers choose,
• But we are made worse than those.
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• Who e'er rigged fair ship to lie in harbours
• And not to seek new lands, or not to deal withal?
• Or built fair houses, set trees, and arbors,
• Only to lock up, or else to let them fall?
• Good is not good unless
• A thousand it possess,
• But dost waste with greediness.