The Chronicle Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AAABAAB CDEAAE FGHIIH JJAKKA IILDML LLAAAA NNEAAE OOPAAP AALAAL GJNLDN AAQRRS TTUUUU AANVVN LLFOOF

A BALLADA
MARGARITA first possestA
If I remember well my brestA
Margarita first of allB
But when awhile the wanton maidA
With my restless heart had play'dA
Martha took the flying ballB
-
Martha soon did it resignC
To the beauteous CatharineD
Beauteous Catharine gave placeE
Though loth and angry she to partA
With the possession of my heartA
To Eliza's conquering faceE
-
Eliza till this hour might reignF
Had she not evil counsels ta'enG
Fundamental laws she brokeH
And still new favorites she choseI
Till up in arms my passions roseI
And cast away her yokeH
-
Mary then and gentle AnneJ
Both to reign at once beganJ
Alternately they sway'dA
And sometimes Mary was the fairK
And sometimes Anne the Crown did wearK
And sometimes both I obey'dA
-
Another Mary then aroseI
And did rigorous laws imposeI
A mighty tyrant sheL
Long alas should I have beenD
Under that iron scepter'd queenM
Had not Rebecca set me freeL
-
When fair Rebecca set me freeL
'Twas then a golden time with meL
But soon those pleasures fledA
For the gracious princess dy'dA
In her youth and beauty's prideA
And Judith reigned in her steadA
-
One month three days and half an hourN
Judith held the soveraign powerN
Wondrous beautiful her faceE
But so weak and small her witA
That she to govern was unfitA
And so Susanna took her placeE
-
But when Isabella cameO
Arm'd with a resistless flameO
And th' artillery of her eyeP
Whilst she proudly march'd aboutA
Greater conquests to find outA
She beat out Susan by the byeP
-
But in her place I then obey'dA
Black ey'd Bess her viceroy maidA
To whom ensu'd a vacancyL
Thousand worse passions than possestA
The interregnum of my breastA
Bless me from such an anarchyL
-
Gentle Henriette thenG
And a third Mary next beganJ
Then Joan and Jane and AudriaN
And then a pretty ThomasineL
And then another KatharineD
And then a long et c teraN
-
But should I now to you relateA
The strength and riches of their stateA
The powder patches and the pinsQ
The ribbons jewels and the ringsR
The lace the paint and warlike thingsR
That make up all their magazinesS
-
If I should tell the politic artsT
To take and keep men's heartsT
The letters embassies and spiesU
The frowns and smiles and flatteriesU
The quarrels tears and perjuriesU
Numberless nameless mysteriesU
-
And all the little lime twigs laidA
By Machiavel the waiting maidA
I more voluminous should growN
Chiefly if I like them should tellV
All change of weathers that befellV
Than Holinshed or StowN
-
But I will briefer with them beL
Since few of them were long with meL
An higher and a nobler strainF
My present Emperess does claimO
Heleonora first o' th' nameO
Whom God grant long to reignF

Abraham Cowley



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