Fair Faces

O' look in times how beauty wast defined! And still defined' is it by faces fair See how the white, well-painted and divine Seekst not the color white, but only dare To be in marriage bound to fairest white And colored are, by due of likeness seek To be well-saved by colored faces night And only choose the best accordant sweet Thus all the colors in their faces live And so they love, and so they shall be loved But all discordant faces bare and dimm'd Are left, bereaved and destined not to love Or else, be joined are they by likeness fit To add themselves, what was by time bereft T'may that which is not matched to lightness lit And 'spire be, as well in ranks be held O' hail'd they shall, the fairest faces made And cheriched are for all the beauty shown Praised be their hearts, if darkness they inhale And those who true love hold, their hearts disowned This life ere now, unfair to all unfair Cannot defy, for is thus writ and born Proud faces sought, by less of beauty snare And only join those like their share and more But We alone, no beauty's bounty taste Not meant to live, nor die as long time haste