University of Virginia Library

The new Petition.

Apollo once disdained not to keep,
So he might keep, his love Admetus sheep:
The distaff Hercules did excercise,
T'extract a smile from his deare Ladies eyes
Olympick Joan disdained not to take
A bulls effigies for Eutopus sake:
Achilles fitter far to deale with steel,
Did labour for his Mistress at the reel.
Love spar'd Leander his pledg'd faith to save,
Died, hugging in his armes the murdring wave.
Whil'st a new death his Heroe doth devise,
And drownd her selfe ith Ocean of her eyes.
By Pyramus, the world did understand
That love and life, lay linked hand in hand.
When one was lost in Thisbe, th other flew,
Through the peirc't portals of his wound, yet new.
Which when his Thisbe saw, tis hard to say,
VVhose spirit posted fastest on the way.
Thus some dejection, others did invade
Great oposition, and have willingly laid,
Their lives at needless hazzard, some have died,
And so have to the utmost satisfied
What tyrant love could force, & beyond this,
The great and true non ultra fixed is.
Yet happy this, since whatsoe're they tried,
Was on their Mistress part regratified.
Oh who would, when he saw an equal flame
Of love in her he lov'd, owe so much shame
As to esteem his life, if her least grief,
Did but invite his blood for her reliefe
But this forenamed courteous Ghost can bear
Me witness, I have shed full many a teare,
Spoke the best language, Rhetorick affords.
[illeg.]imb'd out my heart even to the life in words,
Would, what they did, did like occasion proffer,
And till that, do I can no more, but offer.
And yet for all my sufferings, she that is,
If I dare reach to call her so, my bliss,
[illeg.]lights all my sorrows; Oh weat eye could now
Forbear to yeeld a tear, when seeing how
I love, I am neglected weep with me
All you that read my wrongs, so if you be
Compationate, perhaps your tears may move
The frozen Mercy of my ice-white love
Which if they do, if you at any time
Shall want a drop, I'le lend you some mine:
Methinks I see you weep dear Mistress, then
Behold a Noble sea of pittying men
Doth waft me to your favour, if you daigne
Yes now at last to ease me of my paine,
This glory shall unto your mercy rise,
That you haue wip't all tears from lovers eyes.