 | Poems on Affairs of State |  |
11
DIALOGUE.
M.
Why am I daily thus perlex'd?
Why beyond Womans patience vex'd?
Your Spurious Issue grow and thrive;
VVhile mine are dead e'er well alive.
If they survive a nine days wonder,
Suspicious Tongues aloud do thunder;
And streight accuse my Chastity,
For your damn'd Insufficiency:
You meet my Love with no desire,
My Altar damps your feeble fire:
Though I have infinite more Charms
Than all you e'er took to your Arms.
Why beyond Womans patience vex'd?
Your Spurious Issue grow and thrive;
VVhile mine are dead e'er well alive.
If they survive a nine days wonder,
Suspicious Tongues aloud do thunder;
And streight accuse my Chastity,
For your damn'd Insufficiency:
You meet my Love with no desire,
My Altar damps your feeble fire:
Though I have infinite more Charms
Than all you e'er took to your Arms.
The Priest at th'Altar bows to me;
VVhen I appear he bends the Knee.
His Eyes are on my Beauties fixt,
His Pray'rs to Heav'n and Me are mixt;
Confusedly he tells his Beads,
Is out both when he Prays and Reads.
VVhen I appear he bends the Knee.
His Eyes are on my Beauties fixt,
His Pray'rs to Heav'n and Me are mixt;
Confusedly he tells his Beads,
Is out both when he Prays and Reads.
I travell'd farther for your Love,
Than Sheba's Queen, I'll fairly prove.
She from the South, 'tis said, did rome,
And I as far from East did come.
But here the difference does arise,
Though equally we sought the Prize;
VVhat that great Queen desir'd she gain'd,
But I soon found your Treasury drain'd,
Your Veins corrupted in your Youth,
'Tis sad Experience tells this Truth:
Though I had caution long before
Of that which I too late deplore.
Than Sheba's Queen, I'll fairly prove.
She from the South, 'tis said, did rome,
And I as far from East did come.
But here the difference does arise,
Though equally we sought the Prize;
VVhat that great Queen desir'd she gain'd,
But I soon found your Treasury drain'd,
Your Veins corrupted in your Youth,
'Tis sad Experience tells this Truth:
12
Of that which I too late deplore.
J.
Pray, Madam, let me silence break,
As I have you, now hear me speak.
These Stories sure must please you well,
You're apt so often them to tell.
As I have you, now hear me speak.
These Stories sure must please you well,
You're apt so often them to tell.
But, if you'll smooth your brow a while,
And turn that Pout into a Smile,
I doubt not, but to make't appear,
That you the great'st Aggressor are.
And turn that Pout into a Smile,
I doubt not, but to make't appear,
That you the great'st Aggressor are.
I took you with an empty Purse,
Which was to me no trivial Curse,
No Dowry could your Parents give;
They'd but a Competence to live.
When you appear'd, your Charming Eyes
(As you relate) did me surprize
With VVonder, not with Admiration,
Astonishment, but no Temptation:
Nor did I see in all your Frame,
Ought could create an amorous flame,
Or raise the least Desire in me,
Save only for Variety.
I paid such Service as was due,
VVorthy my self, and worthy you:
Caress'd you far above the rate
Both of your Birth, and your Estate.
VVhen soon I found your haughty mind
VVas unto Sov'raignty inclin'd;
And first you practis'd over me
The heavy Yoke of Tyranny,
VVhile I your Property was made,
And you, not I, was still obey'd:
Nor durst I call my Soul my own,
You manag'd me as if I'd none.
I took such measures as you gave,
All day your Fool, all night your slave.
Which was to me no trivial Curse,
No Dowry could your Parents give;
They'd but a Competence to live.
When you appear'd, your Charming Eyes
(As you relate) did me surprize
With VVonder, not with Admiration,
Astonishment, but no Temptation:
Nor did I see in all your Frame,
Ought could create an amorous flame,
Or raise the least Desire in me,
Save only for Variety.
I paid such Service as was due,
VVorthy my self, and worthy you:
Caress'd you far above the rate
Both of your Birth, and your Estate.
VVhen soon I found your haughty mind
VVas unto Sov'raignty inclin'd;
And first you practis'd over me
The heavy Yoke of Tyranny,
VVhile I your Property was made,
And you, not I, was still obey'd:
Nor durst I call my Soul my own,
You manag'd me as if I'd none.
13
All day your Fool, all night your slave.
Nor was Ambition bounded here,
You still resolv'd your course to steer:
All that oppose you, you remove;
'Twas much you'd own the Powers above.
Now several Stratagems you try,
And I'm in all forc'd to comply:
To Mother Church you take Recourse,
She tells you 'tmust be done by force;
And you, impatient of delay,
Contrive and execute the way.
You still resolv'd your course to steer:
All that oppose you, you remove;
'Twas much you'd own the Powers above.
Now several Stratagems you try,
And I'm in all forc'd to comply:
To Mother Church you take Recourse,
She tells you 'tmust be done by force;
And you, impatient of delay,
Contrive and execute the way.
When mounted to the place you sought,
It no Contentment with it brought:
One Tree within your Prospect stood
Fairest and tallest of the Wood:
Which to your prospect gave offence,
And it must be remov'd from thence.
In this you also are obey'd,
While all the Fault on me is laid.
It no Contentment with it brought:
One Tree within your Prospect stood
Fairest and tallest of the Wood:
Which to your prospect gave offence,
And it must be remov'd from thence.
In this you also are obey'd,
While all the Fault on me is laid.
Now you was quiet for a while,
As flattering Weather seems to smile,
Till buzzing Beetles of the Night
Had found fresh matter for your spite,
And set to work your busie Brain,
Which took Fire quickly from their Train.
Some VVise, some Valiant, you remove,
'Cause they your Maxims don't approve;
And in in their stead such Creatures place
VVhich to th'Employments bring disgrace:
While whatsoe'r you do I own,
And still the dirt on me is thrown.
As flattering Weather seems to smile,
Till buzzing Beetles of the Night
Had found fresh matter for your spite,
And set to work your busie Brain,
Which took Fire quickly from their Train.
Some VVise, some Valiant, you remove,
'Cause they your Maxims don't approve;
And in in their stead such Creatures place
VVhich to th'Employments bring disgrace:
While whatsoe'r you do I own,
And still the dirt on me is thrown.
Straight new Chimear's fill your Brain,
The humming Beetles buz again;
A Goal-Delivery now must be,
All tender Consciences set free;
Not out of Zeal, but pure Design
To make Dissenters with us joyn,
To pull down Test and Penal Laws,
The Bulwark of the Hereticks Cause.
The sly Dissenters laugh the while,
They see where lurks the Serpents guile;
And rather than with us comply,
Will on our Enemies rely.
The Chieftains of the Protestant Cause,
We did confine, though 'gainst the Laws:
But soon was glad to set 'em free,
Fearing the giddy Mobile.
The humming Beetles buz again;
14
All tender Consciences set free;
Not out of Zeal, but pure Design
To make Dissenters with us joyn,
To pull down Test and Penal Laws,
The Bulwark of the Hereticks Cause.
The sly Dissenters laugh the while,
They see where lurks the Serpents guile;
And rather than with us comply,
Will on our Enemies rely.
The Chieftains of the Protestant Cause,
We did confine, though 'gainst the Laws:
But soon was glad to set 'em free,
Fearing the giddy Mobile.
Now all is turning upside down,
Loud Murmuring's in every Town;
We've Foes abroad, and Foes at home,
Armies and Fleets against us come:
The Protestants do laugh the while,
And the Dissenters sneer and smile;
But no assistance either sends;
They're neither Enemies now Friends.
Loud Murmuring's in every Town;
We've Foes abroad, and Foes at home,
Armies and Fleets against us come:
The Protestants do laugh the while,
And the Dissenters sneer and smile;
But no assistance either sends;
They're neither Enemies now Friends.
Now pray conclude what must be done,
Consult your Oracle of ROME,
For next fair Wind be sure they come.
Consult your Oracle of ROME,
For next fair Wind be sure they come.
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