University of Virginia Library

Upon a Gentleman presenting His Mistris a young Cypress Cat.

Your meaning pray, that You present Her thus
A Kitling, do You take Her for a Pusse?
'Tis probable, You might suspect her, nay,
And thought Your Cat would sure, claw her away.
Why did You not, if Puss Your mind must break,
Provide her drink, that would make a Cat speak?
This serious object (Sir) may spoil her chat,
And make her melancholy, as Your Cat.
Your wishes yet, may so redresse your folly,
As all her clouds may turn, Love Melancholly.
It seems the Lady's of a loving mind,
And then, do what you can, Cat will to kind.
The present proper is, maugre the Fates,
The Cupboards Courtiers are the Maids and Cats.
You shew Your self a Polititian,
But how if she should now turn Cat in pan?
Or if some friend should chance with her prevail,
And like the Cat, she should play with her tail?
Then you in Your defence must guard the house,
And watch her, as a Cat should watch a mouse.
Yet, know it, if you keep too strict a watch,
You'l live like Dogs and Cats, to bite and scratch?
If this should happen (but I hope not though,)
Puss must resign her Cypress to your brow.
And could Your Cat her Lives to You assign,
Ile lay my Life You would bate eight, of nine.
But what a fool am I, to be controwling
A fancy that is run a Caterwowling?
I hope she will not from this Cat infer,
That You'l turn Cat, and only play with her.
Nor can I think you so unhandsom, that
You come to get a bit (Sir) for Your Cat.
Prevail say I, and prosp'rously go on,
And may Your Cat, make You a Wittington.
'Tis sometimes policy, in Mask-disguise,
To look upon a Lady with Cats eyes.
With which her cunning intrigues You may mark,
For, though Love's blind, a Cat can see ith' dark.
Ah pocky Cat! I had gone further yet,
But that my pen is into Cats-teeth split.