 | Men-Miracles |  |
To my freind Mr J. F. at Leyden.
If my last Letter drown'd or shipwrackt be,
Or like its Master never saw the Sea,
What fate so ere it suffer'd, I have chose
To see if Verse hath better lucke, then Prose.
I send no Trafficke o're, no thrifty ware,
Which quits the danger by 'ts increase and share.
Fortune (I thanke her) saves me all that paine,
He cannot loose by Seas that cannot gaine.
When I trucke Turkey-silkes, or Indian gold,
Then threaten rockes, and may the Barke not hold:
But let that voyage still successefull be,
Which covets nought beyond the Seas but Thee.
And, gentle Pirates, let your valour know,
To take the Booties, but let Freindships goe.
Or like its Master never saw the Sea,
What fate so ere it suffer'd, I have chose
To see if Verse hath better lucke, then Prose.
I send no Trafficke o're, no thrifty ware,
Which quits the danger by 'ts increase and share.
Fortune (I thanke her) saves me all that paine,
He cannot loose by Seas that cannot gaine.
When I trucke Turkey-silkes, or Indian gold,
Then threaten rockes, and may the Barke not hold:
But let that voyage still successefull be,
Which covets nought beyond the Seas but Thee.
And, gentle Pirates, let your valour know,
To take the Booties, but let Freindships goe.
But if when large and greater ruines call,
My Letters too must have their fate, their fall.
There still remaines one way to quit that care,
Come see my breast and thou shalt reade them there.
For spight of Angry winds, and Pirates Art,
I scorne to finde a Shipwracke in my heart.
My Letters too must have their fate, their fall.
There still remaines one way to quit that care,
Come see my breast and thou shalt reade them there.
83
I scorne to finde a Shipwracke in my heart.
| Men-Miracles | |