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To a Mistris that told me, I could not live without her Love.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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To a Mistris that told me, I could not live without her Love.

Tell me not that I die, or live by thee,
and as thou point'st my Doom so it must be:
Or that my life, did'st thou but leave to love,
would like a long Disease as weary prove:
Since he whose Mind is proof against his Fate,
makes himself happie at the worst Estate,
'Tis vanity for Man to build his Bliss,
On the frail favour of a Womans kiss,
And most un-manly to enthral his eye,
When Heaven and Nature gives it liberty;
For womens fancies with their fashions change,
And love for fashion, to each face that's strange.
I know the humour of thy Sex is such,
They ne'r could value any one thing much,
For should thy Brests with constant flames be fir'd,
'Twere more than I expected, though desir'd;

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Then think me not so fond, although I love,
But as thou steer'st thy course, so mine shall move.
He that hath Wealth and can that Wealth forgo,
is his own man, not slav'd to any wo,
So arm'd with resolution I am free,
and still ore-comer of my destiny:
Yet know I love, though I can leave that state,
he best knows how to love, knows how to hate.