Love's Dialect :: :: University of Virginia Library

Patience , inhabit humble soules; extend
Thy passive power to those whose sorrowes end;
Mine are eternall, powerfull, and immense;
Such as may teach thee wrath fond Patience;
Ixion's wheele is easie, and the stone
Sissiphus rowles he doth but sleepe upon,
Compar'd to mine; The greatnesse of my wrongs
Would want Oration, though an hundred tongues
Guided by fluent Orators, should dare
In thrifty speech but briefly to declare;
They would destroy all Memories, all Sence,
And drive all Language from Intelligence.
Thou that art rich in sorrow, and canst sweare
Thou hast more then Mortality can beare.
Attend, and give me audience, I will shew
Thy quaking sense what thou shalt feare to know;
Thou wilt beleeve (if I at large declare)
Sorrow hath tane her dwelling in thy Eare.
And thinke thou mayst with lesser patience
Endure thy wrongs, than give mine audience.
Felina's falen from vertue; shees acute
In learned Levitie, turn'd Prostitute.
I lov'd her dearely, while her eyes were pure,
While she blush'd innocent, and kiss'd to cure.
When smiles were modest ensignes, while her breath,
Carried more balme then poyson, life then death;
When shee weep'd honest greefe; and I did see,
Her Salutations were humilitie;

Then was shee perfect Virgin; then did I
Contract my heart to this Idolatry.
Her eyes doe now looke glorious, but to tell
Vnhappy man, the fairest way to Hell.
Shee blushes now for guilt, smiles to doe ill,
Breath's but to poyson, kisses but to kill;
Weep's to ensnare, salut's but to destroy,
Flatters to ceaze, imbraceth to betray;
Betrayes to get no profit, or renowne,
But falls her selfe, to plucke another downe.
Oh false Felina, must your beautie be
Expos'd to Incest, and Adulterie.
You are a Whore, and tis the choysest name
That he will render, who first caus'd your shame;
Sometimes you are his Mistresse, when his lust
Hath itching Feavers, and must take on trust,
But having done hee loaths ye, nay will sweare,
Tis you that made him turne Adulterer.
Perhaps youle then repent and thinke on me,
(That onely priz'd you for your puritie)
Resolve to be reserv'd, and never looke
Vpon (that dangerous forbidden Book)
Incontinence. Then doth another come,
Who gives your penitence a Martyrdome,
Whom you embrace with such an appetite,
As if you had beene kept from your delight
An age of houres; you deities (that see
Such shipwrack made of divine puritie)
Lend me your perfect patience, or I feare
My sorrow will become my murtherer,
Release me of the contract that I vow'd
Vnto Felina; Let her not be proud

Of my undoing too, that I may beare
My sorrowes like a man, and let my care
Be to admonish those that meane to wed,
No path so full of danger man can tread,
Let not fraile beauty, (thats the rode we passe;
Be much ador'd; faire my Felina was.
Let not your Mistresse wealth or wit surprize,
For faire Felina was both rich and wise.
And let not blushes Ladies vertues tell,
Felina was once Chast, and yet shee fell.