LOVE and HONOUR:
OR,
The Lover's Farewel to Calista:
Being sent from Sea in the late Engagement against the Dutch, to his Mistress,
under the Name of Calista. To which is added the , The LADY's Deploring and In-
genious Answer. To the Tune of, Now the Tyrant hath stolen, etc.
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FArewel my Calista, my joy and my grief,
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In vain have I lov'd thee, and found no relief;
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Undone by your Virtues so strict and severe,
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Your eyes gave me love, but you gave me despair;
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Now call'd by my honour, I seek with content,
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That fate which in pitty you would not prevent:
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To languish in love were to find by delay,
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A death that's more welcome the speediest way.
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On Seas, and in Battles, 'mongst bul'ets and fire,
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The danger is less then in hopeless desire,
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The death's wound you gave me, though far off, I bear
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My fall from your sight's not to cost you a tear:
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But if the kind flood on a wave should convey,
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And under your window my body should lay,
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The wound on my breast, when you happen to
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You will say, with a sigh, It was given by me.
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When Suitors are wounded with stabs of disdain,
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'Tis happiness to be put out of their pain:
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The grave is a place to bid torment farewel,
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But Lovers are tortur'd 'twixt Heaven and Hell,
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When frowns of a Mistress do turn a man o're,
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'Tis safer on Ship-board than 'ts on the shore:
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I find by experience, though with loss of breath,
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worse to incounter with Cupid than Death.
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What strength had a Lady with cast of her eye,
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To make a Man live, or compel him to dye?
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Such power had Calista with smile and with frown
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She'd raise me to Heaven, then tumble me down:
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But Dearest take care how you put faith in Men,
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For I fear you will never be lov'd again:
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You needs must acknowledge whilst I could draw breath
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I was your unchangeable Servant till death.
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Once more my last Farewel I breath in a blast,
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The cloud on my vitals is much over-cast;
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I faint, fail, I perish, and suddenly dye,
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Yet sure should recover if thou wert but by:
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That I ne're enjoy'd thee, I do not repine,
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Thou liv'st with thy Honour, and I dye with mine:
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For to After-Ages this Story will prove,
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I dyed in the War for my King and my Love.
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BLame not your Calista nor call her your grief,
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'Twas Honour, not she, that deny'd your relief:
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Abuse not her Virtues, nor term them severe,
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Who loves without honour, must look for despair.
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Now prompted by pitty I truly lament,
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The force of your Fate which I could not prevent:
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And languish to think that your blood did defray
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The expence of your Love, tho' so noble a way.
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On Seas and in Battles that you did expire,
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Was caus'd by your Valour, not hopeless Desire;
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Of your Fame, there acquired, I greedily hear,
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And grieve when I think that it cost you so dear:
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But when your sad Friends shall your body convey,
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By my window your Funeral-duties to pay,
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I'll sigh that your Fate then I could not reverse,
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And all my kind Wishes I'll strew on your Herse.
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When Suitors petition, and run upon shelves,
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Or shot, if deny'd, they do murther themselves:
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The grave is a couch where the Virtuous remain,
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Without expectation of sorrow or pain.
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If the frowns of a Mistress can rule a Man's Fate,
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He values his life at a pitiful rate:
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Tho' now she look cloudy, when he draws the scene
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Who knows but the day-light may clear up again.
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The looks of a Lady you falsely do scan,
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'Tis not strength in the Woman, but weakness in Man,
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When Men set up Idols of flesh, blood and bone,
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And bow down to worship, the ftult is their own:
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I hope I shall ne'r be deceived by Men:
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For your sake I never shall trust them again
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fatal when Lovers do suffer such stri[fe]
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That one must lose Honour, or th' other [lose life]
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My mind never can your last Farewel for[get]
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My tears shall confess I'll not dye in your [debt]
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I heartily wish I had been by your side,
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That you might recover, or I might hav[e dyed]
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Then both to Elezium we had been convey[ed]
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Where Ladies by Lovers are never bet[rayed]
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But in future ages this Story they'll sing[,]
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long of your Love that you dy'd [for your King]
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