DIALOGUE.
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M. WHY am I daily thus perplext?
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Why beyond Womans patience vext?
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Your Spurious Issue grow and thrive;
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While mine are dead ere well alive.
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If they survive a nine days wonder,
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Suspicious Tongues aloud do thunder;
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And streight accuse my Chastity,
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For your damn'd Insufficiency:
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You meet my Love with no desire,
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My Altar damps your feeble fire:
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Though I have infinite more Charms
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Than all you e'r took to your Arms.
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The Priest at th' Altar bows to me;
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When I appear he bends the knee.
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His Eyes are on my Beauties fixt,
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His Prayers to Heav'n and Me are mixt;
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Confusedly he tells his Beads,
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Is out both when he Prays and Reads.
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I travel'd farther for your Love
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Than Sheba's Queen, I'l fairly prove.
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She from the South, 'tis said did rome,
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And I as far from East did come.
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But here the diff'rence does arise,
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Though equally we sought the Prize;
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What that great Queen desir'd she gain'd,
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But I soon found your Treasury drain'd,
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Your Veins corrupted in your Youth,
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'Tis sad Experience tells this Truth:
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Though I had caution long before
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Of that which I too late deplore.
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J. Pray, Madam, let me silence break,
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As I have you, now hear me speak.
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These stories sure must please you well,
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You're apt so often them to tell.
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But, if you'l smooth your brow a while,
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And turn that Pout into a Smile,
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I doubt not, but to make't appear,
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That you the great'st Aggressor are.
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I took you with an empty Purse,
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Which was to me no trivial Curse.
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No Dowry could your Parents give;
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They'd but a Competence to live.
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When you appear'd, your charming Eyes
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(As you relate) did me surprize,
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With Wonder, not with Admiration,
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Astonishment, but no Temptation:
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Nor did I see in all your frame
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Ought could create an amorous flame,
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Or raise the least Desire in me,
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Save only for Variety.
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I paid such Service as was due,
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Worthy my self, and worthy you:
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Caress'd you far above the rate
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Both of your Birth and your Estate.
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When soon I found your haughty mind
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Was unto Sov'reignty inclin'd;
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And first you practis'd over me
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The heavy Yoke of Tyranny,
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While I your Property was made,
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And you, not I, was still obey'd:
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Nor durst I call my Soul my own,
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You manag'd me as if I'd none.
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I took such measures as you gave,
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All day your Fool, all night your Slave.
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Nor was Ambition bounded here,
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You still resolv'd your course to steer:
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All that oppose you, you remove;
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'Twas much you'd own the Powers above.
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Now several Stratagems you try,
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And I'm in all forc'd to comply.
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To Mother Church you take Recourse,
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She tells you 'tmust be done by force;
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And you, impatient of delay,
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Contrive and execute the way.
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When mounted to the Place you sought,
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It no Contentment with it brought:
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One Tree within your Prospect stood
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Fairest and tallest of the Wood;
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Which to your Prospect gave offence,
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And it must be remov'd from thence.
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In this you also are obey'd,
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While all the Fault on me is laid.
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Now you was quiet for a while,
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As flattering Weather seems to smile,
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Till buzzing Beetles of the Night
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Had found fresh matter for your spite,
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And set to work your busie Brain,
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Which took Fire quickly from their Train.
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Some Wise, some Valiant, you remove,
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'Cause they your Maxims don't approve;
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And in their stead such Creatures place
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Which to th' Employments brings Disgrace:
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While whatsoe're you do I own,
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And still the dirt on me is thrown.
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Strait new Chimera's fill your Brain,
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The humming Beetles buz again;
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A Goal-Delivery now must be,
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All tender Consciences set free;
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Not out of Zeal, but pure Design
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To make Dissenters with us joyn
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To pull down Test and Penal Laws,
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The Bulwark of the Hereticks Cause.
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The sly Dissenters laugh the while,
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They see where lurks the Serpents guile;
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And rather than with us comply,
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Will on our Enemies rely.
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The Cheiftains of the Protestant Cause
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We did confine, though 'gainst the Laws;
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But soon was glad to set 'em free,
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Fearing the giddy Mobile.
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Now all is turning upside down,
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Loud Murmuring's in every Town;
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We've Foes abroad and Foes at home,
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Armies and Fleets against us come:
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The Protestants do laugh the while,
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And the Dissenters sneer and smile;
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But no Assistance either sends;
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They're neither Enemies nor Friends.
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Now pray conclude what must be done,
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Consult your Oracle of ROME,
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For next fair Wind besure they come.
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