Nothing could have my love o'erthrown,
If thou hadst still continued mine;
Yea, if thou hadst remain'd thy own,
I might perchance have yet been thine.
But thou thy freedom did recall,
That if thou might elsewhere enthral;
And then how could I but disdain
A captive's captive to remain?
When new desires had conquered thee,
And changed the object of thy will,
It had been lethargy in me,
Not constancy to love thee still.
Yea, it had been a sin to go
And prostitute affection so
Since we are taught no prayers to say
To such as must to others pray.
Yet do thou glory in thy choice,
Thy choice of his good fortune boast;
I'll neither grieve nor yet rejoice,
To see him gain what I have lost:
The height of my disdain shall be,
To laugh at him, to blush for thee;
To love thee still, but go no more,
A begging to a beggar's door.
THE ANSWER,
By the author, at the KING'S Majesty's command.
Thou that loved once, now loves no more,
For fear to show more love than brain;
With heresy unhatch'd before,
A postasy thou dost maintain.
Can he have either brain or love
That dost inconstancy approve?
A choice well made no change admits,
All changes argue after-wits.
Say that she had not been the same,
Should thou therefore another be?
What thou in her as vice did blame,
Can thou take virtue's name in thee?
No, thou in this her captive was,
And made thee ready by her glass;
Example led revenge astray,
When true love should have kept the way.
True love has no reflecting end,
The object good sets it at rest,
And noble breasts will freely lend,
Without expecting interest.
'Tis merchants' love, 'tis trade for gain,
To barter love for love again:
'Tis usury, yea, worse than this,
For self-idolatry it is.
Then let her choice be what it will,
Let constancy be thy revenge;
If thou retribute good for ill,
Both grief and shame shall check her change,
