Tixall Poetry/A Present of Bands and Cuffes

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To Mr Kitely, on the Same Voyage

Tixall Poetry
edited by Arthur Clifford

A Present of Bands and Cuffes by unknown author

The Forehead the First Assault

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4302673Tixall Poetry — A Present of Bands and CuffesArthur Cliffordunknown author

A Present of

Bands and Cuffes,

Your token did not half so straightly bindBands to my neck, as feters to my mind;Nor could those manicles my hand restraineSo strongly as they did my hart inchaine.Oh, strange and unconseaved tirany,With gifts to rob one of his libertye!To bid his conquered neck and shoulders sweatUnder the baner of his owne defeat;And make your prisoner on his armes to weareThe trophys of the victorye you beare.Ah, now I find the cause why still you didSo smile to prick the lawne, or cut the thrid:— You were my fate; the needle was your dart,The thrid my life, the camberick my hart.Ah, too, too late I now can call to mindWhy you such choyce of strings prepar'd to bindYour slave; and lest I scapd before I dide,You still complained the stocks were made too wide.Yet twas not hansome, ladys such as you,Though you might wound and binde, to cufe me too.