| MY dearest Rival, least our Love | |
| Should with excentrique motion move, | |
| Before it learn to go astray, | |
| Wee'l teach and set it in a way, | |
| And such directions give unto't, | 5 |
| That it shall never wander foot. | |
| Know first then, we will serve as true | |
| For one poor smile, as we would do | |
| If we had what our higher flame, | |
| Or our vainer wish could frame. | 10 |
| Impossible shall be our hope; | |
| And Love shall onely have his scope | |
| To joyn with Fancy now and then, | |
| And think what reason would condemn: | |
| And on these grounds wee'l love as true, | 15 |
| As if they were most sure t'ensue: | |
| And chastly for these things wee'l stay, | |
| As if to morrow were the day. | |
| Mean time we two will teach our hearts | |
| In Loves burdens bear their parts: | 20 |
| Thou first shall sigh, and say shee's fair; | |
| And I'le still answer, past compare. | |
| Thou shalt set out each part o' th face, | |
| While I extol each little grace; | |
| Thou shalt be ravisht at her wit; | 25 |
| And I, that she so governs it: | |
| Thou shalt like well that hand, that eye, | |
| That lip, that look, that majesty; | |
| And in good language them adore: | |
| While I want words, and do it more. | 30 |
| Yea we will sit and sigh a while, | |
| And with soft thoughts some time beguile; | |
| But straight again break out and praise | |
| All we had done before new-waies. | |
| Thus will we do till paler death | 35 |
| Come with a warrant for our breath, | |
| And then whose fate shall be to die | |
| First of us two, by Legacy | |
| Shall all his store bequeath, and give | |
| His love to him that shall survive; | 40 |
| For no one stock can ever serve | |
| To love so much as shee'l deserve. | |
| |
