Classic Poem

Marry thee! No; that wou'd not show my Love;
My Hatred to thee, rather, wou'd it prove:
I, but because I love and honour thee,
Wou'd not thy Lord, but Humble Servant be;
I'm now your Slave; Marriage wou'd make you mine,
If you to make me sure to you design,
All that we have, but our Hands, let us join;
My Mistress be, to keep still your Command;
Be loose with your Legs, fetter not my Hand;
Let our Love, to last more, be less restrain'd;
Be free still, and give Liberty to me,
To make me more thy Slave, chain'd Lover be;
Since, as you'd let me be with thee more free,
I shou'd be much more bound to Constancy,
And thee, for giving me my Liberty;
Let me wear Love's Chains, I will not complain;
Love, but by those of Wedlock grows a Pain,
And Shame, by which loose Friends with Freedom part;
My Mistress, Queen, and Empress now thou art;
The Stile of Wife, wou'd bring thy Height more Low,
Wou'd make me, too familiar with thee grow;
Saving thy Credit, wou'd thy Honour lose,
So Marriage with thee now (my Dear) I chuse,
But out of more Love for thee, to refuse;
Because I'd love thee still, nay, for my Life,
I'd keep thee still my Mistress, not my Wife;
I love you so, you shall not be my Slave,
But over me, Command still shall you have,
Let me to you, not to the Parson, ow
That Obligation, of Enjoying you;
Not a base Bargain, let us make of Love,
Which does but Int'rest more, than Kindness prove,
And wou'd, but much more, manifestly show,
My Love, Concern, more for my self, than you;
Dishonourable Marriage, let us shun,
A Beastly Bargain, by which, Love proves none,
By which, the Wife is made, the Maid undone;
The Man, no more is likewise his own Man.
Of a frank Whore-master before does gain,
For Love's loose Chain, but Wedlock's galling Noose,
By which her Slave, he, of her Master, grows,
Our Love, and Honour so, but more to prove,
By Marriage, let us not confine our Love;
For Love, as more Free, more a Favour is,
But when a Tax, a heavy Burthen 'tis;
By th' Marriage Noose, becomes, but less a Tye
On Lovers, to their Faith, and Constancy;
Since Marriage, plighting Faith, proves boths Distrust,
To make both, as more bound up, grow less Just;
By Marriage so, to make but Free-Love more
Dishonourable, than it was before;
Since Tyes, all Obligation take away,
Which Frank-Love, otherways wou'd freely pay;
The great Trust, makes our Obligation great,
When we crave Bonds, we call our Friend, a Cheat;
Nay, by our base Suspicion, make him so,
Giving him Hints, and Reason for it too;
When Love's a Duty, 'tis mean Slavery,
She sells her Love too, most unreas'nably,
Who gives it, to take from us, Liberty;
Nay, wou'd the Man she loves, for Life enthral,
Make Fetters of her Arms, the Church a Gaol;
Beating of Hemp, the shaking of her Sheets,
Dull Drudgery, her Lover's sportful Feats;
And that both Hearts, no more for Love might ake,
More Grief, or Pain, give either's Head, or Back,
Not Joy to give both, it from both to take;
Then, that we may not weary, jealous prove,
I'll ne'r turn to forc'd Duty, Looser Love;
I, by the galling Matrimonial Tye,
Wou'd not turn Freedom into Slavery;
No Mercenary Bargain make of Love,
My Kindness less, than Interest to prove;
My Love for thine, not for thy Money's sake,
I'd rather give Thee, than Gold from Thee take;
To make the Mercenary Marriage-Vow,
Of Honourable Love, more shameful grow,
Than Love, which Hearts does, without Hire, bestow;
Since Love's a free, kind, voluntary Act,
Its Obligation's cancell'd, by its Pact,
Which does our Oath, to bind our Faith, exact;
In Love I'd serve Thee then, a Voluntier,
Since such still show less Interest, or Fear,
And in all Service, briskest still appear;
He, who serves but for Hire, in War, or Love,
Made rich by Spoils, will a base Flincher prove;
But he, who honourably seeks to gain,
His Fame of a good Pusher to maintain,
Reward, as Danger, always will disdain;
The Portion's Press-Money, makes listed Slaves,
Which when obtain'd, each Wretch his Duty leaves,
But Freedom best rewards Love's pushing Braves;
Who nobly serve, for dear-bought Victory;
Since Plunder is, the Victor's Infamy;
Who Pris'ners of the Free-born, scorns to make,
But Liberty, is free to give, as take;
Whilst marry'd Lovers, but like theirs, (we find,)
Each other, but to rob, or strip, will bind;
Women, are looser made, by Loving-Friends,
Who in their Mutual Pleasure, have no Ends,
But that, which to both's Satisfaction, tends;
Love makes the Husband, ruines the Gallant,
He's then less honourable, (we must grant,)
Who gets by Love, than that more true Friend, who,
Will Want, and Thraldom, for it undergo;
My Love, i'th' Church, shall never plunder thee,
So there, ne'r promis'd to thee, let me be;
Since Oaths, and Vows, can there, as elsewhere too,
To Breach of Faith, Temptations rather grow,
Which Friends distrust, in one another show;
Who, since they, one anothers Words refuse,
They, their Friend's want of Faith, by their's excuse;
Putting Oaths to them, seem but to believe,
That them sure, they without 'em, wou'd deceive;
But they who ne'r require our Oaths, rely
On us, for our Faith, or our Probity,
Deal, and make others deal, more hon'rably;
The Tye seems greater, as the Trust is so,
By your Faith in me, mine is bound to you;
But when my Word, Faith, Oath, Love, you distrust,
I, breaking Faith with you, prove to you just;
Then, but because I love, and honour thee,
Thy Master, or thy Slave, I'll never be;
Our Love, Faith, to each other, to secure,
(Since Love, in Marriage, wou'd but less endure,)
I'd wed thee not, to make thee to me sure.