Classic Poem

My vnkinde Loue, or she that loues me deare,
Neptune will haue cast forth to calme the Seas.
One of these two, or all must perish here:
And therefore now, which shall I saue of these?
Ah! doe I make a question which to saue,
When my desires share but one onely part!
Who should it be but she to whom I haue
Resign'd my life, and sacrific'd my hart?
She, she must liue, the tempests of whose brow
Confound me more then all these stormes can doo,
And but for whom I liue: And therefore how
Can any life be life, lesse she liue too?
For by that meanes I both may pacifie
The rigour of these waues, and her hard heart,
Who must saue him who would not let her die:
Nor can she but reward so great desert.
She cannot, but in mercy needes must giue
Comfort to him, by whom her selfe doth liue.

Pars altera.

Bvt shall the bloud of her that loues me then
Be sacrifiz'd to her disdainefulnesse
That scornes my loue? and shall I hope to win
Mercie from her, by being mercilesse?
Will not her safety being thus attain'd,
Raise her proude heart t'a higher set of scorne,
When she shall see my passions are distain'd
With bloud, although it were to serue her turne?
Since th'act of ill, though it fall good to vs,
Makes vs yet hate the doer of the same:
And though my hand should haue preseru'd her thus,
Yet being by cruell meanes, it is my shame;
Which she will but ascribe to my defects,
And th'imperfections of my passions; which
She knowes the influence of her eyes effects,
And therein ioyes t'haue vanquisht me so much.
And when desert shall seeme t'exact reward,
It breedes a loathing in the heart of Grace;
That must worke free out of her owne regard,
And haue no dues t'obraid her to her face.
So shall I then haue bent against my soule
Both her disdaine, and th'horror of that deed;
Which euer must my crueltie controule,
And checke the wrong that neuer can succeed.
And though it be requir'd that one must go,
By message sent me from the powrs Diuine,
Yet will I not redeeme my safety so;
Though life be in their hand, death is in mine.
And therefore since compassion cannot be
Cruell to either, Neptune take all three.

Resumptio.

Bvt that were to be cruell to all three,
Rebell to Nature, and the gods arrest,
Whose ordinances must obserued be;
Nor may our frailty with the heauens contest.
Why then that must be done that's least vniust,
And my affections may not beare a part
With crueltie and wrong. But here I must
Be of a side, to goe against my hart,
And her disdaine her due reward must haue:
She must be cast away that would not saue.