For if confusion have a part, Which virtuous souls abhore, And hold a synod in thy heart, I 'll never love thee more. Like Alexander I will reign, And I will reign alone, My thoughts shall evermore disdain A rival on my throne. Or his deserts are small, To win or lose it all. But I must rule and govern still And always give the law, And all to stand in awe. Thou shun'st the prize so sore As that thou set'st me up a blind, I 'll never love thee more. If in the empire of thy heart, Where I should solely be, Another do pretend a part, And dares to vie with me; Or if committees thou erect, And go on such a score, I'll sing and laugh at thy neglect, And never love thee more. But if thou wilt be constant then, And faithful of thy word, I'll make thee glorious by my pen, And famous by my sword. I'll serve thee in such noble ways Was never heard before; I 'll crown and deck thee all with bays, And love thee evermore. PART SECOND, My dear and only love, take heed, Lest thou thyself expose, Upon such looks as those. Beset without a door; I'll never love thee more. Let not their oaths, like volleys shot, Make any breach at all; Nor smoothness of their language plot Which way to scale the wall; The shrine which I adore; I'll never love thee more. I think thy virtues be too strong To suffer by surprise; The siege at length must rise, And state thou wast before; I'll never love thee more. Or if by fraud, or by consent, Thy heart to ruine come, Nor march by tuck of drum; Thy falsehood to deplore, And bitterly will sigh and weep, And never love thee more. I'll do with thee as Nero did When Rome was set on fire, But to a hill retire, Thy spirit grown so poor; I'll never love thee more. Yet, for the love I bare thee once, Lest that thy name should die, The truth shall testifie; May pity and deplore I can love thee no more. The golden laws of love shall be Upon this pillar hung, - A true and constant tongue; Than he has hearts in store; True love begun shall never end; Love one and love no more. Then shall thy heart be set by mine, But in far different case; But lookt like Janus' face. So sail'st thou every shore, How can I love thee more? My heart shall with the sun be fixed For constancy most strange, And thine shall with the moon be mixed, Delighting ay in change. And woe is me therefore, I could love thee no more! The misty mountains, smoking lakes, The rocks' resounding echo, Shall with me sing hey ho! Tears dropping from each shore, I'll never love thee more. As doth the turtle, chaste and true, Her fellow's death regrete, And ne'er renews her mate; Which grieves me wondrous sore, That I shall love no more. And when all gallants ride about These monuments to view, Whereon is written, in and out, Thou traitorous and untrue; Then in a passion they shall pause, And thus say, sighing sore, “Alas! he had too just a cause Never to love thee more.” And when that tracing goddess Fame From east to west shall flee, She shall record it, to thy shame, How thou hast loved me; As few have been before; JAMES GRAHAM, MARQUIS OF MONTROSE The Splendid Shilling. Sing, heavenly Muse! HAPPY the man, who, void of cares and strife, retains Want, |