The fmalleft Crevice will my Bus'nefs do,
It cannot be fo ftrait, but I'll flip thro'.
Love guides Me, when by Night I walk the Street,
And, when I grope my Way, directs my Feet.
By Night I was, a Youth, afraid to walk,
Frighted by Children, and old Nurfes talk.
I wonder❜d Men cou'd wander in the Gloom,
And kept, for fear of Spirits, close at Home.
Love, and his Mother, when they knew my Care,
Cry'd, Fool, Thou shalt not long these Phantoms fear.
Nor fear'd I long, for Love my Heart poffefs'd,
Those Visions vanish'd, and my Terrors ceas'd.
Nor Ghosts, nor Scourers did I dread, but ftrol'd
The Streets a-nights, and grew in Peril bold.
Thee only do I fear, and trembling stand
To wait the Motions of thy tardy Hand.
With foft Requeft, thy Succour I implore,
Nor fue to Jove, nor dread the Thund'rer more.
See, how the Gate is moisten'd with my Tears,
What Marks of my impatient Love it bears.
Remember, when Thou for the Lash wer't stript,
Who fav'd thee, at whofe Suit Thou wer't not whipt.
Did not I footh thy angry Lady's Mind,
And make thy Peace? Be Thou to Me as kind.
Think what foft things to move her Soul, I faid,
And let them in her Lover's Favour plead.
But ah! the tender Things that made her kind,
Work no fuch Wonders on thy cruel Mind.
Wou'dft Thou my friendly Offices repay ?
Fate throws a fair Occafion in thy Way:
Unlock the Gate; the Morning will not ftay.
Unlock the Gate; and as Thou'rt kind to Me,
So may thy gentle Lady prove to Thee.
May the to loofe thy hateful Chains incline,
And ftead of Water, be thy Portion Wine.
But what avail my foothing Words? Thy Ear
Is deaf, inhumane to my moving Pray'r.
Your Gates with Pofts of pond'rous Oak are bar'd,
As if your Houfe was for a Siege prepar❜d.
Why all this Fence, what Foe have you to fear?
And why in Peace do you provide for War?
Thus rudely if your Lady's Friends you treat,
What Ufage muft her Foes expect to meet ?
Unlock the Gate, the Morning will not stay,
Unlock the Gate, and give my Love its Way.
By Treaty I wou'd enter, not by Force;
With Arms I come not, nor with Foot, or Horse.
I have no Aid, and Company have none,
And were it not for Love, fhould be alone.
Where'er I go, by Love I'm ftill purfu'd,
And cannot shake him from me, if I wou'd.
He's of my Being now become a Part,
Dwells in my Veins, and revels in my Heart.
A flowing Glafs has fill'd with genial Fire
My fev'rish Blood, and kindled new Defire;
My flushing Cheeks my rifing Fumes confefs,
And my dropt Garland fhews a Lover's Dress:
What dreadful Arms are these, and who would fear
To meet a Man, that's thus equipt for War?
Unlock the Gate, the Morning will not ftay,
Unlock the Gate, and make no more Delay.
Or is it Sloth, or is it Sleep, that brings
This lett to Love, and pinions down his Wings?
Why elfe do I in vain repeat my Pray'r ?
Is it, thou doft not, or thou wilt not hear?
When first I waited at thy Gate, and thought
To 'scape thy Care, I was at Midnight caught.
With Over-Diligence, thou then look'dst out,
To spy what Lover was upon the Scout.
These are wild Gueffes, thou'rt perhaps employ'd
More fweetly, and enjoy'st what I enjoy’d.
And while I'm waiting with Impatience here,
Thy envy'd Fortune's with the faithlefs Fair,
Oh for thy Pleasure, give me all thy Pains,
Let us change Chances, and be mine thy Chains.
Unlock the Gate, the Morning will not ftay,
Unlock the Gate, and Kindness past repay.
Hark; or I dream, or on the Hinge I hear
The Wicket turn, or Bolts unloofen'd jar.
I dream indeed, the Bolts as they were laid
Stand fixt: the Noife was by my Fancy made.
Or by a Northern Blast, that hoarfe did groan,
And with the Wind away my Hopes are blown :
Oh that the Blaft had broke the Barrier down.
But all, alas! is husht, I hear no Sound,
All in the Silence of the Night is drown'd.
Here, hopeless of Admittance, I attend,
While on my Head the pearly Dews defcend.
Unlock the Gate, the Morning will not stay,
Unlock the Gate, I will no longer pray,
But force, by Sword and Fire, my readier Way.
What need of Fire and Sword? my felf alone
More pow'rful, than or Sword or Fire am grown.
Around your Heads fhall flaming Torches fly,
By Jove, the House shall burn, as well as I.
Night, Love, and Wine encourage, and inflame;
Thefe triumph over Fear, and that o'er Shame.
All Ways I've try'd, but all fuccefsless prove;
Nor Threats can fright thee, nor Intreaties move,
Deaf to my Pray'rs, as to my Tears thou'rt blind,
Thy Gate is lefs obdurate than thy Mind.
Unworthy of a lovely Lady's Latch,
Thou shouldft the Wicket of fome Mifer watch.
But fee, the ruddy Morn begins to rise,
And paints with rofy Streaks the Eaßern Skies.
While crowing Cocks the Lab'rer's Sloth revile,
And fummon Wretches to their daily Toil.
Throw then, fond Man, thy fragrant Chaplet by,
And let it at thy Lady's Threshold lie.
When in the Morn thy faded Flow'rs fhe spies,
Kind Thoughts of me may in her Bofom rife.
Perhaps she may refent her Porter's Crime.
And grieve, that here fo ill I spent my Time.
Whatever Cause to wifh thee Ill I have,
Farewel, thou Lazy, or thou Drousy Slave:
Against me, tho' Thou shut'ft thy Lady's Gate,
I cannot one, that ferves my Mistress, hate.
You Both, who did against my Hopes rebel,
Ah Porter, and ah cruel Gate, Farewel.
To bis Miftrefs, whom he had beaten.
Ome, if ye're Friends, and let thefe Hands be bound,
What more did Ajax in his Fury do?
When all the Sacred grazing Herd he flew ;
Or * He who fpar'd not her who gave him Breath;
So ill the Son reveng'd his Father's Death!
Then I had broke the most religious Ties,
Both to my Parents, and the Deities:
I tore (O Heav'ns!) her finely braided Hair ;
How charming then look'd the disorder'd Fair!
So Atalanta in her Chaife is drawn,
Where the Arcadian Beafts her Empire own:
So Ariadne, left upon the Shore,
Does all alone her loft Eftate deplore,
Curfes the Winds and Seas,which perjur'd Thefeus bore:
Who would not then have rail'd, and talk'd aloud?
(Which to the helpless Sex might be allow'd ;)
She only did upbraid me with her Eye,
Whose speaking Tears did want of Words fupply,
'Twas but too much (ye Gods) to make me die :
O that fome Merciful Superior Pow'r
Had ftruck me lame before that fatal Hour,
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