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And thinke not, that I speake these wordes in iest,
For to a cruell Goddesse it belongs
This vice (which all the world doth so detest)
To punish, and torment ingratefull wrongs.
And Nemesis the angrie is her name,
Whose vnresisted might who doth not knowe?
Equall she is and neuer but the same,
Impartially to deale with friend or foe.
Alas I would she might not finde in thee
So great a fault, as none more great then this,
Since from all other faultes thou shalt be free,
If but this fault alone thou wilt dismisse.
But thou maist say, why should thy haplesse fare
Trouble my minde, or thy good please my will,
Or what haue I to doe to take such care,
Whether thy fortune fallout good or ill?
To answere this, I cannot well replie,
Let it suffice thee, that the lest suspect
Of any harme thou hast doth make me die,
And worse then death torments me in effect.
Deere Lady, then I would not haue thee prooue
The cruell shaft of angrte Nemesis:
For first let each infernall power mooue
Their plagues against me of eternall Dis.
But now I would be glad if thou wouldst tast
The sweete and golden flight of Cupids powre,
Bicause my torments, which are gone and past,
Pitie thou might’st and those I feele this howre.
For if thou knew’st my paines and pitious case,
With pitie and teares thou wouldst my life deplore,
Not for my merits, which are very base,
But for my loue, which well deserueth more.
Each thing that is created heere so fit,
An equall hauing in a diuers kinde,
In such like kinde a paiment doth admit,
By measuring the debt that is behinde.
But as fell loue no equall doth containe,
In such a diuers kinde and different,
By selfe same thing it paies it selfe againe:
Loue must be paid with loue of good intent.
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