- The Usurpation
- Abraham Cowley
- Exported from Wikisource on 02/15/20
- Thou hadst to my soul no title or pretence;
- I was mine own, and free,
- Till I had giv'n my self to thee;
- But thou hast kept me slave and prisoner since.
- Well, since so insolent thou'rt grown,
- Fond tyrant! I'll depose thee from thy throne;
- Such outrages must not admitted be
- In an elective monarchy.
- Part of my heart by gift did to thee fall;
- My country, kindred, and my best
- Acquaintance, were to share the rest;
- But thou, their covetous neighbour, drav'est out all:
- Nay more; thou mak'st me worship thee,
- And would'st the rule of my religion be;
- Did ever tyrant claim such power as you,
- To be both emperour, and pope too?
- The publick miseries, and my private fate
- Deserve some tears: but greedy thou
- (Insatiate maid!) wilt not allow
- That I one drop from thee should alienate.
- Nor wilt thou grant my sins a part,
- Though the sole cause of most of them thou art,
- Counting my tears thy tribute and thy due,
- Since first mine eyes I gave to you.
- Thou all my joys and all my hopes dost claim,
- Thou ragest like a fire in me,
- Converting all things into thee;
- Nought can resist, or not encrease the flame.
- Nay every grief and every fear,
- Thou dost devour, unless thy stamp it bear.
- Thy presence, like the crowned basilisk's breath,
- All other serpents puts to death.
- As men in hell are from diseases free,
- So from all other ills am I;
- Free from their known formality:
- But all pains eminently lye in thee:
- Alas, alas! I hope in vain
- My conquer'd soul from out thine hands to gain.
- Since all the natives there thou 'ast overthrown,
- And planted garrisons of thine own.
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