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Yea, by the gods I swear to you,

That ne’er your ancestors nor sire

Had slave whose love was more entire.

Nay! That thy nature would deny.

E’en take your chance thereof and try;

And if some caution you demand.

No surer were you though your hand

Held warrant, written oath, or pledge.

With confidence I dare allege

That though a wolf you beat within

An inch of life, he still his skin

Retains, and therefrom issueth not.

And ’tis the same with me I wot:

Though ’neath a simple vestment I

Am hid, I practise treachery.

Suppose you I for virtue care

Because the outward guise looks fair

Neath which I do the devil’s work?

No crime, by God, I blink or shirk;

And if I coy and simple seem.

Have I then changed my life d’ye deem ?

Nay, thereto make I no pretence.

My dear, Constrained-Abstinence,

Hath need of all my carefulness;

She had been long since dead, I guess.

Had I not been at hand to stay

Her weary steps on life’s hard way;

Suffer us twain to work our will.