2117Love is my sin, and thy dear virtue hate,

2118Hate of my sin, grounded on sinful loving;

2119Oh, but with mine compare thou thine own state,

2120And thou shalt find it merits not reproving;

2121Or if it do, not from those lips of thine,

2122That have profaned their scarlet ornaments,

2123And sealed false bonds of love as oft as mine,

2124Robbed others' beds' revenues of their rents.

2125Be it lawful I love thee as thou lov'st those

2126Whom thine eyes woo, as mine importune thee,

2127Root pity in thy heart, that when it grows,

2128Thy pity may deserve to pitied be.

2129 If thou dost seek to have what thou dost hide,

2130 By self-example mayst thou be denied.

2132Lo, as a careful housewife runs to catch

2133One of her feathered creatures broke away,

2134Sets down her babe, and makes all swift dispatch

2135In pursuit of the thing she would have stay;

2136Whilst her neglected child holds her in chase,

2137Cries to catch her whose busy care is bent

2138To follow that which flies before her face,

2139Not prizing her poor infant's discontent:

2140So run'st thou after that which flies from thee,

2141Whilst I, thy babe, chase thee afar behind.

2142But if thou catch thy hope, turn back to me,

2143And play the mother's part, kiss me, be kind.

2144 So will I pray that thou mayst have thy Will,

2145 If thou turn back and my loud crying still.

2147Two loves I have, of comfort and despair,

2148Which, like two spirits, do suggest me still:

2149The better angel is a man right fair,

2150The worser spirit a woman colored ill.

2151To win me soon to hell my female evil

2152Tempteth my better angel from my side,

2153And would corrupt my saint to be a devil,

2154Wooing his purity with her foul pride.

2155And whether that my angel be turned fiend

2156Suspect I may, yet not directly tell;

2157But being both from me, both to each friend,

2158I guess one angel in another's hell.

2159Yet this shall I ne'er know, but live in doubt,

2160Till my bad angel fire my good one out.