Michael Drayton

Gentle love (?)

Trvce gentle love, a parly now I craue,
Me thinks, 'tis long since first these wars begun,
Nor thou nor I, the better yet can haue:
Bad is the match where neither party wone.
I offer free conditions of faire peace,
My hart for hostage, there it shall remaine,
Discharge our forces heere, let malice cease,
So for my pledge thou giue me pledge again.
Or if nothing but death will serue thy turne,
Still thirsting for subuersion of my state;
Doe what thou canst, raze, massacre, and burne,
Let the world see the vtmost of thy hate:
   I send defiance, since if ouerthrowne,
   Thou vanquishing, the conquest is mine owne.