couer thee Is but the seemely rayment of my heart Which in thy brest doth liue as thine in me How can I then be elder then thou art O therefore loue be of thy selfe so wary As I not for my selfe but for thee will Bearing thy heart which I will keepe so chary As tender nurse her babe from faring ill Presume not on thy heart when mine is slaine Thou gau'st me thine not to giue backe againe 23 AS an vnperfect actor on the stage Who with his feare is put besides his part Or some fierce thing repleat with too much rage Whose strengths abondance weakens his owne heart So I for feare of trust forget to say The perfect ceremony of loues right And in mine owne loues strength seeme to decay Ore-charg'd with burthen of mine owne loues might O let my books be then the eloquence And domb presagers of my speaking brest Who pleade for loue and look for recompence More then that tonge that more hath more exprest O learne to read what silent loue hath writ To heare wit eies belongs to loues fine wiht 24 MIne eye hath play'd the painter and hath steeld Thy beauties forme in table of my heart My body is the frame wherein ti 's held And perspectiue it is best Painters art For through the Painter must you see his skill To finde where your true image pictur'd lies Which in my bosomes shop is hanging stil That hath his windowes glazed with thine eyes Now see what good-turnes eyes for eies haue done Mine eyes haue drawne thy shape and thine for me Are windowes to my brest where-through the Sun Delights to peepe to gaze therein on thee Yet eyes this cunning want to grace their art They draw but what they see know not the hart 25 LEt those who are in fauor with their stars Of publike honour and proud titles bost Whilst I whome fortune of such tryumph bars Vnlookt for ioy in that I honour most Great Princes fauorites their faire leaues spread But as the Marygold at the suns eye And in them-selues their pride lies buried For at a frowne they in their glory die The painefull warrier famosed for worth After a thousand victories once foild Is from the booke of honour rased quite And all the rest forgot for which he foild Then happy I that loue and am beloued Where I may not remoue nor be remoued 26 LOrd of my loue to whome in vassalage Thy merrit hath my dutie strongly knit To thee I send this written ambassage To witnesse duty not to shew my wit Duty so great which wit so poore as mine May make seeme bare in wanting words to shew it But that I hope some good conceipt of thine In thy soules thought all naked will bestow it Til whatsoeuer star that guides my mouing Points on me gratiously with faire aspect And puts apparrell on my tottered louing To show me worthy of their sweet respect Then may I dare to boast how I doe loue thee Til then not show my head where thou maist proue me 27 WEary with toyle I hast me to my bed The deare repose for lims with trauaill tired But then begins a iourny in my head To worke my mind when boddies work 's expired For then my thoughts from far where I abide Intend a zelous pilgrimage to thee And keepe my drooping eye-lids open wide Looking on darknes which the blind doe see Saue that my soules imaginary sight Presents their shaddoe to my sightles view Which like a iewell hunge in gastly night Makes blacke night beautious and her old face new Loe thus by day my lims by night my mind For thee and for my selfe noe quiet finde 28 HOw can I then returne in happy plight That am debard the benifit of rest When daies oppression is not eazd by night But day by night and night by day oprest And each though enimes to ethers raigne Doe in consent shake hands to torture me The one by toyle the other to complaine How far I toyle still farther off from thee I tell the Day to please him thou art bright And do'st him grace when clouds doe blot the heauen So flatter I the swart complexiond night When sparkling stars twire not thou guil'st th' eauen But day doth daily draw my sorrowes longer And night doth nightly make greefes length seeme stronger 29 WHen in disgrace with Fortune and mens eyes I all alone beweepe my out-cast state And trouble deafe heauen with my bootlesse cries And looke vpon my selfe and curse my fate Wishing me like to one more rich in hope Featur'd like him like him with friends possest Desiring this mans art and that mans skope With what I most inioy contented least Yet in these thoughts my selfe almost despising Haplye I thinke on thee and then my state Like to the Larke at breake of daye arising From sullen earth sings himns at Heauens gate For thy sweet loue remembred such welth brings That then I skorne to change my state with Kings 30 WHen to the Sessions of sweet silent thought I sommon vp remembrance of things past I sigh the lacke of many a thing I sought And with old woes new waile my deare times waste Then can I drowne an eye vn-vs'd to flow For precious friends hid in deaths dateles night And weepe a fresh loues long since canceld woe And mone th' expence of many a vannisht sight Then can I greeue at greeuances fore-gon And heauily from woe to woe tell ore The sad account of fore-bemoned mone Which I new pay as if not payd before But if the while I thinke on thee deare friend All losses are restord and sorrowes end 31 Thy bosome is indeared with all hearts Which I by lacking haue supposed dead And there raignes Loue and all Loues louing parts And all those friends which I thought buried How many a holy and obsequious teare Hath deare religious loue stolne from mine eye As interest of the dead which now appeare But things remou'd that hidden in there lie Thou art the graue where buried loue doth liue Hung with the tropheis of my louers gon Who all their parts of me to thee did giue That due of many now is thine alone Their images I lou'd I view in thee And thou all they hast all the all of me 32 IF thou suruiue my well contented daie When that churle death my bones with dust shall couer And shalt by fortune once more re-suruay These poore rude lines of thy deceased Louer Compare them with the bett'ring of the time And though they be out-stript by euery pen Reserue them for my loue not for their rime Exceeded by the hight of happier men Oh then voutsafe me but this louing thought Had my friends Muse growne with this growing age A dearer birth then this his loue had brought To march in ranckes of better equipage But since he died and Poets better proue Theirs for their stile I le read his for his loue 33 FVll many a glorious morning haue I seene Flatter
Nor gates of steele so strong but time decayes O fearefull meditation where alack Shall times best Iewell from times chest lie hid Or what strong hand can hold his swift foote back Or who his spoile or beautie can forbid O none vnlesse this miracle haue might That in black inck my loue may still shine bright 66 TYr'd with all these for restfull death I cry As to behold desert a begger borne And needie Nothing trimd in iollitie And purest faith vnhappily forsworne And gilded honor shamefully misplast And maiden vertue rudely strumpeted And right perfection wrongfully disgrac'd And strength by limping sway disabled And arte made tung-tide by authoritie And Folly Doctor-like controuling skill And simple-Truth miscalde Simplicitie And captiue-good attending Captaine ill Tyr'd with all these from these would I be gone Saue that to dye I leaue my loue alone 67 AH wherefore with infection should he liue And with his presence grace impietie That sinne by him aduantage should atchiue And lace it selfe with his societie Why should false painting immitate his cheeke And steale dead seeing of his liuing hew Why should poore beautie indirectly seeke Roses of shaddow since his Rose is true Why should he liue now nature banckrout is Beggerd of blood to blush through liuely vaines For she hath no exchecker now but his And proud of many liues vpon his gaines O him she stores to show what welth she had In daies long since before these last so bad 68 THus is his cheeke the map of daies out-worne When beauty liu'd and dy'ed as flowers do now Before these bastard signes of faire were borne Or durst inhabit on a liuing brow Before the goulden tresses of the dead The right of sepulchers were shorne away To liue a scond life on second head Ere beauties dead fleece made another gay In him those holy antique howers are seene Without all ornament it selfe and true Making no summer of an others greene Robbing no ould to dresse his beauty new And him as for a map doth Nature store To shew faulse Art what beauty was of yore 69 THose parts of thee that the worlds eye doth view Want nothing that the thought of hearts can mend All toungs the voice of soules giue thee that end Vttring bare truth euen so as foes Commend Their outward thus with outward praise is crownd But those same toungs that giue thee so thine owne In other accents doe this praise confound By seeing farther then the eye hath showne They looke into the beauty of thy mind And that in guesse they measure by thy deeds Then churls their thoughts although their eies were kind To thy faire flower ad the rancke smell of weeds But why thy odor matcheth not thy show The solye is this that thou doest common grow 70 THat thou are blam'd shall not be thy defect For slanders marke was euer yet the faire The ornament of beauty is suspect A Crow that flies in heauens sweetest ayre So thou be good slander doth but approue Their worth the greater beeing woo'd of time For Canker vice the sweetest buds doth loue And thou present'st a pure vnstayined prime Thou hast past by the ambush of young daies Either not assayld or victor beeing charg'd Yet this thy praise cannot be soe thy praise To tye vp enuy euermore inlarged If some suspect of ill maskt not thy show Then thou alone kingdomes of hearts shouldst owe. 71 NOe Longer mourne for me when I am dead Then you shall heare the surly sullen bell Giue warning to the world that I am fled From this vile world with vildest wormes to dwell Nay if you read this line remember not The hand that writ it for I loue you so That I in your sweet thoughts would be forgot If thinking on me then should make you woe O if I say you looke vpon this verse When I perhaps compounded am with clay Do not so much as my poore name reherse But let your loue euen with my life decay Least the wise world should looke into your mone And mocke you with me after I am gon 72 O Least the world should taske you to recite What merit liu'd in me that you should loue After my death deare loue for get me quite For you in me can nothing worthy proue Vnlesse you would deuise some vertuous lye To doe more for me then mine owne desert And hang more praise vpon deceased I Then nigard truth would willingly impart O least your true loue may seeme falce in this That you for loue speake well of me vntrue My name be buried where my body is And liue no more to shame nor me nor you For I am shamd by that which I bring forth And so should you to loue things nothing worth 73 THat time of yeeare thou maist in me behold When yellow leaues or none or few doe hange Vpon those boughes which shake against the could Bare rn'wd quiers where late the sweet birds sang In me thou seest the twi-light of such day As after Sun-set fadeth in the West Which by and by blacke night doth take away Deaths second selfe that seals vp all in rest In me thou seest the glowing of such fire That on the ashes of his youth doth lye As the death bed whereon it must expire Consum'd with that which it was nurrisht by This thou perceu'st which makes thy loue more strong To loue that well which thou must leaue ere long 74 BVt be contented when that fell arest With out all bayle shall carry me away My life hath in this line some interest Which for memoriall still with thee shall stay When thou reuewest this thou doest reuew The very part was consecrate to thee The earth can haue but earth which is his due My spirit is thine the better part of me So then thou hast but lost the dregs of life The pray of wormes my body being dead The coward conquest of a wretches knife To base of thee to be remembred The worth of that is that which it containes And that is this and this with thee remaines 75 SO are you to my thoughts as food to life Or as sweet season'd shewers are to the ground And for the peace of you I hold such strife As twixt a miser and his wealth is found Now proud as an inioyer and anon Doubting the filching age will steale his treasure Now counting best to be with you alone Then betterd that the world may see my pleasure Some-time all ful with feasting on your sight And by and by cleane starued for a looke Possessing or pursuing no delight Saue what is had or must from you be tooke Thus do I pine and surfet day by day Or gluttoning on all or all away 76 WHy is my verse so barren of new pride So far from variation or quicke change Why with the time do I not glance aside To new found methods and to compounds strange Why write I still all one euer the same And keepe inuention in a noted weed That
this faire guift in me is wanting And so my pattent back againe is sweruing Thy selfe thou gau'st thy owne worth then not knowing Or mee to whom thou gau'st it else mistaking So thy great guift vpon misprision growing Comes home againe on better iudgement making Thus haue I had thee as a dreame doth flatter In sleepe a King but waking no such matter 88 WHen thou shalt be dispode to set me light And place my merrit in the eie of skorne Vpon thy side against my selfe I le fight And proue thee virtuous though thou art forsworne With mine owne weakenesse being best acquainted Vpon thy part I can set downe a story Of faults conceald wherein I am attainted That thou in loosing me shall win much glory And I by this wil be a gainer too For bending all my louing thoughts on thee The iniuries that to my selfe I doe Doing thee vantage duble vantage me Such is my loue to thee I so belong That for thy right my selfe will beare all wrong 89 SAy that thou didst forsake mee for some falt And I will comment vpon that offence Speake of my lamenesse and I straight will halt Against thy reasons making no defence Thou canst not loue disgrace me halfe so ill To set a forme vpon desired change As I le my selfe disgrace knowing thy wil I will acquaintance strangle and looke strange Be absent from thy walkes and in my tongue Thy sweet beloued name no more shall dwell Least I too much proface should do it wronge And haplie of our old acquaintance tell For thee against my selfe I le vow debate For I must nere loue him whom thou dost hate 90 THen hate me when thou wilt if euer now Now while the world is bent my deeds to crosse Ioyne with the spight of fortune make me bow And doe not drop in for an after losse Ah doe not when my heart hath scapte this sorrow Come in the rereward of a conquerd woe Giue not a windy night a rainie morrow To linger out a purposd ouer-throw If thou wilt leaue me do not leaue me last When other pettie griefes haue done their spight But in the onset come so stall I taste At first the very worst of fortunes might And other straines of woe which now seeme woe Compar'd with losse of thee will not seeme so 91 SOme glory in their birth some in their skill Some in their wealth some in their bodies force Some in their garments though new-fangled ill Some in their Hawkes and Hounds some in their Horse And euery humor hath his adiunct pleasure Wherein it findes a ioy aboue the rest But these perticulers are not my measure All these I better in one generall best Richer then wealth prouder then garments cost Of more delight then Hawkes or Horses bee And hauing thee of all mens pride I boast Wretched in this alone that thou maist take All this away and me most wretched make 92 BVt doe thy worst to steale thy selfe away For tearme of life thou art assured mine And life no longer then thy loue will stay For it depends vpon that loue of thine Then need I not to feare the worst of wrongs When in the least of them my life hath end I see a better state to me belongs Then that which on thy humor doth depend Thou canst not vex me with inconstant minde Since that my life on thy reuolt doth lie Oh what a happy title do I finde Happy to haue thy loue happy to die But what 's so blessed faire that feares no blot Thou maist be falce and yet I know it not 93 SO shall I liue supposing thou art true Like a deceiued husband so loues face May still seeme loue to me though alter'd new Thy lookes with me thy heart in other place For their can liue no hatred in thine eye Therefore in that I cannot know thy change In manies lookes the falce hearts history Is writ in moods and frounes and wrinckles strange But heauen in thy creation did decree That in thy face sweet loue should euer dwell What ere thy thoughts or thy hearts workings be Thy lookes should nothing thence but sweetnesse tell How like Eaues apple doth thy beauty grow If thy sweet vertue answere not thy show 94 THey that haue powre to hurt and will doe none That doe not do the thing they most do showe Who mouing others are themselues as stone Vnmooued could and to temptation slow They rightly do inherrit heauens graces And husband natures ritches from expence They are the Lords and owners of their faces Others but stewards of their excellence The sommers flowre is to the sommer sweet Though to it selfe it onely liue and die But if that flowre with base infection meete The basest weed out-braues his dignity For sweetest things turne sowrest by their deedes Lillies that fester smell far worse then weeds 95 HOw sweet and louely dost thou make the shame Which like a canker in the fragrant Rose Doth spot the beautie of thy budding name Oh in what sweets doest thou thy sinnes inclose That tongue that tells the story of thy daies Making lasciuious comments on thy sport Cannot dispraise but in a kinde of praise Naming thy name blesses an ill report Oh what a mansion haue those vices got Which for their habitation chose out thee Where beauties vaile doth couer euery blot And all things turnes to faire that eies can see Take heed deare heart of this large priuiledge The hardest knife ill vs'd doth loose his edge 96 SOme say thy fault is youth some wantonesse Some say thy grace is youth and gentle sport Both grace and faults are lou'd of more and lesse Thou makst faults graces that to thee resort As on the finger of a throned Queene The basest Iewell wil be well esteem'd So are those errors that in thee are seene To truths translated and for true things deem'd How many Lambs might the sterne Wolfe betray If like a Lambe he could his lookes translate How many gazers mighst thou lead away If thou wouldst vse the strength of all thy state But doe not so I loue thee in such sort As thou being mine mine is thy good report 97 HOw like a Winter hath my absence beene From thee the pleasure of the fleeting yeare What freezings haue I felt what darke daies seene What old Decembers barenesse euery where And yet this time remou'd was sommers time The teeming Autumne big with ritch increase Bearing the wanton burthen of the prime Like widdowed wombes after their Lords decease Yet this aboundant issue seem'd to me But hope of Orphans and vn-fathered fruite For Sommer and his pleasures waite on thee And thou away the very birds are mute Or if they sing t is with so dull a cheere That leaues looke pale dreading the Winters neere 98 FRom you haue I beene absent in the spring When proud pide Aprill drest in all his trim Hath put a spirit of youth in euery thing That heauie Saturne laught and leapt with him Yet
compare 131 THou art as tiranous so as thou art As those whose beauties proudly make them cruell For well thou know'st to my deare doting hart Thou art the fairest and most precious Iewell Yet in good faith some say that thee behold Thy face hath not the power to make loue grone To say they erre I dare not be so bold Although I sweare it to my selfe alone And to be sure that is not false I sweare A thousand grones but thinking on thy face One on anothers necke do witnesse beare Thy blacke is fairest in my iudgements place In nothing art thou blacke saue in thy deeds And thence this slaunder as I thinke proceeds 132 THine eies I loue and they as pittying me Knowing thy heart torment me with disdaine Haue put on black and louing mourners bee Looking with pretty ruth vpon my paine Better becomes the gray cheeks of th' East Nor that full Starre that vshers in the Eauen Doth halfe that glory to the sober West As those two morning eyes become thy face O let it then as well beseeme thy heart To mourne for me since mourning doth thee grace And sute thy pitty like in euery part Then will I sweare beauty her selfe is blacke And all they foule that thy complexion lacke 133 BEshrew that heart that makes my heart to groane For that deepe wound it giues my friend and me I' st not ynough to torture me alone But slaue to slauery my sweet'st friend must be Me from my selfe thy cruell eye hath taken And my next selfe thou harder hast ingrossed Of him my selfe and thee I am forsaken A torment thrice three-fold thus to be crossed Prison my heart in thy steele bosomes warde But then my friends heart let my poore heart bale Who ere keepes me let my heart be his garde Thou canst not then vse rigor in my Iaile And yet thou wilt for I being pent in thee Perforce am thine and all that is in me 134 SO now I haue confest that he is thine And I my selfe am morgag'd to thy will My selfe I le forfeit so that other mine Thou wilt restore to be my comfort still But thou wilt not nor he will not be free For thou art couetous and he is kinde He learnd but surerie-like to write for me Vnder that bond that him as fast doth binde The statute of thy beauty thou wilt take Thou vsurer that put'st forth all to vse And sue a friend came debter for my sake So him I loose through my vnkinde abuse Him haue I lost thou hast both him and me He paies the whole and yet am I not free 135 WHo euer hath her wish thou hast thy Will And Will too boote and Will in ouer-plus More then enough am I that vexe thee still To thy sweet will making addition thus Wilt thou whose will is large and spatious Not once vouchsafe to hide my will in thine Shall will in others seeme right gracious And in my will no faire acceptance shine The sea all water yet receiues raine still And in aboundance addeth to his store So thou beeing rich in Will adde to thy Will One will of mine to make thy large Will more Let no vnkinde no faire beseechers kill Thinke all but one and me in that one Will. 136 IF thy soule check thee that I come so neere Sweare to thy blind soule that I was thy Will And will thy soule knowes is admitted there Thus farre for loue my loue-sute sweet fullfill Will will fulfill the treasure of thy loue I fill it full with wils and my will one In things of great receit with ease we prooue Among a number one is reckon'd none Then in the number let me passe vntold Though in thy stores account I one must be For nothing hold me so it please thee hold That nothing me a some-thing sweet to thee Make but my name thy loue and loue that still And then thou louest me for my name is Will. 137 THou blinde foole loue what doost thou to mine eyes That they behold and see not what they see They know what beautie is see where it lyes Yet what the best is take the worst to be If eyes corrupt by ouer-partiall lookes Be anchord in the baye where all men ride Why of eyes falsehood hast thou forged hookes Whereto the iudgement of my heart is tide Why should my heart thinke that a seuerall plot Which my heart knowes the wide worlds common place Or mine eyes seeing this say this is not To put faire truth vpon so foule a face In things right true my heart and eyes haue erred And to this false plague are they now transferred 138 WHen my loue sweares that she is made of truth I do beleeue her though I know she lyes That she might thinke me some vntuterd youth Vnlearned in the worlds false subtilties Thus vainely thinking that she thinkes me young Although she knowes my dayes are past the best Simply I credit her false speaking tongue On both sides thus is simple truth supprest But wherefore sayes she not she is vniust And wherefore say not I that I am old O loues best habit is in seeming trust And age in loue loues not t' haue yeares told Therefore I lye with her and she with me And in our faults by lyes we flattered be 139 O Call not me to iustifie the wrong That thy vnkindnesse layes vpon my heart Wound me not with thine eye but with thy toung Vse power with power and slay me not by Art Tell me thou lou'st else-where but in my sight Deare heart forbeare to glance thine eye aside What needst thou wound with cunning when thy might Is more then my ore-prest defence can bide Let me excuse thee ah my loue well knowes Her prettie lookes haue beene mine enemies And therefore from my face she turnes my foes That they else-where might dart their iniuries Yet do not so but since I am neere slaine Kill me out-right with lookes and rid my paine 140 BE wise as thou art cruell do not presse My toung-tide patience with too much disdaine Least sorrow lend me words and words expresse The manner of my pittie wanting paine If I might teach thee witte better it weare Though not to loue yet loue to tell me so As testie sick-men when their deaths be neere No newes but health from their Phisitions know For if I should dispaire I should grow madde And in my madnesse might speake ill of thee Now this ill wresting world is growne so bad Madde slanderers by madde eares beleeued be That I may not be so nor thou be lyde Beare thine eyes straight though thy proud heart goe wide 141 IN faith I doe not loue thee with mine eyes For they in thee a thousand errors note But 't is my heart that loues what they dispise Who in dispight of view is pleasd to dote Nor are mine eares with thy toungs tune delighted Nor tender feeling to base touches prone Nor taste nor smell desire to be inuited To
heauy sleepe on sightlesse eyes doth stay All dayes are nights to see till I see thee And nights bright daies when dreams do shew thee me 44 IF the dull substance of my flesh were thought Iniurious distance should not stop my way For then dispight of space I would be brought From limits farre remote where thou doost stay No matter then although my foote did stand Vpon the farthest earth remoou'd from thee For nimble thought can iumpe both sea and land As soone as thinke the place where he would be But ah thought kills me that I am not thought To leape large lengths of miles when thou art gone But that so much of earth and water wrought I must attend times leasure with my mone Receiuing naughts by elements so sloe But heauie teares badges of eithers woe 45 THe other two slight ayre and purging fire Are both with thee where euer I abide The first my thought the other my desire These present absent with swift motion slide For when these quicker Elements are gone In tender Embassie of loue to thee My life being made of foure with two alone Sinkes downe to death opprest with melancholie Vntill liues composition be recured By those swift messengers return'd from thee Who euen but now come back againe assured Of their faire health recounting it to me This told I ioy but then no longer glad I send them back againe and straight grow sad 46 MIne eye and heart are at a mortall warre How to deuide the conquest of thy sight Mine eye my heart their pictures sight would barre My heart mine eye the freeedome of that right My heart doth plead that thou in him doost lye A closet neuer pearst with christall eyes But the defendant doth that plea deny And sayes in him their faire appearance lyes To side this title is impannelled A quest of thoughts all tennants to the heart And by their verdict is determined The cleere eyes moyitie and the deare hearts part As thus mine eyes due is their outward part And my hearts right their inward loue of heart 47 BEtwixt mine eye and heart a league is tooke And each doth good turnes now vnto the other When that mine eye is famisht for a looke Or heart in loue with sighes himselfe doth smother With my loues picture then my eye doth feast And to the painted banquet bids my heart An other time mine eye is my hearts guest And in his thoughts of loue doth share a part So either by thy picture or my loue Thy seife away are present still with me For thou nor farther then my thoughts canst moue And I am still with them and they with thee Or if they sleepe thy picture in my sight Awakes my heart to hearts and eyes delight 48 HOw carefull was I when I tooke my way Each trifle vnder truest barres to thrust That to my vse it might vn-vsed stay From hands of falsehood in sure wards of trust But thou to whom my iewels trifles are Most worthy comfort now my greatest griefe Thou best of deerest and mine onely care Art left the prey of euery vulgar theefe Thee haue I not lockt vp in any chest Saue where thou art not though I feele thou art Within the gentle closure of my brest From whence at pleasure thou maist come and part And euen thence thou wilt be stolne I feare For truth prooues theeuish for a prize so deare 49 AGainst that time if euer that time come When I shall see thee frowne on my defects When as thy loue hath cast his vtmost summe Cauld to that audite by aduis'd respects Against that time when thou shalt strangely passe And scarcely greete me with that sunne thine eye When loue conuerted from the thing it was Shall reasons finde of setled grauitie Against that time do I insconce me here Within the knowledge of mine owne desart And this my hand against my selfe vpreare To guard the lawfull reasons on thy part To leaue poore me thou hast the strength of lawes Since why to loue I can alledge no cause 50 HOw heauie doe I iourney on the way When what I seeke my wearie trauels end Doth teach that ease and that repose to say Thus farre the miles are measurde from thy friend The beast that beares me tired with my woe Plods duly on to beare that waight in me As if by some instinct the wretch did know His rider lou'd not speed being made from thee The bloody spurre cannot prouoke him on That some-times anger thrusts into his hide Which heauily he answers with a grone More sharpe to me then spurring to his side For that same grone doth put this in my mind My greefe lies onward and my ioy behind 51 THus can my loue excuse the slow offence Of my dull bearer when from thee I speed From where thou art why shoulld I hast me thence Till I returne of posting is noe need O what excuse will my poore beast then find When swift extremity can seeme but slow Then should I spurre though mounted on the wind In winged speed no motion shall I know Then can no horse with my desire keepe pace Therefore desire of perfects loue being made Shall naigh noe dull flesh in his fiery race But loue for loue thus shall excuse my iade Since from thee going he went wilfull slow Towards thee I le run and giue him leaue to goe 52 SO am I as the rich whose blessed key Can bring him to his sweet vp-locked treasure The which he will not eu'ry hower suruay For blunting the fine point of seldome pleasure Therefore are feasts so sollemne and so rare Since sildom comming in the long yeare set Like stones of worth they thinly placed are Or captaine Iewells in the carconet So is the time that keepes you as my chest Or as the ward-robe which the robe doth hide To make some speciall instant speciall blest By new vnfoulding his imprison'd pride Blessed are you whose worthinesse giues skope Being had to tryumph being lackt to hope 53 WHat is your substance whereof are you made That millions of strange shaddowes on you tend Since euery one hath euery one one shade And you but one can euery shaddow lend Describe Adonis and the counterfet Is poorely immitated after you On Hellens cheeke all art of beautie set And you in Grecian tires are painted new Speake of the spring and foyzon of the yeare The one doth shaddow of your beautie show The other as your bountie doth appeare And you in euery blessed shape we know In all externall grace you haue some part But you like none none you for constant heart 54 OH how much more doth beautie beautious seeme By that sweet ornament which truth doth giue The Rose lookes faire but fairer we it deeme For that sweet odor which doth in it liue The Canker bloomes haue full as deepe a die As the perfumed tincture of the Roses Hang on such thornes and play as wantonly When sommers breath their masked buds discloses
109 O Neuer say that I was false of heart Though absence seem'd my flame to quallifie As easie might I from my selfe depart As from my soule which in thy brest doth lye That is my home of loue if I haue rang'd Like him that trauels I returne againe Iust to the time not with the time exchang'd So that my selfe bring water for my staine Neuer beleeue though in my nature raign'd All frailties that besiege all kindes of blood That it could so preposterouslie be stain'd To leaue for nothing all thy summe of good For nothing this wide Vniuerse I call Saue thou my Rose in it thou art my all 110 ALas 't is true I haue gone here and there And made my selfe a motley to the view Gor'd mine own thoughts sold cheap what is most deare Made old offences of affections new Most true it is that I haue lookt on truth Asconce and strangely But by all aboue These blenches gaue my heart an other youth And worse essaies prou'd thee my best of loue Now all is done haue what shall haue no end Mine appetite I neuer more will grin'de On newer proofe to trie an older friend A God in loue to whom I am confin'd Then giue me welcome next my heauen the best Euen to thy pure and most most louing brest 111 O For my sake doe you wish fortune chide The guiltie goddesse of my harmfull deeds That did not better for my life prouide Then publick meanes which publick manners breeds Thence comes it that my name receiues a brand And almost thence my nature is subdu'd To what it workes in like the Dyers hand Pitty me then and wish I were renu'de Whilst like a willing pacient I will drinke Potions of Eysell gainst my strong infection No bitternesse that I will bitter thinke Nor double pennance to correct correction Pittie me then deare friend and I assure yee Euen that your pittie is enough to cure mee 112 YOur loue and pittie doth th' impression fill Which vulgar scandall stampt vpon my brow For what care I who calles me well or ill So you ore-greene my bad my good alow You are my All the world and I must striue To know my shames and praises from your tounge None else to me nor I to none aliue That my steel'd sence or changes right or wrong In so profound Abisme I throw all care Of others voyces that my Adders sence To cryttick and to flatterer stopped are Marke how with my neglect I doe dispence You are so strongly in my purpose bred That all the world besides me thinkes y' are dead 113 SInce I left you mine eye is in my minde And that which gouernes me to goe about Doth part his function and is partly blind Seemes seeing but effectually is out For it no forme deliuers to the heart Of bird of flowre or shape which it doth lack Of his quick obiects hath the minde no part Nor his owne vision hâ—â—ds what it doth catch For if it see the rud'st or gentlest sight The most sweet-fauor or deformedst creature The mountaine or the sea the day or night The Croe or Doue it shapes them to your feature Incapable of more repleat with you My most true minde thus maketh mine vntrue 114 OR whether doth my minde being crown'd with you Drinke vp the monarks plague this flattery Or whether shall I say mine eie saith true And that your loue taught it this Alcumie To make of monsters and things indigest Such cherubines as your sweet selfe resemble Creating euery bad a perfect best As fast as obiects to his beames assemble Oh t is the first t is flatry in my seeing And my great minde most kingly drinkes it vp Mine eie well knowes what with his gust is greeing And to his pallat doth prepare the cup. If it be poison'd t is the lesser sinne That mine eye loues it and doth first beginne 115 THose lines that I before haue writ doe lie Euen those that said I could not loue you deerer Yet then my iudgement knew no reason why My most full flame should afterwards burne cleerer But reckening time whose milliond accidents Creepe in twixt vowes and change decrees of Kings Tan sacred beautie blunt the sharp'st intents Diuert strong mindes to th' course of altring things Alas why fearing of times tiranie Might I not then say now I loue you best When I was certaine ore in-certainty Crowning the present doubting of the rest Loue is a Babe then might I not say so To giue full growth to that which still doth grow 119 LEt me not to the marriage of true mindes Admit impediments loue is not loue Which alters when it alteration findes Or bends with the remouer to remoue O no it is an euer fixed marke That lookes on tempests and is neuer shaken It is the star to euery wandring barke Whose worths vnkowne although his higth be taken Lou's not Times foole though rosie lips and cheeks Within his bending sickles compasse come Loue alters not with his breefe houres and weekes But beares it out euen to the edge of doome If this be error and vpon me proued I neuer writ nor no man euer loued 117 ACcuse me thus that I haue scanted all Wherein I should your great deserts repay Forgot vpon your dearest loue to call Whereto al bonds do tie me day by day That I haue frequent binne with vnknown mindes And giuen to time your owne deare purchas'd right That I haue hoysted saile to al the windes Which should transport me farthest from your sight Booke both my wilfulnesse and errors downe And on iust proofe surmise accumilate Bring me within the leuel of your frowne But shoote not at me in your wakened hate Since my appeale saies I did striue to prooue The constancy and virtue of your loue 118 LIke as to make our appetites more keene With eager compounds we our pallat vrge As to preuent our malladies vnseene We sicken to shun sicknesse when we purge Euen so being full of your nere cloying sweetnesse To bitter sawces did I frame my feeding And sicke of wel-fare found a kind of meetnesse To be diseas'd ere that there was true needing Thus pollicie in loue t'anticipate The ills that were not grew to faults assured And brought to medicine a healthfull state Which rancke of goodnesse would by ill be cured But thence I learne and find the lesson true Drugs poyson him that so fell sicke of you 119 WHat potions haue I drunke of Syren teares Distil'd from Lymbecks foule as hell within Applying feares to hopes and hopes to feares Still loosing when I saw my selfe to win What wretched errors hath my heart committed Whilst it hath thought it selfe so blessed neuer How haue mine eies out of their Spheares bene fitted In the distraction of this madding feuer O benefit of ill now I find true That better is by euil still made better And ruin'd loue when it is built anew Growes fairer then at first more strong far greater So I
cease And threescoore yeare would make the world away Let those whom nature hath not made for store Harsh featurelesse and rude barrenly perrish Looke whom she best indow'd she gaue the more Which bountious guift thou shouldst in bounty cherrish She caru'd thee for her seale and ment therby Thou shouldst print more not let that coppy die 12 WHen I doe count the clock that tels the time And see the braue day sunck in hidious night When I behold the violet past prime And sable curls or siluer'd ore with white When lofty trees I see barren of leaues Which erst from heat did canopie the herd And Sommers greene all girded vp in sheaues Borne on the beare with white and bristly beard Then of thy beauty do I question make That thou among the wastes of time must goe Since sweets and beauties do them-selues forsake And die as fast as they see others grow And nothing gainst Times sieth can make defence Saue breed to braue him when he takes thee hence 13 O That you were your selfe but loue you are No longer yours then you your selfe here liue Against this cumming end you should prepare And your sweet semblance to some other giue So should that beauty which you hold in lease Find no determination then you were You selfe again after your selfes decease When your sweet issue your sweet forme should beare Who lets so faire a house fall to decay Which husbandry in honour might vphold Against the stormy gusts of winters day And barren rage of deaths eternall cold O none but vnthrifts deare my loue you know You had a Father let your Son say so 14 NOt from the stars do I my iudgement plucke And yet me thinkes I haue Astronomy But not to tell of good or euil lucke Of plagues of dearths or seasons quallity Nor can I fortune to breese mynuits tell Pointing to each his thunder raine and winde Or say with Princes if it shal go wel By oft predict that I in heauen finde But from thine eies my knowledge I deriue And constant stars in them I read such art As truth and beautie shal together thriue If from thy selfe to store thou wouldst conuert Thy end is Truthes and Beauties doome and date 15 WHen I consider euery thing that growes Holds in perfection but a little moment That this huge stage presenteth nought but showes Whereon the Stars in secret influence comment When I perceiue that men as plants increase Cheared and checkt euen by the selfe-same skie Vaunt in their youthfull sap at height decrease And were their braue state out of memory Then the conceit of this inconstant stay Sets you most rich in youth before my sight Where wastfull time debateth with decay To change your day of youth to sullied night And all in war with Time for loue of you As he takes from you I ingraft you new 16 BVt wherefore do not you a mightier waie Make warre vppon this bloudie tirant time And fortifie your selfe in your decay With meanes more blessed then my barren rime Now stand you on the top of happie houres And many maiden gardens yet vnset With vertuous wish would beare your liuing flowers Much liker then your painted counterfeit So should the lines of life that life repaire Which this Times pensel or my pupill pen Neither in inward worth nor outward faire Can make you liue your selfe in eies of men To giue away your selfe keeps your selfe still And you must liue drawne by your owne sweet skill 17 WHo will beleeue my verse in time to come If it were fild with your most high deserts Which hides your life and shewes not halfe your parts If I could write the beauty of your eyes And in fresh numbers number all your graces The age to come would say this Poet lies Such heauenly touches nere toucht earthly faces So should my papers yellowed with their age Be scorn'd like old men of lesse truth then tongue And your true rights be termd a Poets rage And stretched miter of an Antique song But were some childe of yours aliue that time You should liue twise in it and in my rime 18. SHall I compare thee to a Summers day Thou art more louely and more temperate Rough windes do shake the darling buds of Maie And Sommers lease hath all too short a date Sometime too hot the eye of heauen shines And often is his gold complexion dimm'd And euery faire from faire some-time declines By chance or natures changing course vntrim'd But thy eternall Sommer shall not fade Nor loose possession of that faire thou ow'st Nor shall death brag thou wandr'st in his shade When in eternall lines to time thou grow'st So long as men can breath or eyes can see So long liues this and this giues life to thee 19 DEuouring time blunt thou the Lyons pawes And make the earth deuoure her owne sweet brood Plucke thee keene teeth from the fierce Tygers yawes And burne the long liu'd Phaenix in her blood Make glad and sorry seasons as thou fleet'st And do what ere thou wilt swift-footed time To the wide world and all her fading sweets But I forbid thee one most hainous crime O carue not with thy howers my loues faire brow Nor draw noe lines there with thine antique pen Him in thy course vntainted doe allow For beauties patterne to succeding men Yet doe thy worst ould Time dispight thy wrong My loue shall in my verse euer liue young 20 A Womans face with natures owne hand painted Haste thou the Master Mistris of my passion A womans gentle hart but not acquainted With shifting change as is false womens fashion An eye more bright then theirs lesse false in rowling Gilding the obiect where-vpon it gazeth A man in hew all Hews in his controwling Which steales mens eyes and womens soules amaseth And for a woman wert thou first created Till nature as she wrought thee fell a dotinge And by addition me of thee defeated By adding one thing to my purpose nothing But since she prickt thee out for womens pleasure Mine be thy loue and thy loues vse their treasure 21 SO is it not with me as with that Muse Stird by a painted beauty to his verse Who heauen it selfe for ornament doth vse And euery faire with his faire doth reherse Making a coopelment of proud compare With Sunne and Moone with earth and seas rich gems With Aprills first borne flowers and all things rare That heauens ayre in this huge rondure hems O let me true in loue but truly write And then beleeue me my loue is as faire As any mothers childe though not so bright As those gould candells fixt in heauens ayer Let them say more that like of heare-say well I will not prayse that purpose not to sell. 22 MY glasse shall not perswade me I am ould So long as youth and thou are of one date But when in thee times forrwes I behould Then look I death my daies should expiate For all that beauty that doth