rest doth after trauell come That little prick the ioynt with paine doth numme What may I thinke the cause of this thy craft That at the first thou stickst not deepe thy shaft If at the first I had thy stroake espide Alas I thought thou wouldst not dally so To keepe my selfe alwayes I would haue tride At least I thinke I might haue cur'd my woe Yet truth to say I did suspect no lesse And knew it too at least I so did gesse I saw and yet would willingly be blind I felt the sting yet flatt'red still my mind And now too late I know my former guilt And seeke in vaine to heale my curelesse sore My life I doubt my wealth I know is spilt A iust reward for dallying so before For I that would not when I might haue ease No maruell though I cannot when I please Clipeum post vulnera VII POEM A true description of Loue. Paraphrastcally translated out of Petrarkes 103. Sonnet beginning S. Amor non è the dunque è quel ch'io sento IF Loue be nothing but an idle name A vaine deuise of foolish Poets skill A fained fire deuoid of smoake and flame Then what is that which me tormenteth still If such a thing as loue indeede there be What kind of thing or which or where is he If it be good how causeth it such paine How doth it breede such griefe within my brest If nought how chance the griefe that I sustaine Doth seeme so sweete amidst my great vnrest For sure me thinks it is a wondrous thing That so great paine should so great pleasure bring If with my will amidst these flames I fry Whence come these teares how chance I thus complaine If force perforce I beare this misery What helpe these teares that cannot ease my paine How can this fancy beare such sway in me But if my selfe consent that so it be And if my selfe consent that so it be Vniust I am thus to complaine and cry To looke that other men should succour me Since by my fault I feele such misery Who will not helpe himself when wel he can Deserues small helpe of any other man Thus am I tost vpon the troublous seas By sundry winds whose blasts blow sundry wayes And euery blast still driuing where it please Brings hope and feare to end my lingring daies The steers man gone saile helme tackle lost How can I hope to gaine the wished coast Wisedome and folly is the lucklosse fraught My ship therewith ballast vnequally Wisedome too light folly of too great waight My Barke and I through them in ieopardy Thus in the midst of this perplexity I wish for death and yet am loth to dye VII POEM Vpon an Heroicall Poem which he had begun in Imitation of Virgil of the first inhabiting this famous I le by Brute and the Troyians MY wanton Muse that whilome wont to sing Faire Beauties praise and Venus sweete delight Of late had chang'd the tenor of her string To higher tunes then serue for Cupids fight Shrill Trumpets sound sharp swords 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ong Warre bloud and death were matter 〈◊〉 â—â—ng The God of loue by chance had heard thereof That I was prou'd a rebell to his crowne Fit words for warre quoth he with angry scoffe A likely man to write of Mars his frowne Well are they sped whose prayses he will write Whose wanton Pen can nought but loue indite This saide he whiskt his party-colour'd wings And downe to earth he comes more swift then thought Then to my heart in angry hast he flings To see what change these newes of warres had wrought He pries and lookes he ransacks eu'ry vaine Yet finds he nought saue loue and louers paine Then I that now perceiu'd his needlesse feare With heauy smile began to plead my cause In vaine quoth I this endlesse griefe I beare In vaine I striue to keepe thy grieuous lawes If after proofe so often trusty found Vniust suspect condemne me as vnsound Is this the guerdon of my faithfull heart Is this the hope on which my life is staid Is this the ease of neuer-ceasing smart Is this the price that for my paines is paid Yet better serue fierce Mars in bloudy field Where death or conquest end or ioy doth yeeld Long haue I seru'd what is my pay but paine Oft haue I sude what gaine I but delay My faithfull loue is quited with disdaine My griefe a game my pen is made a play Yea loue that doth in other fauour find In me is counted madnesse out of kind And last of all but grieuous most of all Thy selfe sweete loue hath kild me with suspect Could loue beleeue that I from loue would fall Is warre of force to make me loue neglect No Cupid knowes my minde is faster set Then that by warre I should my loue forget My muse indeed to warre inclines her mind The famous acts of worthy Brute to write To whom the Gods this Ilands rule assignde Which long he sought by Seas through Neptunes spight With such conceits my busie head doth swell But in my heart nought else but loue doth dwell And in this war thy part is not the least Here shall my Muse Brutes noble Loue declare Here shalt thou see thy double loue increast Of fairest twins that euer Lady bare Let Mars triumph in armour shining bright His conquerd armes shall be thy tryumphs light As he the world so thou shalt him subdue And I thy glory through the world will ring So by my paines thou wilt vouchsafe to rue And kill despaire With that he whisk't his wing And bad me write and promist wished rest But sore I feare false hope will be the best IX POEM Or a Meditation vpon the frailty of this life O Trifling toyes that tosse the braines While loathsome life doth last O wished wealth O sugred ioyes O life when death is past Who loaths exchange of losse with gaine Yet loath we death as hell What wofull wight would wish his woe Yet wish we here to dwell O fancy fraile that feeds on earth And stayes on slipp'ry ioyes O noble minde O happy man That can contemne such toyes Such toyes as neither perfect are And cannot long endure Our greatest skill our sweetest ioy Vncertaine and vnsure For life is short and learning long All pleasure mixt with woe Sicknesse and sleepe steale time vnseene And ioyes doe come and goe Thus learning is but learn'd by halfes And ioy inioy'd no while That serues to shew thee what thou want'st This helps thee to beguile But after death is perfect skill And ioy without decay When sinne is gone that blinds our eyes And steales our ioyes away No crowing Cocke shall raise vs vp To spend the day in vaine No weary labour shall vs driue To goe to bed againe But for we feele not what we want Nor know not what we haue We loue to keepe the bodies life We loath the soule to saue X. POEM A Poesie to proue affection
is not loue COnceit begotten by the eyes Is quickly borne and quickly dies For while it seekes our hearts to haue Meane while there reason makes his graue For many things the eyes approue Which yet the heart doth seldome loue For as the seeds in spring time sowne Die in the ground ere they be growne Such is conceit whose rooting failes As child that in the cradle quailes Or else within the mothers wombe Hath his beginning and his tombe Affection followes Fortunes wheeles And soone is shaken from her heeles For following beauty or estate Her liking still is turn'd to hate For all affections haue their change And fancie onely loues to range Desire himselfe runs out of breath And getting doth but gaine his death Desire nor reason hath nor rest And blinde doth seldome chuse the best Desire attain'd is not desire But as the cinders of the fire As ships in ports desir'd are drownd As fruit once ripe then fals to ground As flies that seeke for flames are brought To cinders by the flames they sought So fond desire when it attaines The life expires the woe remaines And yet some Poets faine would proue Affection to be perfect loue And that desire is of that kinde No lesse a passion of the minde As if wilde beasts and men did seeke To like to loue to chuse alike XI POEM WHen I to you of all my woes complaine Which you make me endure without release With scornefull smiles you answere me againe That louers true must beare and hold their peace Deere I will beare and hold my peace if you Will hold your peace and beare what I shall do XII POEM IF wrong by force had Iustice put to flight Yet were there hope she might returne againe If lawlesse warre had shut her vp from sight Yet lawfull peace might soone restore her traine But now alas what hope of hope is left When wrongfull death hath her of life bereft The Sunne that often fals doth often rise The Moone that waineth waxeth full with light But he that death in chaines of darknesse ties Can neuer breake the bands of lasting night What then remaines but teares of losse to waile In which all hope of mortall helpe doth faile Who then shall weepe nay who shall teares refraine If common harmes must moue the minds of all Too few are found that wrongfull hearts restraine And of too few too many death doth call These common harmes I waile among the rest But priuate losse denies to be exprest XIII POEM A Pâ—â—â— in the nature of an Epitaph of a friend IF stepdame naâ—ure hath beene scant In dealing beauâ—ies gifts to mee My wit shall helpe supply that want And skill in steed of shape shall bee My stature I confesse is small And therefore nill I boast of warre My name shall fill the heauens and all This skin shall serue to hide that skarre My head to beare the helme vnfit My hands vnapt to murther men But little heads oft hold much wit And feeble hands can guide a Pen. XIIII POEM Loues contentment DEath is my doome awarded by disdaine A lingring death that will not let me die This length of life is lenghtning of my paine And length of paine gets strength of paine thereby And strength of paine makes paine of longer last Ah who hath ty'de my life to paine so fast And yet I seeme as if I did but faine Or make my griefe much greater then I need When as the care to hide my burning paine With secret sighes constraines my heart to bleed Yet well I wote beleeu'd I shall not be Vntill by death a proofe thereof you see But if this lodge the witnesse of my woe Whose stony wals vnheard my plaints containe Had sence to feele and tongue my paine to show Which he inclosde I vtter all in vaine You soone should know that most I make my mone Alone if here that loues can be alone Why should I seeke to make my shame be knowne That foolish loue is causer of my paine Forgiue me loue the speech is not mine owne But so they speake that thee and thine disdaine And I my selfe confesse my skill too small To plead for loue and cleere my selfe withall What reason can my simple wit deuise Why bootlesse griefe should thus my mind afflict I loue the thoughts that loue it selfe despise I seeke for that I neuer looke to finde Oft haue I heard on which I thinke I die Thine angry tongue all kind of loue defie Yet is my life vpon thy promise staid By which thou hast assur'd me of thy loue And though thereby my heare be not allaid No stay of slight where gaine is still aboue Yet since thy heart can yeeld to loue no more I rest content although I die therefore Quis Deus opposuit nostris sua numin votis XV. POEM A repentant Poem THough late my heart yet turne at last And shape thy course another way T is better lose thy labour past Then follow on to sure decay What though thou long haue straid awry In hope of grace for mercy cry Though weight of sinne doth presse thee downe And keepe thee grou'ling on the ground Though blacke dispaire with angry frowne Thy wit and iudgement quite confound Though time and wit haue beene mispent Yet grace is left if thou repent Weepe then my heart weepe still and still Nay melt to floods of flowing teares Send out such shrikes as heau'n may fill And pierce thine angry Iudges eares And let thy soule that harbours sin Bleed streames of bloud to drowne it in Then shall thine angry Iudges face To cheerefull lookes it selfe apply Then shall thy soule be fild with grace And feare of death constraind to fly Euen so my God oh when how long I would but sinne is too too strong I striue to rise sinne keepes me downe I fly from sinne sinne followes me My will doth reach at glories crowne Weake is my strength it will not be See how my fainting soule doth pant O let thy strength supply my want XVI POEM Vnions Iewell DIuers rare Iems in thee O vnion shine First seauen Margarits in thy Iewell stand Matildaes three three Ianes of regall line Two royall Maries two Elizaes and One Isbell Anne Sibill and Margery All royall Iems set princely shine in thee But first in it doth Agasia shine Who first with Dutstus it began to make Then Margret next of our King Edgars line Whom Malcolme King of Scots to wife did take Whose grandchild Mawde our Empresse did conioyn Scots Saxon Norman blood in our Kings line For their childe Mawde our first Henry did marry Of them Matild our said Empresse did spring By whose second husband our Kings did carry Name of great Plantagenet then Scots King First Alexander did Sibilla wed Who sprung from out William Conquerors bed The third Matild their first King Dauid married Earle Waldoffes daughter Neece to great K. William Iane our King Iohns daughter thither was caried By their second
resound your praise admired My then greene Heart so brightly did eflame XII SONET To a worthy Lord now dead vpon presenting him for a New-yeares-gift with Caesars Commentaries and Cornelius Tacitus VVOrthily famous Lord whose vertues rare Set in the gold of neuer stain'd Nobility And noble mind shining in true humility Make you admir'd of all that vertuous are If as your Sword with enuy imitates Great Caesars sword in all his deeds victorious So your learn'd Pen would striue to be glorious And write your Acts perform'd in forreine States Or if some one with the deepe wit inspir'd Of matchlesse Tacitus would them historifie Then Caesars works so much we should not glorifie And Tacitus would be much lesse desir'd But till your selfe or some such put them forth Accept of these as Pictures of your worth XIII SONET He demaunds pardon for looking louing and writing LEt not sweete Saint let not these lines offend you Nor yet the message that these lines impart The message my vnfained Loue doth send you Loue which your selfe hath planted in my heart For being charm'd by the bewitching art Of those inueagling graces which attend you Loues holy fire makes me breath out in part The neuer-dying flames my brest doth lend you Then if my Lines offend let Loue be blamed And if my Loue displease accuse mine Eyes If mine Eyes sinne their sins cause only lies On your bright eyes which haue my heart inflamed Since eyes loue lines erre then by your direction Excuse mines eyes my Lines and my affection XIIII SONET Loue and Iustice punishable only with like loue BVt if my lines may not be held excused Nor yet my Loue find fauour in your Eyes But that your eyes as Iudges shall be vsed Euen of the fault which from themselues doth arise Yet this my humble suite do not despise Let me be iudged as I stand accused If but my fault my doome do equalize What ere it be it shall not be refused And since my loue already is expressed And that I cannot stand vpon denyall I freely put my selfe vpon my tryall Let Iustice iudge me as I haue confessed For if my doome in iustice scales be wayed With equall loue my loue must be repayed XV. SONET He calls his eares eyes and heart as witnesses of her sweet voice beauty and inward vertuous perfections FAire is thy face and great thy wits perfection So faire alas so hard to be exprest That if my tyred Pen should neuer rest It should not blaze thy worth but my affection Yet let me say the Muses make election Of your pure mind there to erect their nest And that your face is such a flint-hard brest By force thereof without force feeles subiection Witnesse mine eare rauisht when you it heares Witnesse mine eyes rauisht when you they see Beauty and vertue witnesse eyes and eares In you sweete saint of equall soueraignty But if nor eyes nor eares can proue it true Witnesse my heart ther 's none that equalls you How they make my poore heart at once to dwell In fire and frost in heauen and in hell XVI SONET Praise of her eyes excelling all comparison I Bend my wit but wit cannot deuise Words fit to blaze the worth your eyes containes Whose namelesse worth their worthles name disdains For they in worth exeeede the name of eyes Eyes they be not but worlds in which there lyes More blisse then this wide world besides containes Worlds they be not but stars whose influence raignes Ouer my life and liues felicities Stars they be not but suns whose presence driues Darkenesse from night and doth bright day impart Suns they be not which outward heate deriues But these do inwardly in flame my heart Since then in Earth nor Heauen they equal'd are I must confesse they be beyond compare XVII SONET Contention of Loue and Reason for his heart REason and loue lately at strife contended Whose right it was to haue my minds protection Reason on his side Natures will pretended Loues title was my Mistresse rare perfection Of power to end this strife each makes election Reasons pretence discoursiue thoughts defended But loue soone brought these thoughts into subiection By beauties troopes which on my Saint depended Yet since to rule the mind was Reasons duty On this condition it by loue was rendred That endlesse praise by reason should be tendred As a due tribute to her conquering beauty Reason was pleasde withall and to loues royalty He pledg'd my heart as hostage for his loyalty XVIII SONET That she hath greater power ouer his happinesse and life then either Fortune Fate or Stars LEt fate my Fortune and my stars conspire Ioyntly to poure on me their worst disgrace So I be gracious in your heauenly face I weigh not Fates nor Starres nor Fortunes yre T' is not the influence of heauens fire Hath power to make me blessed in my race Nor in my happinesse hath Fortune place Nor yet can Fate my poore lifes date expire T' is your faire eyes my Starres all blisse do giue T' is your disdaine my Fate hath power to kill T' is you my Fortune make me happy liue Though Fortune Fate and Starres conspire mine ill Then blessed Saint into your fauour take me Fortune nor Fate nor Stars can wretched make me XIX SONET Of his Ladies weeping VVHat neede I say how it doth wound my brest By fate to be thus rauisht from thine eyes Since your owne teares by me doth simpathize Pleading with slow departure there to rest For when with flouds of teares they were opprest Ouer those Iuory bancks they did not rise Till others enuying their felicities Did presse them forth that they might there beare rest Some of which teares prest forth by violence Your lips with greedy kissing straight did drinke And othersome vnwilling to part thence Inamour'd on your cheekes in them did sinke And some which from your face were forc'd away In signe of loue did on your garment stay XX. SONET He paints out his torment SWeete to my cursed life some fauour show Or let me not accurst in life remaine Let not my sences sence of life retaine Since sence doth only yeeld me sence of woe For now mine eyes only your frownes do know Mine eares heare nothing else but your disdaine My lips taste nought but teares and smell is paine Banisht your lips where Indian Odours grow And my deuoted heart your beauties slaue Feeles nought but scorne oppressions and distresse Made eu'n of wretchednesse the wretched caue Nay too too wretched for vild wretchednesse For euen sad sighs as loathing there to rest Struggle for passage from my griefe-swolne brest XXI SONET His sighs and teares are bootlesse I Haue intreated and I haue complayned I haue disprais'd and prayse I likewise gaue All meanes to win her grace I tryed haue And still I loue and still I am disdained So long I haue my tongue and Pen constrained To praise dispraise complaine and pitty craue That now nor
a womans heart O Faithlesse world and thy most faithlesse part A womans heart The true shop of variety where sits Nothing but fits And feauers of desire and pangs of loue Which toyes remoue Why was she borne to please or I to trust Words writ in dust Suffring her eyes to gouerne my despaire My paine for aire And fruit of time rewarded with vntruth The foode of youth Vntrue she was yet I beleeu'd her eyes Instructed spies Till I was taught that loue was but a schoole To breede a foole Or sought she more then triumphs of deniall To see a tryall How far her smiles cōmanded my weaknes yeeld and confesse Excuse not now thy folly nor her nature Blush and endure Aswel thy shames passions that were vaine And thinke thy gaine To know that loue lodg'd in a womans brest Is but a guest VI. ELEGIE Loues Embasie in an Iambicke Elegie VNhappy verse the witnesse of vnhappy state Make thy self fluttring wings of thy fast flying thoght And flye forth vnto my loue wheresoeuer she be Whether lying restlesse in heauy bed or else Sitting so cheerelesse at the cheerefull boord or else Playing alone carelesse on her heauenly Virginals If in bed tell her that mine eyes can take no rest If at boord tell her that my mouth can taste no food If at her Virginals tell her I can heare no mirth Asked why say waking Loue suffereth no sleepe Say that raging Loue doth appall the weake stomacke Say that lamenting loue marreth the Musicall Tell her that her pleasures were wont to lull me asleepe Tell her that her beauty was wont to feed mine eyes Tell her that her sweet tong was wont to make me mirth Now do I nightly waste wanting my kindly rest Now do I daily starue wanting my liuely food Now do I alwaies die wanting my timely mirth And if I waste who will bewaile my heauy chance And if I starue who will record my cursed end And if I die who will say this was Immerito Edmund Spencer The end of the third Booke THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF Madrigals and Odes I. MADRIGALL THough you be not content That I poore worme should loue you As Cupids power and your sweete beauty cause me Yet deere let pitty moue you To giue me your consent To loue my life as law of nature drawes me And if my life I loue then must I too Loue your sweete selfe for my life liues in you II. MADRIGALL Borrowed out of a Greeke Epigram HEe 's rich enough whose eyes behold thee Who heares thee sing a Monarch is A Demy-God who doth thee kisse And loue himselfe whose armes infold thee III. MADRIGALL Vpon her dreaming that she saw him dead O Faire yet murdring eyes Starres of my miseries Who while night clouds your beames How much you wish my death shew in your dreames Is' t not enough that waking you do spill me But you asleepe must kill me O kill me still while you your sleepe are taking So you lend me kind lookes when you are waking The sound of thy sweet name my dearest treasure Delights me more then sight of other faces A glimpse of thy sweete face breedes me more pleasure Then any others kindest words and graces One gracious word that from thy lips proceedeth I value more then others Doue-like kisses And thy chast kisse in my conceit exceedeth Others embraces and loues chiefest blisses IIII. MADRIGALL Vpon his departure SVre Deere I loue you not for he that loueth When he from her doth part That 's Mistresse of his heart A deadly paine a hellish torment prooueth But when sad Fates did seuer Me farre from seeing you I would see euer I felt in my absenting No paine nor no tormenting For sence of paine how could he find That left his heart and soule behind V. MADRIGALL To Cupid LOue if a God thou art Then euermore thou must Be mercifull and iust If thou be iust O wherefore doth thy Dart Wound mine alone and not my Ladies heart If mercifull then why Am I to paine reseru'd Who haue thee truely seru'd While she that by thy power sets not a flye Laughs thee to scorne and liues at liberty Then if a God thou wilt accounted be Heale me like her or else wound her like me VI. MADRIGALL Vpon his Mistresse sicknesse and his owne health IN health and ease am I Yet as I senselesse were it nought contents me You sicke in paine doe lie And ah your paine exceedingly torments me Whereof I can this onely reason giue That dead vnto my selfe in you I liue VII MADRIGALL He begs a kisse SOrrow slowly killeth any Sodaine ioy soone murthers many Then sweete if you would end me T is a fond course with lingring griefe to spend me For quickly to dispatch me Your onely way is in your armes to catch me And giue me doue-like kisses For such excessiue and vnlookt-for blisses Will so much ouer-ioy me As they will straight destroy me VIII MADRIGALL Vpon a kisse receiued SInce I your cherry lips did kisse Where Nectar and Ambrosia is My hungry maw no meate requires My thirsty throate no drinke desires For by your breath which then I gained Camelion like my life 's maintained O grant me then those cherries still And let me feed on them my fill If by a surfeit death I get Vpon my tombe let this be set By cherries twaine his life he cherisht By cherries twaine at length he perisht IX MADRIGALL Allusion to the confusion of Babell THE wretched life I liue In my weake sences such confusion maketh That like the accursed rabble That built the Towre of Bable My wit mistaketh And vnto nothing a right name doth giue I terme her my deere loue that deadly hates me My chiefest good her that 's my chiefest euill Her Saint and Goddesse who 's a Witch a Deuill Her my sole hope that with despaire amates me My Balme I call her that with poyson fils me And her I terme my life that dailie kils me X. MADRIGALL To her hand vpon her giuing him her gloue O Hand of all hands liuing The softest moystest whitest More skil'd then Phoebus on a Lute in running More then Minerua with a Needle cunning Then Mercury more wily In stealing hearts most slily Since thou deere hand in theft so much delightest Why fall'st thou now a giuing Ay me thy gifts are thefts and with strange Art In giuing me thy Gloue thou steal'st my Hart. XI MADRIGALL Cupid proued a Fencer AH Cupid I mistooke thee I for an Archer and no Fencer tooke thee But as a Fencer oft faines blowes and thrusts Where he intends no harme Then turnes his balefull arme And wounds that part which least his foe mistrusts So thou with fencing art Fayning to wound mine eyes hast hit my hart XII MADRIGALL He compares himselfe to a Candle flye LIke to the seely flye To the deere light I flye Of your disdainefull eyes But in a diuerse wise She with the flame doth play By night alone and
pleasure equally destroy me IIII. ODE Being by his absence in Italy depriued of her lookes words and gestures be desireth her to write vnto him MY only starre Why why are your deare eyes Where all my lifes peace lies With me at warre Why to my ruine tending Do they still lighten woe On him that loues you so 2 Hope of my heart O whereof do the words Which your sweete tongue affords No hope impart But cruell without measure To my eternall paine Still thunder forth disdaine On him whose life depends vpon your pleasure 3 Sunshine of ioy Why do your gestures which All eyes and hearts bewitch My blisse destroy And pitties skye ore-clouding Of hate an endlesse showre On that poore heart still powre Which in your bosome seekes this only shrowding 4 Blame of my wound Why are your lines whose sight Should cure me with delight My poson found Which through my veines dispersing Make my poore heart and mind And all my sences find A liuing death in torments past rehearsing 5 Alas my fate Hath of your eyes leprlu'd me Which both kil'd and reuiu'd me And sweetned hate Your sweete voyce and sweete graces Which cloath'd in louely weeds Your cruell words and deeds Are intercepted by farre distant places 6 But O the Anguish Which presence still presented Absence hath not absented Nor made to languish No no t' encrease my paining The cause being ah remoued For which th' effect I loued Th' effect is still in greatest force remaining 7 O cruell Tyger If to your hard hearts center Teares vowes and Prayers may enter Desiâ—t your rigour And let kind lines assure me Since to my deadly wound No salue else can be found That you that kil me yet at length wil cure me V. ODE His farewell to his vnkind and vnconstant Mistris SWeete if you like and loue me still And yeeld me loue for my good will And do not from your promise start When your faire hand gaue me your heart If deere to you I be As you are deere to me Then yours I am and will be euer Nor time nor place my loue shall seuer But faithfull still I will perseuer Like constant Marble stone Louing but you alone But if you fauour moe then me Who loue thee deare and none but thee If others do the Haruest gaine That 's due to me for all my paine If you delight to range And oft to chop and change Then get you some new fangled Mate My doating loue shall turne to hate Esteeming you though too too late Not worth a pebble stone Louing not me alone VI. ODE A Presopopaeia Wherein his heart speakes to his second Ladies brest I Dare not in my Masters bosome rest That flaming Aetna would to ashes burne me Nor dare I harbour in his mistresse brest The frosty Climate into Ice would turne me So both from her and him I do retire me Least th' one should freeze me and th' other fire me Wing'd with true loue I flye to this sweete brest Whose snow I hope will coole but t'ice not turne me Where fire and snow I trust so tempred rest As gentle heate will warme and yet not burne me But O deare brest from thee I le ne'reretire me Whether thou coole or warme or freeze or fire me VIII ODE Vpon her giuing him backe the Paper wherein the former Song was written as though it had beene an answere thereunto LAdy of matchlesse beauty When into your sweete bosome I deliuered A paper with wan lookes and hand that quiuered Twixt hope feare loue and duty Thought you it nothing else contain'd But written words in Rime restrain'd O then your thought abused was My hart close wrapt therein into your breast refused waâ— When you that Scroule restor'd me With gratefull words kind grace and smiling merily My breast did swell with ioy supposing verily You answere did afford me But finding onely that I writ I hop't to find my Hart in it But you my hope abused had And poyson of despaire in stead thereof infused had Why why did you torment me With giuing backe my humble Rymes so hatefully You should haue kept both heart and paper gratefully Or both you should haue sent me Hope you my Heart thence to remoue By scorning me my Lines my Loue No no your hope abused is Too deepe to be remou'd it in your brest infused is O shall I hide or tell it Deere with so spotlesse zealous firme Affection I loue your beauty vertue and perfection As nothing can expell it Scorne still my Rimes my Loue despight Pull out my Heart yea kill me quite Yet will your hate abused be For in my very soule your loue and lookes infused be VIII ODE Commendation of her beautie stature behauiour and wit SOme there are as faire to see too But by Art and not by Nature Some as tall and goodly be too But want beauty to their stature Some haue gracious kind behauiour But are foule or simple creatures Some haue wit but want sweete fauour Or are proud of their good features Onely you and you want pitty Are most faire tall kind and witty IX ODE That all other Creatures haue their abiding in heauen hell earth ayre water or fire but he in all of them IN heau'n the blessed Angels haue their being In hell the fiends appointed to damnation To men and beasts earth yeelds firme habitation The wing'd Musitians in the ayre are fleeing With finnes the people gliding Of water haue the enioying In fire all else destroying The Salamander findes a strange abiding But I poore wretch since I did first aspire To loue your beauty beauties all excelling Haue my strange diuerse dwelling In heau'n hell earth water ayre and Fier Mine eare while you do sing in Heau'n remaineth My mind in hell through hope and feares contention Earth holds my drossie wit and dull inuention Th' ill food of ayrie sighes my life sustaineth To streames of teares still flowing My weeping eyes are turned My constant heart is burned In quenchlesse fire within my bosome glowing O foole no more no more so high aspire In heau'n is no beauty more excelling In hell no such pride dwelling Nor heart so hard in earth ayre water fire X. ODE His Lady to be condemned of ignorance or crueltie AS she is faire so faithfull I My seruice she her grace I merit Her beauty doth my loue inherit But grace she doth denie O knowes she not how much I loue Or doth knowledge in her moue No small remorce For the guilt thereof must lie Vpon one of these of force Her ignorance or cruelty As she is faire so cruell she I sowe true loue but reape disdaining Her pleasure springeth from my paining Which pities source should be Too well she knowes how much I loue Yet doth knowledge in her moue No small remorce Then the guilt thereof must lie Her vndeserued cruelty As she is faire so were she kinde Or being cruell could I wauer Soone should I either win her
fauer Or a new Mistresse finde But neither out alas may be Scorne in her and loue in me So fixed are Yet in whom most blame doth lie Iudge she may if she compare My loue vnto her cruelty XI ODE A Dialogue betweene him and his heart AT her faire hands how haue I grace intreated With prayers oft repeated Yet still my loue is thwarted Heart let her goe for shee le not be conuerted Say shall she goe Oh no no no no no. She is most faire though she be marble hearted How often haue my sighes declar'd mine anguish Wherein is daily anguish Yet doth she still procure it Heart let her goe for I cannot endure it Say shall she go Oh no no no no no. She gaue the wound and she alone must cure it The trickling teares that downe my cheeks haue flowed My life haue often shewed Yet still vnkind I proue her Heart let her goe for nought I doe can moue her Say shall she goe Oh no no no no no. Though me she hates I cannot chuse but loue her But shall still a true affection owe her Which prayers sighes teares do shew her And shall she still disdaine me Heart let her go if they no grace can giue me Say shall she goe Oh no no no no no. She made me hers and hers she will retaine me But if the loue that hath and still doth burne me No loue at length returne me Out of my thoughts I le let her Heart let her goe oh heart I pray thee let her Say shall she go Oh no no no no no. Fixt in the heart how can the heart forget her But if I weepe and sigh and often waile me Till teares sighes praiers faile me Shall yet my loue perseruer Heart let her go if she will right thee neuer Say shall she goe Oh no no no no no. Teares sighes praiers faile but true loue lasteth euer XII ODE Where his Lady keepes his heart SWeet Loue mine onely treasure For seruice long vnfained Wherein I nought haue gained Vouchsafe this little pleasure To tell me in what part My Lady keepes my hart If in her haire so slender Like golden nets vntwined Which fire and art haue fined Her thrall my heart I render For euer to abide With locks so dainty tide If in her eyes she binde it Wherein that fire was framed By which it is inflamed I dare not looke to finde it I onely wish it sight To see that pleasant light But if her breast haue dained With kindnesse to receiue it I am content to leaue it Though death thereby were gained Then Lady take your owne That liues for you alone XIII ODE The more fauour he obtaines the more he desires AS soone may water wipe me dry And fire my heate allay As you with fauour of your eye Make hot desire decay The more I haue The more I craue The more I craue the more desire As piles of wood encrease the fire The senselesse stone that from on hie Descends to earth below With greater hast it selfe doth ply The lesse it hath to goe So feeles desire Encrease of fire That still with greater force doth burne Till all into it selfe it turne The greater fauour you bestow The sweeter my delight And by delight desire doth grow And growing gathers might The lesse remaines The more my paines To see my selfe so neere the brinke And yet my fill I cannot drinke XIIII ODE Desire and hope DEsire and Hope haue mou'd my minde To seeke for that I cannot finde Assured faith in woman-kinde And loue with loue rewarded Selfe-loue all but himselfe disdaines Suspect as chiefest vertue raignes Desire of change vnchang'd remaines So light is loue regarded True friendship is a naked name That idle braines in pastime frame Extreames are alwaies worthy blame Enough is common kindnesse What flouds of teares do louers spend What sighes from out their hearts they send How many may and will not mend Loue is a wilfull blindnesse What is the loue they so desire Like loue for loue and equall fire Good louing wormes which loue require And know not when they haue it Is loue in words faire words may faine Is loue in lookes sweet lookes are vaine Both these in common kindnesse raigne Yet few or none so craue it Thou wouldst be lou'd and that of one For vice thou maist seeke loue of none For vertue why of her alone I say no more speake you that know the truth If so great loue be ought but of youth XV. ODE Vpon visiting his Lady by Moone-light THe night say all was made to rest And so say I but not for all To them the darkest nights are best Which giue them leaue asleepe to fall But I that seeke my rest by light Hate sleepe and praise the cleerest night Bright was the Moone as bright as day And Venus glistred in the West Whose light did leade the readie way That brought me to my wished rest Then each of them encreast their light While I enioyn'd her heauenly sight Say gentle Dames who mou'd your mind To shine so bright aboue your wont Would Phoebe faire Endimion finde Would Venus see Adonis hunt No no you feared by her sight To lose the praise of beauty bright At last for shame you shrunke away And thought to reaue the world of light Then shone my dame with brighter ray Then that which comes from Phoebus sight None other light but hers I praise Whose nights are clearer then the daies XVI ODE Petition to haue her leaue to die WHen will the fountaine of my teares be dry When will my sighes be spent When will desire agree to let me die When will my heart relent It is not for my life I pleade Since death the way to rest doth leade But stay for thy consent Least thou be discontent For if my selfe without thy leaue I kill My Ghost will neuer rest So hath it sworne to worke thine onely will And holds that euer best For since it onely liues by thee Good reason thou the ruler be Then giue me leaue to dye And shew thy power thereby XVII ODE The kind Louers complaint in finding nothing but folly for his faithfulnesse IF my decay be your encrease If my distresse be your delight If warre in me procure you peace If wrong to me to you be right I would decay distresse warre wrong Might end the life that ends so long Yet if by my decay you grow When I am spent your growth is past If from my griefe your ioy doe flow When my griefe ends your ioy flies fast Then for your sake though to my paine I striue to liue to die full faine For if I die my warre must cease Then can I suffer wrong no more My warre once done farewell your peace My wrong your right doth still restore Thus for your right I suffer wrong And for your peace my warre prolong But since nothing can long indure That sometime hath not needfull rest What can my life
DAVISONS POEMS OR A Poeticall Rapsodie Deuided into sixe Bookes The first contayning Poems and Deuises The second Sonets and Canzonets The third Pastoralls and Elegies The fourth Madrigalls and Odes The fift Epigrams and Epitaphs The sixt Epistles and Epithalamions For variety and pleasure the like neuer published The Bee and Spider by a diuers power Sucke hony and poyson from the selfesame flower The fourth Impression Newly corrected and augmented and put into a forme more pleasing to the Reader LONDON Printed by B. A. for Roger Iackson 1621. To the most Noble Honourable and worthy Lord William Earle of Pembrok Lord Herbert of Cardiffe Marmion and Saint Quintine Lord Chamberlaine of his Maiesties houshold one of his Maiesties most Honorable Priuie Counsell and Knight of the most noble order of the Garter GReat Earle whose braue Heroike mind is higher And nobler then thy noble high Degree Whose outward shape though it most louely be Doth in faire Robes a fairer soule attire Who rich in fading wealth endlesse Treasure Of Vertue Valour Learning richer art Whose present greatnesse men esteeme but part Of what by line of future hope they measure Thou worthy Son vnto a peerelesse mother Or Nephew to great Sidney of renowne Who hast deseru'd thy Coronet to crowne With Lawrell Crowne a Crowne excelling th' other I consecrate these Rimes to thy great Name Which if thou like they seeke no other fame Fra Dauison To the Reader BEing induced by some priuate reasons and by the instant entreaty of special friends to suffer some of my worthlesse Poems to bee published I desired to make some written by my deere friends Anonymâ—i and my deerer Brother to beare them company Both without their consent the latter being in the low Country warres and the rest vtterly ignorant thereof My friends names I concealed mine own and my brothers I willed the Printer to suppresse as well as I had concealed the other which he hauing put in without my priuity wee must now vndergoe a sharper censure perhaps then our nameles workes should haue done and I especially For if their Poems be liked the praise is due to their inuention if mislked the blame both by them and all men will be deriued vpon me for published that which they meant to suppresse If thou thinke we affect fame by these kinds of writings though I thinke them no disparagement euen to the best iudgements yet I answer in all our behalfes with the princely shepheard Dorus. Our hearts do seeke another estimation If thou condeme Poetry in generall and affirme that it doth intoxicate the braine and make men vtterly vnfit either for more serious studies or for any actiue course of life I only say Iubio te stultum esse libenter Since experience proues by examples of many both dead and liuing that diuers delighted and excelling herein being Princes or states-men haue gouerned counselled as wisely being souldiers haue commanded armies as fortunately being Lawyers haue pleaded as iuditially and elequently being Diuines haue written and taught as profoundly and being of any other profession haue discharged it as sufficiently as any other meÌ„ whatsoeuer If liking other kinds thou mislike the Lyricall because the chiefest subiect thereof is Loue I reply that loue being vertuously intended and worthily placed is the whetstone of wit and spur to all generous actions and many excellent spirits with great fame of wit and no staine of iudgement haue writteÌ„ excellently in this kind specially the euer praise-worthy Sidney So as if thou wilt needs make a fault for mine own part Haud timeo si iam nequeo defendere crimen Cum tanto commune viro If any except against the mixing both at the beginning and end of this booke of diuers things written by great and learned Personages without meane and worthlesse scriblings I vterly disclaime it as being done by the Printer either to grace the forefront with sir Philip Sidneys and others names or to make the booke grow to a competent volume For these Poems in particular I could alledge these excuses that those vnder the name of Anonymus were written as appeareth by diuers things to sir Philip Sidney liuing and of him dead almost twenty yeares since when Poetry was farre from that perfection to which it hath now attained that my brother is by profession a Souldier and was not 18. yeares old when he writ these toyes that mine owne were made most of them 6. or 7. yeeres since at idle time as I iournied vp and down during my trauails But to leaue their works to iustifie theÌ„selues or the Authors to iustifie their works to speak of mine own thy mislikes I contemne thy praises which I neuer deserue nor expect I esteeme not as hoping God willing ere long to regaine thy good opinion if lost or more deseruedly to continue it if already obtained by some grauer worke Farewell Fra. Dauison An Alphabeticall Table of all the Canzonets Dialogues Deuises Eglogues Elegies Epigrams Epitaphs Epistles Epithalmions Madrigalls Odes Pastoralls Poems Sonets and other principall matters contayned in this booke A A Contention betwixt a Wife a Widow a Maid 5 A fiction how Cupid made a Nymph wound her selfe 15 A liuing death 132 Absence 212 Absence and time 253 Affection 29 219 Aâ—ax who kild himselfe 48 Allegory of his loue to a ship 111 Allusion to Thesius voyage against the Minataure 90 Antereons Odes 248 An answere to what loue is 211 An inuectiue against loue 107 Anotomy of loue 147 Astreas praise with silence 156 Allusion to the confusion of Babel 209 B Batcheler 3 Beauty causeth loue 77 Beggers life praised 136 Bâ—â—ides his torments 109 Blankes 46 47 Bodkin 46 Bracelets 46 Breake heauy heart 129 Brutus his inhabiting this I le 25 C Cato Vtican who slew himself 49 Chaine 45 Christian Stoick 103 Clitemnestra to Orestes 47 Commendation of beauty 226 Commendation of Verse 69 Comparison between the strength of beasts 249 Comparison of loue between Beggers and Kings 136 Comparison to a candle flye 211 Comparison with perfect loue 134 Complaint of loue very wittily 17 Contention of loue reason 73 Contrarieties of loue 1â—7 Corinaes singing 143 Country Gentlemen 3 courtier 1 Courtiers rule 259 Coife and Crascloth 45 Craâ—â—bo the louzâ—e shifter 260 Cuckolds Epigram Cuddies Embleme 103 Cuddies Pastorall 175 Eglogue 175 Cupid made a Nymph to wound her selfe 15 Cupids marriage with dissimulation 240 Cupid proued a Fencer 210 Cupid shoots light but wounds sore 21 Cushinet 46 Cinthia queene of fortune 254 Canzonets The lye giuen to sundry sorts and degrees 100 The christian Stoick 103 VpoÌ„ seeing his face in her eyes 104 A Dialogue betweene his flaming heart her frozen brest 104 He will esteeme of her as she is to him 105 An inscription for the Statute of Dido 106 Loues Hyperboles 106 An inuectiue against loue 107 Petrarcks sonnet translated 108 He prooues himself to endure the tortures of Tantalus 109 Loues discomodities 110 Execration of his
Praise of a Beggers life 136 Praise of her eyes 73 Praise of Musicke 138 Praise of Sir Philip Sidney 262 Praise of the two countesses of Cumberland and Warwick 98 Purse 43 Twelue wonders of the world 1 Cupid makes a Nimph wound her selfe 15 A complaint of which al the staues end with the words of the first 17 A dialogue in imitation of Horace 20 Cupid shoots light but wounds sore 21. 22 A true description of loue 23 Of the first inhabiting this I le by Brute c 25 A Meditation on the frailty of this life 27 A Poesie to proue affection is not loue 29 A Louers request if hee hold his peace 30 A complaint for Iustice flight 30 A Poem in the nature of an Epitaph 31 Loues contentment 32 A Repentant Poem 34 Vnions Iewell 35 A Panegyricke to the King 38 Q Quatraine 105 R Repentant Poem 34 Reporting Sonet of praise 72 Ring plaine 44 Rings poesie 44 Roundelay very pretty in inuerted Rimes 158 S Saphicks vpon the Passion of Christ 57 Scarfe 45 Sicknesse 208 Sicknesse and recouery 89 Sizers Snufkin 45 Hee tells her how hee le hide his ioyes 62 Hee promiseth to loue as he is loued 63 To mistresse Diana 63 Dedication of these Rimes c 64 That he cannot hide or dissemble his affection 65 Vpon his absence from her 65 To Q. E. at a Maske 1594 66 To pitty 67 Vpon her acknowledging his desert 67 Her answer in the same 68 Vpō her cōmending his verses 69 To a worthy Lord now dead 70 He demands pardō for louing 70 Loue punishable 71 He calls his eares 72 Praise of her eyes 73 Contention of loue 73 That she hath great power ouer his life c. 74 Of his Ladies weeping 75 He paints out his torment 75 His sight teares are bootles 76 Her beauty makes him liue euen in despaire 77 Why her lips yeelds him no comfort 77 Comparison of his heart c 80 That he cānot leaue to loue c 81 He desires leaue to write c 81 That time hath no power to end his loue 82 Of the Moone c 83 That loue only made him a Poet. 84 Desire hath cōquered reuenge 86 To his eies for causing his pain 86 Vpon loues entering by the eare 87. 88 Of his own and his Mistresse sicknesse at one time 89 Another of her sicknesse and recouery 89 Allusion to Thaesus voyage 90 Vpon her secret looking out at a window as he past by 91 To his Mistresse c 92 To the Sunne c. 92 Vpon sending her a Ring c 93 The hearts captiuity 93 For her heart only 94 That his loue kils him with kindnesse 95 She only might cure him c 96 He expresseth his great loue vnto her 96 He wisheth both their hearts euer vnited 97 Loues seuen deadly sins 97 To two most honorable and vertuous Ladies and sisters c. 98 To my Lord the Prince 99 To the Lady Elizabeth c. 99 T Time cannot end or diminish loue 82 The meane estate is best 152 To Pitty 67 Tongue 144 V Vnions Iewell 35 Vranias answere 163 W Writing tables 45 Wit 144 Womens weight in Latine and English 60 Womens hearts and vnconstancy 145 Epithalmion vpon the spousals of W.A. and I.A. He who first did institute holy wedlock Knitting man and woman in happy bedlock Putting on their concupisence a holy fetlock Not to be broken Grant O grant ye grace to loue one another Like a Sister Christian and a brother So make the weaker of you a mother Loues happy token Another of the same Loue is foolery if it be not founded And on heauēly beauty chiefely grounded All deformity from the first sin runneth Al true beauty from our God only cōmeth With loues puritie him then only praise ye That by mercy he to himselfe may raise ye Hee 's the fountaine of all true perfect beauty And best meriteth all harts loue and duty Then send vp to him al your sighs gronings Then poure out to him all your teares and mournings And fixe only on him your ioyes and gladnesse For to ioy in earthly things is madnesse A short Contents of all the sixe Bookes contained In this volume c. The 1. book contayning Poems Deuises begins fol. 1. to folio 62. The 2 book of Sonets Canzonets begins folio 62. to follio 150. The 3. book of Pastorals Elegies begins folio 150. to folio 205. The 4. book of madrigalls Odes begins folio 205. to folio 255. The 5. book of Epigrams Epitaphs begins folio 255. to folio 266. The 6. book of Epistles begins folio 266 to 272. And Epithalmions begins before follio 1. THE FIRST BOOKE OF POEMS AND DEVISES I. POEM YET OTHER TWELVE WONders of the World by Sir Iohn Dauis I. The Courtier LOng haue I liu'd in Court yet learn'd not all this while To sel poore sutors smoke nor where I hate to smile Superiors to adore Inferiors to despise To flye from such as fall to follow such as rise To cloake a poore desire vnder a rich array Not to aspire by vice though t were the quicker way II. The Diuine My calling is Diuine and I from God am sent I will no chop-Church be nor pay my patron rent Nor yeeld to sacriledge but like the kind true mother Rather will loose all the child then part it with another Much wealth I will not seeke nor worldly masters serue So to grow rich far while my poore flock doth sterue III. The Souldier My occupation is the noble trade of Kings The tryall that decides the highest right of things Though Mars my Master be I doe not Venus loue Nor honour Bacchus oft nor often sweare by loue Of speaking of my selfe I all occasion shunne And rather loue to doe then boast what I haue done IIII. The Lawyer The Law my calling is my robe my tongue my pen Wealth and opinion gaine and make me Iudge of men The knowne dishonest cause I neuer did defend Nor spun out sutes in length but wisht and sought an end Nor counsell did bewray nor of both parties take Nor euer tooke I fee for which I neuer spake V. The Physition I study to vphold the slippery state of man Who dies when we haue done the best and all we can From practise and from bookes I draw my learned skill Not from the knowne receipt of Pothecaries bill The earth my faults doth hide the world my cures doth see What youth and time effects is oft ascribde to me VI. The Merchant My trade doth euery thing to euery land supply Discouer vnknowne coasts strange Countries to ally I neuer did forestall I neuer did ingrosse Nor custome did withdraw though I return'd with losse I thriue by faire exchange by selling and by buying And not by Iewish vse reprisall fraud or lying VII The Country Gentleman Though strange outlādish spirits praise towns country scorn The coūtry is my home I dwel where I was born There
wife Widow The widow like a gainfull office voide Maide But maids are like contentment in this life Which al the world haue sought but none enioid Go wife to Dunmow and demaund your flitch Widow Goe gentle maide goe leade the Apes in hell Wife Goe widow make some younger brother rich And then take thought and die and all is well Alas poore maid that hast no help nor stay Widow Alas poore wife that nothing dost possesse Maid Alas poore widdow charitie doth say Pittie the widdow and the fatherlesse Widow But happy widdowes haue the world at will But happier wiues whose ioyes are euer double Maide But happiest maids whose hearts are calme still Whom feare nor hope nor loue nor hate doth trouble Wife Euery true wife hath an indented heart Wherein the couenants of loue are writ Whereof her husband keepes the counterpart And reades his comforts and his ioyes in it Widow But euery widdowes heart is like a booke VVhere her ioyes pastimprinted doe remaine But when her iudgements eye therein doth looke She doth not wish they were to come againe Maide But the maids heart a faire white table is Spotlesse and pure where no impressions be But the immortall Caracters of blisse Which onely God doth write and Angels see Wife But wiues haue children what a ioy is this Widow Widows haue children too but maids haue none Maid No more haue Angels yet they haue more blisse Then euer yet to mortall man was knowne Wife The wife is like a faire manured field Widow The widow once was such but now doth rest Maid The maide like Paradice vndrest vntil'd Beares crops of natiue vertue in her breast Wife Who would not dye a wife as Lucrece died Widow Or liue a widdow as Penelope Maide Or be a maide and so be stellified As all the vertues and the graces be Wife Wiues are warme Climates well inhabited But maids are frozen zones where none may dwel Maide But fairest people in the North are bred Where Africa breeds Monsters blacke as hell Wife I haue my husbands honour and his place Widow My husbands fortunes all suruiue to me Maid The moone doth borrow light you borrow grace VVhen maids by their owne vertues graced be VVhite is my colour and no hew but this It will receiue no tincture can it staine Wife My white hath tooke one colour but it is An honourable purple dyed in graine Widow But it hath beene my fortune to renue My colour twice from that it was before But now my blacke will take no other hue And therefore now I meane to change no more Wife VViues are faire Apples seru'd in golden dishes Widow widows good wine which time maks better much Maide But Maids are grapes desired by many wishes But that they grow so high as none can touch Wife I haue a daughter equals you my girle Maid The daughter doth excell the mother then As pearles are better then the mother of pearle Maids loose their value whē they match with mē Widow The man with whō I matcht his worth was such As now I scorne a maide should be my peare Maide But I will scorne the man you praise so much For maids are matchlesse and no mate can beare Hence is it that the virgine neuer loues Because her like she finds not any where For likenesse euermore affection moues Therefore the maide hath neither loue nor peere VVife Yet many virgins married wiues would be VVid. And many a wife would be a widdow faine Maide There is no widdow but desires to see If so she might her maiden daies againe VVife There neuer was a wife that lik'd her lot VVidow Nor widdow but was clad in mourning weeds Maid Doe what you will marry or marry not Both this estate and that repentance breedes VVife But she that this estate and that hath seene Doth find great ods betweene the wife and girls Maide Indeed she doth as much as is betweene The melting haylestone and the solid pearle Wife If I were Widdow my merry dayes were past widow Nay then you first become sweete pleasures guest For mayden-head is a continuall fast And marriage is a continuall feast Maid Wedlock indeed hath oft compared bin To publike Feasts where meete a publike rout Where they that are without would faine go in And they that are within would faine go out Or to the Iewell which this vertue had That men were mad till they might it obtaine But when they had it they were twise as mad Till they were dispossest of it againe Wife Maids cannot iudge because they cannot tell What comforts and what ioyes in marriage be Maid Yes yes though blessed Saints in heauen do dwell They doe the soules in Purgatory see widow If euery wife do liue in Purgatory Then sure it is that Widdowes liue in blisse And are translated to a state of glory But Maids as yet haue not attain'd to this Maid Not Maids To spotlesse maids this gift is giuen To liue in incorruption from their birth And what is that but to inherit heauen Euen while they dwell vpon the spotted earth The perfectest of all created things The purest gold that suffers no allay The sweetest flower that on th' earths bosome springs The pearle vnbord whose price no price can pay The Christall Glasse that will no venome hold The mirror wherein Angels loue to looke Dianaes bathing Fountaine cleere and cold Beauties fresh Rose and vertues liuing booke Of loue and fortune both the Mistresse borne The soueraigne spirit that will be thrall to none The spotlesse garment that was neuer worne The Princely Eagle that still flyes alone She sees the world yet her cleere thought doth take No such deepe print as to be chang'd thereby As when we see the burning fire doth make No such impression as doth burne the eye Wife No more sweete maid our strife is at an end Cease now I feare we shall transformed be To chattering Pies as they that did contend To match the Muses in their harmony Widow Then let vs yeeld the honour and the place And let vs both be sutors to the maid That since the Goddesse giues her speciall grace By her cleere hands the offring be conuaide Maid Your speech I doubt hath some displeasure mou'd Yet let me haue the offring I will see I know she hath both wiues and widdowes lou'd Though she would neither wife nor widdow be III. POEM A Fiction how Cupid made a Nymph wound her selfe with his Arrowes IT chan'st of late a Shepheards swaine That went to seeke a strayed sheepe Within a thicket on the plaine Espide a dainty Nymph asleepe Her golden haire ore-spred her face Her carelesse armes abroad were cast Her Quiuer had her pillowes place Her brest lay bare to euery blast The shepheard stood and gaz'd his fill Nought durst he doe nought durst he say When chance or else perhaps his will Did guide the God of loue that way The crafty Boy that sees her sleepe Whom if she wak't he
Alexander after came Their third King Alexander who did marry Another Margaret daughter of our third Harry From them two did another Margaret spring Who by Norwaies Prince a fourth Margret had Scots infant Queene whom first Edward our King To haue married to his Sonne would haue beene glad So Scotlands Peares would too her death said nay Which onely this great vnion then did stay Though that most noble and victorious king This naturall vnion could not then aduance Another he as great t' effect did bring When he his sonne married to th' heire of France Isbell by whom since all our Kings haue claimed The crowne of France which some of thē haue gained Though this our second Edward did preuent That he from Scotland did not take his wife His daughter Iane performed his intent With second Dauid spending there her life He did the child of second Edward marry As third Alexander did of our third Harry Without issue they dyed then Margery Their first King Roberts daughter Bruse by name Scots Queene by birth must needs remembred be By whom Lord Stewart did encrease his fame From them second Robert Iames Stewart from him Third Robert nam'd whence first Iames did begin A valiant Prince who spent his youthfull prime In martiall deeds with our fift Henry in France To whom our sixt King Henry in his time Iane our third Edwards grandchild did aduance In marriage she of Henry Bewford sprong Somersets Earle was vertuous faire and yong Fifth Margaret Richmonds Countes forth did bring Our seuenth Henry who one diuision ended With Eliza heire of our fourh Edward King From both whom great'st Margaret of all descended From whom fourth Iames fift Iames Scottish king And from him Mary Scots last Queene did spring Fourth Iames being dead Margret did Douglas marry They a daughter Margret had Earle Lyneux wife Whose sonne Lord Darnley married their last Mary Of whom comes Charles Iames finisher of strife Who with Anne makes vnion by the childlesse death Of our Queenes Mary and Elizabeth The rarest pearles and richest Margarits all VVhich euer did in any Iewell stand The rarest Iewell too and most Angelicall Almost made vp by God and Natures hand By men to be finisht to this Isle sent Then to be worne for her best ornament XVII POEM Or Panegyricke to my Soueraigne Lord the King GReat King since first this I le by Ioues owne hand Was set apart within great Oceans armes And was appointed by her selfe to stand Fenc't round about with rockes from forren harmes She into sundry parts hath oft beene torne And greatest wounds by her owne blowes hath borne But all the fractions now which man did make Since it in one whole number nature gaue Are added vp and brought to one great stake And being all sum'de vp one totall haue For Brittaine now to all the diuidend In one whole quotient all doth comprehend For thou the Monarch of this westerne I le Now all her shiuered parts hast brought together Spreading thy Empires wings eight hundred mile In length and foure in breadth there staying neither But ore old Oceans breast thy arme doth stretch Through Ireland making it to India reach To Iuda thou the Tribes hast brought againe Which by themselues did in Samaria dwell Iordane by thee whose streame did runne amaine Is now dride vp that euery Tribe may well To other go thou hast broke downe the wall Which Adrian made and which we Picticke call Thou vertues Orbe where Fame is still ascendent And neuer can her highest auge attaine Conqueror of all hearts all flattries transcendent Who hold'st it losse to take to giue great gaine Of bountious deeds the euer-running spring To many wealth to all dost gladnesse bring The Muses dearling who with golden Pen And silu'red tongue thy princely mind canst tell In whom learning a Princes richest Iemme Both humane and diuine abounding dwell The great contriuer of this triple I le To one Imperiall Diadem and stile The royall product of the princely Doue Which Englands Noah from peaces Arke sent forth After warres deluge who Oliue branch of loue Dost bring with thee in thy returne from North How ioyfully did Brittaine reach her hand To take thee in t ' the Arke of this her land With great Eliza glory of her owne Wonder of future times true Churches nurse The ancient faiths reuiuer on whom were shewne Heauens blessings all mens prayers no mans curse Fortunes fauours natures wealth Gods high grace The Muses lodge all vertues dwelling place Our Sunne did set with great Elizabeth Before night thou a new day-light didst bring Our summers peace did close at her cold death VVithout warres winter thou renewd'st our spring All our liues ioyes with her dead seem'd to be Before intombde they were reuiude by thee Center of royall births in whom do meete Lines drawne from all the noble Conquerors blood VVhich euer in any part with warlike feete Of this great Iles circumference haue stood With thy faire Queene a sea whither do runne Streames of all royall blood of Christendome Both royall plants whence princely branches spring Whereon grow our best fruits of hope and ioy Great off-springs both of many a Noble King An antidote sh ' against this lands annoy In whose milde lookes hath princely maiestie A marriage made with modest courtesie She vertues booke bound in a golden couer Wherein nature hath writ with Gods owne quill All beauties learning where thou her true louer Maist reade sweete lectures of delight at will And on the frame of whose diuinest feature All graces shine that can be in a creature Sprung of a double knit to a triple King Late quadruple the holy number Three Gratefull to God did seeme more apt to bring Peace to this Land with loue and vnity Plant royall set by Iuno in this land Whose ancestors by Mars heere once did stand Sacred beauty makes seeme angelicall Thee heauenly wisedome to the starrs do raise Minerua her Apollo thee do call Their dearlings both truest theames of all our praise Together liue and loue and long do raigne To our to your to Gods ioy blisse and gaine Heere endeth the Poems I. DEVICE A Lottery presented before the late Queenes Maiesty at the Lord Chancelors house 1601. A Marriner with a Boxe vnder his arme contayning all the seuerall things following supposed to come from the Carrick came into the Presence singing this Song CYnthia Queene of Seas and Lands That fortune euery where commands Sent forth fortune to the Sea To try her fortune euery way There did I fortune meet which makes me now to sing There is no fishing to the Sea nor seruice to the King All the Nymphs of Thetis traine Did Cinthias fortunes entertaine Many a Iewell many a Iem Was to her fortune brought by them Her fortune sped so well as makes me now to sing There is no fishing to the Sea nor seruice to the King Fortune that it might be seene That she did serue a
you in you I liue no more Your heart a Seruant new mine a new Saint enioyeth My sight offēds your eies mine eies your sight annoieth Since you held me in scorne by you I set no store Yet if dead Loue if your late flames returne If you lament your change count me your sole treasure My loue more fresh shall spring my flame more bright shall burne I le loue none else but you loue you without measure If not vntrue farewell in sand I le sow no graine Nor plant my loue but where loue yeelds me loue againe III. SONET To Mistresse Diana PHoebus of all the Gods I wish to be Not of the world to haue the ouerseeing For of all things in the worlds circuit being One onely thing I alwaies wish to see Not of all hearbs the hidden force to know For ah my wound by herbes cannot be cured Not in the Sky to haue a place assured For my ambition lies on earth below Not to be Prince of the Celestiall quire For I one Nimph prize more then all the Muses Not with his bow to offer Loue abuses For I Loues vassall am and dread his yre But that thy light from mine might borrow'd be And faire Diana might shine vnder me IIII. SONET Dedication of these Rimes to his first Loue. IF my harsh humble stile and rimes ill dressed Arriue not to your worth and beauty glorious My Muses shoulders are with weight oppressed And heau'nly beames are o're my fight victorious If these dimme colours haue your worth expressed Laid by louers hand and not by Art laborious Your Sun-like raies haue my wits haruest blessed Enabled me to make your praise notorious But if alas alas the heauens defend it My lines your eies my loue your heart displeasing Breede hate in you and kill my hope of easing Say with your selfe how can the wretch amend it I wondrous faire he wondrous dearely louing How can his thoughts but make his pen be mouing V. SONET That he cannot hide or dissemble his affection I Bend my wits and beate my weary braine To keepe my in ward griefe from outward show Alas I cannot now t is vaine I know To hide a fire whose flame appeareth plaine I force my will my senses I constraine T' imprison in my heart my secret woe But musing thoughts deepe sighes or teares that flow Discouer what my heart hides all in vaine Yet blame not Deere this vndissembled passion For well may loue within small limits bounded Be wisely maskt in a disguised fashion But he whose heart like mine is throughly wounded Can neuer faine no though he were assured That faining might haue greater grace procured VI. SONET Vpon his absence from her THe fairest eie O eies in blacknesse faire That euer shin'de and the most heauenly face The daintiest smiling the most conquering grace And sweetest breath that ere perfumd the ayre Those cherry lips whose kisse might well repaire A dead mans state that speech did displace All meane desires and all affections base Clogging swift hope and winging dead despaire That snow-white breast and all those faultlesse features Which made her seeme a personage diuine And farre excelling fairest humaine creatures Hath absence banisht from my cursed eine But in my heart as in a mirror cleare All these perfections to my thoughts appeare VII SONET Vpon presenting her with the speech of Grayes-Inne Maske at the Court 1594. consisting of three parts The story of Proteus transformations the wonders of the adamantine Rocke and a speech to her Maiestie WHo in these lines may better claime a part That sing the praises of the maiden Queene Then you faire sweete that onely Soueraigne beene Of the poore kingdome of my faithfull heart Or to whose view should I this speech impart Where th'Adamantine rocks great power is showne But to your conq'ring eyes whose force once knowne Makes euen yron hearts loath then to part Or who of Proteus sundry tranformations May better send you the new-fained Story Then I whose loue vnfain'd felt no mutations Since to be yours I first receiu'd the glory Accept then of these lines though meanely pend So fit for you to take and me to send VIII SONET To Pitie WAke Pitie wake for thou hast slept too long Within the Tygrish heart of that fierce faire Who ruines most where most she should repaire And where she owes most right doth greatest wrong Wake Pittie wake O do no more prolong Thy needfull helpe but quickly here my pray're Quickly alas for otherwise despaire By guilty death will end my guiltlesse wrong Sweete Pittie wake and tell my cruell sweete That if my death her honour might encrease I would lay downe my life at her proud feete And willing dye and dying hold my peace And onely liue and liuing mercy cry Because her glory in my death will die IX SONET Vpon her acknowledging his desart yet reiecting his affection IF loue conioyn'd with worth and great desart Merit like loue in euery noble mind Why then doe I you still so cruell find To whom you do such praise of worth impart And if my deere you speake not from your heart To hainous wrongs you do together bind To seeke with glozing words mine eies to blind And yet with hatefull deeds my loue to thwart To want what one deserues engrieues his paine Because it takes away all selfe accusing And vnder kindest words to make disdaine Is to a vexed soule too much abusing Then if it be false such glosing words refraine If true O then let worth his worth obtaine X. SONET Her answere in the same Romes IF your fond loue want worth and great desart Then blame your selfe that you me cruell find If worth alone moue euery noble mind Why to no worth should I my loue impart And if the lesse to grieue your wounded heart I seeke your dazled eies with words to blind To iust disfauour I great fauour bind With deeds and not with words your loue to thwart The freeing of your mind from selfe accusing By granting your desarts should ease your paine And since loue is your fault t' were some abusing With bitter words t'enuenome much disdaine Then if 't be true all glosing I refraine If false why should not worth worths due obtaine XI SONET Vpon her comming though most vndeseruedly his verses to his first Loue. PRaise you those barren Rimes long since composed Which my great Loue her greater cruelty My constant faith her false vnconstancy My praises stile hero're prais'de worth disclosed O if I lou'd a scornefull Dame so deerely If my wilde yeares did yeeld so firme affection If her Moone-beames short of your Suns perfection Taught my hoarse Muse as you say to sing cleerely How much how much should I loue and adore you Diuinest Creature if you deign'd to loue me What beauty fortune time should euer moue me In these staid yeares to like ought else before you And O! how should my Muse by you inspired Make heauen and earth
tongue nor Pen to me her slaue Remaines whereby her grace may be obtained Yet you my sighs may purchase me reliefe And ye my teares her rockey heart may moue Therefore my sighs sigh in her eare my griefe And in her heart my teares imprint my loue But cease vaine sighs cease cease ye fruitlesse teares Teares cannot pierce her heart no sighs her cares XXII SONET Her beauty makes him liue euen in despaire VVOunded with griefe I weep and sigh and plaine Yet neither plaints nor sighs nor teares do good But all in vaine I striue against the floud Gaining but griefe for griefe and paine for paine Yet though in vaine my teares my cheekes distaine Leauing ingrauen sorrow where they stood And though my sighs consuming vp my bloud For loue deseru'd reape vndeseru'd disdaine And though in vaine I know I beg remorce At your remorcelesse heart more hard then steele Yet such alas such is your beauties force Charming my sence that though this hell I feele Though neither plaints nor sighs nor tears can moue you Yet must I still persist euer to loue you XXIII SONET Why her lips yeeld him no word of comfort OFt do I plaine and she my plaints doth reade Which in black colours do paint forth my woe So that of force she must my sorrow know And know for her disdaine my heart doth bleede And knowledge must of force some pitty breede Which makes me hope she will some fauour show And from her sugred lips much comfort flow Into mine eares my heart with ioy to feede Yet though she reades and reading knowes my griefe And knowledge moues her pitty my distresse Yet do her lips sweete lips take no reliefe Much do I muse but find no cause in this That in her lips her heauenly lips that blisse them Her words loth thence to part stay there to kisse them XXIIII SONET Comparison of his heart to a tempest beaten Ship LIke a Sea tossed Barke with tackling spent And stars obscur'd his watry iournies guide By loud tempestuous winds and raging tide From waue to waue with dreadfull fury sent Fares my poore heart my heart-strings being rent And quite disabled your fierce wrath to bide Since your faire eyes my stars themselues do hide Clowding their light in frownes and discontent For from your frownes do spring my sighs and teares Teares flow like seas and sighs like winds do blow Whose ioyned rage most violently beares My tempest beaten heart from woe to woe And if your eyes shine not that I may shun it On rocke despaire my sighs my teares will rue it XXV SONET That he cannot leaue to loue though commanded HOw can my loue in equity be blamed Still to importune though it ne're obtaine Since though her face and voyce will me refraine Yet by her voyce and face I am inflamed For when alas her face with frownes is framed To kill my loue but to reuiue my paine And when hâ—â—â—â—â—e commands but all in vaine That loue both leaue to be and to be named Her Syren voyce doth such inchantment moue And though she frowne eu'n frownes so louely make her That I of force am forced still to loue Since that I must and yet cannot forsake her My fruitlesse prayers shall cease in vaine to moue her But my deuoted heart ne're cease to loue her XXVI SONET He desires leaue to write of his Loue MVst my deuoted heart desist to loue her Not loue I may but I may not confesse it What harder then loue and yet depresse it Loue most conceal'd doth most it selfe discouer Had I no Pen to shew that I approue her Were I tongue-tide that I might not addresse it In plaints and prayers vnfained to expresse it Yet could I not my deepe affection couer Had I no Pen my very teares would shew it Which write my true affection in my face Were I tongue-tide my sighs would make her know it Which witnesse that I grieue at my disgrace Since then though silent I my loue discouer O let my pen haue leane to say I loue her XXVII SONET That time hath no power to end or diminish his loue TIme wasteth yeeres and months and daies houres Time doth consume fame riches wit and strength Time kils the greenest herbes and sweetest flowers Time weares out youth and beauties pride at length Time maketh euery tree to dye and rot Time turneth oft our pleasure into paine Time causeth wars and wrongs to be forgot Time cleeres the skye that first hung full of raine Time brings to nought the mightiest Princes state Time brings a floud from new resolued snow Time calmes the Sea where tempests roared late Time eares whatsoe're the Moone doth see below Yet shall no time vpon my heart preuaile Nor any time shall make my loue to faile XXVIII SONET Of the Monne LOoke how the pale Queene of the silent night Doth cause the Ocean to attend vpon her And he as long as she is in his sight With his full tide is ready her to honor But when the siluer wagon of the Moone Is mounted vp so high he cannot follow The sea cals home his christall waues to moue And with low ebbe doth manifest his sorrow So you that are the soueraigne of my heart Haue all my ioyes attending on your will My ioyes low ebbing when you doe depart When you returne their tide my heart doth fill So as you come and as you doe depart Ioyes ebbe and flow within my tender heart Three Sonets That loue only made him a Poet and that all sorts of verses both in rime and measure agree with his Lady XXIX SONET SOme men they say are Poets borne by kind And sucke that science from their mothers brest An easie art that comes with so great rest And happy to men so good hap assign'd In some desire of praise enflames the mind To clime with paine Parnassus double crest Some hope of rich rewards hath so possest That gold in Castell sands they seeke to find Me neither nature hath a Poet made Nor loue of glory mou'd to learne the trade Nor thirst of gold perswaded me to write For Natures graces are too fine for me Praise like the Peacock prides her selfe to see Desire of gaine the basest minds delight XXX SONET VVHat mou'd me then say loue for thou canst tell Of thee I learn'd this skill if skill I haue Thou knowst the Muse whose helpe I alwaies craue Is none of those that on Parnassus dwell My Muse is such as doth them all excell They all to her alone their cunning gaue To sing to dance to play to make so braue Thrice threefold graces her alone befell From her do flow the streames that water me Here is the praise if I a Poet be Her only looke both will and skill doth giue What maruell then if I those lawes refuse Which other Poets in their making vse Since by her looks I writ by which I liue XXXI SONET THus am I free from lawes that other
then he That shines at noone in Summer tide Hast giuen me light and powre to see With perfect skill my sight to guide Till now I liu'd as blind as Mole That hides her head in earthly hole I heard the praise of beauties grace Yet deem'd it nought but Poets skill I gaz'd on many a louely face Yet found I none to bind my will Which made me thinke that beauty bright Was noting else but red and white But now thy beames haue clear'd my sight I blush to thinke I was so blind Thy flaming eyes afford me light That beauties blaze each where I find And yet these Dames that shine so bright Are but the shadow of thy light XXX CANZONET Death in loue MIne eies haue spent their teares and now are dry My weary hand will guide my Pen no more My voyce is hoarse and can no longer cry My head hath left no new complaints in store My heart is ouerburd'ned so with paine That sence of griefe doth none therein remaine The teares you see distilling from mine eies My gentle Muse doth shed for this my griefe The plaints you heare are her incessant cries By which she cals in vaine for some reliefe She neuer parted since my griefe begun In her I liue she dead my life were done Then louing Muse depart and let me dye Some brauer youth will sue to thee for grace That may aduance thy glory to the sky And make thee scorne blind fortunes frowning face My heart and head that did thee entertaine Desire and Fortune with despight haue slaine My Lady dares not lodge thee in her brest For feare vnwares she let in loue with thee For well she thinkes some part in thee must rest Of that which so possest each part of me Then good my Muse flie backe to heau'n againe And let me dye to end this endlesse paine XXXI CANZONET Breake heauy heart BReake heauy heart and rid me of this paine This paine that still encreaseth day by day By day with sighes I spend my selfe in vaine In vaine by night with teares I wast away Away I wast with teares by night in vaine Teares sighes by night by day encrease this paine Mine eyes no eyes but fountaines of my teares My teares no teares but floods to moyst my heart My heart no heart but labour of my feares My feares no feares but feelings of my smart My smart my feares my heart my teares mine eies Are blinde dride spent past wasted with my cries And yet mine eies though blind see cause of griefe And yet my teares though dride runne downe amaine And yet my heart though spent attends reliefe And yet my feares though past encrease my paine And yet I liue and liuing feele more smart And smarting cry in vaine breake heauy heart XXXII CANZONET Desires gouernment WHere wit is ouer-ruld by will And will is led by fond desire There reason were as good be still As speaking kindle greater fire For where desire doth beare the sway The heart must rule the head obay What bootes the cunning Pilots skill To tell which way to shape their course When he that steers will haue his will And driue them where he list pe force So reason shewes the truth in vaine Where fond desire as King doth raigne XXXIII CANZONET Loues properties TWixt heat and cold t'wixt death and life I freeze and burne I liue and die Which ioyntly worke in me such strife I liue in death in cold I fry Nor hot nor cold nor liue nor dead Neither and both this life I lead First burning heate sets all on fire Whereby I seeme in flames to fry Then cold despaire kils hot desire That drenched deepe in death I lye Heate driues out cold and keepes my life Cold quencheth heate â—o end of strife The lesse I hope to haue my will The more I feele desire encrease And as desire encreaseth still Despaire to quench it doth not cease So liue I as the Lampe whose light Oft comes oft goes now dim now bright XXXIIII CANZONET Liuing Death IF meanes be none to end my restlesse care If needs I must o'rewhelm'd with sorrow lie What better way this sorrow to declare Then that I dying liue and cannot dye If nought but losse I reape in stead of gaine If lasting paine do euery day encrease To thee good Death alas I must complaine Thou art of force to make my sorrow cease If thou because I thee refusde sometime Now shut thine eares and my request deny Still must I liue and waile in wofull rime That dying still I am and cannot die Spiro non viuo XXXV CANZONET The passionate Prisoner YE walls that shut me vp from sight of men Inclosd wherein aliue I buried lie And thou sometime my bed but now my den Where smothred vp the light of Sunne I flye O shut your selues each chinke and creuisse straine That none but you may heare me thus complaine My hollow cries that beate thy stony side Vouchsafe to heare but beate them backe againe That when my griefe hath speech to me denide Mine eares may heare the witnesse of my paine As for my teares whose streames must euer last My silent couch shall drinke them vp as fast XXXVI CANZONET Hopelesse desire soone withers and dyes THough naked trees seeme dead to sight When Winter winde doth keenely blow Yet if the roote maintaine her right The Spring their hidden life will show But if the roote be dead and dry No maruell though the branches dye While hope did liue within my brest No Winter storme could kill desire But now disdaine hath hope opprest Dead is the roote dead is the spire Hope was the roote and spire was loue No sap beneath no life aboue And as we see the rootlesse stocke Retaine some sap and spring a while Yet quickly pâ—â—â—â— life lesse blocke Because the â—oâ—te doth life beguile Sâ— liues desiâ—â— which hope hath left As twilight shines when Sunne is reft XXXVII CANZONET Naturall comparisons with perfect loue THE lowest trees haue tops the Ant her gall The flye her spleene the little sparkes their heate The slender haires cast shadowes though but small And Bees haue stings although they be not great Sâ—â—s haue their furges so haue shallow springs And loue is loue in Beggars as in Kings Where riuers smoothest run deepe are the fords The Diall stirres yet none perceiues it moue The firmest faith is in the fewest words The Turtles cannot sing and yet they loue True hearts haue eyes and eares no tongues to speake They heare and see and sigh and then they breake XXXVIII CANZONET An answere to the first staffe that loue is vnlike in Beggars and in Kings COmpare the Bramble with the Cedar tree The Pismires anger with the Lyons rage What is the buzzing flye where Eagles be A drop the sparke no Seas can Aetna swage Small is the heate in Beggars breasts that springs But flaming fire consumes the hearts of Kings Who shrouds himselfe where slender haires cast shade
so must I For when of pleasure she doth sing My thoughts enioy a sodaine spring But if she doe of sorrow speake Eu'n from my heart the strings do breake Tho. Campion XLVI CANZONET Vpon his Ladies sickenesse of the Poxâ— CRuell and vnpartiall sickensse Sword of that Arch-Monarke death That subdues all strength by weakenesse Whom all kings pay tribute breath Are not these thy steps I tracke In the pure snow of her face When thou did'st attempt to sacke Her liues fortresse and it race Th'heauenly hony thou didst sucke From her Rose cheeks might suffice Why then didst thou marre and plucke Those deere flowers of rarest price Mean'st thou thy Lord to present With those rich spoiles and adorne Leauing me them to lament And in Inkes black teares thus mourne No I le in my bosome weare them And close lock them in my heart Thence nor time nor death shall beare them Till I from my selfe depart XLVII CANZONET In the grace of wit of tongue and face Her face her tongue her wit so faire so sweet so sharpe First bent theÌ„ drew now hit mine eye mine eare my hart Mine eye mine eare my heart to like to learne to loue Her face hir tong hir wit doth lead doth teach doth moue Her face her tong hir wit with beams with souÌ„d with art Doth blind doth charme doth rule mine eie mine eare Mine eie mine eare my hart with life with hope with skil my heart Her face her tong her wit doth feed doth feast doth fill O face o tong o wit with frowns with checks with smart wring not vex not wouÌ„d not mine eie mine eare my hart This eie this eare this hart shal ioy shal bind shal sweare Your face your tong your wit to serue to loue to feare XLVIII CANZONET An inuectiue against women ARe women faire I wondrous faire to see too Are women sweet Yea passing sweet they be to Most faire and sweete to them that in lye loue them Chast and discreete to all saue those that proue them Are women wise Not wise but they be witty Are women witty Yea the more the pitty They are so witty and in wit so wily That be ye ne're so wise they will beguile ye Are women fooles Not fooles but fondlings many Can women fond be faithfull vnto any When snow-white swans do run to colour sable Then women fond will be both firme and stable Are women Saints No Saints nor yet no diuels Are women good not good but needfull euils So Angel-like that diuels I do not doubt them So needfull ils that few can liue without them Are women proud I passing proud and praise them Are women kind I wondrous kind and please them Or so imperious no man can endure them Or so kind hearted any may procure them Ignote XLIX CANZONET This song was sung before her sacred Maiestie at a shew on horsebacke wherewith the right Honourable the Earle of Cumberland presented her Highnesse on May day last Of loue gift VVHo giues a gift to bind a friend thereby Doth set or put his gift to vsury And he that giues a gift that is not free Giues where he list so that he giue not me For bought and sold is friendship strange Who liues by selling liues by change And he that loues to change his friend Will turne to nothing in the end L. CANZONET The Anatomie of Loue. NOw what is loue I pray thee tell It is that fountaine and that well Where pleasure and repentance dwell It is perhaps that sounding bell That tols all in to heauen or hell And this is loue as I heare tell Now what is Loue I prethee say It is a worke on holy day It is December match'd with May When lusty bloods in fresh array Heare ten months after of their play And this is loue as I heare say Now what is loue I prethee faine It is a sun-shine mixt with raine It is a gentle pleasing paine A flower that dyes and springs againe It is in faith that would full faine And this is loue and not a staine Yet what is loue I prethee say It is a pretty shaddow way As well found out by night as day It is a thing will soone decay Then take the vantage while you may And this is loue as I heare say Now what is loue I prethee show A thing that creepes and cannot goe A prize that passeth too and fro A thing for one a thing for moe And he that proues shall find it so And this is some sweet friend I trow In vaine I liue such sorrow liues in me In vaine liues sorrow since by her I liue Life workes in vaine where death will Master be Death striues in vaine where life doth vertue giue Thus each of vs would worke anothers woe And hurts himselfe in vaine and helpes his foe LI. CANZONET Loue the onely price of loue THe fairest Pearles that Northerne Seas do breed For precious stones from Easterne coasts are sold Nought yeelds the earth that from exchange is freed Gold values all and all things value Gold Where goodnesse wants an equall change to make There greatnesse serues or number place doth take No mo tall thing can beare so high a price But that with mortall thing it may be bought The corne of Sicill buyes the Westerne spice French wine of vs of them our cloth is sought No pearles no gold no stones no corne no spice No cloth no wine of loue can pay the price What thing is loue which nought can counteruaile Nought saue it selfe eu'n such a thing is loue All worldly wealth in worth as farre doth faile As lowest earth doth yeeld to heau'n aboue Diuine is loue and scorneth worldly pelfe And can be bought with nothing but it selfe Such is the price my louing heart would pay Such is the pay thy loue doth claime as due Thy due is loue which I poore I assay In vaine assay to quite with friendship true True is my loue and true shall euer be And truest loue is farre too base for thee Loue but thy selfe and loue thy selfe alone For saue thy selfe none can thy loue requite All mine thou hast but all as good as none My small desart must take a lower flight Yet if thou wilt vouchsafe my heart such blisse Accep it for thy prisoner as it is The end of the second Booke THE THIRD BOOKE OF Pastorals and Eliges Two Pastorals made by Sir Phillip Sidney Vpon his meeting with his two worthy Friends and fellow Poets Sir Edward Dier and M. Fulke Greuill I. PASTORALL IOyne mates in mirth to me Grant pleasure to our meeting Let Pan our good God see How gratefull is our greeting Ioyne hearts and hands so let it be Make but one mind in bodies three Ye Hymnes and singing skill Of God Apolloes giuing Be prest our reeds to fill With sound of musicke liuing Ioyne hearts and hands c. Sweete Orpheus Harpe whose â—â—â—nd The stedfast mountaines moued Let here thy skill abound To
sweet soule the more vnkind To set true loues so light But whereas others beare the Bell As in her fauour blest Her shepheard loueth her as well As those whom she loues best Heard-man A Las poore Pastor I finde Thy loue is lodg'd so high That on thy flock thou hast no mind But feedst a wanton eye If dainty Daphnes lookes besot Thy doating hearts desire Be sure that farre aboue thy lot Thy liking doth aspire To loue so sweet a Nymph as she And looke for loue againe Is fortune fitting high degree Not for a shepheards swaine For she of Lordly lad's becoyd And sought of great estates Her fauour scornes to be enioyd By vs poore lowly Mates Wherefore I warne thee to be wise Go with me to my walke Where lowly Lasses be not nice There like and chuse thy Make. Wher are no pearles nor gold to view No pride of silken sight But peticoats of Scarlet hew Which vaile the skin snow white There truest Lasses been to get For loue and little cost There sweete desire is paid his det And labour seldome lost Shepheard NO heardman no thou ran'st too loud Our trade so vile to hold My weed as great a heart doth shroud As his thats clad in gold And take the truth that I thee tell This song faire Daphne sings That Cupid will be seru'd as well Of Shepheards as of Kings For proofe wherof old books record That Venus Queene of loue Would set aside her warlike Lord And youthfull Pastors proue How Paris was as well belou'd A simple shepheards Boy As after when as he was prou'd King Priams sonne of Troy And therefore haue I better hope Aâ— had those Lads of y'ore 〈◊〉 courage takes as large a scope Although their haps were more Aâ—â— for thou shalt not deeme I lest And beare a mind more base â—o meaner hope shal haunt my brest Then dearest Daphnes grace My mind no other thought retaines Mine eye nought else admires My heart no other passion straines Nor other hap desires My muse of nothing else intreates My Pipe nought else can sound My veines no other feauer heates Such faith 's in shepheards sound Heardman AH sh pheard then I see with griefe thy can is past all cure No remedy for thy reliefe But patiently endure Thy wonted liberty is fled Fond fancy breeds thy bane Thy sense of folly brought a bed Thy wit is in thy wane I am but â—orrow for thy sake Since loue lulls thee asleepe And whilst out of thy dreame thou wake God shield thy straying sheep Thy wretched flock may rue and curse This proud desire of thine Whose wofull state from bad to worse Thy carelesse eye will pine And euen as they thy selfe likewise With them shall weare and waste To see the spring before thine eyes Thou thirsty canst not tast Content thee therefore with conceit Where others gaine the grace And thinke thy fortune at the height To see but Daphnes face Although thy truth deserued well Reward aboue the rest Thy haps shall be but meanes to tell How other men are blest So gentle shepheard farewell now Be warned by my reed For I see written in thy brow Thy heart for loue doth bleede Yet longer with thee would I stay If ought would doe thee good But nothing can the heare allay Where loue enflames the blood Shepheard THen HeardmaÌ„ since it is my lot And my good liking such Striue not to breake the faithful knot that thinks no paine too much For what contents my Daphnes best I neuer will despise So she but wish my soule good rest When death shall close mine eyes Then Heardman farewel once again For now the day is fled So might thy cares poore shepheards Swaine Flye from thy carefull head X. PASTORALL The beginning and end of this Eglogue are wanting Concerning old Age. Perin FOr when thou art not as thou wont of yo 're No cause why life should please thee any more Whilome I was in course of former yeeres Ere freezing Eld had coold my youthfull rage Of mickle worth among my shepheards peeres Now for I am some dele ' y stept in age For pleasance strength and beauty gins asswae Each little heard-groome laughs my wrinckled face Each bonny lasse for Cuddy shuns the place For all this woe none can me iustly twight But hatefull Eld the foe to pleasant rest Which like a thiefe doth rob vs of delight Wrenocke Perin enough few words be alwayes best Needs must be borne that cannot be redrest Selfe am I as thou seest in thilke estate The griefe is eath to beare that haz a mate But sicker for to speake the truh indeede Thou seemst to blame that blamelesse seemes to me And hurtlesse Eld to sneb ill mought he speed That slaies the Dog for Wolues so wicked be The faults of men thou laist on age I see For which if Eld werein it selfe to blame Then I and all my Peeres should taste the same Perin Wrenock I weene thou doat'st through rusty Eld And think'st with fained words to bleere mine eye Thou for thy store art euer blessefull held Thy heapes of gold nill let thee sorrow spie Thy flocks full safe heere vnder shade do lie Thy weanelings fat thine ewes with bladder blowne A iollier shepheard haue we seldome knowne Wrenocke For thilke my store great Pan y'herried be But if for thee mine age with ioy I beare How falls it that thy selfe vnlike to me Art vexed so with griefe and bootlesse feare Thy store will let thee sleepe on either eare But neither want makes age to wisemen hard Nor fooles by wealth from grieuous paines are bar'd Perin Seest not how free yond' Lambkin skips and playes And wags his taile and buts with tender head All for he feeles the heate of youngthly dayes Which secret law of kind hath inly bred Thilke Ewe from whom all ioy with youth is fled See how it hangs the head as it would weepe Whilome it skipt vneaths now may it creepe Wrenocke No fellowship hath state of beasts with man In them is nought but strength of lim and bone Which ends with age as it with age began But man they say'ne as other creature none Hath vncouth fire conuai'd from heauen by one His name I wist that yeelds him inward light Sike fire as Welkin shewes in winter night Which neither age nor time can weare away Which waxeth bett ' for vse as Shepheards crooke That euer shineth brighter day by day Also though wrinckled seemes the aged looke Bright shines the fire that from the stars we tooke And sooth to say thilke Ewe laments the paine That thilke same wanton Lambe is like sustaine Perin Ah Thenot be not all thy teeth on edge To see yongths folke to sport in pastimes gay To pitch the Barre to throw the weighty sledge To dance with Phillis all the holy-day To hunt by day the Foxe by night the Gray Sike peerelesse pleasures wont vs for to queame Now lig we laid as drown'd in heauy