moue a world I dumbe remain'd Son 5. NO wonder though that this my blisse dismaies Whilst rendred vp to neuer-pleas'd desires I burne and yet must couer cursed fires Whose flame it selfe against my will bewrayes Sometimes my faire to launce my wound assayes And with th' occasion as it seemes conspires And indirectly oft my state inquires Which I would hide whilst it it selfe betrayes If that a guiltie gesture did disclose The hideous horrors that my soule contain'd Or wandring words deriu'd from inward woes Did tell my state their treason I disdain'd And I could wish to be but as I am If that she knew how I conceale the same Sonet 6. HVge hosts of thoughts imbattled in my brest Are euer busied with intestine warres And like to Cadmus earth-borne troupes at iarres Haue spoil'd my soule of peace themselues of rest Thus forc'd to reape such seed as I haue sowne I hauing interest in this doubtfull strife Hope much feare more doubt most vnhappie life What euer side preuaile I 'm still orethrowne O neither life nor death ô both but bad Imparadiz'd whiles in mine owne conceit My fancies straight againe imbroyle my state And in a moment make me glad and sad Thus neither yeelding quite to this nor that I liue I die I do I wot not what Son 7. A Flame of loue that glaunceth in those eyes Where maiestie with sweetnesse mixt remaines Doth poure so sweet a poyson in the veines That who them viewes straight wounded wondring dyes But yet who would not looke on those cleare skies And loue to perish with so pleasant paines While as those lights of loue hide beauties traine With iuorie Orbes where still two starres arise When as those christall Comets whiles appeare Eye-rauish'd I go gazing on their rayes Whilst they enrich'd with many princely prayes Ore hosts of hearts triumphing still retire Those planets when they shine in their owne kinds Do boast t' orethrow whole monarchies of minds Son 8. AH what disastrous fortune haue I had Lo still in league with all that may annoy And entred in enimitie with Ioy I entertaine all things that make me sad With many miseries almost gone mad To purchase paines I all my paines employ And vse all meanes my selfe for to destroy The tenour of my starre hath bene so bad And though my state a thousand times were worse As it is else past bounds of all beleefe Yet all Pandora's plagues could not haue force To aggrauate the burthen of my griefe Th' Occasion might moue mountaines to remorce I hate all helpe and hope for no releefe Son 9. ALthough that words chain'd with affection faile As that which makes me burst abasht t' vnfold Yet Lines dumbe Orators ye may be bold Th'inke will not blush though paper doth looke pale Ye of my state the secrets did containe That then through clouds of darke inuentions shin'd Whilst I disclos'd yet not disclos'd my mind Obscure to others but to one ore plaine And yet that one did whiles as th' end may proue Not marke not vnderstand or else despise That though misterious language of mine eyes Which might haue bene interpreted by loue Thus she what I discouered yet conceal'd Knowes and not knowes both hid and both reueal'd Elegie 1. EVen as the dying Swan almost bereft of breath Sounds dolefull notes and drearie songs a presage of her death So since my date of life almost expir'd I find My obsequies I sadly sing as sorrow tunes my mind And as the rarest Bird a pile of wood doth frame Which being fir'd by Phoebus rayes she fals into the flame So by two sunnie eyes I giue my fancies fire And burne my selfe with beauties raies euen by mine owne desire Thus th' angry Gods atlength begin for to relent And once to end my deathfull life for pitie are content For if th' infernall powers the damned souls would pine Then let thē send them to the light to leade a life like mine O if I could recount the crosses and the cares That frō my cradle to my Beare conduct me with despairs Then hungrie Tantalus pleas'd with his lot would stand I famish for a sweeter food which still is rest my hand Like Ixions restlesse wheele my fancies rowle about And like his guest that stole heau'ns fires they teare my bowels out I worke an endles task and loose my labor still Euen as the bloudie sisters do that emptie as they fill As Sisiph's stone returnes his guiltie ghost t' appall I euer raise my hopes so high they bruise me with their fall And if I could in summe my seuerall griefes relate All would forget their proper harms only waile my state So grieuous is my paine so painfull is my griefe That death which doth the world affright wold yeeld to me releefe I haue mishaps so long as in a habit had I thinke I looke not like my selfe but when that I am sad As birds flie but in th' aire fishes in seas do diue So sorrow is as th' Element by which I onely liue Yet this may be admir'd as more then strange in me Although in all my Horoscope not one cleare point I see Against my knowledge yet I many a time rebell And seeke to gather grounds of hope a heau'n amidst a hell O poyson of the mind that doest the wits bereaue And shrouded with a cloke of loue dost al the world deceiue Thou art the rocke on which my comforts ship did dash It 's thou that daily in my wounds thy hooked heades dost wash Blind Tyrant it is thou by whom my hopes lye dead That whiles throwes forth a dart of gold whiles a lumpe of lead Thus oft thou woundest two but in two diffrent states Which through a strange antipathy th' one loues th' other hates O but I erre I grant I should not thee vpbraid It 's I to passions tyrrannie that haue my selfe betraid And yet this cannot be my iudgements aymes amisse Ah deare Aurora it is thou that ruin'd hast my blisse A fault that by thy sexe may partly be excus'd Which stil doth loath what proferd is affects what is refus'd Whilst my distracted thoughts I striu'd for to controule And with fain'd gestures did disguise the anguish of my soule Then with inuiting lookes and accents stampt with loue The mask that was vpon my mind thou labordst to remoue And when that once ensnar'd thou in those nets me spide Thy smiles were shadowd with disdaines thy beauties clothd with pride To reattaine thy grace I wot not how to go Shall I once fold before thy feete to pleade for fauour so No no I le proudly go my wrath for to asswage And liberally at last enlarge the raines vnto my rage I le tell what we were once our chast yet feruent loues Whilst in effect thou seem'd t' affect that which thou didst disproue Whilst once t'engraue thy name vpon a rock I sat Thou vow'd to write mine in a mind more firme by far then that The marble stone
my bloud and saith I wrong her farre Thus ruthlesse tyrants that are bent to kill Of all occasions procreate a cause How can she hate me now this makes me pause When yet I cannot but commend her still For this her fault comes of a modest mind Where fond ambition made the goddesse blind Sonet 24. A Countrie Swaine while as he lay at rest Neare dead for cold a serpent did perceiue And through preposterous pitie straight would saue That vipers life whose death had bene his best For being by his bosomes heate reuiu'd O vile ingratitude a monstrous thing Not thinking how he strengthned had her sting She kild the courteous Clowne by whom she liu'd I in this maner harbour'd in my hart A speechlesse picture destitute of force And lo attracted with a vaine remorce I gaue it life and fostred it with art But like that poisnous viper being strong She burn'd the brest where she had lodg'd so long Son 25. CLeare mouing cristall pure as the Sunne beames Which had the honor for to be the glasse Of the most daintie beautie euer was And with her shadow did inrich thy streames Thy treasures now cannot be bought for monie Whilst she dranke thee thou drank'st thy fill of loue And of those roses didst the sweetnes proue From which the Bees of loue do gather honie Th'ambrosian liquor that he fils aboue Whom th' Eagle rauish'd from th' inferior round It is not like this Nectar though renown'd Which thou didst tast whilst she her lips did moue But yet beware lest burning with desires That all thy waters cannot quench thy fires Son 26. I Le giue thee leaue my loue in beauties field To reare red colours whiles and bend thine eyes Those that are bashfull still I quite despise Such simple soules are too soone mou'd to yeeld Let maiestie arm'd in thy count'nance sit As that which will no iniurie receiue And I le not hate thee whiles although thou haue A sparke of pride so it be rul'd by wit This is to chastitie a powerfull guard VVhilst haughtie thoughts all seruile things eschue That sparke hath power the passions to subdue And would of glorie chalenge a reward But do not fall in loue with thine owne selfe Narcissus earst was lost on such a shelfe Son 27. THe thoughts of those I cannot but disproue VVho basely lost their thraldome must bemone I scorne to yeeld my selfe to such a one VVhose birth and virtue is not worth my loue No since it is my fortune to be thrall I must be fettred with a golden band And if I die I le die by Hectors hand So may the victors fame excuse my fall And if by any meanes I must be blind Then it shall be by gazing on the Sunne Oft by those meanes the greatest haue bene wonne Who must like best of such a generous mind At least by this I haue allow'd of fame Much honour if I winne if lose no shame Son 28. THen whilst that Lathmos did containe her blisse Chast Phoebe left her Church so much admir'd And when her brother from that bounds retir'd Would of the sleepie shepheard steale a kisse But to no greater grace I craue to clime Then of my goddesse whiles whilst she reposes That I might kisse the stil-selfekissing roses And steale of her that which was stolne of him And though I know that this would onely proue A maim'd delight whereof th' one halfe would want Yet whil'st the light did Morpheus power supplant If that my theft did her displeasure moue I render would all that I rob'd againe And for each kisse I take would giue her twaine Son 29. I Enuie not Endimion now no more Nor all the happinesse his sleepe did yeeld While as Diana straying through the field Suck'd from his sleep-seal'd lippes balme for her sore Whil'st I embrac'd the shadow of my death I dreaming did farre greater pleasure proue And quaff'd with Cupid sugred draughts of loue Then Ioue-like feeding on a Nectar'd breath Now iudge which of vs two might be most prowd He got a kisse yet not enioy'd it right And I got none yet tasted that delight Which Venus on Adonis once bestow'd He onely got the bodie of a kisse And I the soule of it which he did misse Son 30. ASpiring Sprite flie low yet flie despaire Thy haughtie thoughts the heau'nly powers despise Thus ballanc'd lo betwixt the earth and th' aire I wot not whether for to fall or rise Through desperate dangers whiles I scale the skies As if that nought my courage could restraine When lo anon downe in the Center lies That restlesse mind which th'heau'ns did once containe I toyle for that which I cannot attaine Yet fortune nought but ficklenesse affoords Where I haue bene I hope to be againe She once must change her common course records Although my hap be hard my heart is hie And it must mount or else my bodie die Elegie 2. LEt not the world beleeue th' accusing of my fate Tends to allure it to condole with me my tragick state Nor that I haue sent foorth these stormie teares of rage So by disburd'ning of my brest my sorrowes to asswage No no that serues for nought I craue no such reliefe Nor will I yeeld that any should be partners of my griefe My fantasie to feed I only spend those teares My plaints please me no musicke sounds so sweetly in my eares I wish that from my birth I had acquainted bene Still with mishaps and neuer had but woes and horrors seene Then ignorant of Ioyes lamenting as I do As thinking all men did the like I might content me too But ah my fate was worse for it as in a glasse Shâ—w'd me through litle blinkes of blisse the stare wherin I was Which vnperfected ioyes scarce constant for an houre Were like but to a watrie Sunne that shines before a shoure For if I euer thought or rather dream'd of Ioyes That litle lightning but foreshew'd a thunder of annoyes It was but like the fruit that Tantalus torments Which while he sees nought attains his hunger but augmeÌ„ts For so the shadow of that but imagin'd mirth Cal'd all the crosses to record I suffer'd since my birth Which are to be bewail'd but hard to be redrest Whose strange effects may well be felt but cannot be exprest Iudge what the feeling was when thinking on things past I tremble at the torment yet and stand a time agast Yet do I not repent but will with patience pine For though I mourne I murmure not like men that do repine I graunt I waile my lot yet I approue her will What my soules oracle thinkes good I neuer shall thinke ill If I had onely sought a salue to ease my paines Long since I had bewail'd my lot alongst th' Elysian plaines Yet mind I not in this selfe-louer-like to die As one that car'd not for her losse so I my selfe were free No may ten nights annoyes make her one night secure A day of
hart Son 80. WHen Loue spide death like to triumph ore me That had bene such a pillar of his throne And that all AEsculapius hopes were gone Whose drugs had not the force to set me free He labour'd to reduce the Fates decree And thus bespake the tyrant that spares none Thou that wast neuer mou'd with worldlings mone To saue this man for my request agree And I protest that he shall dearely buy The short prolonging of a wretched life For it shall be inuolu'd in such a strife That he shall neuer liue but euer die O what a cruell kindnesse Cupid crau'd Who for to kill me oft my life once sau'd Son 81. OFt haue I vow'd of none t' attend releefe Whose ardour was not equall vnto mine And in whose face there did not clearely shine The very image of my inward greefe But so the dest'nies do my thoughts dispose I wot not what a fatall force ordaines That I abase my selfe to beare disdaines And honour one that ruines my repose Oft haue I vow'd no more to be orethrowne But still retaining my affections free To fancie none but them that fancied me But now I see my will is not mine owne Then ah may you bewitch my iudgement so That I must loue although my heart say no! Son 82. I Rage to see some in the scroules of fame Whose louers wits more rare then their deserts Do make them prais'd for many gallant parts The which doth make themselues to blush for shame Where thou whom euen thine enemies cannot blame Though famous in the center of all hearts Yet to the world thy worth no pen imparts Which iustly might those wrong-spent praises claime But what vaine pen so fondly durst aspire To paint that worth which soares aboue each wit Which hardly highest apprehensions hit Not to be told but thought of with desire For where the subiect doth surmount the sence We best by silence shew a great pretence Song 8. I would thy beauties wonders show Which none can tell yet all do know Thou borrowes nought to moue delight Thy beauties Deare are all perfite And at the head I le first begin Most rich without more rich within Within a place Minerua claimes Without Apollo's golden beames Whose smiling waues those seas may scorne Where Beauties goddesse earst was borne And yet do boast a world with death If toss'd with gales of thy sweet breath I for two crescents take thy browes Or rather for two bended bowes Whose archer loue whose white mens harts Thy frownes no smiles smiles are thy darts Which to my ruine euer bent Are oft discharg'd but neuer spent Thy sunnes I dare not say thine eyes Which oft do set and oft do rise Whilst in thy faces heau'n they moue Giue light to all the world of loue And yet do whiles defraud our sight Whil'st two white clouds eclipse their light The laborinthes of thine eares VVhere Beautie both her colours reares Are lawne laid on a scarlet ground Whereas Loues ecchoes euer sound Thy cheekes strawberries dipt in milke As white as snow as soft as silke Gardens of lillies and of roses Where Cupid still himselfe reposes And on their daintie rounds he sits When he would charme the rarest wits Those swelling vales which beautie owes Are parted with a dike of snowes The line that still is stretch'd out euen And doth deuide thy faces heauen It hath the prospect of those lippes From which no word vnballanc'd slippes There is a grot by Nature fram'd Which Art to follow is asham'd All those whom fame for rare giues foorth Compar'd with this are litle woorth T' is all with pearles and rubies set But I the best almost forget There do the gods as I haue tride Their Ambrosie and Nectar hide The daintie pot that 's in thy chin Makes many a heart for to fall in Whereas they boyle with pleasant fires Whose fuell is enflam'd Desires T' is eminent in Beauties field As that which threatens all to yeeld T'vphold those treasures vndefac'd There is an yuorie pillar plac'd Which like to Maias sonne doth proue For to beare vp this world of loue In it some branched veines arise As th' azure pure would braue the skies I see whiles as I downward moue Two litle globes two worlds of loue Which vndiscouer'd vndistressed Were neuer with no burden pressed Nor will for Lord acknowledge none To be enstal'd in Beauties throne As barren yet so were they bare O happie he that might dwell there And now my Muse we must make hast To it that 's iustly cal'd the wast That wasts my heart with hopes and feares My breath with sighes mine eyes with teares Yet I to it for all those harmes Would make a girdle of mine armes There is below which no man knowes A mountaine made of naked snowes Amidst the which is Loues great seale To which for helpe I oft appeale And if by it my right were past I should brooke beautie still at last But ah my Muse will lose the Crowne I dare not go no further downe Which doth discourage me so much That I no other thing will touch No not those litle daintie feet Which Thetis staine for Venus meet Thus wading through the depths of Beautie I would haue faine discharg'd my dutie Yet doth thy worth so passe my skill That I shew nothing but good will Son 83. THat fault on me my Faire no further vrge Nor wrest it not vnto a crooked sence The punishment else paffeth the offence This fault was in it selfe too great a scourge Since I behoou'd to giue th' occasion place And could not haue the meanes to visite thee Could there haue come a greater crosse to me Then so to be sequestred from thy face And yet I thinke that fortune for my rest Though for the time it did turmoile my mind Admit she be as many call her blind Did for the time then stumble on the best To looke vpon thine eyes had I presum'd I might haue rested by their rayes consum'd Son 84. AH thou my Loue wilt lose thy selfe at last VVho can to match thy selfe with none agree Thou ow'st thy father Nephewes and to me A recompence for all my passions past Ah why should'st thou thy beauties treasure wast VVhich will begin for to decay I see Earst Daphne did become a barren tree Because she was not halfe so wise as chast And all the fairest things do soonest fade VVhich O I feare thou with repentance trie The roses blasted are the lillies dye And all do languish in the sommers shade Yet will I grieue to see those flowers fall downe VVhich for my temples should haue fram'd a crowne Son 85. SOme yet not borne surueying lines of mine Shall enuie with a sigh the eyes that view'd Those beauties with my bloud so oft imbrude The which by me in many a part do shine Those reliques then of this turmoil'd engine VVhich for thy fauour haue so long pursude Then after death will make my fortune rued And thee
despited that didst make me pine Ah that thou should'st to wracke so many hearts Exceed in all excellencies but loue That maske of rigour from thy mind remoue And then thou art accomplish'd in all parts Then shall thy fame ore all vntainted flie Thou in my lines and I shall liue in thee Song 9. O Happie Tithon if thou know'st thy hap And value thy wealth but as I do my want Then need'st thou not which ah I grieue to grant Repine at Ioue lull'd in his lemmans lap That golden shower in which he did repose One dewie drop it staines VVhich thy Aurora raines Vpon the rurall plaines VVhen from thy bed she passionatly goes Then wakened with the musicke of the Mearles She not remembers Memnon when she mournes That faithfull flame which in her bosome burnes From christall conduits throwes those liquide pearles Sad from thy sight so soone to be remou'd She so her griefe delates O fauor'd by the fates Aboue the happiest states Who art of one so worthie well belou'd This is not she that onely shines by night No borrow'd beame doth beautifie thy Faire But this is she whose beauties more then rare Come crown'd with roses to restore the light When Phoebe pitch'd her pitchie pauilion out The world with weeping told How happie it would hold It selfe but to behold The azure pale that compas'd her about Whil'st like a palide half-imprison'd rose Whose naked white doth but to blush begin A litle scarlet deckes the yuorie skinne Which still doth glance transparent as she goes The beamie god comes burning with desire And when he finds her gone With many a grieuous grone Enrag'd remounts anone And threatneth all our Hemi-sphaere with fire Lift vp thine eyes and but behold thy blisse Th'heau'ns raine their riches on thee whil'st thou sleep'st Thinke what a matchlesse treasure that thou keep'st When thou hast all that any else can wish Those Sunnes which daily dazle thy dim eyes Might with one beame or so Which thou mightst well forgo Straight banish all my wo And make me all the world for to despise But Sun-parch'd people loath the precious stones And through abundance vilifie the gold All dis-esteeme the treasures that they hold And thinke not things possest as they thought once Who surfet oft on such excessiue ioyes Can neuer pleasure prize But building on the skies All present things despise And like their treasure lesse then others toyes I enuie not thy blisse so heau'n hath doom'd And yet I cannot but lament mine owne Whose hopes hard at the haruest were orethrowne And blisse halfe ripe with frosts of feare consum'd Faire blossomes which of fairer fruites did boast Were blasted in the flowers With eye-exacted showers Whose sweet-supposed sowers Of preconceited pleasures grieu'd me most And what a griefe is this as chance effects To see the rarest beauties worst bestow'd Ah why should halting Vulcan be made proud Of that great beautie which sterne Mars affects And why should Tithon thus whose day growes late Enioy the mornings loue Which though that I disproue Yet will I too approue Since that it is her will and my hard fate An Eccho AH will no soule giue eare vnto my mone one Who answers thus so kindly when I crie I What fostred thee that pities my despaire aire Thou blabbing guest what know'st thou of my fall all What did I when I first my Faire disclos'd los'd Where was my reason that it would not doubt out What canst thou tell me of my Ladies will ill VVherewith can she acquit my loyall part art VVhat hath she then with me to disaguise a guise VVhat haue I done since she gainst loue repin'd pin'd VVhat did I when I her to life prefer'd er'd VVhat did mine eyes whil'st she my heart restrain'd rain'd VVhat did she whil'st my muse her praise proclaim'd claimd And what and how this doth me most affright of right VVhat if I neuer sue to her againe gaine And what when all my passions are represt rest But what thing will best serue t' asswage desire ire And what will serue to mitigate my rage age I see the Sunne begins for to descend end Son 87. NO wonder thou endang'rest liues with lookes And dost bewitch the bosome by the eare VVhat hostes of hearts that no such sleight did feare Are now entangled by thy beauties hookes But if so many to the world approue Those princely vertues that enrich my mind And hold thee for the honour of thy kind Yea though disdain'd yet desperatly loue O what a world of haplesse louers liue That like a treasure entertaine their thought And seeme in show as if affecting nought And in their brest t' entombe their fancies striue Yet let not this with pride thy heart possesse The Sun being mounted high doth seeme the lesse Son 88. THose beauties Deare which all thy sexe enuies As grieu'd men should such sacred wonders view For pompe apparel'd in a purple hue Do whiles disdaine the pride of mortall eyes VVhich ah attempting farre aboue their might Do gaze vpon the glorie of those Sunnes Whilst many a ray that from their brightnesse runnes Doth dazle all that dare looke on their light Or was it this which ô I feare me most That cled with scarlet so thy purest parts Thy face it hauing wounded worlds of harts Would die her Lillies with the bloud they lost Thus ere thy cruelties were long conceal'd They by thy guiltie blush would be reueal'd Son 89. SMall comfort might my banish'd hopes recall When whiles my daintie faire I sighing see If I could thinke that one were shed for me It were a guerdon great enough for all Or would she let one teare of pittie fall That seem'd dismist from a remorcefnll eye I could content my selfe vngrieu'd to die And nothing might my constancie appall The onely sound of that sweet word of loue Prest twixt those lips that do my doome containe Were I imbark'd might me backe againe From death to life and make me breath and moue Strange crueltie that neuer can afford So much as once one sigh one teare one word Son 90. I Wot not what transported hath my mind That I in armes against a goddesse stand Yet though I sue t 'one of th' immortall band The like before was prosp'rously design'd To loue Anchises Venus thought no scorne And Thetis earst was with a mortall match'd Whom if th' aspiring Peleus had not catch'd The great Achilles neuer had bene borne Thus flatter I my selfe whilst nought confines My wandring fancies that strange wayes do trace He that embrac'd a cloud in Iunoes place May be a terror to the like designes But fame in end th'aduentrer euer crownes Whom either th' issue or th' attempt renownes Son 91. ANd must I lose in vaine so great a loue And build thy glorie on my ruin'd state And can a heauenly brest contract such hate And is the mildest sexe so hard to moue Haue all my offrings had no greater force The which so oft haue made