That happie happie place Whereas that diuine face Did distribute such grace By pilgrims once as sacred shall be sought When she whom I a long time haue affected Amongst the flowres went forth to take the aire They being proud of such a guests repaire Though by her garments diuers times deiected To gaze on her againe themselues erected Then softly seem'd to say O happie we this day Our worthlesse dew it may Washing her feete with Nectar now compare The Roses did the rosie hue enuy Of those sweet lips that did the Bees deceaue That colour oft the Lillies wish'd to haue Which did the Alablaster piller die On which all beauties glorie did rely Her breath so sweetly smell'd The Violets as excell'd To looke downe were compell'd And so confest what foile they did receaue I heard at lest loue made it so appeare The fethered flockes her praises did proclaime She whom the tyrant Tereus put to shame Did leaue sad plaints and learn'd to praise my deare To ioyne with her sweet breath the winds drew neare They were in loue no doubt For circling her about Their fancies bursted out Whilst all their sounds seem'd but to sound her name There I mine eyes with pleasant sighes did cloy Whose seuerall parts in vaine I striue t' vnfold My faire was fairer many a thousand fold Then Venus when she woo'd the bashfull boy This I remember both with griefe and ioy Each of her lookes a dart Might well haue kill'd a hart Mine from my brest did part And thence retir'd it to a sweeter hold Whilst in her bosome whiles she plac'd a flowre Straight of the same I enuy would the case And wish'd my hand a flowre t' haue found like grace Then when on her it rain'd some hapning howre I wish'd like Ioue t' haue falne downe in a showre But when the flowres she spred To make her selfe a bed And with her gowne them cled A thousand times I wish'd t' haue had their place Thus whilst that senslesse things that blisse attain'd Which vnto me good iustice would adiudge Behind a little bush O poore refuge Fed with her face I Lizard-like remain'd Then from her eyes so sweet a poison rain'd That gladly drinking death I was not mou'd to wrath Though like t' haue lost my breath Drown'd with the streames of that most sweet deluge And might that happinesse continue still Which did content me with so pleasant sights My soule then rauish'd with most rare delights With Ambrosie and Nectar I might fill VVhich ah I feare I surfeiting would kill VVho would leaue off to thinke To moue to breath or winke But neuer irke to drinke The sugred liquor that transports my sprites Son 65. MY face the colours whiles of death displayes And I who at my wretched state repine This mortall vaile would willingly resigne And end my dole together with my dayes But Cupid whom my danger must dismayes As loth to lose one that decores his shrine Straight in my brest doth make Aurora shine And by this stratageme my dying stayes Then in mine eares he sounds th'Angelike voice And to my sight presents the beauteous face And cals to mind that more then diuine grace VVhich made me first for to confirme my choice And I who all those slights haue oft perceiu'd Yet thus content my selfe to be deceiu'd Sonet 66. B. GO get thee heart from hence for thou hast prou'd The hatefull traitor that procur'd my fall H. May I not yet once satisfie for all VVhose loyaltie may make thee to be lou'd B. I le neuer trust one that hath once betraid me For once a traitor and then neuer true H. Yet would my wracke but make thee first to rue That could trust none if thou hadst once dismaid me B. How euer others make me for to smart I scorne to haue an enemie in my brest H. VVell if that thou spoile me I le spoile thy rest VVant I a bodie thou shalt want a heart Thus do th'vnhappie still augment their harmes And thou hast kild thy selfe with thine owne armes Son 67. A. VVHat art thou in such sort that wail'st thy fall And comes surcharg'd with an excessiue griefe H. A wofull wretch that comes to craue releefe And was his heart that now hath none at all A. Why dost thou thus to me vnfold thy state As if with thy mishaps I would imbroile me H. Because the loue I bare to you did spoile me And was the instrument of my hard fate A. And dare so base a wretch so high aspire As for to pleade for interest in my grace Go get thee hence or if thou do not cease I vow to burne thee with a greater fire H. Ah ah this great vnkindnes stops my breath Since those that I loue best procure my death Son 68. I Hope I feare resolu'd and yet I doubt I 'm cold as yce and yet I burne as fire I wot not what and yet I much desire And trembling too am desperatly stout Though melancholious wonders I deuise And compasse much yet nothing can embrace And walke ore all yet stand still in one place And bound on th' earth do soare aboue the skies I beg for life and yet I bray for death And haue a mightie courage yet dispaire I euer muse yet am without all care And shout aloud yet neuer straine my breath I change as oft as any wind can do Yet for all this am euer constant too Son 69. VVHat wonder though my count'nance be not bright And that I looke as one with clouds inclos'd A great part of th' earth is interpos'd Betwixt the Sunne and me that giues me light Ah since sequestred from that diuine face I find my selfe more sluggishly dispos'd Nor whilst on that cleare patterne I repos'd That put my inward darknesse to the flight No more then can the Sunne shine without beames Can she vncompas'd with her vertues liue Which to the world an euidence do giue Of that rare worth which many a mouth proclaimes And which sometime did purifie my mind That by the want thereof is now made blind Son 70. SOme gallant sprites whose waies none yet dare trace To shew the world the wonders of their wit Did as their tossed fancies thought most fit Forme rare Idaeas of a diuine face Yet neuer Art to that true worth attain'd Which Nature now growne prodigall imparts To one deare one whose sacred seuerall parts Are more admir'd then all that Poets fain'd Those bordring climes that boast of beauties shrine If once thy sight enrich'd their soiles my loue Then all with one consent behou'd t' approue That Calidon doth beauties best confine But ah the heau'n on this my ruine sounds The more her worth the deeper are my wounds Son 71. FOr eyes that are deliuer'd of their birth And hearts that can complaine none needs to care I pitie not their sighes that pierce the ayre To weepe at will were a degree of mirth But he ay me is to be pitied most Whose sorrowes
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
doth their wits dismay As those that raue do for a god approue Although he bring his greatnesse from aboue And rule the world according to his will Yet doth he euen from those all rest remoue That were deuoted to his deitie still Can that which is th' originall of ill From which doth flow an Ocean of mischiefe Whose poysnous waues doth many thousands kill Can that be loue no t' is the source of griefe And all those erre that hold this vaine conceit Then I erre too one in this same estate Sestin 2. WHile as the day deliuers vs his light I wander through the solitarie fields And when the euening hath obscur'd the earth And hath with silence lull'd the world asleepe Then rage I like a mad-man in my bed Which being fir'd with sighes I quench with teares But ere Aurora rise to spend her teares Still languishing againe to see the light As th' enemie of my rest I flie my bed And take me to the most deserted fields There is no soule saue I but gets some sleepe Though one would seeke through all the peopled earth Whiles th' Aetna of my fires affrights the earth And whiles it dreads I drowne it with my teares And it 's suspicious-like I neither sleepe When Phoebus giues nor gathers in his light So many piles of grasse not cloath the fields As I deuise designes within my bed Vnto the time I find a frostie bed Digged within the bowels of the earth Mine eyes salt flouds shall still oreflow the fields I looke not for an abstinence from teares Till first I be secluded from the light And end my torments with an endlesse sleepe For now when I am purposed to sleepe A thousand thoughts assaile me in my bed That oft I do despaire to see the light O would to God I were dissolu'd in earth Then would the sauage beasts bemone with teares Their neighbours death through all th' vnpeopled fields Whil'st rauish'd whiles I walke alongst the fields The lookers on lament I lose my sleepe But of the Crocadiles those be the teares So to perswade me for to go to sleepe As being sure when once I leaue the light To render me the greatest wretch on th' earth O happiest I in th' earth if in the fields I might still see the light and neuer sleepe Drinking salt teares and making stones my bed Son 35. WHen I behold that face for which I pin'd And did my selfe so long in vaine annoy My toung not able to vnfold my ioy A wondring silence onely shewes my mind But when againe thou dost extend thy rigour And wilt not daigne to grace me with thy sight Thou kil'st my comfort and so spoil'st my might That scarce my corps retaines the vitall vigour Thy presence thus a great contentment brings And is my soules inestimable treasure But ô I drowne in th' Ocean of displeasure When I in absence thinke vpon those things Thus would to God that I had seene thee neuer Or would to God that I might see thee euer Sonet 36. LOyr witnesse thou what was my spotlesse part Whil'st thou amaz'd to see thy Nymphes so faire As loth to part thence where they did repaire Still murm'ring did thy plaints t' each stone impart Then did mine eyes betake them to my hart As scorning to behold all those though rare And gaz'd vpon her beauties image there Whose eyes haue furnish'd Cupid many a dart And as deuoted only vnto her They did disdaine for to bestow their light For to be entertain'd with any sight Saue onely that which made them first to erre Then famous riuer through the Ocean glide And tell my loue how constant I abide Son 37. I Cannot comprehend how this doth come Thou whose affections neuer yet were warme Which cold disdaine with leaden thoughts doth arme Though in thy selfe still cold yet burn'st thou some Euen as the Sunne as th'Astrologian dreames In th'airie region where it selfe doth moue Is neuer hote yet darting from aboue Doth parch all things that repercusse his beames So thou that in thy selfe from fires art free Who eye 's indifferent still as Titans stayes Whilst I am th' obiect that reflect thy rayes That which thou neuer hadst thou workst in me Since but below thou shew'st that power of thine I would the Zodiacke be whence thou dost shine Son 38. MY teares might all the parched sands haue drench'd Though Phaeton had vndone the liquide frame I le furnish Vulcans fornace with a flame That like the Vestals fire was neuer quench'd And though th' infected aire turmoil'd remaine It by my sighes and cries may be refin'd And if the bodie answer to the mind If no earth were mine might make th' earth againe Though all the sauage flockes lay dead in heapes With which th' Arabian desarts are best stor'd My brest might many a fiercer beast affoord If like themselues all cloath'd with monstrous shapes And thus within my selfe I create so A world with all the Elements of wo. Son 39. MVst I attend an vnrelenting will Which neuer any signe of fauour shew Ah why should'st thou Aurora thus pursue An innocent that neuer did thee ill I did not with the Greeke conspire to kill Thy sonne for whom thou shed'st such flouds of dew But I as one that yet his destine rue For to condole with thee huge teares distill And like the louing birds that came each yeare Vpon his tombe to offer vp their bloud So shall I too powre foorth a skarlet floud And sacrifize a heart that holds thee deare That since my life to make thee loue lackes force At least my death may moue thee to remorce Son 40. THy cruelties fierce Faire may be excus'd For it was I that gaue thy beautie powre And taught thee when to smile and when to lowre Which thou hast since still to my ruine vs'd As he that others purpos'd was to pine And for his brasen bull a guerdon claim'd Was tortur'd first with that which he had fram'd And made th' experience of his curst engine So in this manner dost thou me torment Who told thee first the force of thy disdaines But ah I suffer many greater paines Then the Sicilian tyrants could inuent And yet this grieues me most that thou disgrac'd Art in the rancke with such like tyrants plac'd Son 41. IF that so many braue men leauing Greece Durst earst aduenter through the raging depth And all to get the spoiles of a poore sheepe That had bene famous for his golden fleece O then for that pure gold what should be sought Of which each haire is worth a thousand such No doubt for it one cannot do too much Why should not precious things be dearely bought And so they are for in the Colchik guise This treasure many a danger doth defend Of which when I haue brought some one to end Straight out of that a number doth arise Euen as the Dragons teeth bred men at armes Which ah t' orethrow I want Medeas charmes Son 42. OFt
the dregs of sinne A wracke to others to it selfe a shame And as it is most precious if kept pure It is as much abhorr'd if once impure Song 6. WHen silence luls the world asleepe And starres do glance in th' Azure field The mountaines making shadowes ore the plaines All creatures then betake themselues to rest And to the law of nature yeeld Saue I who no good order keepe That then begin to feele my paines For in the Zodiacke of my brest The Sunne that I adore her light reuiues Whilst wearied Phoebus in the Ocean diues The worlds cleare day was night to me Who seem'd asleepe still in a trance And all my words were spoken through a dreame But then when th' earth puts on th' vmbragious maske My passions do themselues aduance And from those outward lets set free That had them earst restrain'd with shame Do set me to my wofull taske Then from the night her priuiledge I take And in dispight of Morpheus I will wake But straight the Sunne that giues melight With many duskish vapors cled Doth seeme to boast me with some feareful storme And whilst I gaze vpon the glorious beames Lo metamorphos'd in my bed I lose at once my shapher sight And taking on another forme Am all dissolu'd in bitter streames Where many monsters bathe themselues anone At which strange sight the Faunes and Satyres mone But whilst I seeke mo springs t' assemble My waters are dride vp againe And as the mightie Giant that Ioue tames I wot not whether if thundred or thundring Against the heau'ns smokes forth disdaine And makes mount Aetna tremble So I send forth a flood of flames Which makes the world for to stand wondring And neuer did the Lemnian furnace burne As then my brest whilst all to fire I turne At last no constancie below Thus plagued in two diuers shapes I 'm turn'd into my selfe and then I quake For this I haue by proofe found worst of all Then do my hopes fall dead in heapes And to b' aueng'd of their ouerthrow Strange troupes of thoughts their musters make Which tosse my fancie like a ball Thus one mishap doth come as th' other's past And still the greatest crosse comes euer last To tell the starres my night I passe And much conclude yet questions do arise I harrengues make though dumbe and see though blind And though alone am hem'd about with bands I build great castels in the skies Whose tender turrets but of glasse Are straight oreturn'd with euery wind And rear'd and raz'd yet without hands I in this state strange miseries detect And more deuise then thousands can effect My Sunne whilst thus I stand perplex'd The darknsse doth Igaine controule And then I gaze vpon that diuine grace Which as that I had view'd Medusaes head Transform'd me once and my sad soule That thus hath bene so strangely vext Doth from her seate those troubles chase The which before dispaire had made And all her pow'r vpon contentment feeds No ioy to that which after wo succeeds And yet those dainties of my ioyes Are still confected with some feares That well accustom'd with my cruell fate Can neuer trust the gift that th' enemie giues And onely th' end true witnesse beares For whilst my soule her pow'r imployes To surfet in this happie state The heau'n againe my wracke contriues And the worlds Sunne enuying this of mine To darken my loues world begins to shine Son 49. I Thinke that Cipris in a high disdaine Barr'd by the barb'rous Turkes that conquer'd seate To re-erect the ruines of her state Comes ore their bounds t' establish beauties raigne And whilst her greatnesse doth begin to rise As sdaining temples built of baser frame She in those rosie snowes t'enstall her name Reares stately altars in thy starrie eyes Before whose sacred shrine deuinely faire Brests boyling still with generous desires Fall sacrific'd with memorable fires The incense of whose sighes endeers the aire In which thy same vnparagond doth flee Whilst thou by beautie beautie liues by thee Son 50. ONce Cupid had compassion of my state And wounded with a wonderfull remorce Vow'd that he would my cruell faire enforce To melt the rigor of her cold conceit But when he came his purpose to fulfill And shot at her a volly from the skies She did receiue the darts within her eyes Then in those cristall quiuers kept them still Who vaunt before they win oft lose the game And the presumptuous mind gets maniest foiles Lo he that thought t' haue triumph'd ore her spoiles But come with pride and went away with shame And where he hop'd t' haue helpd me by this strife He brought her armes wherewith to take my life Son 51. I Dream'd the Nymph that ore my fancie raignes Came to a part whereas I paus'd alone Then said what needs you in such sort to mone Haue I not power to recompence your paines Lo I coniure you by that loyall loue Which you professe to cast those griefes apart It 's long deare loue since that you had my hart Yet I was coy your constancie to proue But hauing had a proofe I le now be free I am the Eccho that your sighes resounds Your woes are mine I suffer in your wounds Your passions all they sympathize in me Thus whilst for kindnesse both began to weepe My happinesse euanish'd with the sleepe Son 52. SOme men delight huge buildings to behold Some theaters mountaines floods and famous springs Some monuments of Monarkes and such things As in the bookes of fame haue bene inrol'd Those stately townes that to the starres were rais'd Some would their ruines see their beautie 's gone Of which the worlds three parts each bosts of one For Caesar Hanniball and Hector prais'd Though none of those I loue a sight as rare Euen her that ore my life as Queene doth sit Iuno in maiestie Pallas in wit As Phoebe chast then Venus farre more faire And though her lookes euen threaten death to me Their threatnings are so sweet I cannot flie Son 53. IF now cleare Po that pittie be not spent Which for to quench his flames did once thee moue Whom the great thunderer thundred from aboue And to thy siluer bosome burning sent To pitie his coequall be content That in effect doth the like fortune proue Throwne headlong from the highest heau'ns of loue Here burning on thy borders I lament The successe did not second my dissigne Yet must I like my generous intent Which cannot be condemn'd by the euent That fault was fortunes though the losse be mine And by my fall I shall be honor'd oft My fall doth witnesse I was once aloft Son 54. GReat God that guides the Dolphin through the deepe Looke now as thou didst then with smiling grace When seeking once her beauties to embrace Thou forc'd the faire Amimone to weepe The liquid monarchie thou canst not keepe If thus the blustring God vsurp thy place Rise and against his blasts erect thy face Let Tritons