PHILLIS Honoured with Pastorall Sonnets Elegies and amorous delights VVhere-vnto is annexed the tragicall complaynt of Elstred Iam Phoebus disiungit equos iam Cinthia iungit At London Printed for Iohn Busbie and are to be sold at his shoppe at the West-doore of Paules 1593. TO THE RIGHT worthy and noble Lady the Countesse of Shrewesbury I Haue aduentured most noble Lady with the wrastlers of Olympia tho not to win yet to worke for the Garland the iudgement of my industry relyeth on your Ladishippe who haue both authoritie to conuict and knowledge to commend I haue chosen you Madam among many to be the Soueraigne and shee Mecaenas of my toyle because I am assured that the great report of your learning and vertue wherewith as yet it hath not pleased you to dignifie the world must euen now be exemplified in mee who dare promise as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection May it please you to looke and like of homlie Phillis in her Country caroling to countenance her poore and affectionate Sheepheard who promiseth vnder the onely encouragement of so noble a Lady to employ all his best deseignes life and studies to your good lyking Your Ladiships most humble to commaund Tho Lodge Induction I That obscur'd haue fled the Sceane of Fame Intitling my conceits to nought but care I that haue liu'd a Phoenix in loues flame And felt that death I neuer would declare Now mount the Theater of this our age To plead my faith and Cupids cursed rage Oh you high sp'rited Paragons of witte That flye to fame beyond our earthly pitch Whose sence is sound whose words are feat and fitte Able to make the coyest eare to itch Shroud with your mighty wings that mount so well These little loues new crept from out the shell And thou the true Octauia of our time Vnder whose worth beauty was neuer matched The Genius of my Muse and ragged rime Smile on these little loues but lately hatched Who from the wrastling waues haue made retreate To pleade for life before thy iudgement seate And tho the fore-bred brothers they haue had Who in theyr Swan-like songes Amintâ—s wept For all their sweet-thought sighes had fortune bad And twice obscur'd in Cinthias circle slept Yet these I hope vnder your kind aspect Most worthy Lady shall escape neglect And if these Infants of mine artlesse braine Not by theyr worth but by thy worthinesse A meane good liking of the learned gaine My Muse enfranchis'd from forgetfulnesse Shall hatch such breede in honour of thy name As moderne Poets shall admire the same As moderne Poets shall admire the same I meane not you you neuer matched men VVho brought the Chaos of our tongue in frame Through these Herculean labours of your pen I meane the meane I meane no men diuine But such whose feathers are but waxt like mine Goe weeping Truce-men in your sighing weedes Vnder a great Mecaenas I haue past you If so you come where learned Colin feedes His louely flocke packe thence and quickly haste you You are but mistes before so bright a sunne Who hath the Palme for deepe inuention wunne Kisse Delias hand for her sweet Prophets sake VVhose not affected but well couched teares Haue power haue worth a Marble minde to shake Whose fame no Iron-age or time out weares Then lay you downe in Phillis lap and sleepe Vntill she weeping read and reading weepe I that obscurd haue fled the scheane of fame Intitling my conceites to nought but care I that haue liu'd a Phoenix in loues flame And felt that death I neuer would declare Now mount the Theater of this our age To plead my faith and Cupids cursed rage Oh you high spirited paragons of witte That flye to fame beyond our earthly pitch Whose sence is sound whose wordes are feate and fitte Able to make the coyest eare to itch Shroud with your mighty wings that mount so well These little loues new crept from out the shell And thou the' Ascrean Poet of our time Vnder whose stile conceit was neuer matched The Genius of my muse and ragged rime Smile on these little loues but latlie hatched VVho from the wrastling waues haue made retreate To pleade for life before thy Iudgement seate And tho the fore-bred brothers they haue had VVho in their Swan-like songes Amintas wept For all their sweet-thought sighes had fortune bad And twise obscurd in Cinthias circle slept Yet these I hope vnder your kinde aspect Thow flower of knight-hood shall escape neglect And if these infants of mine artlesse braine Not by their worth but by thy worthynes A meane good liking of the learned gaine My muse enfranchisd from forgetfulnes Shall hatch such breede in honour of thy name As moderne Poets shall admire the same As moderne Poets shall admire the same I meane not you you neuer matched men VVho brought the Chaos of our toung in frame Through these herculean labours of your pen I meane the meane I meane no men deuine But such whose feathers are but waxt like mine Goe weeping truce-men in your sighing weedes Vnder a great Mecenas I haue past you If so you come where learned Colin feedes His lowely flocke pack thence and quicklie hast you You are but mistes before so bright a sunne VVho hath the palme for deepe inuention wunne Kisse Delias hand for hir sweet Prophets sake VVhose not affected but well couched teares Haue power haue worth a marble minde to shake VVhose fame no yron-age or time out weares Then lay you downe in Phillis lappe and sleepe Vntill she weeping read and reading weepe Phillis Sonnet I. Oh pleasing thoughts apprentises of loue Fore-runners of desire sweet Methridates The poison of my sorrowes to remoue With whom my hopes and fearefull oft debates Inritch your selues and me by your selfe riches Which are the thoughts you speÌ„d on heaueÌ„ bred beauty Rowse you my muse beyond our Poets pitches And working wonders yet say all is duty Vse you no Eglets eyes nor Phenix feathers To tower the heaueÌ„ from whence heauens wonder fallies For why your sonne singes sweetly to hir wethers Making a springe of winter in the vallies Show to the world tho poore and scant my skill is How sweet thoughts bee that are but thought on Phillis Sonnet II. You sacred Sea-nimphes pleasantly disporting Amidst this watrie world where now I saile IF euerloue or louers sad reporting Had power sweet teares from your faire eyes to hayle And you more gentle-hearted then the rest Vnder the Northern Noon-stede sweetly streaming Lend those moyst riches of your christall crest To quench the flames from my hearts Aetna steaming And thou kinde Ariton in thy trompet relish The ruthfull accents of my discontent That midst this treauell desolate and hellish Some gentle wind e that listens my lament May prattle in the north in Phillis eares Where Phillis wants Damon consumes in teares Sonnet III. In fancies world an Atlas haue I beene Where yet the Chaos of my
and ayre with moistnes fulsome Yet not resoluing or decaying them So was Locrinus blamed for this action Who brought to head heere-through a mighty faction For Guendolen with that heroick sprite Where-with her Father was enobled erst To wreake on me her Miriades of despight The sentence of her wrongs by power reuerst Her harmes by armes she vowd to satis-fie And heereon leuied a mighty Armie And thus attended in tryumphant order And garded by her warlike Cornish crew She pitcht her field neere to those banks which border This azure-mantled streame where now we rewe The King that sets a womans threates at nought Prest men and met hys foe and with her fought But so would Fortune fie on Fortune fickle That by a shaft Locrinus was confounded His scattered troopes like sheaues before the sickle Fell downe or fled or died deadly wounded Ah guilt lesse soules they perrisht for my sinnes And from theyr fall my tragedy beginnes Ah Fortune nurse of fooles poyson of hope Fuell of vaine desires deserts destruction Impugner of preuentions errors scope Supposed soueraigne through our vaine construction Princesse of Paganisme roote of impietie Deuill on earth masked in deitie Scorne of the learned Follies eldest sister Bastard of tyme begot by vaine opinion Against thy power O peeuish proud resister Mother of lyes and Mistresse of illusion Vampe of vaine glory double faced shroe Whose smyles at first succesfull end in woe It was not thou tho worldly wits accuse thee That sette Mount Gibel of my plagues a burning It was not thou my conscience doth excuse thee It was my sinne that wrought myne ouer-turning It was but iustice from the heauens inflicted On lustfull life defamed and conuicted As when the poule that vnder-props the Vine Is rest away the crimson clusters fall And as the buildings suddainly decline That want the meanes to stay them vp withall So when the King and all his trusty freends Were fled or slaine then loe mine honour ends My lyttle daughter left alone with me Both trauersing the fatall blood-dewd plaine More fit to feare then fleete avvay to flee At last arriu'd where as my loue lay slayne Oh slaying sight vvounds vvounding death death breeding Pale lookes yee seales of sorrovv palenes feeding Sweet Image of his lyuing excellence Whilst thus it lay ah-las that thus it lay Impatient greefe would leaue me no defence I cald on death but teares wept death away His worst was past I sigh'd but sighes nor slender Teares worke no truce but where the hart is tender And as the straw vnto the Iette fast cleaueth So clunge I both myne armes about his necke Pouring my plaints in eares that nought conceaueth Ah loue quoth I vnkind why dost thou checke Why dost thou mate the minds that most admire thee And in our needes in constant thus retire thee Breathe life in him againe or leaue me breathlesse Or from thine enuious tryumphant throne Send forth Despayre with locks vnkempt and wreathlesse To ioyne by death two soules in life but one And since at once our harts thou didst inspire Let both of vs O Loue at once expire Oh spent on barraine ground my flood-like weeping Loue would not heare tho gan I trembling try If kisses could reuiue his ceaslesse sleeping But death repines these baites of fond desire I suckt his wounds and wrapt them round about But ah the life before was issued out I faynting fell enfeebled through my sufferaunce My child that saw me fall for griefe fell by me I wept she cryde both gaue griefe sustenaunce I fainted and she fainting layd her nie me Euen what I kyst she kist and what I sayd She sayd and what I fear'd made her afrayd For euery sigh a sigh for euery teare A teare she was no niggard of her moane Ah beauties blossome blasted in the eare Thou daughter of the haplesse woful one The croppes of cares together must thou gather And loose at once both Mother life and Father Whilst thus we breath'd our Elegies of sorrow Not recking who beheld or who surpris'd vs The free-booters that raunge the Champion thorow Who by our robes of some high race surmis'd vs Layd hands on vs and brought vs to the Queene Who sate tryumphant royally beseene Looke how fayre locked Iuno was affected When she the monster-queller did behold With selfe-like proud-full enmitie infected The Queene sate hatching murthers manifold And as the wrathfull tempest that doth follow In high-topt trees long murmureth ere it blow So gan she to euacuate by her tongue The Hydraes of reuenge she had intended With tyring taunts at first my heart she stoonge And fierce vpbraydes with bitter buffets ended Suborner of lasciuiousnesse she cride Hast thou no vale of shame thy lookes to hide Misgouern'd Minion in whose wanton browes The registers of wretched life are written Suborner of contempt lasciuious blowse By whom my ioyes were blasted and frost-bitten Mistresse of murthers loosenesse and what not Now are you compast in your proud complot The Caedar tree is falne that did protect you From euery stormie threat and hate I ment thee But now fierce rage by footsteps shall direct you To timelesse death for-thy vaine wretch repent thee Thou art but dead for death my hate must bound Thy childe thy selfe together shall be drownd This said she wild the Ministers to bind Our tender armes and now pale feare addrest Our wayning roses quite beyond theyr kind To flie our cheekes and helpe our hearts opprest Feare sommond teares teares came and stroue to stint A ceaslesse hate within a hart of flint But weladay our Doomesday was ordaind For when the oceans of our moane assaild her A ruthles rocke deaf-eared she disdaind We faild not to submit but pittie faild her Then lowlie-creeping prostrate at her feete In these laments for mercy I intreate Pittifull Queene sayd I vouchsafe t'assommon The partiallest opinions of thy mind And yet remembring thee thou art a woman Heare thou with reason not affection blind Then loe my proofes to such effect shall sort As they from thee some pittie shall extort If vnder couert of ambitious rising Or fond intention to suggest the King Or by complots of mine owne lewd deuising I had surmisd or practisd any thing Where-through Locrinus should affect me so Iust were my death and iust mine ouerthrow But happy heauens haue registred the truth They know my cause and they can thee assure It was not I it was thy husbands youth That made him loue and traind him to the lure What should poore Captiues doo or what should I Twere better loue and liue than loath and die My sexe was weake my sences farre more weaker Afflictions taught me to accept occasion I am a poore vnwilling wedlock breaker I was vnable to withstand inuasion For where the Conquerer crau'd I knew full well He could commaund if so I should rebell What is the Wren to wrastle with the Gripe Or mine vnarmed will to resolution Although my beauty made affections
ceaslesse care Is by hir eies vnpitied and vnseene In whom all giftes but pity planted are For mercie tho still cries my moane-clad muse And euery paper that she sendes to beautie In tract of sable teares bringes wofull newes Of my true heartkinde thoughts and loyall duetie But ah the stringes of hir hard heart are strained Beyond the harmonie of my desires And tho the happie heauens themselues haue pained To tame hir heart whose will so farre aspires Yet she who claimes the title of worldes wonder Thinkes all desartes to bace to bring hir vnder Sonnet IIII. Long hath my sufferance labored to inforce One pearle of pittie from hir prettie eyes Whilest I with restlesse riuers of remorse Haue bathde the bankes where my faire Phillis lies The moning lines which weeping I haue written And writing red vnto my ruthfull sheepe And reading sent with teares that neuer fitten To my loues Queene that hath my heart in keepe Haue made my Lambkins lay them downe and sigh But Phillis sittes and reades and cals them trifles Oh heauens why clime not happie lines so high To rent that ruthlesse heart that all hearts rifles None wrightes with truer faith or greater loue Yet out alas I haue no power to moue Sonnet V. Ah pale and dying infant of the springe How rightly now do I resemble thee That selfe same hand that thee from stalke did wringe Hath rent my breast and robd my heart from mee Yet shalt thou liue for why thy natiue vigor Shall thriue by wofull dew-droppes of my dollour And from the woundes I beare through fancies rigor My streaming blood shall yeeld thee crimson colour The rauisht sighes that ceaslesse take their issue From out the furnesse of my heart inflamed To yeeld you lasting springs shall neuer misse you So by my plaints and paines you shall be famed Let my hearts heat and colde thy crimson norish And by my sorrowes let thy beautie florish Sonnet VI. It is not death which wretched men call dying But that is very death which I endure When my coy looking Nimph hir grace enuying By fatall frownes my domage doth procure It is not life which we for life approue But that is life when on hir woul-soft pappes I seale sweet kisses which do batten loue And doubling them do treble my good happes Tis neither loue the sonne nor loue the mother Which louers praise and pray to but that loue is Which she in eye and I in heart do smother Then muse not tho I glory in my misse Since she who holdes my heart and me in durance Hath life death loue and all in hir procureance Sonnet VII How languisheth the Primrose of loues garden How trill hir teares th'Elixar of my sences Ambitious sicknes what doth thee so harden Oh spare and plague thou me for hir offences Ah Roses loues faire Roses do not languish Blush through the milk-white vaile that holdes you couered If heate or colde may mitigate your anguish He burne He frize but you shall be recouered Good God would beautie marke now she is crased How but one shower of sicknesse makes hir tender Hir Iudgmentes then to marke my woes amazed To mercy should opinions fort surrender And I oh would I might or would she ment it Should herrie loue who now in hart lament it Sonnet VIII No starres hir eyes to cleere the wandering night But shining sunnes of true diuinitye That make the soule conceiue hir perfect light No wanton beauties of humanitie Hir prettie browes but beames that cleare the sight Of him that seekes the true Philosophie No Corrall is hir lippe no rose hir faire But euen that crimson that adornes the Sunne No Nimph is she but mistresse of the ayre By whom my glories are but newe begunne But when I touch and tast as others do I then shall wright and you shall wonder to Sonnet IX The dewie-Roseate morne had with hir haires In sundrie sorts the Indian Clime adornd And now hir eies apparrailed in teares The losse of louely Memnon long had moornd When as she spide the Nimph whom I admire Kembinge hir locks of which the yelow golde Made blush the beauties of hir curled wire Which heauen it selfe with wonder might beholde Then redd with shame hir reuerend locks she rent And weeping hid the beauty of hir face The flower of fancie wrought such discontent The sighes which midst the aire she breathd a space A three daies stormie tempest did maintaine Hir shame a fire hir eies a swelling raine Sonnet X. The rumor runnes that heere in I sis swimme Such stately Swannes so confident in dying That when they feele them selues neere Lethes brimme They sing their fatall dirge when death is nighing And I like these that feele my woundes are mortall Contented dye for hir whom I adore And in my ioyfull himnes do still exhort all To die for such a Saint or loue no more Not that my torments or hir tiranie Inforce me to enioyne so hard a taske But for I know and yeeld no reason why But will them trie that haue desire to aske As loue hath wreathes his pretty eies to feele So louers must keepe secret what they feele Sonnet XI My fraile and earthly barke by reasons guide Which holdes the helme whilst wil doth weilde the saile By my desires the windes of bad betide Hath saild these wordly Seaes with small auaile Vaine obiectes serue for dreadfull Rockes to quaile My brittle boate from hauen of life that flies To haunt the Sea of mundane miseries My sowle that drawes Impressions from aboue And viewes my course and sees the windes aspire Bids reason watch to scape the shoales of loue But lawles will enflamd with endlesse ire Doth steerem poope whilest reason doth retire The streames increase loues waues my barcke do fill Thus are they wrackt that guide their course by will Sonnet XII Ah trees why fall your leaues so fast Ah Rocks where are your robes of mosse Ah flockes why stand you all agast Trees rocks and flocks what are you pensiue for my losse The birdes me thinkes tune nought but moane The windes breath nought but bitter plaint The beasts forsake their dennes to groane Birdes windes and beastes what doth my losse your powers attaint Floodes weepe their springes aboue their boundes And Eccho wailes to see my woe The roabe of ruth doth cloath the groundes Floodes Eccho grōudes why do you al these teares bestow The trees the rockes and flockes replie The birdes the windes the beastes report Floodes Eccho groundes for sorrow crie VVe grieue suice Phillis nill kinde Damons loue consort Sonnet XIII Loue guides the roses of thy lippes And flies about them like a bee If I approch he forward skippes And if I kisse he stingeth me Loue in thine eyes doth build his bower And sleepes within their prettie shine And if I looke the boy will lower And from their orbes shootes shaftes deuine Loue workes thy heart within his fire And in my teares doth firme the
same And if I tempt it will retire And of my plaintes doth make a game Loue let me cull hir choycest flowers And pittie me and calme hir eye Make soft hir heart dissolue hir lowers Then will I praise thy dietie But if thou do not loue Ile trulye serue hir In spight of thee and by firme faith deserue hir Sonnet XIIII I wroat in Mirrhaes barcke and as I wroate Poore Mirrha wept because I wroat forsaken T'was of thy pride I soong in weeping noate When as hir leaues great moane for pittie maken The falling fountaines from the mountaines falling Cride out ah-las so faire and bee so cruel And Babling Echo neuer ceased callinge Phillis disdaine is fitte for none but truthlesse The rising pines wherein I had engraued Thy memorie consulting with the winde Are trucemen to thy heart and thoughts depraued And say thy kind should not bee so vnkinde But out ah-las so fell is Phillis pheerlesse That she hath made hir Damon welnie tearlesse Sonnet XV. My Phillis hath the morning sunne At fust to looke vppon hir And Phillis hath morne-waking birdes Hir risinges for to honour My Phillis hath prime-feathered flowers That smile when she treades on them And Phillis hath a gallant flocke That leapes since she doth owne them But Phillis hath so hard a heart Ah-las that she should haue it As yeeldes no mercie to desart Nor grace to those that craue it Sweet sunne when thou lookest on Pray hir regarde my moane Sweet birdes when you sing to hir To yeeld some pittie wooe hir Sweet flowers when as she treades on Tell hir hir beautie deades one And if in life hir loue she will agree me Pray hir before I die she will come see me Sonnet XVI I part but how from ioy from hope from life I leaue but whom loues pride wits pompe harts blisse I pine for what for griefe for thought for strife I faint and why because I see my misse Oh ceaslesse paines that neuer may be toulde You make me weepe as I to water would Ah wearie hopes in deepe obliuious streames Goe seeke your graues since yon haue lost your groundes Ah pensiue heart seeke out hir radiant gleames For why thy blisse is shut within those boundes Ah traiterous eies to feeble in for sight Growe dimme with woe that now must want your light I part from blisse to dwell with ceaslesse moane I part from life since I from beauty part I part from peace to pine in care alone I part from ease to dye with dreadfull smart I part oh death for why this world containes More care and woe then with dispaire remaines Oh loath depart wherein such sorrowes dwell As all conceites are sâ—ant the same to tell Sonnet XVII Ah fleeting weale ah slie deluding sleepe That in one moment giuest me ioye and paine How doe my hopes dissolue to teares in vaine As wount the Snowes fore angrie sunne to weepe Ah noysome life that hath no weale in keepe My forward griefe hath forme and working might My pleasures like the shaddowes take their flight My pathe to blisse is tedious long and steepe Twise happie thou Endemion that embracest The liue-long night thy loue within thine armes Where thou fond dreame my longed weale defacest Whitest fleeting and vncertaine shaddes thou placest Before my eies with false deluding charmes Ah instant sweetes which do my heart reuiue How should I ioy if you were true aliue Sonnet XVIII As where two raging venomes are vnited Which of them selues disseuered life would seuer The sickly wretch of sicknesse is acquited Which else should die or pine in torments euer So fire and frost that holde my heart in seasure Restore those ruines which themselues haue wrought Where if a part they both had had their pleasure The earth long since hir fatall claime had cought Thus two vnited deathes keepe me from dying I burne in Ice and quake amidst the fire No hope midest these exteames or fauour spyinge Thus loue makes me a Martir in his yre So that both colde and heate do rather feed My ceaslesse paines then any comfort breede Sonnet XIX Thou tiranizing Monarcke that dost tire My loue-sicke heart through those assaulting eyes That are the lampes which lighten my desire If nought but death furie may suffise Not for my peace but for thy pleasure bee it That Phillis wrathfull Phillis that repines me All grace but death may daine to come and see it And seeing greeue at that that which shee assignes me This onely boone for all my mortall bane I craue and crie for at thy mercye seate That when hir wrath a faithfull heart hath slaine And soule is fled and body rest of heate She might perceiue how much she might command That had my life and death within hir hand Sonnet XX. Some praise the lookes and others praise the lockes Of their faire Queenes in loue with curious wordes Some laud the breast where loue his treasure locks All like the eie that life and loue affordes But none of these fraile beauties and vnstable Shall make my pen ryot in pompous stile More greater giftes shall my graue muse enable Whereat seuerer browes shall neuer smile I praise hir honny-sweeter eloquence Which from the fountaine of true wisdome floweth Hir modest meane that matcheth exelence Hir matchlesse faith which from hir ver tue groweth And could my stile hir happie vertues equale Time had no power hir glories to enthrale Egloga Prima Demades Damon Demades NOw sourge of winters wracke is welnie spent And sunne ginnes looke more longer on our clime And earth no more to sorrow doth consent VVhy beene thy lookes forlorne that viewe the prime Vnneth thy flockes may feed to see thee faint Thou lost they leane and both with woe attaint For shame cast off these discontented lookes For griefe doth waight one life tho neuer sought So Thenot wrote admir'd for Pipe and bookes Then to the springe attemper thou thy thought And let aduice reare vp thy drooping minde And leaue to weepe thy woes vnto the winde Damon Ah Demades no wounder tho I waile For euen the spring is winter vnto me Looke as the sunne the earth doth then auaile VVhen by his beames his bowels warmed bee Euen so a Saint more sunne bright in hir shining First wrought my weale now hasts my winters pining VVhich louely lampe withdrawne from my poore eyes Both partes of earth and fire drownd vp in woe In winter dwell my ioy my courage dies My lambes with me that doe my winter knowe For pitty scorne the spring that nyeth neere And pine to see their Masters pining cheere The roote which yeeldeth sappe vnto the tree Drawes from the earth the meanes that makes it spring And by the sap the siens foster ed bee All from the sunne haue comfort and increasing And that faire eie that lightes this earthly ball Killes by depart and neeting cheereth all As roote to tree such is my tender heart VVhose sappe is thought whose braunches are content And
be If so I plaine my griefe the wanton boy will cry If I lament his pride he doth increase my paine If teares my cheeks attaint his cheeks are moist with mone If I disclose the woundes the which my hart hath slaine He takes his Fascia off and wipes them dry anone If so I walke the woodes the woodes are his delight If I my selfe torment he bathes hym in my blood He will my souldiour be if once I wend to fight If seas delight he stears my Barke amidst the flood In breefe the cruell God doth neuer from me goe But makes my lasting loue eternall with my woe Sonnet xxxvij These fierce incessant waues that streame along my face Which show the certaine proofe of my nere-ceasing pains Fayre Phillis are no teares that trickle from my brains For why such streames of ruth within me find no place These floods that wet my cheeks are gathered froÌ„ thy grace And thy perfections from hundreth thousand flowers Which from thy beauties spring wherto I medly showers Of Rose and Lillyes to the collours of thy face My loue doth serue for fire my hart the fornace is The aperries of my sighes augment the burning flame The Limbique is myne eye that doth distill the same And by how much my fire is violent and flye By so much doth it cause the waters mount on hie That showre from out mine eyes for to asswage my misse Sonnet xxxviij VVho lyues inthrald to Cupid and his flame From day to day is chang'd in sundry sort The proofe whereof my selfe may well report Who oft transformd by him may teach the same I first was turnd into a wounded Hart That bare the bloodie arrow in my side Then to a Swanne that midst the waters glide With pittious voyce presagd my deadlie smart Eft-soones I waxt a faint and fading flower Then was I made a fountaine suddaine dry Distilling all my teares from troubled eye Novv am I Salamander by his power Liuing in flames but hope ere long to be A voice to talke my Mistresse maiestie Sonnet xxxix My matchlesse Mistresse whose delicious eyes Haue power to perfect natures priuie wants Euen when the Sunne in greatest pompe did ryse With pretty tread dyd presse the tender plants Each stalk whilst forth she stalkes to kysse her feete Is proud with pompe and prodigall of sweete Her fingers faire in fauouring euery flower That wooed theyr Iuory for a wished touch By chaunce sweet chaunce vpon a blessed hower Did pluck the flower where Loue himselfe did couch Where Loue did couch by summer toyle supprest And sought his sleepes within so sweete a nest The Virgins hand that held the wanton thrall Imprisoned him within the Rose-ate leaues And twixt her teates vvith fauour did enstall The louely Rose where Loue his rest receaues The lad that felt the soft and svveet so nye Drownd in delights disdaines his liberty And sayd let Venus seeke another sonne For heare my onely matchlesse Mother is From vvhose fayre orient Orbes the drinke doth ronne That deifies my state with greater blis Thys sayd he suckt my Mistresse blushing smyld Since Loue vvas both her prisoner and her child Sonnet xl Resembling none and none so poore as I Poore to the vvorld and poore in each esteeme Whose first borne loues at first obscurd did die And bred no fame but flame of bace misdeeme Vnder the Ensigne of vvhose tyred pen Loues legions forth haue maskt by others masked Thinke hovv I lyue wronged by ill tonged men Not Maister of my selfe to all vvrongs tasked Oh thou that canst and she that may doe all things Support these languishing conceits that perrish Looke on theyr growth perhaps these sillie small things May winne this worldly palme so you doe cherrish Homer hath vowd and I with him doe vowe thys He vvill and shall reuiue if you alowe thys An Ode NOwe I find thy lookes were fained Quickly lost and quicklie gained Soft thy skinne like wooll of Weathers Hart vnstable light as feathers Tongue vntrustie subtil sighted Wanton will with change delighted Siren pleasant foe to reason Cupid plague thee for this treason Of thine eyes I made my mirror From thy beautie came mine error All thy words I counted wittie All thy smiles I deemed pritty Thy false teares that me agrieued First of all my trust deceiued Siren pleasant foe to reason Cupid plague thee for this treason Faind acceptance when I asked Louely words with cunning masked Holy vowes but hart vnholly Wretched man my trust was folly Lillie white and prettie winking Sollemne vowes but sorry thinking Siren pleasant foe to reason Cupid plague thee for this treason Now I see O seemely cruell Others warme them at my fuell Wit shall guide me in this durance Since in loue is no assurance Change thy pasture take thy pleasure Beautie is a fading treasure Siren pleasant foe to reason Cupid plague thee for this treason Prime youth lusts not age still follow And make white these tresses yellow Wrinckled face for lockes delightfull Shall acquaint the Dame despightfull And when time shall cate thy glory Then too late thou wilt be sorry Siren pleasant foe to reason Cupid plague thee for thy treason The complaint of Elstred THE silent shadowes with their mothers vaile The brighter lampe of Heauen from Thetis hid Apolloes sister in her starrie raile Along her lower spheare in tryumph rid When I by Seuerus beauteous banckes alone Encountred with this wofull vision A dolefull Queene in semblance and array Attended by a princely looking lasse Amidst the waltring waue inforc't her way And landed there where I lamenting was Both seemd of royall birth and well begotten Altho their weedes through eld and wette were rotten The leaues in Autumne fall not downe so fast As liquid christall dropped from their eyes But vvhen their stormie teares were ouer-past The silent spoks-men of their miseries They sate them downe where I amaz'd remained And thus their falls successiuely complained Amidst the troopes of those vvhom tyrant Fate Hath ledde in trâ—umph to their time-lesse graue Let vvofâ—ll Elstred vveepe her wretched state Whose storie merrits some regard to haue VVho once inthron'd and now to fortune thrall May teach successions to auoyde my fall Within that Region where proud-byllowed Rhine Doth animate the babes of fruitfull earth And baines the bosome of the swelling Vine From thence my of-spring came and thence my byrth In svvathing clowtes for happy Princesse heried In shrowding sheete a haplesse Princesse buried What said I buried I in siluer vvaue What said I shrowded I in liquid sheete The vvater both my winding sheete and graue Which stifling me for pitty seemd to greete But where the life so wretched did become VVhat talke I of the death the shrowd the Tombe VVhen first I suckt the svveetes of subtile ayre Like to a Comet gathered in the North VVhich in the vernall season makes repayre VVith me all natures ritches issued forth They that beheld admird and did presage By infancie
the honours of myne age The fame that should present my facts to view As I from cradle crept so gathered wing As grew my beauties so his feathers grew As waxt my worth so was he prest to spring As yeeres increast from earth to trees he sprung From trees to towers from whence my fame he sung Thus through continuall motion growing great His many feathers hatcht as many eyes His eyes as many tongues for to intreate His tongues as many eares to harken cryes Which feathers eyes tongues eares he euer frames To paint our praise and bruit our endlesse blames Thys monstrous babe that rents his mothers brest To fill the world with tragick historie To register my beauties neuer ceast Where-through each eare that heard the nouelty Summons each sence with wonder to behold If beauties were so great as they were told The Germaine Lords my Fathers neighbour freends For why my Father was a Germaine Peere Willing to see the face which Fame commends Doe haunt his Court and like and loue me deere All wooe none winne for Fortune would it so To sette me hie at last to cast me low At length farre bruited through hys famous fight Renowned Humber terror of hys time More feard then lou'd of euery Germaine Knight Came to our Court and saw me in my prime All like a mayden-rose as yet vntainted Where-with each touch desires to be acquainted His power his person farre beyond report His promise to enstall me in a throne His working words which mercy might extort Had power to fashion loue where first was none So that two Damsels with my selfe agreed To waight from him our fortunes and good speed Thus we with armed eyes whence loue did forage The richest treasures of his tender hart Inspyred Humber by our lookes with courage With him from Germaine soyle we did depart For him our friends for him our land we left With him of friends lands life we were bereft His myghty minde which hunted after fame Fore-staling each occasion of delay His warlike troopes to tedious martch did frame Till all arriu'd where as his shyppes did stay We were embarckt and by propitious wind Within th' Albanian Coast did harbor find He that hath seene the daughters of the skye The myracles of nature in the fielde VVho after theyr imperiall chieftaine flye And cull such comforts as the spring doth yeeld How each his taske how all themselues reuiue At his commaund for to enrich theyr Hiue Or as the royall Monarcke of the Ants Arranging of his little-labouring traine In Summer tyme fore-seeing Winters wants By theyr indeuours stores his nest with graine Where each industrious else for common good Doth gather seeke regather happy foode So striue these Scithian warriours to expresse Their duties to theyr Prince by industrie Some pitch theyr Tents and some theyr Armes addresse Some scoute some forage all the Country nie The Plow-mans hope the thrifty Husbands tillage Is now become the wast-full souldiours pillage Stout Albanact as then the Scottish King Hearing of Humbers proud inuasion To stoppe ambition least it further spring Attended by the flower of all his Nation Encountered him and that his barbarous band Endeuouring force by force for to withstand Then pressed forth from depth of horrid hell The babes of wreakfull warre with threatning browes Reuengefull Wrath and sleeplesse Enuie fell Prodigious Feare her trembling lymmes did rowse And flesh-lesse Death ledde blood-affecting Murther The tragicke change of fortune for to further The Husbands scithe was chaunged to a sword The Coblers-aule into a sturdie launce Peace was obscurd of warre was euery word All prayd to Fortune for succes-full chaunce That sits inthrond on her inconstant seate And helpes them most who least her helpe intreate As when to purge excessiue moyst descending From Saturns spheare or els superfluous heate Styrd vp by Mars Ioue common good intending Sends lyghtning-flash to lay theyr angry threate So vviser heads that knew the scourge of warre Sought sooth-fast meanes to mittigate the iarre But as a troope of fierce incensed Bulles The Heards-mans strokes or threats doe sette at nought So they whose rankorous rage their iudgment dulles Had little minde to peace or peace-full thought Who fight for Crownes set life set all to light Who aime so hie will die or hit the white The battailes ioynd heauen mournd to see them ioyne The burnisht Armes heauens brightest beautie basht On warlike-steades with many a fatall foine The moodie men at Armes together dasht The Heauens to see the Earth to beare did grone What God consents to set these iarres at one As when a troope of haruest thriftie swaines VVith cutting scithes earth ripned ritches movve Whole sheaues of Corne lye strewd vpon the plaines So fall the Scots before the conquering foe My Humber gaind both kingdome and renowne And Albanact lost life his state his Crowne When Albanact lost life his state his crovvne Then we our lyues our states our crownes attained We came to conquer and to put him downe And what we sought by warlike sword we gained Caesar no more then Humber could intend Who came vvho saw who conquered in the end But vvoe is me promotion is a puffe These vvorldly honors are but shades of sweete VVho seeke too much before they gette enough Before they meete the meane with death doe meete VVith death they meete the Hauen of all desire VVhere will must waine and pride cannot aspire For vvhen Locrinus with his vvarlike brother His vvarlike brother Cambre vnderstood Hovv partiall Fortune which deserts doth smother Had brought to nought the nestling of theyr brood They leuied men marcht forth without in comber And fought and gaind and tryumpht ouer Humber Then fled my loue who thought the world shold flie him And what he fledde he mette with ere he sought it For why the floods that passage did denie him Deni'de him not the death before he thought it And in that stood which terminats the bound Twixt England twixt Scotland death he found There death he foūd with many a warlike Knight There found we thraldome farre more worse then death Cordes were our Crownes our dainties were despight My two consorts aie's me there lost their breath There lost I friends there lost I helpes there hope But loe my fortune aymes at higher scope For where I lost my loue my friends my hope There found I hope there faithful friends there loue And whilst I went fast fettered in a rope Weeping such teares as might compassion moue I was presented by vnhallowed hand To stoute Locrinus King of Logiers land Who like that thunder-threatning Potentate The Arbiter of changes and increase Sate lightning forth such lookes as might amate Warre-breeding Mars the countercheck of peace Him when I saw I shooke and shaking wept And weeping to his throne for mercy crept And whilst I rent my carelesse-scattered locks Those tricked trammels where true loue was tangled At Locrins breast for mercy fancie knocks Shadowed in seemely
lookes where-with loue angled And when I cry'd O pitty me my King His eyes cry'd pitty me by woe looking Each motion of mine eyes enforc't commotion Betwixt his will and reason what to aunswere But will where loue will rule must haue promotion My sute first past for life with listning eare He heard and graunted what I did require Ennobling of my life by his desire My bonds newe broke and I from fetters los'd As mount the brother twinnes from waterie vast Within fayre Thetis liquid lappe fore-clos'd So from their humbled closures lightned fast My louely lampes which earst made intercession And by one looke of all harts tooke possession All wonder and with dazeled eyes with-draw them Onely the right-borne Egle by these lights Approu'd his birth-right and no sooner saw them Apparailed in hope and choyce delights But vp he lookes by suddaine sight confounded And I by selfe-like sight was likely wounded For vvhere there growes a simpathie of harts Each passion in the one the other paineth And by each cariage of the outward parts VVherein the actuall worke of loue remaineth The inward griefes mislikes and ioyes are tought And euery signe bewraies a secrete thought Short tale to tell Locrinus had the palme And interest in all my best desseignes Each kisse I lent him breathed Indian balme To cure his woundes to breake affections cheines He had Loues Moly growing on my pappes To charme a hell of sorrow and mishappes Loe heere my second steppe to high estate Now marke my second fall and ouerthrow Behold in me the tragedy of fate The true Idea of this worldly woe The Eris and Erynnis that proceedes From wretched life that trusts to Fortunes weedes Locrinus freed from hostile detriment Possest of loue by me and me by loue Whose lookes vnto his loue gaue nutriment Whether by fatall motion from aboue Or through the hote suggestions of his Lords Vnto a second loue at last accords To Guendolen to Guendolen woe's me To Corincus daughter by consult My deere Locrinus must espoused be Euen heere gan Fortune proudly to insult What sayd I to insult nay rather raigne For hence his tyranny he did maintaine The English King God knowes against his will Or els his will farre differed from his vowes His Nobles intimations to fulfill The Cornish Guendolena did espouse Shee got the Crowne tho I was promist faire And he by her begot a royall heyre Then to my pride rebated by her rysing No day no night could passe me without plaint My thoughts were pensiue ful of sad surmising My dreames some dreadfull domage did depaint Aloud my conscience tolde and I confest it My life was loose and bad me to detest it I feard Locrinus through his new contract Should grow in hatred of his auncient choyce I saw my credite vvas already crackt My life condemnd for leud by common voyce And what is worse I knew the Queene intended That but with death her wrath should not be ended Amidst these thriuing thoughts whilst I assaied With vaine-affected hopes to ouer-top The true-inflicted paines my hart betraid Locrinus came and by sweet words did stop The breach which guilty conscience and vnrest Had made within the rampayres of my brest The ruines which incessant feare prouokt By his well tempered reasons were renewed My halfe-dead ioyes whom danger long had chokt Were cheer'd with kisses which sweet words insewed Hys words attended by truth-meaning teares Rauisht my hart through myne attentiue eares Tho Guendolen saith he doth tyrannise Yet Elstred is the soueraigne of my soule Th'inforced sollace like to vapour flies That hath no power repining harts to towle And wrested wedlocks breed but hated heate Where no loue seemes so sweet as stolne and secrete Ah temporise my loue a little season And reape the ripning haruest of all pleasure Gleane all my loues and doe me but this reason To serue occasion tyll she gyues thee seasure Rent out thy feares to mindes more bace and abiect And trust thy lyfe to me thy beauties subiect Disparage not my hope by thy misdeeming The nest is thine altho the Cuckow hatch there Loue lyues not there where lookes make louely-seeming Beare witnes heauens I neuer meant to match there But I inforst to flye a further mischiefe In colour her in hart doe hold thee chiefe All these and more sweet chaines of honny speech Deliuered by a trick Herculean tongue Able to tice all eares and all griefes teach So rooted vp my sorrowes as they sprung That hope suruiu'd and ioy exhaled greefe For perfect loue is quickest of beleefe And to effect his honny promise plighted No pleasures were vnsought to yeeld me sollace The darksome care which my harts hope benighted The sunne-shine of his princly loue did chace Delight in showers of gold in harmonie In curious gemmes was sent to please mine eye And to assure my lyfe and his content A second Cretan wonder he began Wherein nor wanted arte nor ornament Nor curious worke of high conceited man By hundreth waies and twice as mickle winding Crost and recrost beyond all searchers finding Not that Colossus reared vp in Rhodes Nor hanging Gardens houering in the sky Nor all the wonderous mansions and aboades In Egipt Lemnos or in Italy Eyther for riches cunning or expence Might match this Laborinth for excellence Within thys Maze and curious Caue I kept And those the Saphires of my shyning eyes Long wakned by my feares in quiet slept Heere when Locrinus list to wanton nise I payd him trybute for those gifts he sent me With all the sweets that God and nature lent me So long in lystes of pleasure did we striue Till both affections mutually agreed The happy heauens a Trophie did reuiue A Trophie of our tryumph and good speede A pretty babe for me to stay withall A louely child for hym to play withall Then loe the fire regathered moodie might Long smothered in the embers of suspect In me alone Locrinus tooke delight And so my new-borne Sabrine did affect That nor his wife her sonne or ought could moue him To leaue my loue who did so deerely loue him Mislikes are silly lets where Kings resolue them Where counsaile-chasing will hath empery Deedes are too prest for reason to dissolue them In mighty mindes a grounded vanity Like Iuie springs that ceaslesse neuer stoppeth Vntill her neighbour-Oake she ouer-toppeth Locrinus hearing of the haplesse date Of Corineus Guendolenues Father Now gan to tempest forth his smothered hate He durst not threaten forth or publish rather And both his wife and his vnhappy chyld From Crowne from Court from fauour quite exild Then was I drawne like that sea-fostered Queene From those obscurer prysons of my glory And brought abroade in tryumphe to be seene None durst vpbraid though many harts were sory All likt my lookes tho each one curst my life To see a harlot so supplant a wife But as the Sunne in March is held vnholesome For stirring vmors and not laying them Filling the earth