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To the Right Worshipfull
Sir Robart Need-
G W. senior, to the Author
ham Knight.
Sir, to gratulate your safe return from gentle Muse for her former perfection long
Ireland, I had nothing so readie, nor wished for in Englande, nowe at the length
thought any thing so meete, as these sweete crossing the Seas in your happy companye,
conceited Sonets, the deede of that wel deseru (though to your selfe vnknowne) seemeth to
ing gentleman, maister Edraond Spenser make choyse of you, as meetest to glut her
whose name sufficiently warranting the worthi deserued countenaunce, after her retourne
nesse of the work I do more confidently pre­ entertame her, then, (Right worshipfull) in
sume to publish it m his absence, vnder your sorte best beseeming your gentle mmde, and
name to whom (in my poore opinion) the her merite, and take in worth my good will
patronage therof, doth in some respectes pro­ herein, who seeke no more, but to shew my
perly appertaine For, besides your ludge- selfe yours in all dutiful! affection
ment and dehghte m learned poesie This
W P
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D H
SONNET I
Appy ye leaues when as those lilly hands,
Arke is the day, when Phoebus face is which hold my life in their dead doing
shrowded,
t might,
and weaker sights may wander soone astray shall handle you and hold in loues soft bands,
but when they see his glorious raies vn lyke captmes trembling at the victors sight
clowded,
And happy lines, on which with starry light,
with steddy steps they keepe the perfect way those lamping eyes will deigne sometimes to
So while this Muse in forrame landes doth stay,
look
inuention weepes, and pens are cast aside,
and reade the sorrowes of my dying snnght,
the time like night, depriud of chearefuil day,
written with teares in harts close bleeding
and few do wnte,but (ah) toosoonemay slide book
Then, hie thee home, that art our perfect guide,
And happy rymes bath'd in the sacred brooke,
and with thy wit dlustrate Englands fame,
dawnting thereby our neighbors auncient
of Helicon whence she denued is,
when ye behold that Angels blessed looke,
pride,
my soules long lacked foode, my heauens bhs
that do for poesie, challendge cheefest name Leaues, lines, and rymes, seeke her to please
So we that hue and ages that succeede
alone,
With great applause thy learned works shall
whom if ye please, I care for other none
reede
V
SONNET 11
Ah Colin, whether on the lowly plalne,
Nquiet thought, whom at the first I bred,
Pyptng to shepherds thy sweete roundelaies Of th'mward bale of my loue pined hart
or whether singing in some lofty vatne, andsithens haue with sighes and sorrowes fed,
herouk deedes, of past, or present dales till greater then my wombe thou woxcn art
Or whether in thy louely mstrts praise, Breake forth at length out of the inner part,
thou hst to exercise thy learned quill,
in which thou lurkest lyke to vipers brood
thy muse halhgotsuch grace,and power to please, and seeke some succour both to ease my smart
with rare inuention bewlified by skill
and also to sustayne thy selfe with food
As who therein can euer toy their fill !
But if in presence of that fayrest proud
0 therefore let that happy muse proceede thou chance to come, fall lowly at her feet
to dime the height ofvertues sacred hill, and with meeke humblesse and afflicted mood,
where endles honor shall be made thy meede pardon for thee, and grace for me intreat
Because no malice of succeeding daies, Which if she graunt, then hue, and my loue
can rase those records of thy lasting praise
GW I
cherish,
if not, die soone, and I with thee will perish