The Poetical Works of - OUDL Home

AMORETTI 565
Y
SONNET XV.
T
SONNET XVIII
E tradefull Merchants, that with weary He rolling wheele that runneth often round,
toyle,
The hardest Steele in tract of time doth
do seeke most pretious things to make your teare
gain,
and dnzlmg drops that often doe redound,
and both the Indias of their treasures spoile, the firmest flint doth in continuance weare
what needeth you to seeke so farre in vaine ? Yet cannot I, with many a dropping teare,
For loe my loue doth in her selfe containe and long mtreaty, soften her hard hart
all this worlds riches that may farre be found, thatshe will once vouchsaf emy plaint toheare,
if Saphyres, loe her eies be Saphyres plaine, or looke with pitty on my payneful smart
if Rubies, loe hir lips be Rubies sound But when I pleade, she bids me play my part,
If Pearles, hir teeth be pearles both pure and and when I weep, she sayes teares are but
round,
water
if Yuorie, her forhead yuory weene, and when I sigh, she sayes I know the art,
if Gold, her locks are finest gold on ground, and when I waile she turnes hir selfe to
if siluer, her faire hands are siluer sheene laughter
But that which fairest is, but few behold, So doe I weepe, and wayle, and pleade in vaine,
her mind adornd with vertues manifold whiles she as Steele and flint doth still re
mayne
O
SONNET XVI
T
SONNET XIX
Ne day as I vnwanly did gaze
He merry Cuckow, messenger of Spring,
on those fayre eyes my loues immortall
His trompet shrill hath thrise already
light
sounded
the whiles my stonrsht hart stood in amaze,
that warnes al louers wayt vpon ther king,
through sweet illusion of her lookes delight
who now is commmg forth with girland
I mote perceiue how in her glauncmg sight,
crouned
legions of loues with little wings did fly
With noyse whereof the quyre of Byrds re
darting their deadly arrowes fyry bright,
sounded
at euery rash beholder passing by
their anthemes sweet devized of loues prayse,
that all the woods theyr ecchoes back re­
One of those archers closely I did spy,
bounded,
aymmg his arrow at my very hart
as if they knew the meaning of their layes
when suddenly with twincle of her eye,
Butmongstthemall,whichdidLoueshonorrayse
the Damzeil broke his mismtended dart
no word was heard of her that most it ought,
Had she not so doon, sure I had bene slayne,
but she his precept proudly disobayes,
yet as it was, I hardly scap't with paine
and doth his ydle message set at nought
Therefore 0 loue, vnlesse she turne to thee
T
SONNET XVII
ere Cuckow end, let her a rebell be
He glorious pourtraict of that Angels face,
Made to amaze weake mens confused skil
SONNET XX
I
and this worlds worthlesse glory to embase, N vaine I seeke and sew to her for grace,
what pen, what pencill can expresse her fill? and doe mynehumbled hart before her poure
For though he colours could deuize at will, the whilesher footshe in my necke doth place,
and eke his learned hand at pleasure guide, and tread my life downe in the lowly floure
least trembling it his workmanship should And yet the Lyon that is Lord of power,
spill,
and reigneth ouer euery beast in field,
yet many wondrous things there are beside in his most pride disdeigneth to deuoure
The sweet eye-glaunces, that like arrowes glide, the silly lambe that to his might doth yield
the charming smiles, that rob sence from the But she more cruell and more saluage wylde,
hart
then either Lyon or the Lyonesse
the louely pleasance and the lofty pride, shames not to be with guiltlesse bloud defylde,
cannot expressed be by any art
but taketh glory in her cruelnesse
A greater craftesmans hand thereto doth neede, Fayrer then fayrest, let none euer say,
that can expresse the life of things indeed that ye were blooded in a yeelded pray