“ If he do pine, that never comfort gains; And be distressed that hath his deadly wound: Then must I die, whose heart elsewhere is clad; And lifeless pass the greedy worms to feed: Then must I pine, that never comfort had; And be distressed, whose wound with tears doth bleed. Which if I do, why do I not wax cold? Why rest I not like one that wants a heart? Why move I still like him that life doth hold; And sense enjoy both of my joy and smart? Like Niobe Queen, which, made a stone, did weep: Licia my heart, dead and alive, doth keep. ”

“ In midst is Love, half dead of grievous pain; And, doubtful, winds about like sparkling flame. He fears the heat: and trembles, being turned Unto this blast; which still more sharp doth rise. Nor is his fear in vain, when so he is burned: For one of these must hap, in sudden wise, Either the fire must spoil him as his prey; Or whirling wind else blow him quite away.
XVIII.
MY Laura wonders that, in visage pale, I bear of Death itself, the lively show: But if She muse at this, her musing's stale; For this sad colour had I long ago. ”

“ After you were lords of the town—which you got wholly and quietly within two hours after your issuing forth—what did you mean, to continue still killing, without mercy, people of all sorts that did bear no armour at all; and to murder them in their houses? to fire the chiefest and fairest part of the city, after you were in full and quiet possession of all? And not contented to spoil the whole town, but to ransom those that were spoiled? And to spare no Nation: although they did bear no arms at all; nor yet were dealers in any practice at all against the King's Ministers, or the Spaniards? ”

“ I love my griefs, yet wish them at an end. Thus time's expense increaseth but my loss. I musing stand, and wonder at my Love; That in so fair, should be a heart of steel. And then I think, my fancy to remove: But then more painful I my passions feel. Thus must I love, sweet Fair, until I die; And your unkindness doth my love increase: I conquered am, I cannot it deny. My life must end; yet shall my love not cease. Then heavens, make Licia fair most kind to me; Or with my life, my love may finished be!
SONNET XXXII.
I wrote my sighs, and sent them to my Love. ”

“ I praised that Fair, that none enough could praise: But plaints, nor praises, could fair Licia move. Above my reach, she did her virtues raise. And thus replied, "False scrawl, untrue thou art! To feign those sighs that nowhere can be found. For half those praises came not from his heart; Whose faith and love, as yet, was never found. "Thy master's life, false scrawl, shall be thy doom! Because he burns, I judge thee to the flame! Both your attempts deserve no better room." Thus, at her word, we ashes both became. Believe me, Fair, and let my paper live! Or be not fair, and so me freedom give. ”

“ Blest be that place whereas he doth abide! No travail will I stick to prove, Whereby my goodwill may be tried.
"Now will I walk with joyful heart To view the town whereas my darling doth remain; And seek him out in every part, Until I do his sight attain."
"And I," quoth he, "will not forsake Sweet M. in all her journeys up and down; In wealth and woe thy part I'll take, And bring thee safe to Padua town."
And, after many weary steps, In Padua they safe arrived at the last. For very joy, her heart it leaps: She thinks not on her perils past. ”

“ A laurel garland in my hand I gat, So the Muses I approached the nigher. My suit was this, A Poet to become; To drink with them, and from the heavens be fed. Phœbus denied; and sware, "There was no room Such to be Poets as fond Fancy led." With that I mourned, and sat me down to weep. Venus she smiled, and smiling to me said, "Come drink with me, and sit thee still and sleep!" This voice I heard, and Venus I obeyed. That poison, Sweet, hath done me all this wrong; For now of Love must needs be all my Song.
SONNET II.
WEary was Love, and sought to take his rest. ”

“ Desire like fire doth still aspire. In troth you know it must be so. My love you know, then say not "No!" If you this forego, you are my foe! I love thee Joan, and thee alone! I love thee John; therefore come on! My mind is bent, and I am content. I'll venture till I find Love's centre. I were an ass, should I let you pass. In midst of grief, Love sends relief. Where hearts agree, no strife can be. I joy to find a constant mind. Love never dies where Virtue lies. Love's delight is to unite. ”

“ The time I knew She slighted you, When I was in her favour.
None stands so fast But may be cast By Fortune, and disgracèd: Once did I wear Her garter there, Where you her glove have placèd.
I had the vow That thou hast now, And glances to discover Her love to me; And She to thee, Reads but old lessons over.
She hath no smile That can beguile; But, as my thought, I know it: Yea to a hair, Both when, and where, And how, she will bestow it.
What now is thine Was only mine, And first to me was given; Thou laugh'st at me! I laugh at thee! And thus we two are even. ”

“ To Licia,
the wise, kind, virtuous, and fair.
BRight matchless Star, the honour of the sky! From whose clear shine heaven's vault hath all his light. I send these Poems to your graceful eye. Do you but take them, and they have their right. I build besides a Temple to your name, Wherein my thoughts shall daily sing your praise; And will erect an Altar for the same, Which shall, your virtues and your honour raise. But heaven, the Temple of your honour is; Whose brazen tops your worthy self made proud: The ground an Altar, base for such a bliss, With pity torn, because I sighed so loud. ”

“ Whose left arms laden are with targets made of willow tree. 'Mongst whom King Hiero, the ancient Worthies' match, I see In armour shine; whose plume doth overshade his helmet bright.
O Jupiter, and thou Minerva fierce in fight, And thou Proserpina (who, with thy mother, has renown By Lysimelia streams, in Ephyra that wealthy town) , Out of our island drive our enemies, our bitter fate, Along the Sardine sea! that death of friends they may relate Unto their children and their wives! and that the towns opprest By enemies, of th'old inhabitants may be possesst! That they may till the fields! ”

“ And, like Amyntas, haunt the desert cells (And moneyless there breathe out thy cruelty) Where none but Care and Melancholy dwell. I, for revenge, to Nemesis will cry! If that will not prevail; my wandering ghost, Which breathless here this love-scorched trunk shall leave, Shall unto thee, with tragic tidings post! How thy disdain did life from soul bereave. Then, all too late, my death thou wilt repent! When murder's guilt, thy conscience shall torment.
SONNET XXV.
WHo doth not know that Love is triumphant, Sitting upon the throne of majesty? ”

“ FIrst did I fear, when first my love began; Possessed in fits by watchful jealousy, I sought to keep what I by favour wan, And brooked no partner in my love to be. But tyrant Sickness fed upon my Love, And spread his ensigns dyed with colour white; Then was Suspicion glad for to remove; And loving much did fear to lose her quite. Erect, fair Sweet, the colours thou didst wear! Dislodge thy griefs, the short'ners of content! For now of life, not love, is all my fear: Lest life and love be both together spent. Live but, fair Love, and banish thy disease! ”

“ By dangerous rocks and whirling gulfs doth float, Hoping, at length, the wishèd Port to find: So doth my love in stormy billows sail, And passing the gaping Scylla's waves, In hope at length with Chloris to prevail; And win that prize which most my fancy craves. Which unto me of value will be more Than was that rich and wealthy Golden Fleece; Which Jason stout, from Colchos island bore, With wind in sails, unto the shore of Greece, More rich, more rare, more worth her love I prize; Than all the wealth which under heaven lies. ”

“ Those thoughts that swarm in such a troubled mind. Then do I vow my tongue shall never speak, Nor tell my grief that in my heart doth lie: But, cannon-like, I, then surcharged, do break. And so my silence worse than speech I try. Thus speech, or none, they both do breed my care: I live dismayed and kill my heart with grief. In all respects my case alike doth fare. To him that wants; and dares not ask relief. Then you, fair Licia, Sovereign of my heart, Read to yourself my anguish and my smart! ”

“ As is the furrow in a field that far outstretcheth all; Or in a garden is a cypress tree; or in a trace, A steed of Thessaly; so She to Sparta was a grace. No damsel with such works as She, her baskets used to fill; Nor in a divers coloured web, a woof of greater skill Doth cut off from the loom; nor any hath such Songs and Lays Unto her dainty harp, in Dian's and Minerva's praise, As Helen hath: in whose bright eyes all Loves and Graces be.
"O fair, O lovely Maid! a Matron is now made of thee! But we will, every Spring, unto the leaves in meadow go To gather garlands sweet ”

“ THe eternal Majesty, in whose hand are both the mean and mighty of the earth, pleased to deliver from weakness of body and grief of mind, Elizabeth his Hand Maid, our late royal Mistress and gracious Sovereign: easing her age from the burthen of earthly Kingdoms, and placing her, as we steadfastly hope, in his heavenly empire; being the resting place, after death, for all them that believe faithfully in their life. ”

“ Since 'tis my wish, my blood with soul as one May rest; and that's with thee, or else with none.
[Pg 328]
XIX.
THat ivory hand, a fan most white doth hold; And to the milky breast blows wind apace; And yet is full of chilly ice most cold; Disgrace to others, to herself a grace. But I, who wistly mark these whiteness' three, Vouchsafe, sweet Love, this boon to grant to me! Distil within the rolling of mine eyes, By virtue of thy power, such hidden flame; And let it tempered be, in such strange wise, That, as I cast my look upon the same, It quite may take away her cruelty! ”

“ Since Princes, in their stately arbours green, Account of shade, as trees which fruit adorn; Because from heat they welcome shelters been. The Shadow shields, 'gainst sun, your beauty fair; Which else his scorching heat would much impair.
Then though a Shadow without fruit I be; And scarce yield leaves to cover this my bark: Accept these leaves, thy Beauty's Shade, of me! Where wealth doth ebb, goodwill doth flow from heart. Deign me, for all my love, but Shadow thine! Thy Substance 's too too high for fortune mine. ”

“ IF white's the Moon, thou Laura seem'st as white; And white's the gown which you on body wear. And if her whitely horns, in calmy night, She, smoothly gliding, shows to us most clear: You, in the daytime, more and brighter far Your beauty show; like bright Aurora's star. Like brightness both of you abroad do cast; Though not effect alike per accidens: You shine, she shines, your powers eternal last; But yet between you is great difference. Her brightness freezeth, causing deadly cold: Yours doth inflame, and lovely fire doth hold. ”

“ Into the air that none your sound may hear. Sith cruel Chloris hath of you no care (Although she once esteemèd you full dear) ; Let sable night all your disgraces cover: Yet truer sighs were never sighed by lover.
SONNET XLIII.
THou glorious Sun (from whence my lesser light The substance of his crystal shine doth borrow) Let these my moans find favour in thy sight, And with remorse extinguish now my sorrow! Renew those lamps which thy disdain hath quenched, As Phœbus doth his sister Phœbe's shine: Consider how thy Corin, being drenched In seas of woe, to thee his plaints incline! ”