Edmund Spenser

“ To leaue this life, or dolorous to dye?
To liue I finde it deadly dolorous;
For life drawes care, and care continuall woe:
Therefore to dye must needes be ioyeous,
And wishfull thing this sad life to forgoe. ”

“ That man, who doth the whole worlds rule possesse
Should to beast his noble hart embase,
And be the vassall of his vassalesse:
Therefore more plaine aread this doubtfull case.
Then sighing sore, Daphne thou knewest (quoth he)
She now is dead; ne more endured to say:
But fell to ground for great extreamitie,
That I beholding it, with deepe dismay
Was much appald, and lightlie him vpearing,
Reuoked life that would haue fled away,
All were my self through griefe in deadly drearing. ”

“ The wretchedst man that treades this day on ground?
One, whome like wofulnesse impressed deepe
Hath made fit mate thy wretched case to heare,
And giuen like cause with thee to waile and weepe:
Griefe findes some ease by him that like does beare,
Then stay Alcyon, gentle shepheard stay,
(Quoth I) till thou haue to my trustie care
Committed, what thee dooth so ill apay.
Ceasse foolish man (saide he halfe wrothfully)
To seeke to heare that which cannot be tolde. ”

“ Leauing behind them nought but griefe of minde,
And mocking such as thinke they long will stay.
I hate the heauen, because it doth withhold
Me from my loue, and eke my loue from me;'
I hate the earth, because it is the mold
Of fleshly slime and fraile mortalitie:
I hate the fire, because to nought it flyes,
I hate the Ayre, because sighes of it be,
I hate the Sea, because it teares supplyes. ”

“ To make new matter fit for Tragedies.
For whilest I was thus without dread or dout,
A cruell Satyre with his murdrous dart,
Greedie or mischiefe ranging all about,
Gaue her the fatall wound of deadlie smart:
And reft fro me my sweete companion,
And reft fro me my loue, my life, my hart,
My Lyonesse (ah woe is mee) is gon.
Out of the world thus was she rest awaie,
Out of the world, vnworthie such a spoyle;
And borne to heauen, for heauen a fitter pray:
Much fitter than the Lyon, which with toyle
Alcides flew, and fixt in firmament ”

“ Which dayly dooth my weaker wit possesse,
Ne lets it rest, vntill it forth haue brought
Her long borne Infant, fruit of heauinesse,
Which she conceiued hath through meditation
Of this worlds vainnesse and lifes wretchednesse,
That yet my soule it deepely doth empassion.
So as I muzed on the miserie,
In which men liue, and I of many most,
Most miserable man ”

“ As stubborne steed, that is with burb restrained,
Becomes more fierce and feruent in his gate,
And breaking foorth as last, thus dearnelie plained.
What man henceforth, that breatheth vitall ayre,
Will honour heauen, or heauenlie powers adore? ”

“ I hate the day, because it lendeth light ”

“ She faire, shee pure, most fair most pure shee was,
Yet was by them as thing impure reiected:
Yet shee in purenesse, heauen itselfe did pas.
In purenesse and in all celestiall grace,
That men admire in goodlie womankinde ”

“ Haue the rather presumed humbly to offer vnto your Honor the dedication of this little Poëme, for that the noble and vertuous Gentlewoman of whom it is written, was by match neere alied, and in affection greatly deuoted vnto your Ladiship. ”