Leaue, me, O loue which reachest but to dust, And thou, my mind, aspire to higher things. Grow rich in that which neuer taketh rust; Whateuer fades, but fading pleasure brings....
Louing in trueth, and fayne in verse my loue to show, That she, deare Shee, might take som pleasure of my paine, Pleasure might cause her reade, reading might make her know,...
Not at the first sight, nor with a dribbed shot, Loue gaue the wound, which, while I breathe, will bleede; But knowne worth did in tract of time proceed, Till by degrees, it had full conquest got....
Let dainty wits crie on the Sisters nine, That, brauely maskt, their fancies may be told; Or, Pindars apes, flaunt they in phrases fine, Enam'ling with pied flowers their thoughts of gold;...
Vertue, alas, now let me take some rest; Thou setst a bate betweene my will and wit; If vaine Loue haue my simple soule opprest, Leaue what thou lik'st not, deale thou not with it....
Queen Virtues Court, which some call Stellaes face, Prepar'd by Natures choicest furniture, Hath his front built of alabaster pure; Gold is the couering of that stately place....
Stella, the fullnesse of my thoughts of thee Cannot be staid within my panting breast, But they do swell and struggle forth of me, Till that in words thy figure be exprest:...
Pardon mine ears, both I and they do pray, So may your tongue still flauntingly proceed To them that do such entertainment need, So may you still haue somewhat new to say. On silly me do not the burthen lay...
A strife is growne between Vertue and Loue, While each pretends that Stella must be his: Her eyes, her lips, her all, saith Loue, do this, Since they do weare his badge, most firmly proue....
In martiall sports I had my cunning tride, And yet to breake more staues did mee addresse, While, with the peoples shouts, I must confesse, Youth, lucke, and praise euen fil'd my veines with pride;...
Because I breathe not loue to euery one, Nor doe not vse sette colours for to weare, Nor nourish speciall locks of vowed haire, Nor giue each speech a full point of a grone,...
Deere, why make you more of a dog then me? If he doe loue, I burne, I burne in loue; If he waite well, I neuer thence would moue; If he be faire, yet but a dog can be; Little he is, so little worth is he;...
Muses, I oft inuoked your holy ayde, With choisest flowers my speech t' engarland so, That it, despisde, in true but naked shew Might winne some grace in your sweet grace arraid;...
Fy, schoole of Patience, fy! your Lesson is Far, far too long to learne it without booke: What, a whole weeke without one peece of looke, And thinke I should not your large precepts misse!...
Who hauing made, with many fights, his owne Each sence of mine, each gift, each pow'r of mind; Growne now his slaues, he forst them out to find The thorowest words fit for Woes selfe to grone,...
Doubt there hath beene when with his golden chaine The orator so farre mens hearts doth bind, That no pace else their guided steps can find But as he them more short or slack doth raine;...
When my good Angell guides me to the place Where all my good I doe in Stella see, That heau'n of ioyes throwes onely downe on me Thundring disdaines and lightnings of disgrace;...
Oft with true sighs, oft with vncalled teares, Now with slow words, now with dumbe eloquence, I Stellas eyes assaid, inuade her eares; But this, at last, is her sweet breath'd defence:...
Late tyr'd with wo, euen ready for to pine With rage of loue, I cald my Loue vnkind; She in whose eyes loue, though vnfelt, doth shine, Sweet said, that I true loue in her should find....
O grammer-rules, O now your vertues show; So children still reade you with awfull eyes, As my young doue may, in your precepts wise, Her graunt to me by her owne vertue know:...