H

APPY ye leaues when as thofe lilly hands," which hold my life in their dead doing

might

shall handle you and hold in loues foft bands, lyke captiues trembling at the victors fight. And happy lines, on which with ftarry light, thofe lamping eyes will deigne fometimes to look

and reade the forrowes of my dying spright,
written with teares in harts close bleeding

book.

And happy rymes bath'd in the facred brooke, of Helicon whence the deriued is,

when ye behold that Angels bleffed looke, my foules long lacked foode, my heauens blis. Leaues, lines, and rymes, feeke her to please alone,

whom if ye please, I care for other none.

V

SONNET. II.

NQUIET/thought, whom at the first I bred, Of th' inward bale of my loue pined hart: and fithens haue with fighes and forrowes fed, till greater then my wombe thou woxen art. Breake forth at length out of the inner part, in which thou lurkeft lyke to vipers brood: and feeke some fuccour both to ease my smart and alfo to fuftayne thy felfe with food. But if in prefence of that fayreft proud

thou chance to come, fall lowly at her feet: and with mecke humbleffe and afflicted mood, pardon for thee, and grace for me intreat. Which if the graunt, then liue and my loue cherish, if not, die foone, and I with thee will perish.

SONNET. III.

HE/fouerayne beauty which I doo admyre,

THE

witnesse the world how worthy to be prayzed: the light wherof hath kindled heauenly fyre, in my fraile spirit by her from baseneffe raysed. That being now with her huge brightneffe dazed, bafe thing I can no more endure to view : but looking ftill on her I stand amazed, at wondrous fight of fo celeftiall hew. So when my toung would speak her praises dew, it stopped is with thoughts aftonishment: and when my pen would write her titles true, it rauifht is with fancies wonderment : Yet in my hart I then both fpeake and write, the wonder that my wit cannot endite.

N

SONNET. IIII.

EW/yeare forth looking out of Ianus gate,

Doth feeme to promise hope of new delight: and bidding th' old Adieu, his passed date

bids all old thoughts to die in dumpish spright. And calling forth out of fad Winters night,

fresh loue, that long hath slept in cheerlesse bower : wils him awake, and foone about him dight

his wanton wings and darts of deadly power.

For lufty spring now in his timely howre,

is ready to come forth him to receiue:

and warnes the Earth with diuers colord flowre, to decke hir felfe, and her faire mantle weaue. Then you faire flowre, in who fresh youth doth raine, prepare your felfe new loue to entertaine.

SONNET. V.

VDE/LY thou wrongest my deare harts desire, In finding fault with her too portly pride: the thing which I doo most in her admire, is of the world vnworthy most enuide.

For in those lofty lookes is close implide,

scorn of base things, & fdeigne of foule dishonor: thretning rash eies which gaze on her fo wide, that loosely they ne dare to looke vpon her. Such pride is praise, fuch portlineffe is honor, that boldned innocence beares in hir eies : and her faire countenance like a goodly banner, fpreds in defiaunce of all enemies.

Was neuer in this world ought worthy tride,

without some spark of fuch felf-pleasing pride.

BE

SONNET. VI.

/ nought dismayd that her vnmoued mind, doth ftill perfift in her rebellious pride: fuch loue not lyke to lufts of baser kynd, the harder wonne, the firmer will abide. The durefull Oake, whofe fap is not yet dride, is long ere it conceiue the kindling fyre: but when it once doth burne, it doth diuide great heat, and makes his flames to heauen afpire.

So hard it is to kindle new defire,

in gentle breft that fhall endure for euer:

deepe is the wound, that dints the parts entire

with chafte affects, that naught but death can feuer. Then thinke not long in taking litle paine

to knit the knot, that euer fhall remaine.

F

SONNET. VII.

AYRE/ eyes, the myrrour of my mazed hart,

what wondrous vertue is contaynd in you

the which both lyfe and death forth fro you dart into the obiect of your mighty view?

For, when ye mildly looke with louely hew, then is my foule with life and loue inspired : but when ye lowre, or looke on me afkew then doe I die, as one with lightning fyred. But fince that lyfe is more then death defyred, looke euer louely, as becomes you beft,

that your bright beams of my weak eies adn.yred.

may kindle liuing fire within my breft.

Such life fhould be the honor of your light,

fuch death the fad enfample of your might.

M

SONNET. VIII.

ORE/then most faire, full of the liuing fire
Kindled aboue vnto the maker neere :

no eies but ioyes, in which al powers confpire, that to the world naught elfe be counted deare. Thrugh your bright beams doth not blinded guest, shoot out his darts to base affections wound; but Angels come to lead fraile mindes to rest in chaft defires on heauenly beauty bound. You frame my thoughts and fashion me within,

you stop my toung, and teach my hart to speake, you calme the storme that passion did begin, ftrog thrugh your cause, but by your vertue weak. Dark is the world, where your light fhined neuer : well is he borne that may behold you euer.

SONNET. IX.

ONG-/WHILE I fought to what I might compare

those powrefull eies, which lightẽ my dark yet find I nought on earth to which I dare [fpright, resemble th' ymage of their goodly light.

Not to the Sun for they doo fhine by night;

nor to the Moone: for they are changed neuer ; nor to the Starres: for they haue purer fight; nor to the fire for they confume not euer;

Nor to the lightning: for they still perfeuer;

nor to the Diamond: for they are more tender; nor vnto Christall for nought may them feuer; nor vnto glaffe: fuch bafeneffe mought offend her;

Then to the Maker felfe they likeft be,

whose light doth lighten all that here we fee.

IV.

I I