University of Virginia Library

The sixth Sonnet.

[O you that heare this voice]

[1]

O you that heare this voice,
O you that see this face,
Say whether of the choice,
Deserves the better place,
Feare not to judge this bate,
For it is voide of hate.

293

2

This side doth Beautie take,
For that doth Musicke speake,
Fit Orators to make,
The strongest judgements weake,
The barre to plead the right,
Is onely true delight.

3

Thus doth the voice and face,
The gentle Lawiers wage,
Like loving brothers case,
For Father's heritage,
That each while each contends,
It selfe to other lends.

4

For Beautie beautifies
With heavenly view and grace,
The heavenly harmonies;
And in this faultles face
The perfect beauties bee,
A perfect harmonie.

5

Musicke more lustie swels
In speeches noblie placed,
Beautie as farre excels
In actions aptly graced.
A friend each partie drawes,
To countenance his cause.

6

Love more affected seemes
To Beauties lovely light,
And Wonder more esteemes
Of Musicks wondrous might;
But both to both so bent,
As both in both are spent.

7

Musicke doth witnes call
The eare, his truth to trie:
Beauty brings to the hall
The judgement of the eie:
Both in their objects such,
As no exceptions tuch.

294

8

The common Sense which might
Be arbitrer of this,
To be forsooth upright,
To both sides partiall is:
He laies on this chiefe praise,
Chiefe praise on that he laies.

9

Then reason Princesse hie,
Whose throne is in the minde;
Which Musicke can in skie,
And hidden Beauties finde:
Say, whether thou wilt crowne
With limitlesse renowne.