University of Virginia Library

Sonnet. 5.

[Of stars, and of forrests, Dian, is the honor]

Of stars, and of forrests, Dian, is the honor:
And to the seas, to the Goddesse, is the guide:
And she hath Luna, Charon, and Eumenîde:
To make brightnes, to giue death, and to cause horror.
And my warrier, my light, shines in thy fayre eyes:
My dread is of thee, the to great excellence:
Thy wordes kyll mee: and thus thou hast the puissaunce,
Of her that rules the flodes, and lyghtnes the skies.
And as syluer Pheb, is the after, most clare:
So is thy beauty, the beauty, the most rare.
Wherefore I call thee Dian, for thy beautee,
For thy wisedome, and for thy puissaunce Celest.
And yet thou must be but a Goddesse terest:
And onely because of thy great crueltee.