University of Virginia Library

Posie 6. The patrones Dilemma.

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Some letters in this poem are emboldened, to spell Dorothy Halsal.

Of stately stones the Diamond is kinge,
Whose splendor doth dazell the gazing eye,
The Onix gloze, is tyed to honors winge,
Whose vertu's gouern'd by th'imperiall skie:
These graces all in thee combin'd remaine,
For glorie thine their glories still doth staine.
Shall I not speake of Rubies glorious blaze,
That I blazeth still, like blazing star that shoes,
Or cease to write how men at th'Opale gaze,
Whose beautie shines like perles of dewe on rose:
These vertues all (compar'd with thine) are base,
For nature gaue thee excellent of grace.
The Topas chast thou doest in kind excell,
The Hyacinth that strangers loue procures,
Hath not such force, nor can not worke so well,
As honors beautie still in thee alures;
Yris shews not more coulors in her kind,
Then vertues be with in thy noble mind.

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The windie Histmos shews, and bright aspects,
Comes far behind this faire Angragos worth,
The Lupinar hath not more chast affects.
Then glorie of th'vnspotted minde brings foorth.
My paines encrease thy graces to repeate,
For cold despaire driues out of hope the heate.
Yf Saunus fort which doth expell deceate,
Or Agathes which happie bouldnes yeild's,
And eke Luperius whose vertues greate,
Doth glad the minde: all which are found in feilds:
Yf these I had to comfort my despaire,
Hope yet might hope to win & weare thy faire.