The Complete Works of Sir Philip Sidney In Three Volumes |
 | I, II. |
| III. |
 | IV. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 2. |
[Fayre Rockes, goodly Rivers, sweete Woodes, when shall I see peace?] |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 5. |
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 | The Complete Works of Sir Philip Sidney |  |
152
[Fayre Rockes, goodly Rivers, sweete Woodes, when shall I see peace?]
Philisides.
Fayre Rockes, goodly Rivers, sweete Woodes, when shall I see peace?
Peace? what barres mee my toungue, who ys yt yt comes mee so nye?
Oh I, do knowe what Guest I have mett, yt ys Eccho.
Well mett Eccho, approche then tell mee thy will too?—
Peace? what barres mee my toungue, who ys yt yt comes mee so nye?
Oh I, do knowe what Guest I have mett, yt ys Eccho.
Well mett Eccho, approche then tell mee thy will too?—
Eccho, what doo I gett yeelding my spirit to my greeves?—
What Medcyn may I fynde for a payne yt drawes mee to deathe?
O poysonus Medecyn what worse to mee, can bee then yt?—
In what state was I then when I tooke this Deadly disease?
What maner of a mynde, wch had to that Honor a vayne?
Hathe not Reason enoughe vehemency the Desyer to reproove?
Ofte proove I but what salve, when reason seekes to bee gon̄?
Oh what ys yt, what ys yt that may bee a salve to my Love?
What doo Lovers seeke for, Long seeking for to enjoy?
What bee the Joyes for wch to enjoy they want to the paynes?
Then to an earnest Loove, what dothe best victory lende?
Ende, but I can never ende, love will not give mee the Leave.
Howe bee the myndes disposde that can not taste thy Phisick?
Yet, say ageane thy advyse, for the evills that I tolde thee?
Dothe the Infected wretche of his evell the extremity knowe?
But yf hee knowe not his harmes what guydes hathe hee while hee ys blynde?
What blynde Guydes can hee have that leanes to a fancye?
Can fancyes want eyes? or hee falle that steppeth a lofte?
What Causes first made these Tormentes on mee to lighte?
Can then a Cause bee so lighte, that forceth a Man to go dye?
Yet tell mee what lighte thing I had in mee to draw mee to dye?
Eye sight made mee to yeelde but what first prest to myne eyes?
Eyes hurters eyes hurte but what from them to mee falles?
But when I first did falle what broughte moste falle to my hart?
Arte? What can bee that Arte wch thow doest meane by thy speeche?
What bee the fruites of speaking Arte, what growes by the wordes?
O muche more then wordes, those wordes seemd more to mee blesse.
O when shall I bee knowne where moste to bee knowne I doo longe?
Long bee thy woes for suche Newes: But how Reckes shee my thoughtes?
Then, then what do I gayne, since unto her will I do wynde?
Wynde Tempestes and stormes yet in ende what gives shee desyer?
Silly Rewarde, yet among women hathe shee of vertue ye moste.
What greate name may I give to so heavenly a woman?
Woe, but seemes to mee Joy yt agrees to my thoughtes so?
Thincke so, for of my desyered blisse yt ys onely the Course.
Curst by thy self for cursing yt wch leades mee to Joyes?
What bee ye sweete Creatures where lovely demaundes bee not hearde?
Hard to bee gott, butt gott constant to bee helde like steeles.
How can they bee unkynde speake for thow haste nerely pryed?
Whence can pryde come there, since springes of beuty bee thence?
Horrible ys thy Blasphemy, unto the moste holy.
Thow lyest false Eccho, theyre myndes as vertue bee Just.
Mockest thow those Dyamondes wch onely bee matcht by ye goddes.
Oddes? what an oddes ys there synce them to ye heavens I preferr.
Tell yet ageane mee the names of these fayre formd to do evells?
Devills? yf in hell suche Devills do abyde to the helles I do go?
What Medcyn may I fynde for a payne yt drawes mee to deathe?
O poysonus Medecyn what worse to mee, can bee then yt?—
In what state was I then when I tooke this Deadly disease?
What maner of a mynde, wch had to that Honor a vayne?
Hathe not Reason enoughe vehemency the Desyer to reproove?
Ofte proove I but what salve, when reason seekes to bee gon̄?
Oh what ys yt, what ys yt that may bee a salve to my Love?
What doo Lovers seeke for, Long seeking for to enjoy?
153
Then to an earnest Loove, what dothe best victory lende?
Ende, but I can never ende, love will not give mee the Leave.
Howe bee the myndes disposde that can not taste thy Phisick?
Yet, say ageane thy advyse, for the evills that I tolde thee?
Dothe the Infected wretche of his evell the extremity knowe?
But yf hee knowe not his harmes what guydes hathe hee while hee ys blynde?
What blynde Guydes can hee have that leanes to a fancye?
Can fancyes want eyes? or hee falle that steppeth a lofte?
What Causes first made these Tormentes on mee to lighte?
Can then a Cause bee so lighte, that forceth a Man to go dye?
Yet tell mee what lighte thing I had in mee to draw mee to dye?
Eye sight made mee to yeelde but what first prest to myne eyes?
Eyes hurters eyes hurte but what from them to mee falles?
But when I first did falle what broughte moste falle to my hart?
Arte? What can bee that Arte wch thow doest meane by thy speeche?
What bee the fruites of speaking Arte, what growes by the wordes?
O muche more then wordes, those wordes seemd more to mee blesse.
O when shall I bee knowne where moste to bee knowne I doo longe?
Long bee thy woes for suche Newes: But how Reckes shee my thoughtes?
154
Wynde Tempestes and stormes yet in ende what gives shee desyer?
Silly Rewarde, yet among women hathe shee of vertue ye moste.
What greate name may I give to so heavenly a woman?
Woe, but seemes to mee Joy yt agrees to my thoughtes so?
Thincke so, for of my desyered blisse yt ys onely the Course.
Curst by thy self for cursing yt wch leades mee to Joyes?
What bee ye sweete Creatures where lovely demaundes bee not hearde?
Hard to bee gott, butt gott constant to bee helde like steeles.
How can they bee unkynde speake for thow haste nerely pryed?
Whence can pryde come there, since springes of beuty bee thence?
Horrible ys thy Blasphemy, unto the moste holy.
Thow lyest false Eccho, theyre myndes as vertue bee Just.
Mockest thow those Dyamondes wch onely bee matcht by ye goddes.
Oddes? what an oddes ys there synce them to ye heavens I preferr.
Tell yet ageane mee the names of these fayre formd to do evells?
Devills? yf in hell suche Devills do abyde to the helles I do go?
| The Complete Works of Sir Philip Sidney | |