University of Virginia Library

Sonets.

[1]

[It was the time when rest the gift of Gods]

It was the time when rest the gift of Gods
Sweetely sliding into the eyes of men,
Doth drowne in the forgetfulnesse of slepe,
The carefull trauailes of the painefull day:
Then did a ghost appeare before mine eyes
On that great riuers banke that runnes by Rome,
And calling me then by my propre name,
He bade me vpwarde vnto heauen looke.
He cride to me, and loe (quod he) beholde,
What vnder this great Temple is containde,
Loe all is nought but flying vanitie.
So I knowing the worldes vnstedfastnesse,
Sith onely God surmountes the force of tyme,
In God alone do stay my confidence.

[2]

[On hill, a frame an hundred cubites hie]

On hill, a frame an hundred cubites hie
I sawe, an hundred pillers eke about,
All of fine Diamant decking the front,
And fashiond were they all in Dorike wise.
Of bricke, ne yet of marble was the wall,
But shining Christall, which from top to base
Out of deepe vaute threw forth a thousand rayes
Vpon an hundred steps of purest golde.
Golde was the parget: and the sielyng eke
Did shine all scaly with fine golden plates.
The floore was Iaspis, and of Emeraude.
O worldes vainenesse. A sodein earthquake loe,
Shaking the hill euen from the bottome deepe,
Threwe downe this building to the lowest stone.

[3]

[Then did appeare to me a sharped spire]

Then did appeare to me a sharped spire
Of diamant, ten feete eche way in square,
Iustly proportionde vp vnto his height,
So hie as mought an Archer reache with sight.
Vpon the top therof was set a pot
Made of the mettall that we honour most.
And in this golden vessell couched were
The ashes of a mightie Emperour.
Vpon foure corners of the base there lay
To beare the frame, foure great Lions of golde.
A worthie tombe for such a worthie corps.
Alas, nought in this worlde but griefe endures.
A sodaine tempest from the heauen, I saw,
With flushe stroke downe this noble monument.

[4]

[I saw raisde vp on pillers of Iuorie]

I saw raisde vp on pillers of Iuorie,
Whereof the bases were of richest golde,
The chapters Alabaster, Christall frises,
The double front of a triumphall arke.
On eche side portraide was a victorie.
With golden wings in habite of a Nymph.
And set on hie vpon triumphing chaire,
The auncient glorie of the Romane lordes.
The worke did shewe it selfe not wrought by man,
But rather made by his owne skilfull hande
That forgeth thunder dartes for Ioue his sire.
Let me no more see faire thing vnder heauen,
Sith I haue seene so faire a thing as this,
With sodaine falling broken all to dust.

[5]

[Then I behelde the faire Dodonian tree]

Then I behelde the faire Dodonian tree,
Vpon seuen hilles throw forth his gladsome shade,
And Conquerers bedecked with his leaues
Along the bankes of the Italian streame.
There many auncient Trophees were erect,
Many a spoile, and many goodly signes,
To shewe the greatnesse of the stately race,
That erst descended from the Troian bloud.
Rauisht I was to see so rare a thing,
When barbarous villaines in disordred heape,
Outraged the honour of these noble bowes.
I hearde the tronke to grone vnder the wedge.
And since I saw the roote in hie disdaine
Sende forth againe a twinne of forked trees.

[6]

[I saw the birde that dares beholde the Sunne]

I saw the birde that dares beholde the Sunne,
With feeble flight venture to mount to heauen,
By more and more she gan to trust hir wings,
Still folowing th'example of hir damme:
I saw hir rise, and with a larger flight
Surmount the toppes euen of the hiest hilles,
And pierce the cloudes, and with hir wings to reache
The place where is the temple of the Gods,
There was she lost, and sodenly I saw
Where tombling through the aire in lompe of fire,
All flaming downe she fell vpon the plaine.
I saw hir bodie turned all to dust,
And saw the foule that shunnes the cherefull light
Out of hir ashes as a worme arise.

[7]

[Then all astonned with this nightly ghost]

Then all astonned with this nightly ghost,
I saw an hideous body big and strong,
Long was his beard, and side did hang his hair,
A grisly forehed and Saturnelike face.
Leaning against the belly of a pot
He shed a water, whose outgushing streame
Ran flowing all along the creekie shoare
Where once the Troyan Duke with Turnus fought.
And at his feete a bitch Wolfe did giue sucke
To two yong babes. In his right hand he bare
The tree of peace, in left the conquering Palme,
His head was garnisht with the Laurel bow.
Then sodenly the Palme and Oliue fell,
And faire greene Laurel witherd vp and dide.

[8]

[Hard by a riuers side, a wailing Nimphe]

Hard by a riuers side, a wailing Nimphe,
Folding hir armes with thousand sighs to heauen
Did tune hir plaint to falling riuers sound,
Renting hir faire visage and golden haire,
Where is (quod she) this whilome honored face?
Where is thy glory and the auncient praise,
Where all worldes hap was reposed,
When erst of Gods and man I worshipt was?
Alas, suffisde it not that ciuile bate
Made me the spoile and bootie of the world,
But this new Hydra mete to be assailde
Euen by an hundred such as Hercules,
With seuen springing heds of monstrous crimes,
So many Neroes and Caligulaes
Must still bring forth to rule this croked shore.

[9]

[Vpon a hill I saw a kindled flame]

Vpon a hill I saw a kindled flame,
Mounting like waues with triple point to heauen,
Which of incense of precious Ceder tree
With Balmelike odor did perfume the aire.
A bird all white, well fetherd on hir winges
Hereout did flie vp to the throne of Gods,
And singing with most plesant melodie
She climbed vp to heauen in the smoke.
Of this faire fire the faire dispersed rayes
Threw forth abrode a thousand shining leames,
When sodain dropping of a golden shoure
Gan quench the glystering flame. O greuous chaunge!
That which erstwhile so pleasaunt scent did yelde,
Of Sulphure now did breathe corrupted smel.

[10]

[I saw a fresh spring rise out of a rocke]

I saw a fresh spring rise out of a rocke,
Clere as Christall against the Sunny beames,
The bottome yellow like the shining land,
That golden Pactol driues vpon the plaine.
It seemed that arte and nature striued to ioyne
There in one place all pleasures of the eye.
There was to heare a noise alluring slepe
Of many accordes more swete than Mermaids song,
The seates and benches shone as Iuorie,
An hundred Nymphes sate side by side about,
When from nie hilles a naked rout of Faunes
With hideous cry assembled on the place,
Which with their feete vncleane the water fouled,
Threw down the seats, and droue the Nimphs to flight.

[11]

[At length, euen at the time when Morpheus]

At length, euen at the time when Morpheus
Most truely doth appeare vnto our eyes,
Wearie to see th'inconstance of the heauens:
I saw the great Typhæus sister come,
Hir head full brauely with a morian armed,
In maiestie she seemde to matche the Gods.
And on the shore, harde by a violent streame,
She raisde a Trophee ouer all the worlde.
An hundred vanquisht kings gronde at hir feete,
Their armes in shamefull wise bounde at their backes.
While I was with so dreadfull sight afrayde,
I saw the heauens warre against hir tho,
And seing hir striken fall with clap of thunder,
With so great noyse I start in sodaine wonder.