 | Sonnets to the fairest Coelia |  |
Sonnet I.
[Ivdg'd by my goddesse doome to endlesse paine]
Ivdg'd by my goddesse doome to endlesse paine,Lo here I ope my sorrovves passion,
That eu'rie sillie eye may vievv most plaine,
A sentence giuen on no occasion.
If that by chaunce they fall most fortunate,
Within those cruell hands that did enact it,
Say but, alas he vvas too passionate,
My doome is past, nor can be novv vnactit.
So mayst thou see I vvas a spotlesse louer,
And grieue vvithall that ere thou dealt so sore.
Vnto remorse vvho goes about to moue her,
Pursues the vvinged vvinds, and tils the shore.
Louelie is her semblance, hard is her hart,
Wauering is her mind, sure is her dart.
Sonnet II.
[Oh happie houre, and yet vnhappie houre]
Oh happie houre, and yet vnhappie houre,When first by chaunce I had my goddesse vievved,
Then first I tasted of the svveetest soure,
Wherevvith the cup of Cypria is embrevved.
For gazing ferme vvithout suspition,
Loue coopt behind the charet of her eye,
Iustly to schoole my bold presumption,
Against my hart did let an arrovv flie:
Faire sir, quoth he, to practise haue you nought
But to be gazing on deuinitie?
Before you part, your leare you shall be tought,
With that attonce he made his arrovves hie:
Imperious God, I did it not to loue her,
Ah, stay thy hand, I did it but to proue her.
Sonnet III.
[Proue her? Ah no, I did it but to loue her]
Proue her? Ah no, I did it but to loue her:Then shoote amaine, drad liege, I stand vnarmed,
Altho no hope that any thing may moue her,
Some ease it is to be by beautie charmed.
Then quicke, my liege, thē quicke, & end thy game,
That all the vvorld may see hovv thou hast plagu'd vs,
Then cruell she shall vievv vnto her blame,
That all men be not fickle as they'ue term'd vs:
May be, my vvords may vvinne contrition;
If not my vvords, my sobs; if not my sobs,
My teares may moue her to compassion;
If teares do faile, my tears, my vvords, my throbs,
Ay me, Ah no, teares, vvords, throbs all in vaine,
She scornes my dole, and smileth at my paine.
Sonnet IIII.
[Oh heauenly Cœlia, as faire as vertuous]
Oh heauenly Cœlia, as faire as vertuous,The only mirrour of true chastitie,
Haue I beene gainst thy godhead impious,
That thus am guerdond for my fealtie?
Haue I not shed vpon thine yu'rie shrine,
Huge drops of teares vvith large eruptions?
Haue I not offred eu'ning and at prime
My sighs, my Psalms of inuocations?
VVhat be mens sighs, but cals of guilefulnesse?
They shevv, deare loue, true proofs of fermitie
What be your teares, but meere vngratiousnesse?
Teares only plead for our simplicitie:
VVhen all strike mute, she saies it is my dutie,
And claimes as much as to her deitie.
Sonnet V.
[Faire Queene of Gnidos come adorn my forehead]
Faire Queene of Gnidos come adorn my forehead,And crovvne me vvith the lavvrell emperor,
I'ó thrise sing I'ó about thy Poet,
Loe on my goddesse I am conqueror.
For once by chaunce, not sure, or vvittingly,
Vpon my foot, her tender foot alighted,
With that she pluckt it off full vvimbely,
As though the verie touch had her afrighted:
Deere mistresse, vvill you deale so cruelly,
To priue me of so small a benefit?
What? do you iert it off so nimbely,
As though in verie sooth a snake had bit it?
Yea bit perhaps indeed: Ho, Muses blab you?
Not a vvord Pieannets, or I vvill gag you.
Sonnet VI.
[Good God hovv sencelesse be vve paramours]
Good God hovv sencelesse be vve paramours,So proudly on a nothing for to vaunt it?
We cannot reape the meanest of all fauours,
But by and by vve thinke our sute is grauntit.
Had ye obseru'd tvvo planets vvhich then moūted,
Tvvo certaine signes of indignation,
Ye vvould haue deemed rather both consented,
To turne all hopes to desperation.
Then can you vvauer so inconstantly,
To shevv first loue, and then disdainfulnesse?
First for to bring a dramme of courtesie,
Then mix it vvith an ounce of scornfulnesse?
No, no, the doubt is ansvver'd, certainlie
She trod by chaunce, she trod not vvittingly.
Sonnet VII.
[If it be sin so dearely for to loue thee]
If it be sin so dearely for to loue thee,Come bind my hands, I am thy prisoner,
Yet if a sparke of pittie may but moue thee,
First sit vpon the cause commissioner.
The same vvell heard may vvrest incontinent
Tvvo floods from foorth those rocks of adamant
Which streaming dovvne vvith force impatient,
May melt the brest of my fierce Rhadamant.
Dearest cruell the cause I see dislikes thee,
On vs thy brovves thou bends so direfully;
Enioine me pennaunce vvhatsoeuer likes thee,
What e're it be Ile take it thankefully.
Yet since for loue it is I am thy bondman,
Good Cœlia vse me like a Gentleman.
Sonnet VIII.
[Strike vp, my Lute, and ease my heauie cares]
Strike vp, my Lute, and ease my heauie cares,The onely solace to my passions,
Impart vnto the aires thy pleasing aires,
More svveet than heauenly consolations.
Rehearse the songs of forlorne amor'us
Driv'ne to despaire by dames tyrannicall,
Of Alpheus losse, of vvoes of Troilus,
Of Rowlands rage, of Jphis funerall.
Ay me, vvhat vvarbles yeelds mine instrument?
The bases skrieke, as though they vvere amis,
The Meanes, no meanes, too sad the meriment,
No, no, the musicke good, but thus it is,
I loath both Meanes, meriment, Diapasons,
So she and I may be but Vnisons.
Sonnet IX.
[Whilst others vveene sole hopes to be a sauue]
Whilst others vveene sole hopes to be a sauue,Sole hopes I find to be my corosiues:
Whilst others found in hopes an harbour haue,
From hopes I feele a sea of sorrovves rise:
For vvhen mild hopes should ease my raging fires,
They fester more, in that they are but hopes:
Then vvhilst I touch the port of my desires,
A storme of hate doth burst mine anchor ropes.
Were I but once resolued certainly,
Soon should I knovv vvhich point my helme to stere,
But she denies my sute most vvomanly,
As hidden documents for vs to heare.
Loe this the cause my hell forsakes me neuer.
Tell me, (deare svveet) thus shal I liue for euer?
Sonnet X. A MYSTERIE.
To vvinne the Fort hovv oft haue I assayd,Wherein the heart of my faire mistresse lies?
What Rammes, vvhat mines, vvhat plots haue I not layd?
Yet still am frighted from mine enterprise.
First from the leads of that proud citadell,
Do foulder forth tvvo fierie culuerines,
Vnder tvvo red coates keepe the Larumbell,
For feare of close or open venturings.
Before the gates Scorne, Feare, and Modestie,
Do tosse amaine their pikes, but boue them all
Pudic'itie vveilds her staffe most manfullie,
Garded vvith blocks that keepe me from the vvall,
Yet if this staffe vvill ford me cleare the vvay,
In spite of all I'le beare my Dame avvay.
Sonnet XI. TO POLYXENA.
Of all the vvomen vvhich of yore haue beene,Alcest for vertue may be glorify'd,
For courage Teuce', for features Spartaes queene,
For all in one Polyxen deify'd.
If true it be by old Philosophie,
These soules to haue since destin entered,
To other bodies of like simpathie,
Thou art the last of these Metemps' chosed.
Thy courage vvoonderous, thy vertues peerelesse,
Thy features haue the fairest Ladies blamed,
Then if thou scorn'st not such a Monarchesse,
Henceforth by reason good, thou shalt be named,
Nor Teuce', nor Alcest, nor faire Helena,
Thou shalt be nam'd my deare Polyxena.
Sonnet XII.
[Cœlia, of all svveet courtesies resolue me]
Cœlia, of all svveet courtesies resolue me,For vvished grace, hovv must I novv be doing,
Since Ops the cōplet'st frame vvhich did absolue thee,
Hath made each parcell to my sole vndoing?
Those vvires vvhich should thy corps to mine vnite,
Be raies to daze vs from so neere approch,
Thine eyne vvhich should my nighted sailers light,
Be shot to keepe them off vvith foule reproch.
Those ruddie plummes embrevv'd vvith heauenly foods,
Whē I vvould sucke thē turne to driest currall,
And vvhen I couch betvveene her lillie buds,
They surge like frothie vvater mounts aboue all:
Surelie they vvere all made vnto good vses,
But she them all vntovvardly abuses.
Sonnet XIII.
[With greeuous thoughts & vveighty cares opprest]
With greeuous thoughts & vveighty cares opprest,One day I vvent to Venus Fanacle,
Of Cyprian dreames vvhich did me sore molest,
To be resolv'd by certaine oracle.
No sooner vvas I past the temples gate,
But from the shrine vvhere Venus vvont to stand,
I savv a Ladie faire and delicate,
Did beckon to me vvith her yu'rie hand.
VVeening she vvas the goddesse of the Fane,
VVith cheerefull lookes I tovvards bent my pace,
Soone vvhen I came, I found vnto my bane,
A Gorgon shadovv'd vnder Uenus face,
Whereat afright, vvhen backe I vvould be gone,
I stood transformed to a speechlesse stone.
Sonnet XIIII.
[When once I savv that no intreats vvould moue her]
When once I savv that no intreats vvould moue her,All means I sought to be deliuered,
Against vvhite Cupid and his golden mother,
In hie contempt base vvords I vttered;
When both from clouds of her bright firmament,
With heauie griefes and strong disdaine surmounted,
Vpon my thoughts and me did shoot reueng'ment,
Whilst in our highest prides vve vvere amounted.
Nor be they pleas'd to giue vs all these vvounds,
To make me languish as a dying liuer,
But from her orbes they fling their fiarbronds,
Thereby to quite consume both hart and lyuer:
Pardon, drad povv'rs, pardon my rash offence,
By heauens bright vaile, t'vvas gainst my cōscience.
Sonnet XV. ECHO.
What is the faire to vvhom so long I plead?What is her face so Angell like?
Then vnto saints in mind sh'is not vnlike.
What may be hop'd of one so euill nat'red?
O then my vvoes hovv shall I ope best?
Then she is flexible.
Fie no, it is impossible.
About her straight then only our best.
Hovv must I first her loues to me approue?
Hovv if she say I may not kisse hir?
For all hir bobs I must then beare, or mis hir?
Then vvill she yeeld at length to Loue?
Eu'n so? Eu'n so. By Narcisse is it true?
Of thine honestie? J. Adieu.
Sonnet XVI.
[What may be thought of thine vntovvardnesse]
What may be thought of thine vntovvardnesse,That moouest still at euerie motion?
What may be hop'd of so strange vncouthnesse,
That scornes all vovves, scornes all deuotion?
If I but sue, thou vvouldst releeue myne anguish,
Tvvo threatning arcks thou bendest rig'rously;
Then if I svveare thy loue doth make me languish,
Thou turn'st avvay, and smilest scornfully;
Then if I vvish thou vvould'st not tyrannise,
Of Tyrannie thou makest but a mock'ry,
And if I vveepe, my teares thou doost despise,
And if I stir, thou threatenst battery:
Froune on, smile on, mocke me, despise me, threat mee,
All shall not make me leaue for to intreat thee.
Sonnet XVII.
[Relent my deere, yet vnkind Cœlia]
Relent my deere, yet vnkind Cœlia,At length relent, and giue my sorrovves end,
So shall I keepe my long vvisht holyday,
And set a trophey on a frovvard frend,
Nor tributes, nor imposts, nor other duties,
Demaund I vvill as lavvfull conqueror;
Duties, tributes, imposts vnto thy beauties,
My selfe vvill pay, as yeelded seruitor.
Then quicke relent, thy selfe surrender vs:
Braue sir and vvhy, quoth she, must I relent?
Relent, cry'd I, thy selfe doth conquer vs,
VVhen eftsoons vvith my propper instrument,
She cut me off, ay me, and ansvvered,
You cannot conquer and be conquered.
Sonnet XVIII.
[I cannot conquer and be conquered]
I cannot conquer and be conquered:Then vvhole my selfe I yeeld vnto thy fauor,
Behold my thoughts flote in an ocean battered,
To be cast off, or vvafted to thine harbor:
If of the same thou vvilt then take acceptance,
Stretch out thy fairest hand as flag of peace,
If not, no longer keepe vs in attendance,
But all at once thy firie shafts release.
If thus I die, an honest cause of loue,
Will of my fates the rigor mittigate,
Those gratious eyne vvhich vvill a Tartare moue,
Will proue my case the lesse vnfortunate,
Altho my friends may rue my chaunce for ay,
It vvill be said, he dy'de for Cœlia.
Sonnet XIX.
[It shall be sayd I dy'de for Cœlia]
It shall be sayd I dy'de for Cœlia;Then quicke thou grieslie man of Erebus,
Transport me hence vnto Proserpina,
To be adiudg'd as vvilfull amor'us:
To be hong vp vvithin the liquid aire,
For all the sighs vvhich I in vaine haue vvasted,
To be through Lethes vvaters clensed faire,
For those darke clouds vvhich haue my lookes or'ecasted,
To be condemd to euerlasting fire,
Because at Cupids fire I vvilfull brent me,
And to be clad for deadly dumps in mire:
Among so manie plagues vvhich shall torment me,
One solace I shall find vvhen I am ouer,
It vvill be knovvne I dy'de a constant louer.
Sonnet XX.
[Receaue these vvrits, my svveet and deerest frend]
Receaue these vvrits, my svveet and deerest frend,The liuelie patterns of my liuelesse bodie,
VVhere thou shalt find in Hebon pictures pend,
Hovv I vvas meeke, but thou extreamlie blodie.
I'le vvalke forlorne along the vvillovv shades,
Alone complaining of a ruthlesse dame;
VVhere ere I passe, the rocks, the hilles, the glades,
In pittious yelles shall sound her cruell name.
There I vvill vvaile the lot vvhich fortune sent me,
And make my mones vnto the sauage eares,
The remnant of the daies vvhich nature lent me,
Ile spend them all, conceald, in ceaselesse teares.
Since vnkind fates permit me not t'enioy her,
No more, burst eyes, I meane for to annoy her.
FINIS.
| Sonnets to the fairest Coelia | |