University of Virginia Library

Sonnet. 42.

[O thou that rulest in Ramnis golden gate]

O thou that rulest in Ramnis golden gate,
Let pittie pierce thy vnrelenting mind:
Vnlade me of the burthen cruell fate,
(Fell enuious fates too cruell and vnkind)
Haue heapt vpon me by too froward loue,
Too froward loue the enemie of fortune:
Whose fierce assaults my hart (too late) did proue,
My sillie hart which sorrow did importune.
Yet in thy power is my harts redeeming,
My harts redeeming from vile thraldomes force:
Vile thrall to one my sorrowes not esteeming,
Though shee be cruell yet haue thou remorce.
Be thou to me no more in constant variable,
But let thy fickle wheele rest firme and stable.