University of Virginia Library

[Inconstant loue and cruell, which hast lately]

Marcelius.
Inconstant loue and cruell, which hast lately
Setled my happy thoughts, my loue and fire,
In such a place so famous, high and stately,
Where mortall mens desarts cannot aspire:
Well hast thou shew'd thy power
By quailing of my sorrow,
To double it each hower
And make my torments greater euen and morrow:
Thou mightst haue left my hart in former sadnes,
Bicause lesser harme it were to die with anguish,
Then to receiue a gladnes
So full of paine: And so by fits to languish,

Diana.
Thou must not thinke it strange, and must not woonder
That thus the mighty Boy of paine and pleasure
After one small delight, doth send a hunder
Nay thousand paines and torments without measure:
For firme repose to any
He yet did promise neuer,
But cruell deathes, and many
Sobs, sighes, and teares, complaintes, and chaines for euer:
The Lybian sandes, and Aprils fairest flowers
Passe not the greefes, with which fierce loue doth murder
Each harte, and into showers
Distraines the eies: And yet proceedeth furder.

Marcelius.
Before that euer Loue my soule inflamed,
His slightes, wherein he most of all abounded,
I knew right well, wherewith mens harts he tamed
And captiues made, and after deepely wounded:
Our liues with great offences
Not onely he annoteth,
But yet our wits and senses
And soundest iudgements wholy he destroieth.
And so torments a soule, and so encumbers,
That one poore ioy it hardly doth recouer:
So by ten thousand numbers
Most greeuous thoughts surcharge a wretched louer.

Diana.
If Loues deceites and his dissembling proffers,
Wherewith he takes vs, are so knowne and tried,
Why then presents the soule it selfe and offers
So easily to be taken, and applied?
If that the hart so tender
The troubles intertaineth
That Cupid doth engender,
Why after then laments it, and complaineth?
Reason it were in loue he should be pained,
That to his dartes doth yeeld, and is consenting
With fetters to be chained:
For ill affoords vs nought but paines tormenting.