Englands Helicon :: :: University of Virginia Library

In a Groaue most rich of shade,
Where birds wanton musique made;
May, then young, his pyed weedes showing,
New perfum'd, with flowers fresh growing.
Astrophell with Stella sweete,
Did for mutuall comfort meete

Both within them-selues oppressed,
But each in the other blessed.

Him great harmes had taught much care,
Her faire necke a foule yoake bare:
But her sight his cares did banish,
In his sight her yoake did vanish.
Wept they had, alas the while.
But now teares them selues did smile.
While their eyes by Loue directed,
Enterchangeably reflected.

Sigh they did, but now betwixt,
Sighs of woes, were glad sighs mixt,
With armes crost, yet testifying
Restlesse rest, and liuing dying.
Their eares hungry of each vvord,
Which the deare tongue would afford,
But their tongues restrain'd from walking,
Till their harts had ended talking.

But when their tongues could not speake,
Loue it selfe did silence breake,
Loue did set his lips a-sunder,
Thus to speake in loue and wonder.
Stella, Soueraigne of my ioy,
Faire triumpher of annoy,
Stella, starre of heauenly fire,
Stella, Loadstarre of desire.

Stella, in whose shining eyes,
Are the lights of Cupids skies,
Whose beames where they once are darted,
Loue there-with is straite imparted.
Stella, whose voyce when it speakes,
Sences all a-sunder breakes.
Stella, whose voyce when it singeth.
Angels to acquaintance bringeth.

Stella, in whose body is
Writ each Character of blisse,
Whose face all, all beauty passeth,
Saue thy minde, which it surpasseth.

Graunt, ô graunt: but speech alas
Failes me, fearing on to passe.
Graunt, ô me, what am I saying?
But no fault there is in praying.

Graunt (ô deere) on knees I pray,
(Knees on ground he then did stay)
That not I, but since I loue you,
Time and place for me may mooue you.
Neuer season was more fit,
Neuer roome more apt for it.
Smiling ayre alowes my reason,
The birds sing, now vse the season.

This small winde, which so sweete is,
See how it the leaues dooth kisse,
Each tree in his best attyring
Sence of loue to loue inspiring.
Loue makes earth the water drinke,
Loue to earth makes water sinke:
And if dumbe things be so wittie,
Shall a heauenly grace want pittie?

There his hands in their speech, faine
Would haue made tongues language plaine.
But her hands, his hands repelling:
Gaue repulse, all grace excelling.
Then she spake; her speech was such,
As not eares, but hart did touch:
While such wise she loue denied,
As yet loue she signified.

Astrophell, said she, my Loue,
Cease in these effects to proue.
Now be still, yet still beleeue me,
Thy greefe more then death dooth greeue me.
If that any thought in me,
Can tast comfort but of thee,
Let me feede with hellish anguish,
Ioylesse, helplesse, endlesse languish.

If those eyes you praised, be
Halfe so deere as you to me:

Let me home returne starke blinded
Of those eyes, and blinder minded.
If to secret of my hart
I doo any wish impart:
Where thou art not formost placed;
Be both wish and I defaced.

If more may be said, I say
All my blisse on thee I lay.
If thou loue, my loue content thee,
For all loue, all faith is meant thee.
Trust me, while I thee denie,
In my selfe the smart I trie.
Tirant, honour dooth thus vse thee,
Stellaes selfe might not refuse thee.

Therefore (deere) this no more moue,
Least, though I leaue not thy loue,
Which too deepe in me is framed:
I should blush when thou art named.
There-with-all, away she went,
Leauing him to passion rent:
With what she had done and spoken,
That there-with my Song is broken.

FINIS.

S. Phil. Sidney.