With more despairing sorts of madrigals, Than I, whom wanton Love hath with his gad With more enchanted fits of lunacy, Than I, whom Love, whom sweet and bitter Love Now lorn with liking overmuch my love, DITTY. OBSCURE and dark is all the gloomy air, The curtain of the night is overspread; The silent mistress of the lowest sphere An empty-headed foolish fellow-from a peascod shell, called, in some country dialects, a swad. E Disquiet thoughts the minutes of her watch. For showers of gold, there Discontent in black SONNET. N Cyprus sat fair Venus by a fount, IN Wanton Adonis toying on her knee: She kissed the wag, her darling of account; The boy 'gan blush, which when his lover see, She smiled, and told him love might challenge debt, And he was young, and might be wanton yet. The boy waxed bold, fired by fond desire, That woo he could and court her with conceit: Reason spied this, and sought to quench the fire With cold disdain; but wily Adon straight Cheered up the flame, and said, 'Good sir, what let? I am but young, and may be wanton yet.' Reason replied, that beauty was a bane To such as feed their fancy with fond love, Where Venus strikes with beauty to the quick, SONNET. IN ANSWER TO THE PRECEDING. THE Siren Venus nourished in her lap THE Fair Adon, swearing whiles he was a youth The guerdon that such lawless lust ensu'th; Mars in his youth did court this lusty dame, SONNET. FAIR is my love, for April in her face, Her lovely breasts September claims his part, And lordly July in her eyes takes place, But cold December dwelleth in her heart: Blest be the months, that set my thoughts on fire, Accurst that month that hindereth my desire! Like Phoebus' fire, so sparkle both her eyes; As earth her heart, cold, dateth me to death: Love 'twixt her breasts his trophies doth imprint Her eyes shine favour, courtesy, and grace; But touch her heart, ah, that is framed of flint! Therefore my harvest in the grass bears grain; The rock will wear, washed with a winter's rain. SONNET. PHILLIS kept sheep along the western plains, A bonny lass, quaint in her country 'tire, He little knew to paint a tale of love, Shepherds can fancy, but they cannot say: Phillis 'gan smile, and wily thought to prove What uncouth grief poor Coridon did pay; She asked him how his flocks or he did fare, Yet pensive thus his sighs did tell his care. The shepherd blushed when Phillis questioned so, And swore by Pan it was not for his flocks; ''Tis love, fair Phillis, breedeth all this woe, My thoughts are trapped within thy lovely locks, Thine eye hath pierced, thy face hath set on fire; 'Can shepherds love?' said Phillis to the swain; 'Such saints as Phillis,' Coridon replied; 'Men when they lust can many fancies feign,' Said Phillis; this not Coridon denied, 'That lust had lies, but love,' quoth he, 'says truth; Thy shepherd loves,-then, Phillis, what ensu'th?' Phillis was won, she blushed and hung the head; The swain stepped to, and cheered her with a kiss ; With faith, with troth, they struck the matter dead; So used they when men thought not amiss: This love begun and ended both in one; Phillis was loved, and she liked Coridon. FROM PANDOSTO.* THE PRAISE OF FAWNIA. AH, were she pitiful as she is fair, Or but as mild as she is seeming so, That seems to melt even with the mildest touch, Under wide heavens, but yet [I know] not such. * Pandosto. The Triumph of Time. Wherein is discovered by a pleasant history, that although by the means of sinister fortune truth may be concealed, yet by time, in spite of fortune, it is most manifestly revealed. Pleasant for age to avoid drowsy thoughts, profitable for youth to eschew other wanton pastimes, and bringing to both a desired content. Temporis filia veritas. By Robert Greene, Master of Arts in Cambridge. Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci. 1588. |