Sonnets to the fairest Coelia

COELIA .

Sonnet I. IVdg'd by my goddesse doome to endlesse paine , Lo here I ope my sorrowes passion , That eu'rie sillie eye may view 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 was too passionate , My doome is past , nor can be now vnactit . So mayst thou see I was a spotlesse louer , And grieue withall that ere thou dealt so sore . Vnto remorse who goes about to moue her , Pursues the winged winds , 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 , When first by chaunce I had my goddesse viewed , Then first I tasted of the sweetest soure , Wherewith the cup of Cypria is embrewed . For gazing ferme without suspition , Loue coopt behind the charet of her eye , Iustly to schoole my bold presumption , Against my hart did let an arrow flie : Faire sir , quoth he , to practise haue you nought But to be gazing on deuinitie ? Befo●e you part , your leare you shall be tought , With that attonce he made his arrowes 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 : 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 , them quicke , & end thy game , That all the world may see how thou hast plagu'd vs , Then cruell she shall view vnto her blame , That all men be not fickle as they 'ue term'd vs : May be , my words may winne contrition ; If not my words , my sobs ; if not my sobs , My teares may moue her to compassion ; If teares do faile , my tears , my words , my throbs , Ay me , Ah no , teares , words , throbs all in vaine , She scornes my dole , and smileth at my paine .

Sonnet IIII. Oh heauenly Coelia , 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 with large eruptions ? Haue I not offred eu'ning and at prime My sighs , my Psalms of inuocations ? What be mens sighs , but cals of guilefulnesse ? They shew , deare loue , true proofs of fermitie ▪ What be your teares , but meere vngratiousnesse ? Teares only plead for our simplicitie : When 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 , And crowne me with the lawrell emperor , I'ó thrise sing I'ó about thy Poet , Loe on my goddesse I am conqueror . For once by chaunce , not sure , or wittingly , Vpon my foot , her tender foot alighted , With that she pluckt it off full wimbely , As though the verie touch had her afrighted : Deere mistresse , will 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 word Pieannets , or I will gag you .

Sonnet VI. Good God how sencelesse be we paramours , So proudly on a nothing for to vaunt it ? We cannot reape the meanest of all fauours , But by and by we thinke our sute is grauntit . Had ye obseru'd two planets which then mounted , Two certaine signes of indignation , Ye would haue deemed rather both consented , To turne all hopes to desperation . Then can you wauer so inconstantly , To shew first loue , and then disdainfulnesse ? First for to bring a dramme of courtesie , Then mix it with an ounce of scornfulnesse ? No , no , the doubt is answer'd , certainlie She trod by chaunce , she trod not wittingly .

Sonnet VII . 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 well heard may wrest incontinent Two floods from foorth those rocks of adamant Which streaming downe with force impatient , May melt the brest of my fierce Rhadamant . Dearest cruell the cause I see dislikes thee , On vs thy browes thou bends so direfully ; Enioine me pennaunce whatsoeuer likes thee , What e're it be I le take it thankefully . Yet since for loue it is I am thy bondman , Good Coelia vse me like a Gentleman .

Sonnet VIII . Strike vp , my Lute , and ease my heauie cares , The onely solace to my passions , Impart vnto the aires thy pleasing aires , More sweet than heauenly consolations . Rehearse the songs of forlorne amot'us Driv'ne to despaire by dames tyrannicall , Of Alpheus losse , of woes of Troilus , Of Rowlands rage , of Jphis funerall . Ayme , what warbles yeelds mine instrument ? The bases skrieke , as though they were 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 weene 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 sorrowes rise : For when mild hopes should ease my raging fires , They fester more , in that they are but hopes : Then whilst 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 know which point my helme to stere , But she denies my sute most womanly , As hidden documents for vs to heare . Loe this the cause my hell forsakes me neuer . Tell me , ( deare sweet ) thus shal I liue for euer ?

Sonnet X. ¶ A MYSTERIE . To winne the Fort how oft haue I assayd , Wherein the heart of my faire mistresse lies ? What Rammes , what mines , what plots haue I not layd ? Yet still am frighted from mine enterprise . First from the leads of that proud citadell , Do foulder forth two fierie culuerines , Vnder two red coates keepe the Larum bell , 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 weilds her staffe most manfullie , Garded with blocks that keepe me from the wall , Yet if this staffe will ford me cleare the way , In spite of all I 'le beare my Dame away .

Sonnet XI . ¶ TO POLYXENA . Of all the women which 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 woonderous , 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 , Not Teuce ' , nor Alcest , nor faire Helena , Thou shalt be nam'd my deare Polyxena .

Sonnet XII . Coelia , of all sweet courtesies resolue me , For wished grace , how must I now be doing , Since Ops the cōplet'st frame which did absolue thee , Hath made each parcell to my sole vndoing ? Those wires which should thy corps to mine vnite , Be raies to daze vs from so neere approch , Thine eyne which should my nighted sailers light , Be shot to keepe them off with foule reproch . Those ruddie plummes embrew'd with heauenly foods , When I would sucke them turne to driest currall , And when I couch betweene her lillie buds , They surge like frothie water mounts aboue all : Surelie they were all made vnto good vses , But she them all vntowardly abuses .

Sonnet XIII . With greeuous thoughts & weighty cares opprest , One day I went to Venus Fanacle , Of Cyprian dreames which did me sore molest , To be resolv'd by certaine oracle . No sooner was I past the temples gate , But from the shrine where Venus wont to stand , I saw a Ladie faire and delicate , Did beckon to me with her yu'rie hand . Weening she was the goddesse of the Fane , With cheerefull lookes I towards bent my pace , Soone when I came , I found vnto my bane , A Gorgon shadow'd vnder Venus face , Whereat afright , when backe I would be gone , I stood transformed to a speechlesse stone .

Sonnet XIIII . When once I saw that no intreats would moue her , All means I sought to be deliuered , Against white Cupid and his golden mother , In hie contempt base words 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 we were amounted . Nor be they pleas'd to giue vs all these wounds , 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 pow'rs , pardon my rash offence , By heauens bright vaile , t'was gainst my conscience .

Sonnet XV. ECHO . What is the faire to whom so long I plead ? Lead , What is her face so Angell like ? Angellike . Then vnto saints in mind sh 'is not vnlike . Vnlike , What may be hop'd of one so euill nat'red ? Hatred . O then my woes how shall I ope best ? Hope-best Then she is flexible . She is flexible . Fie no , it is impossible . Possible . About her straight then only our best . You 're best . How must I first her loues to me approue ? Proue . How if she say I may not kisse hir ? Kisse hir . For all hir bobs I must then beare , or mis hir ? Yes sir , Then will she yeeld at length to Loue ? To loue . Eu'n so ? Eu'n so . By Narcisse is it true ? True . Of thine honestie ? J. Adieu . Adieu .

Sonnet XVI . What may be thought of thine vntowardnesse , That moouest still at euerie motion ? What may be hop'd of so strange vncouthnesse , That scornes all vowes , scornes all deuotion ? If I but sue , thou wouldst releeue myne anguish , Two threatning arcks thou bendest rig'rously ; Then if I sweare thy loue doth make me languish , Thou turn'st away , and smilest scornfully ; Then if I wish thou would'st not tyrannise , Of Tyrannie thou makest but a mock'ry , And if I weepe , 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 Coelia , At length relent , and giue my sorrowes end , So shall I keepe my long wisht holy day , And set a trophey on a froward frend , Nor tributes , nor imposts , nor other duties , Demaund I will as lawfull conqueror ; Duties , tributes , imposts vnto thy beauties , My selfe will pay , as yeelded seruitor . Then quicke relent , thy selfe surrender vs : Braue sit and why , quoth she , must I relent ? Relent , cry'd I , thy selfe doth conquer vs , When eftsoons with my propper instrument , She cut me off , ay me , and answered , You cannot conquer and be conquered .

Sonnet XVIII . I cannot conquer and be conquered : Then whole my selfe I yeeld vnto thy fauor , Behold my thoughts flote in an ocean battered , To be cast off , or wafted to thine harbor : If of the same thou wilt 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 which will a Tartare moue , Will proue my case the lesse vnfortunate , Altho my friends may rue my chaunce for ay , It will be said , he dy'de for Coelia .

Sonnet XIX . It shall be sayd I dy'de for Coelia ; Then quicke thou grieslie man of Erebus , Transport me hence vnto Proserpina , To be adiudg'd as wilfull amot'us : To be hong vp within the liquid aire , For all the sighs which I in vaine haue wasted , To be through Lethes waters clensed faire , For those darke clouds which haue my lookes or'ecasted , To be condemd to euerlasting fire , Because at Cupids fire I wilfull brent me , And to be clad for deadly dumps in mire : Among so manie plagues which shall torment me , One solace I shall find when I am ouer , It will be knowne I dy'de a constant louer .

Sonnet XX. Receaue these writs , my sweet and deerest frend , The liuelie patterns of my liuelesse bodie , Where thou shalt find in Hebon pictures pend , How I was meeke , but thou extreamlie blodie . I 'le walke forlorne along the willow shades , Alone complaining of a ruthlesse dame ; Where are I passe , the rocks , the hilles , the glades , In pittious yelles shall sound her cruell name . There I will waile the lot which fortune sent me , And make my mones vnto the sauage eares , The remnant of the daies which nature lent me , I le 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 .