Page:An English Garner Ingatherings from Our History and Literature (Volume 1 1877).pdf/596

 SONNET XV.

Since the first look that led me to this error, To this thoughts' maze to my confusion tending; Still have I lived in grief, in hope, in terror; The circle of my sorrows never ending.

Yet cannot have her love, that holds me hateful; Her eyes exact it, though her heart disdains me. See what reward he hath that serves th'ungrateful? So long and pure a faith no favour gains me.

Still must I whet my young desires abated, Upon the flint of such a heart rebelling: And all in vain; her pride is so imated, She yields no place at all for PITY'S dwelling. Oft have I told her that my soul did love her, And that with tears: yet all this will not move her.

SONNET XVI.

Weigh but the cause! and give me leave to plain me, For all my hurt, that my heart's Queen hath wrought it; She whom I love so dear, the more to pain me, Withholds my right, where I have dearly bought it.

Dearly I bought that was so highly rated, Even with the price of blood and body's wasting; She would not yield that ought might be abated, For all she saw my love was pure and lasting:

And yet now scorns performance of the passion; And with her presence JUSTICE overruleth. She tells me flat her beauty bears no action; And so my plea and process she excludeth. What wrong she doth, the world may well perceive it: To accept my faith at first, and then to leave it.