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Large Paper,
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
SIR PHILIP SIDNEY'S
ASTROPHEL & STELLA
WHEREIN THE EXCELLENCE OF
SWEET POESY IS COxN'CLUDElJ
EDITED FROM THE FOLIO
OF MDXCVIII. BV
ALFRED POLLARD
LONDON
DAVID STOTT,
370,
OXFORD STREET
MDCCCLXXXVIII
A.a8 3fei+e.
INTRODUCTION.
On
the morning of Thursday, September 22, 1586,
a body of two hundred EngUsh horsemen, with
Sir
Philip Sidney at their head, advanced, in the midst of
a thick mist, to attack a Spanish convoy on
the town of Zutphen.
met
left
the
Marshal, Sir William Pelham,
its
light
As Sidney
its
way
to
camp he had
clad only in
armour, and, with the emulation of a knight-
errant
had thrown aside
his
might be no better protected.
and the
little
Zutphen,
own
cuisses,
Now
that
the fog
he
lifted,
force found itself under the very walls of
and confronted by the enemy's
thousand strong.
cavalry, a
Twice the English charged, and
only retreated after hard fighting, during which Sidney's
horse was killed under him.
Reinforced from the
camp, a third time they hurled themselves against the
Spanish troops, once more to be forced to
having slain almost their
own number
retire, after
of the enemy.
iv
and
INTRODUCTION,
.
lost in killed
and wounded a fourth of
their
own
Amongst the wounded in this last charge, was
Sidney.
A bullet, by some thought to have been
poisoned, had struck his left leg, some distance above
men.
the knee, (where the discarded cuisses should have
been
and
his protection),
had torn the
flesh far
wounded man kept
half back to
thirst, to
show
after shattering the
By an
up the thigh.
bone,
the
effort
and rode a mile and a
his seat,
when parched with
the camp, there,
that spirit of fortitude
and
self-sacrifice
which has made the story of Philip Sidney and th€
cup of cold water among the best known anecdotes
English history.
From
the
camp he was borne
in
in the
Earl of Leicester's barge to Arnhem, and here he
lingered
twenty-six days, suffering the most wearing
agonies with a patience that -won the admiration of
his surgeons.
During these days
almpst wholly on religion.
friend
"
his thoughts
The
were
set
guilt of sin " (his
George Gifford records of him), " the present-
beholding of death, the terror of God's judgment
seat,
which seemed in hot displeasure to cut him down,
concurring, did
make
a fear and astonishment in his
mind, which he did overcome
after
conference had,
touching both the doctrine and the example of the
Scripture in that matter."
To
the exhortations of the
INTRODUCTION.
" he answered,
divine
in
words
v
of his
expressive
unfeigned repentance, and of his firm resolution not
he had done
to live as
in a
great
said,
he had walked
these words he spake with
vehemence, both of speech and gesture, and
doubled
-
he
for,
;
And
vague course.
it,
to the intent that
might be manifest how
it
unfeignedly he meant (should he recover) to turn more
thoughts unto
in
interlude
God
than ever before."
these religious
composition of a
he caused to be
exercises
poem on La
set to
at his
its
friend Fulke Greville's
all his
thoughtfulness,
he had
But
and love towards
relations, especially
his chief thoughts
and when
for death,
October,
seemed
it
to
will,
side.
which
encomiums of
all
with
whom
his poorer dependants.
came
this
lost all
they become, he raised
bed
were given to the preparation
found him ready.
have
strange
Rompue, which
Cuisse
music and sung
Another incident was the dictation of a
deserves
A
was Sidney's
to
him on
Twice
power, so
stiff
them bravely
the 17th of
after his
hands
and cold had
in answer to the
chaplain's call for a sign of his faith, but the second
time
fol*
it
was a friend who replaced them by
his side
in that last act of devotion the soul of Sidney
passed away.
private
When we
gentleman
think that he was
— only knighted,
it
may be
had
but a
said,
by
INTRODUCTION.
vi
chance, because his friend Prince Casimir had chosen
him
as his proxy to receive the
by
the sensation produced
Order of the Garter
his death
astounding.
is
mocking lament of the Spaniard that England
The
many years in breeding one eminent
in a moment be bereaved of him,
having been so
should
spirit
seemed
time to find a deeper echo.
for the
wrote that
Sidney she had
in
Elizabeth
her sturdiest
lost
champion against Spain; the Netherlands pleaded
hard to be allowed the honour of his burial; we
know
of
upon
his
more than two hundred
death
;
"
it
elegies
was accounted a
and orations
sin," says the
author of one of his biographies, " for any gentleman
of quality, for
many months
after, to
appear at Court
or City in any light or gaudy apparel."
To
look forward to the poet's death-bed in intro-
volume of passionate love-sonnets, may
ducing a
seem, at
first
sight,
that in Sidney's case
ever
his
more
;
not so.
true that his death
The
life.
wound
infelicitous,
it is
but
;
submitted
Of no man was
it
was but the epitome- of
too chivalrous hardibood that earnt his
the thoughtfulness for others
of religion
it is
;
the deep sense
the Platonic discussions on the soul
lighter side of the
man
breaking forth in the
;
the
little
ode
on La Cuisse Hompzce, and the fancy of having
it
sung
INTRODUCTION.
by
his
death -bed
the Sidney in the
the
full
vigour of youth,
deUght of Elizabeth's court.
command
many echoes of
who had been
these are but so
all
;
vii
Even
dying
the
that his Arcadia should be burnt
is
in full
accordance with his life-long abstinence from publication,
and the small value he ever
compositions.
we have
For the sensation created by
that
this
all his life,
very schoolboy days at Shrewsbury.
songs and sonnets of Astrophel
remember
Sidney
who,
in
common man
was no
which had been accorded to him
same
of the earlier
and
If this
yet
his
these
Stella aright
it
is
that they were written by the
hatred
his
demeanour,
and
from
And to read
of
Catholicism, his deep religious feeling,
gravity of his
own
his
his death,
only the passionate climax to that
in this
eager recognition
essential to
on
set
is
typical in so
unnarrowed
spirit
Spain
and
and the sweet
many ways
of Puritanism.
be forgotten the epithets " vain and amatorious,"
which Milton applied to the Arcadia,
transferred to the
surpassed by that
If this
be remembered,
have a psychological interest only
still
greater series written by the
Author of Hamlet and King Lear.
this interest
well be
poems, as an Archbishop and a
Dean have united in suggesting.
then, these sonnets
may
But to bring out
we have now to consider the circumstances
INTRODUCTION.
viii
under which these poems were
person to
whom
Henry Sidney was fully alive
of making a good match for his
Sir
when
overtures on
1569,
tract of
if
the
to the advantages
As
son.
early as
Philip was only fourteen, his father
made
his behalf to Sir Williarn Cecil for a con-
marriage with his daughter Anne.
The
was kindly, and matters went so
cautious,
articles
and
written,
they were addressed.
reply,
far that
of agreement were drawn up and signed, on
the one
hand by
Cecil,
and on the other by
negotiations
were gradually
" our daughter
Anne," as
playfully called her,
Philip's
But the
all-powerful uncle, the Earl of Leicester.
allowed to drop,
Sir
was married
and
Henry Sidney had
in
December, 15 71,
to
the rich, pleasure seeking, and brutal Earl of Oxford,
with
whom
collision.
Sidney
In the
afterwards
May
came
into
violent
following this inauspicious
beginning of love-making, Sidney went abroad in the
suite of the Earl of Lincoln, Elizabeth's
Extraordinary to
witnessed and
the French
escaped
Bartholomew Massacre
the
Ambassador-
court.
After having
horrors
of
in Paris,
the
Saint
he spent more than
two years in travelling in Germany, Italy and Austria,
to England till May 31, 1575.
In the following July he assisted his uncle in the
and did not return
INTRODUCTION.
gorgeous
ix
Kenilworth, and then accom-
festivities at
panied Elizabeth to her more modest entertainment
by Lady Essex
at Chartley Castle.
for the first time,
Here, probably
he made acquaintance with the Lady
Penelope, the Lord Essex's eldest daughter, then a
of scarcely
old
more than
twelve.
But
Elizabethan ladies were already on the look-
little
out for husbands, and the strange beauty of the
made
Penelope would hardly have
Huguenot
politician,
over whose
Sidney exercised such a fascination,
time, of allusions
15th,
is
old
age
at
this
full,
the advisability of his friend
to
"May God
marrying.
grant" he writes on August
"that our excellent young friend Wotton's
purpose of matrimony
happy.
He
is
may prove
successful
not need exhortation."
we
are
Languet's,
write
left
to gather
For
and
about a wife," he there
men
my
than
and do
Sidney received
from another
Be not too confident
more cautious
caught.
How
"
under date December 3rd.
in jest
seriously.
new
going before to set you an example
but I believe you are well inclined of yourself,
hint
Lady
her less precocious
Hubert Languet, the
than her plainer 'playmates.
veteran
girl
at twelve years
in your
yourself
letter
this
of
What you
says,
" I take
own firmness
are
:
sometimes
part I should be glad if you were
INTRODUCTION.
X
caught, that so you might give to your country sons
Whatever
yourself.
pray
God
You
see,"
friend
it
may
is
happen
to
like
in the matter,
I
turn out well and happily for you.
he goes on, " with what high courage our
Wotton has passed through
this peril
ness seems to convict you of cowardice.
a good deal
to
his bold-
;
Destiny has
do with the matter, and so you must
not suppose that by your
own
foresight
you can
conduct it as to be entirely happy, and that all
so
shall turn
out as you desire."
Languet's counsel would not have been very cheering
to an ardent lover
it,
;
but whether, when Sidney received
he deserved that name,
year,
we
of Essex, at
him
his
hard to decide.
Durham House, and
son by adoption.
Henry Sidney by
On May
by
his
this
time also
for
warm sympathy
9th, 1576, that
Dublin
the
ceremony of the
following
Earl's investiture
followed his father into Galway.
two
later,
Sir
with
nobleman obtained
and
July
Probably Philip Sidney crossed with him, but
the
call
from Ireland incurred
the appointment of Earl Marshal of Ireland,
Holyhead
All this
visitor to the Earl
the Earl began to
About
his despatches
Leicester's displeasure
Essex.
is
he was a frequent
are told,
left
21st.
after
in August,
There, a week or
he heard that Essex was dangerously
ill,
and
INTRODUCTION.
xi
he himself " most lovingly and earnestly wished
by him.
Sidndy hastened
travelling over Irish roads
at
for
"
once towards Dublin, but
was slow.
•
On
September
Essex was within two days of death, and Philip
19th,
" Oh that good gentleman," the
yet arrived.
man exclaimed, when his name was mentioned,
"have me commended unto him.
And tell him I
had not
dying
sent
if
him
my
match with
their hearts,
daughter.
and godly.
virtuous
him
nothing, but I wish
God do move
begun, he
will
be
I call
on
If he go
as
well
— so
well, that
wish that he might
I
—he so
him son
in the course
wise,
he hath
famous and worthy a gentleman
The message was given to
and we have evidence
that the idea of a match between him and the Lady
Penelope soon gained ground.
On November 14th
of the same year (1576), Edward Waterhouse, a conas ever
England bred."
Sidney when he at
fidential
agent of the Sidneys, wrote to Sir Henry of
the favour
" and
all
last arrived,
shown
at
Court to the
little
Earl of Essex
:
these Lords," he continues, " that wish well
to the children,
and
I
suppose
all
the best sort of the
English Lords besides, do expect what will become of
the treaty between- Mr. Philip and
my Lady
Penelope.
Truly my Lord, I musfsay to your Lordship, as
said
to
my
Lord of Leicester and Mr.
breaking off from this match,
if
T
Philip,
have
the
the default be on your
INTRODUCTION.
xii
more dishonour than can be
parts will turn to
with any other marriage in
Europe.''
allusion to a definite treaty of marriage,
opinion on the advisabihty of
curtain
falls
on the
first
its
repaired
With
and
this
strong
fulfilment,
the
Act of the Astrophel and
Stella love-drama.
For the opening of Act
must once more quote a
years after
still
among
Museum
;
its
the
its
work of misery
Lansdowne MSS.
ink brown, but as clear as
the right honourable
May
of our tragedy we
one that three hundred
has accomplished
preserved
British
To
it
II.
letter,
my
very good
is
in the
ever.
Lord, the Lord
God
Lord Ryche, who hatha lefte to
hys heyre a propper gentleman and one in yeares verry fytte for
my ladye Penelope Devereux, yf with the favor and lykyng of
hyr majestie the matter myghte be broughte to passe. And
because I knowe your Lordship's good affection to their father
gone, and also your favor to hys chyldren, I am bolde to praye
your furtherance nowe in thys matter, which may, I truste, by
your good meanes bee broughte to soche passe as I desyre.
Hyr majestie was pleased the last yeare to geave me leave at
tymes convenient to put hyr hyghnes in mynde of thease younge
ladyes (Penelope and her sister), and therfore I am by thys
Treasurer.
yt please your Lordship, hearyng that
hathe takyn to hys mercye
my
my
Lordes death the bolder to move your Lordship
I have also
wrytten to Mr. Secretary
Walsingham hearin. And so hopyng of your Lordship's favor,
I doo comytte you to the tuition of the Allmyghtye.
At Newcastle, the loth of Marche 1580 (o.s., i.e., 1581).
Your Lordship's most assured
occasion of
in
thys
matter.
H.
HUNTINGDON.
INTRODUCTION.
This
is
the text
:
here
is
xiii
commentary
Sidney's
Ring out your bells, let mourning shews bee
For love is dead
All Love is dead, infected
With plague of deep disdain.
spread,
:
Worth
And
as
nought worth rejected
faith fair scorn
doth gain.
From so ungratefull fancie,
From such a female franzie,
From them that use men thus,
Good Lord, deliver us.
And
then,
as
he learnt more
bornness
of what had
details
happened, in Unes, whose very metre
is
full
of stub-
:
For me, alas, I am full resolv'd,
Those bands, alas, shall not be dissolv'd.
Nor break my word, though reward com late,
Nor fail my faith in my failing fate.
Nor change in change, though change change my state.
The Lady Penelope Devereux was married
to
Lord Rich, and Philip Sidney was determined
my
to
remain her lover
What had happened
in the long entr'acte
these two letters of November, 1576, and
between
March
loth,
In 1577, Sidney had executed, with distin1581 ?
guished success, a special embassy to Germany the
;
next eighteen
months were passed
in
fighting
his
xiv
INTRODUCTION.
lather's battles at
Court and eating his own heart out
with vexation that he should have to
his
manhood
his
" idelest
call
the prime of
1579 the
In
times.''
threatened marriage of Elizabeth with the
Anjou roused him
challenged the Earl of Oxford, as
on personal grounds, and
Duke
He quarrelled with
to energy.
at the
much on
end of
of
and
political as
this year, or the
beginning of the next, addressed to his " Most feared
^nd
beloved, most sweet and gracious sovereign," an
extraordinarily bold letter against the
The
letter
was
ill-received,
French match.
and Sidney
retired
from
Court until the autumn, spending most of his time at
Wilton,
the
Pembroke.
Day
1
581
home
His
of
his
sister,
the
gifts to
— a gold-handled whip,
a heart of gold
—must
Countess of
the
Queen on New
Year's
a golden chain, and
be taken as symbolizing the
abandonment of an opposition
which could only have been
to the Queen's will,
useless.
From January
6th to
March i8th the House of Commons was
in
session,
and Sidney, a hard-working member of
it,
1
serving on several committees.
his
public career help
us
important for our purpose
is
These
but very
details
little.
from
More
the marriage of the Earl
of Leicester to the
Dowager -Countess of Essex on
Sept. 20th,
When
1578.
this
union of his powerful
INTRODUCTION.
ancle with the
mother of the woman he himself loved
followed by the birth of a
A'as
prospects were seriously
he was a match
tieir
Henry
IS Sir
had
ivho
cousin, Sidney's
little
damaged. As Lord
for the richest
woman
Leicester's
in
The
next time Philip entered the
an end, an4
imong these vanished hopes may have been
marriage with the
[lowever,
Lady Penelope.
his con-
In a
dated January 8th, 1578, Languet had returned
the
subject
earnest.
of matrimony,
as
in very tender
is still
extant,
and
as in the case of Languet's earlier letter
quote
IS
translated
it,
on the previous
and ending
This time Sidney's answer
sve
his
man
he had apparently made no
jccasion beginning in jest
,n
that of a
If this were so,
certainly not his old friend Languet.
fidant,
to
tilt-
he bore on his shield the word Speravi crossed
through, in token that his hopes were at
letter
England
Sidney's son he was a poor gentleman
great difficulty in meeting the expenses of a
Court.
ife at
yrard
xv
from the Latin by Mr.
S.
A.
Pears
1845 edition of the correspondence of the two
friends.
"
But
Droceeds,
:ome
I
wonder,
my
after writing
very dear Hubert," Sidney
on other matters, " what has
into your mind, that,
when
I
have not as yet
ione anything worthy of me, you would have
me
INTRODUCTION.
xvi
and yet without
in the chains of matrimony,
bound
pointing out any individual lady, but rather seeming
to extol the state itself which, however,
yet sanctioned
of
whom
by your own
I readily
have written you
acknowledge how unworthy
my
At
notion, which I earnestly entreat
with,
whatever
it
may be
:
some
I
one,
am
this present time,
you to acquaint me
for everything that
from you has great weight with
candidly,
I
you have entertained some other
believe
I
her,
am,
I
reasons long since, briefly indeed,
but yet as well as I was able.
indeed,
you have not
Respecting
example.
me
;
comes
and, to speak
some measure doubting whether
in
more
suspicious
than
wise,
has
not
whispered to you something unfavourable concerning
me, which, though you did not give entire credit
you nevertheless prudently, and as a
right to suggest for
have been the case,
to
me
my
Should
consideration.
I entreat
in plain terms, that I
you to
:
and should
it
may be
me know
;
I
hold most
you never-
since everything from
dear.''
am most
only prove to have been a
always be no less acceptable to
which
this
able to acquit
joke, or a piece of friendly advice, I pray
theless to let
it,
state the matter
myself before you, of whose good opinion I
desirous
to
friend, thought
me
you
will
than the things
INTRODUCTION.
De
ilia,
qua quam indignus sim facile agnosco
can hardly be any other than
ilia
xvii
:
—
this
but with the
Stella,
disappearance of the letter in which they were contained,
since "
In
own
" reasons
the allusion to the
written
long
remains only to tantalize us.
this failure of
Elizabethan historians and Sidney's
early biographers to give
relations with the
any clear account of
Stella of his
poems, we must
his
fall
back on an examination of the poems themselves as
the only resource
scanty facts
recorded.
and
As
us for piecing together the
left
allusions
which we
have
so
far
regards these poems, to avoid interrupt-
ing our love story by bibliography, leave
asked to
is
postulate for the present certain facts which will be
fully dealt with
exception
order.
of xxiv.,
The
we accept them,
as
substantially
place of the Songs
correct that the order cannot
positions of
no
Thus, with
a few pages further on.
regard to the Sonnets,
with the one
in
we take
their
to
right
be so
far
be improved, though the
two or three out of the whole number have
particular appropriateness.
The
reference to Stella
of the selection from the " Certain Sonets
an appendix
is
also assumed.
Lastly
we
''
printed as
rely
on our
notes as proving that the most probable date for the
composition of Sonnet
xxii. is
June, 1580, of Sonnet
INTRODUCTION.
xviii
XXX., January, 1581, of
1
5 th,
581,
1
Sonnet
xli.,
not later than
May
The
only
and probably a few weeks
remaining time-reference
Song viii., and
the "
is
earlier.
May
then yong
we have no hesitation
this
theory,
/
This
and
in
much premised we
the outset to the
than
six
fairly
five
iii.,
(i.,
(vii.,
How
"
we note
thirty,
first
to
(viii.,
xi.,
addresses to Cupid
on the
;
are in
xxix.)
wearisome intruders
on
infrequency;
ii..and xvi. are autobiographical,
are playful
xxvii.,
his
the
"
praise
the later
in
xii., xiii., xviiry-ocx.)
(xxiii.,
at
less
Love Sonnets
write
wit^Kstrange
three
no
that
of these might
xxviii.)
xx., xxvi.,
ix.,
Sidney returns
another six
a matter of
begin to turn over the
of Stella's beauty, a thbs^e to which
Sonnets
pre-
Confining our attention
vi., xv., xix.,
be entitled
others
is
no wise proved.
of the Sonnets.
leaves
of
in assigning to
May, 1581, though with a frank confession that the
ference of this over the following year,
"
xxx.)
are
love-dreams
first
telling us
of the slow growth of Sidney's passion for Stella, the
second referring to
earlier love-affairs
had escaped heart-whole.
the
Excluding
from which he
for the
moment
savage attack on Lord Rich in xxiv., the seven
sonnets which remain
struggle
in
the writer's
are
all
soul
concerned with the
between
"Virtue" or
INTRODUCTION.
'
Reason " on the one
ipon the other.
side,
"
and
xix
Love
" or " Desire "
Upon the interpretation placed on
much depends. Bearing in mind
in Platonism, I am convinced that
:hese seven sonnets
Sidney's interest
;hey
can only be rightly understood in the
to
etter
Languet of March
light of his
1578, where,
ist,
as
dready quoted, he expresses his -wonder that out of a
Durely theoretical admiration for the state of matri-
nony
its
himself.
In 1580, moreover, we know that Sidney
engaged on Book
from
juotation
)orary
has
it
opinion.
;xclaims
"
Now
he
jods forbid that ever
evil
is
the force of his contem-
the
eternal
)ase affection
There was
in love
my
O
news of you.
r'yrocles,
of the Arcadia, so that a
I.
all
Gods
forbid
Musidorus in that delightful book, when
PjTTOcles hints that
:o
to bind himself
he had yet done anything worthy
chains, before
n
)f
vas
him
his old friend should wish
:
—
"
Now
the eternal
ear should be poisoned with
let
me
never
know -that any
shouldget any Lordship in yourthoughts."
nothing base in the affection of poor
and Sidney soon gives Musidorus reason
epent his words,
to
but none the less he distinctly
ecognizes that view of love which called forth the
v<l>rjij.ei
of Sophocles
he view that love
when
is
its
name was mentioned
a disturbing passion, which
INTRODUCTION.
XX
diverts the soul
from
its
higher aims, and which
men
Such
entrusted with a mission will do well to avoid.
a mission Sidney conceived himself to have as a
champion against Spain, and against anything which
threatened to divert him from
the while, as
is
it
he rebelled, yet
shown by the
sufficiently
all
last lines of
each of these seven sonnets, with a pleasingly
human
consciousness that the real weight of argument might
not be on the side of the philosophers.
To
refer the
spiritual struggles in these sonnets to Sidney's scruple
in loving a married
woman
appears, for these reasoihs,
a total mistake.
Summing up then we may
the exception of xxiv., these
on
thirty sonnets liear
marks of having been written while
their face the
Stella
say that, always with
first
was yet the Lady Penelope Devereux, giving
Sidney no real marks of favour, but not ill-pleased
to
be courted by such a
should be read the
in
lover.
With these sonnets
seven of the poems printed
first
our appendix, notably the sixth and seventh, in
which
from
the
poet
his lady.
speaks
Taken
of
a
together,
temporary
and
absence
in connection
with the fragments of biography previously set forth?
these two groups of songs and sonnets suggest the
following explanation of Sidney's relation
to
Stella
INTRODUCTION,
up
to
xxi
her marriage with Lord Rich.
of her father's death, in
1576, the
At the time
Lady Penelope
could not have been more than thirteen or fourteen;
not an
marriage, but
impossible
still
age
for
unduly young.
an
Elizabethan
Her mother had
the best possible reasons for doubting Sidney's con-
tinuance as Lord Leicester's heir.
apart
(setting
interested in politics,
ness of his
Sidney himself
neoplatonic objections),
all
was too
and too conscious of the narrow-
income to be anxious
for marriage.
Thus
by mutual consent the contract to which Edward
Waterhouse alludes
in
his
letter,
of Wilton, wherever Sidney went,
uncle Lord Leicester's, to his
he was
likely to
was allowed
to Court, to his
Aunt Lady Huntingdon's,
have had opportunities of seeing
As she ripened
to
But with the one exception
remain in abeyance.
in grace
Stella.
and beauty between her
fourteenth and eighteenth years, such meetings, rendered
all
the
more
interesting
by the former
talk of marriage,
would become increasingly dangerous.
not
flirt
with
her
serious
unusual opportunities, and
from these
thriftless.
poetic
earlier
poems
"cousin,"
If Stella did
she forwent
is
a patent deduction
that she
was by no means so
it
Sidney, then interested in founding his
Areopagus,
as
Stella's
beauty and charm of
INTRODUCTION.
xxii
wit
and manner took ever deeper hold upon him,
expressed his love, and the inward conflict of his
and passions
theories
in the sonnets
the poetry of rather over a year,
before Sidney's flight
retirement
from
some dating from
Court,
others from -his
Wilton; others again appear to have
at
been written while he was seeing
of one of
we have been
These probably represent the love and
considering.
their
common
relatives
Stella in the house
during the summer
of 1580, and yet others after his return to Court in
October.
Sonnet
For
xxiv.
this
theory to stand, the presence of
in this
group of poems must be
buted to a desire on the
part,
attri-
perhaps of the writer
himself, perhaps of a copyist or editor, to mislead too
curious readers, on which point
more
hereafter.
If the foregoing theory of the relations of
and
Stella
be
in
Sidney
any way correct, when Lord Hunt-
took effect, and the Lady Penelope
Devereux was informed that by Her Majesty's pleasure
she was to be united in marriage to the young Lord
ingdon's letter
Rich, her fate found her
until nearly the sixtieth
her
evincing any
still
heart-whole
sonnet there
affection
for
:
certainly
is
no trace of
Sidney.
But Lord
Rich, though described by the Earl of Huntingdon as
a "propper gentleman," receives a less favourable
INTRODUCTION.
xxiii
character from other sources,
and (hke Sidney's earlier
Lord Oxford), appears to have been coarse,
supplanter,
and overbearing, acceptable
brutal,
nothing but his wealth.
In
itself
as
a suitor in
most untrustworthy,
but partly corroborated by probabilities, a letter of the
Earl of Devonshire to
James
I.
distinctly asserts that
by Stella Lord Rich was never accepted as a husband,
but that " being in the power of her friends, she was
by them
whom
married against her will unto one against
she did protest at the very solemnity and ever
instead of being her " comforter did strive
after,"
who
in
things to torment her,"
all
the very
It is
first
day
"
and with
whom
" from
she lived in " continual discord."
true that the value of this letter as evidence
enormously diminished by the fact that
protection of
writer that
its
her husband's
asserted
it
Lady Rich had
cruelty.
All
is
was to the
the
fled
from
same
it
remains deserving of at least qualified credence, as
offering
adequate explanation at once of
the only
Sidney's conduct
and of certain passages
Where and when
we are
left
and
poems.
unholy marriage took place
to conjecture.
marriageable age,
period
this
in his
Stella
was now of
full
at all events in Shakespeare, the
of Elizabethan
engagements seems to have
been reckoned rather by days than weeks.
Granting
INTRODUCTION.
xxiv
\
that the marriage was a forced one, the bride's relatives
had every reason
record of
if
to hurry
discovered,
it is
it
on
be matter
will
it
and when,
;
in April, 1581.
ever, a
for surprise
first
or second
The marriage would,
of course,
the date proves to be later than the
week
if
be followed by the speedy appearapce of the bride
Court, and at Court, from Sonnet
xli.,
that Stella was playing her part at the
we
at
are assured
end of
month
this
or early in the next.
And what
of Sidney?
Up
to
March
Parliament was adjourned preparatory to
tion,
in
he was working hard as a
i8th,
its
when
dissolu-
legislator, apparently
complete ignorance of the family plots against his
own happiness and
When
first
that
of the
feeling
was a hopeless
loved.
bitter anger.
From them that use men
Good Lord, deliver us.
But
woman he
the news of the marriage reached him, his
he was
too
closely
thus,
connected
with
Stella's
guardians for her true feelings towards her husband
to be long concealed from him,
rage hath this error bred
Alas, I
lie
Love
Love
is
not dead
is
not dead, but sleepeth
:
;
In her unmatched mind,
;
IN.TRODUCTION.
xxv
Where
she his counsell keepeth
due deserts she find.
Therefore from so vile fancie
To call such wit a franzie,
Who love can temper thus,
Till
Good Lord
deliver us
!
So Sidney wrote, making
his last verse a palinode
for the bitterness of its three predecessors.
pahnode has more mischief
and the mischief
titled
"Smokes
is
is
pure,
it is
in the quaintly
we have
Penelope Devereux was married to
and
—Sidney,
wise,
the
and brave
determined to remain her
and
But the
than the invective,
more pronounced
Lord Rich, and Sidney
that
it
of Melancholy" from which
already quoted.
all
in
lover.
embodiment of
in his times
The shock
— was
is
great,
small wonder that his biographers pass hastily
over his relations with Stella as an unpleasant episode
in a noble career.
aim which
is
Yet that the steady pertinacity of
the characteristic of Sidney^ public
life
should have been lacking in his love, would have
stamped him as made
would
in
marriage as no marriage
victim, but
as
a weaker
mould than we
To regard an enforced
may be a cruelty to its
willingly accept as his.
base;
marks the lover neither as wanton nor
and though once and again in the
later
sonnets Sidney returns to his lament that his love
INTRODUCTION.
xxvi
was leading him to forget his higher mission,
is
no other
rectitude of his suit.
is
them of any doubt
trace in
Of the
in their
it is
;
written,
The
and songs.
as in a journal, in the sonnets
and 32nd
as to the
progress of this suit there
to give a detailed account
no need here
tliere
31st
calm and splendid beauty form a
magnificent pause before the turbid eloquence of their
successors.
news of
If they were not written just before the
Stella's marriage,
33rd, "
I
might
we plunge
was a
it
ment which assigned them
unhappie word
!
it
sympathetic reader
hardly
fail
was the
greet Stella as
Lady Rich, and
his
first
sonnets he pursues and
in
!
Dr. Grosart be
to conjecture that
in the
is
words
in
loss.
to
which
blended a sorrow
for
In the succeeding
comments on
the different notes of love's gamut.
As
if
might "
which Sidney was
at
mistake there
a deeper error and a deeper
result.
With the
I
only to an interview missed, the
will
that interview
he mourns
— O me,
Even
into the storm.
right in referring
fine literary judg-
their position.
his suit in all
And
not without
Sidney sorrow had given new force and
passion to his verse, so in Stella misery had procured
him a more ready
listener.
expostulates with him.
poems
as impersonal
and
She does not
She
lets
affects
to
repulse, but
regard
him hear her read
his
or
INTRODUCTION.
sing them.
She
xxvii
He
him in his absence.
him when she thinks he
praises
catches her gaze directed to
is
She plays the metaphysician
not looking.
love for her
him
cease loving, her
But love has made
has confessed to
him.self of their
become too
" Sonnets are not
little
happy
while
kiss.
their
is
angry,
only against
passion should
and
prentise to annoy,"
express
Twice, these
Stella repulsed
ever,
is
the raptures
all
But the climax of the drama
in the songs.
finds her
She
passionate to be borne in peace.
bound
Sidney's
lover.
company,
Soon afterwards he
it.
and awakes her with a
but a few sonnets further on her anger
kisses
for
sonnet Sidney can record that Stella
in the 6ist
sleeping,
his
:
own
" anchor fast " himself " on virtue's
him
to wish
shore."
and
make him
to
is
have
tell us,
its
is
for a
of a
expressed
Sidney asked that
full
course.
Twice
him, the second time finally and for
but in words of tenderness and beauty unsur-
passable
:
Astrophel, sayd she,
my
love,
Cease, in these effects, to prove
Now be
Thy
greefe
If that
Can
still
;
yet
still
;
beleeve me.
more then death w'ould grieve me.
any thought
in
me
comfort but of thee,
Let me, fed with hellish anguish,
last
Joylesse, hopelesse, endlesse languish.
INTROD UCTION.
If
more may be sayd,
All
my
If thou love,,
For
I say,
blisse in thee I lay
my love
;
content thee,
meant
all love, all faith is
thee.
Trust me, while I thee deny,
In my selfe the smart I try ;
Tyran honour doth thus use thee,
Stella's selfe might not refuse thee.
more move,
Therefore, deere, this no
Least, though I leave not thy love.
Which
I
"
too deep in
should blush
me
is
framed,
when thou
art
The Argument " writes Nash,
named.
with annoying glibness
"cruell chastitee; the Prologue, hope; the Epilogue,
dispaire."
Stella
It is
only the Epilogue of Astrophel and
which remains
for
us to recite.
In the two
songs and thirty sonnets which follow Stella's
refusal there
is
much
help feeling that Sidney's "song"
he blazes
forth in anger,
shares his unhappiness.
is
now he
"broken."
illness, in
Now
rejoices that Stella
He is absent from her, and half
chides, half excuses himself for taking
in other society.
final
and yet we cannot
fine poetry,
In one sonnet he
is
any pleasure
distressed
by her
another he records his overwhelming sorrow
that through
some "foul stumbling" of
been caused annoyance.
had
But the prevailing tone is
his Stella
INTRODUCTION.
one of heavy,
Sidney's aims
dull, despair, and in this a man of
and Sidney's temperament could not
In the 107th Sonnet he asks
abide for ever.
as the " right princesse " of all his
certain " great cause,
to
occupy
xxix
Stella
powers to allow a
which needs both use and
time the chief place in his thoughts.
for a
In the next sonnet, the
last
of the book, he returns
beneath the sway of "rude dispaire," but two
later
in
poems, the
last
still
two of our appendix, show him
"
astaJtejof^alm_s_g-MJ^^
as his worst
art
enemy, .andjiooking away to thingsriiJtjDf
thi£, world.
Leave me, TD Love, which reachest but to dust
And thou, my mind, aspire to higher things
Grow rich in that which never taketh rust
;
AWhat ever fades, but fading pleasure brings.
Draw in thy beames, and humble all thy might
To that sweet yoke where lasting freedomes be
Which breakes
O
and give us sight to see.
be thy guide
small course which birth drawes out to death,
That doth both
shine,
take fast hold
let that light
In
And
this
think
Who
Then
;
the clowdes, and opens forth the light.
how
;
evil
becommeth him
to slide,
seeketh heav'n, and comes of heavenly breath.
farewell,
Eteinall
world
;
thy uttermost I see
Love maintaine thy
life
in
:
me.
Splendidis longum vakdico nugisi
Thus, in a strain
worthy of himself, Philip Sidney bade
final farewell to
INTRODUCTION.
XXX
" splendid toying."
liis
already too long
glance at the
two noble
my
us, in this section of
introduction,
it
How
lovers.
a point on which different conjectures
For myself,
hazarded.
is
the
series of
of these
long this passion continued
I
cling stedfastly to
already expressed belief that the
song
our
only remains to
after-fates, so tragically different,
at its height is
may be
For
May
May
of the 8th
of 1581, and that the magnificent
Sonnets beginning with
and ending
xxxiii.
with Ixxxvi., together with the accompanying songs,
form the immortal love-diary of some
weeks
after
six or
The time occupied by the
much longer.
There is
" Epilogue " was probably
unfortunately nothing
Sidney's biographies (certainly not the letter of
1581, from the self-styled
aid)
seven
Lady Rich.
return to court as
Stella's
in
May,
King of Portugal asking
his
which enables us to identify the " great cause which
needes both use and art" of Sonnet
cvii.
It is possible,
indeed, that the words have only a general reference
to
Sidney's
Spain.
his life
In
life-mission
In any
case,
of political antagonism to
by the autumn of the year 1581
seems to have resumed
October we find
him
its
in
accustomed tenour.
correspondence with
Burleigh, asking for impropriations to the
j^ioo a year to eke out
his
amount of
slender income;
in
INTRODUCTION.
November he
is
writing to the
The
her use.
for
xxxi
Queen about a cypher
next February saw him one of the
EngHsh noblemen and gentlemen
who attended the Duke of Anjou to the Netherlands,
and on his return to England in March he settled
down once more to the old weary work of supporting
splendid escort of
his father's interests
at
Court against constant mis-
representation.
The year 1583 was more
Sidney received
8th,
in
the
On
eventful.
honour
January
knighthood,
of
order that he might act as proxy for his friend
Prince
the
Casimir, at
In
Garter.
his
as
investiture
March, or soon
a
after,
Knight of
he married
Frances, daughter of Sir Francis Walsingham, a lady
who
hands of seme recent writers has been
at the
somewhat hardly dealt
because of her
with, partly
speedy re-marriages, but partly perhaps from a needless
desire to pair her off with
mate.
Lord Rich
as an
unworthy
At the time of Sidney's death she hastened
his side at
no small
risk to herself,
to
and we have no
reason to believe that she was other than a good and
affectionate wife for the short space that her marriage
with Sidney
endured.
In 15 84 her husband was
again in Parliament, and in the following year he was
associated with the Earl of
Warwick
in the Mastership
INTRODUCTION.
xxxii
of the Ordnance.
not
sufifice
But these small employments did
him, and at the end of the year
a secret project of joining Drake
attack Spain
in the
West
He
Indies.
lie
formed
a voyage to
in
had
actually
reached Plymouth, and was waiting to embark, when
the
Queen
(it
is
said by
some treachery of
Drake's)
was apprised of his intention, and peremptorily recalled
But
him.
it
was now obvious that active employment
of some sort Sidney would have, and he was accordingly appointed to the Governorship of Flushing, one
of the towns placed by the
as a pledge of their
campaign
Leicester.
under
good
the
new
faith
in
21st,
office,
Enghsh keeping
during the ensuing
generalship
On November
possession of his
Dutch
the
of
Earl of
1585, Sidney took
and during
short
his
governorship acquitted himself to admiration.
He
put Flushing into a thorough state of defence, formed
many
military plans, captured the
surprise,
and did much
town of Axel by
Leicester's haughtiness
and
The
and honourable
career of useful
folly speedily
gave
activity
which he had so long been chafing, appeared
to
which
to lessen the friction to
rise.
for
at last
be opening brightly before him, when it was suddenly
and
cruelly cut short
by a chance shot
in
an engage-
ment, which but for the miserable accident that
it
INTRODUCTION.
xxxiii
brought Sidney his death, would hardly have been
recorded in English history.
Such, and so untimely, was Sidney's end
have been well for Stella
if
:
it
would
the one and twenty years by
which she survived him had been fewer by a
half.
In
whatever secret unhappiness, she appears to have lived
Lord Rich
blamelessly with
their marriage,
for
some twelve
years after
during which time she bore him seven
But about 1595 she formed an unhappy
children.
intimacy with her brother's faithful friend. Sir Christo-
pher Blount, and though in 1600 she returned to her
husband
in order to nurse
on
illness,
his
him through a dangerous
recovery she lived publicly with her
and by mutual agreement was soon afterwards
lover,
Her unhappy
divorced from Lord Rich.
no bar
to her
accession of
gained the
advancement
James
title
of Devonshire,
title
of Essex, the
precedence of
the
previously
his
partner,
all
that
"was
and dignity of the most ancient
Bouchiers,
and thus had the
the Earls' daughters in the kingdom,
with the exception of four."
26th,
who had
might be no disparity between them,
elevated to the
Earls
Blount,
was
life
When on
of Lord Mountjoy, was advanced to
the rank of Earl
there
I.,
at Court.
But when on December
1605, permanence was given to
1**
their irregular
INTRODUCTION.
xxxiv
by a marriage solemnized, curiously enough,
relations
by the High-Church Laud, James drove the unhappy
couple from his Court
;
and neither long survived their
and
disgrace, the Earl dying in the following April,
Stella only outliving
him by two
To champion
years.
her cause with the somewhat blind chivalry of Dr.
Grosart or Professor Arber
impossible.
was also deeply sinned
we catch of her
glimpses
there
both touching and gracious.
husband,
it
she sinned, she
is
in
the
much
stray
that
is
Sidney
Certainly to
woman, and
she behaved as a good and true
after years
if
and
against,
life,
present writer
to the
is
But we may beUeve that,
if in
she descended nearer to the level of her
is
not for any lover of Sidney to speak
hardly of her.
From
make a
the heights of love and romance
criticism
noted,
As has been
and bibliography.
already
Sidney allowed none of his works
printed during his lifetime
made
we must now
brief excursion into the regions of textual
;
copies,
to
be
however, were
in manuscript for the use of his friends,
and
to
the great annoyance of his family, these from time to
time after the Author's death,
speculative
publishers,
fell
into the
who were
restrained from printing them.
with
hands of
difficulty
In 1591, according
INTRODUCTION.
to a dedicatory epistle
xxxv
"to the worshipfull and
Ma. Frauncis Flower,"
very good Freende,
fortune of a publisher
it
his
was the
named Thomas Newman,
to
upon one of these copies of " the famous device"
of Astrophel and Stella, which he straightway " thought
light
good
much
to publish," using,
care
writes, "
in
skill
it
it,
to his
corruption of
and
first
advice
in
dignitee, that I
it
writers, I
have
correcting
and
ill
knowe were of
those matters."
Another
so pleased
Newman's
with a few
in
edition that he straightway reprinted
trifling
himself,
Sidney's family, saw
and some new
corrections
to counterbalance them.
Newman
account,
named Matthew Lownes, was
and experience
publisher,
with
helpe
their
restoring
own
For "Whereas," he
being spred abroade in the written coppies,
had gathered much
used
according to his
the printing.
under
probably
fit
to take the place of the
errors
Within the year, however,
pressure
from
to bring out a
second edition
In
second edition
first.
the dedication to Master Flower
this
is
omitted,
and with
it
an Epistle to the Reader, by Thomas Nash, and
"
Sundry other rare Sonnets of diuers Noblemen and
Gentiemen," which, added by
size of his volume, contained
Sidney's old
enemy
Newman
to swell the
among them one by
the Earl of Oxford.
Along with
INTRODUCTION.
xxxvi
poems was
these omissions the text of the
from a different manuscript, and
obviously
many
revised,
while
stupid errors were allowed to remain, a large
number of
fresh readings
in which the text of the
were introduced in passages
makes
edition
first
excellent
So emended, Newman's edition held the
sense.
field
until the appearance, in 1598, of Sidney's collected
works in
entitled
folio,
from
its
principal
content,
The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia. In this edition
Astrophel and Stella is placed between the Defence of
Poesie
the
and Sidney's Mask of May, the sonnets are for
time numbered, the songs, which in the
first
had been placed
editions
"previous
among the
are made to
at
the end, are
distributed
sonnets,
and three important
additions
the text,
viz..
with
its
obvious punning on the
Song
eight stanzas of
and Song
At the same
window.
talks to
two
trifling
occupying
a
exceptions,
few
Defence of Poesie.
leaves
their
made, with one
first
immediately
The whole
issued with the sanction
Stella at her
time " Certaine Sonets of Sir
Philip Sidney, never before printed "
or
xxxviii.,
Rich," the
containing Stella's reply,
viii.,
where Sidney
xi.,
Sonnet
name "
and
the Countess of Pembroke,
appearance,
before
the
of this 1598 folio was
revision of Sidney's sister,
and we are accordingly
INTRODUCTION.
xxxvii
not surprised to find that the text oi Astrophel and Stella,
broadly concurring with that of
while
second edition,
is
Newman's
way improved.
in every
The deductions which may be made from the facts
Thus we see (i.) that
thus recited are noteworthy.
on each of the three occasions of printing, the sonnets
are presented in the
two,
if
same order;
(ii.)
that at least
not three, different texts were in existence, with
variations,
as
our notes
sufficiently
show,
that
are
undoubtedly beyond the ingenuity of any mere copyist
or editor;
(iii.)
that the manuscript in the posses-
sion of the Countess of
Pembroke
is
the only one of
the three which contains certain verses of a very
and
intimate character,
that
it
is
in the
Countess of
Pembroke's edition that such deeply personal poems
as the "Smokes of Melancholy " and " Ring out your
bells"
are
first
given to the world.
conclusions seem sufficiently justifiable;
spent
some pains
poems
after they
(ii.)
that
in the
among
in
(i.)
further
that Sidney
improving and altering his love
had served
their
he exercised some care
immediate purpose
for Stella's reputation-
form in which he permitted them to circulate
his
friends,
biographical for his
alone.
Two
most
purely
and possibly
for hers
reserving
sister's
eye,
If these conclusions
the
be granted, the appear-
INTRODUCTION.
xxxviii
ance of the invective against Lord Rich as Sonnet
may be
xxiv,
attributed to the
same reason
which dictated the temporary suppression of
On
the
Sonnets
justified against its attackers
is
of
sensus
all
the manuscripts,
commentators ^o find any
xxxvii.
sequence of the
the general
other hand,
as that
by the con-
by the
single
failure
of
group which has
been broken up and can be reconstructed, and by the
readiness with which the present order yields itself to
As regards
a connected narrative.
c^se
songs the
and
folio
the
equally
not
is
quartos
are
obvious correctness of
the
at
the position of the
clear.
Here
the
but
the
variance,
placing
of
the
more
important songs, and the gap which the omission of
these leaves in what
sonnets,
is
may be called
the narrative of the
a strong argument in favour of following
the order of the best edition.
It
me
only remains for
present edition
human weakness
made, word
is
to
that of
will
add that the
text of the
1598 reprinted, so
far as
permit such a boast to be safely
for word,
and
letter for letter,
with the
exception of the variations set forth at the end of the
book.
The
notes give
editions as
all
such variations in the
seemed on a
liberal estimate to
earlier
possess
INTRODUCTION.
any
Some day T Hope we shall have a
and ^idn.Jy. I doubt if any
literary value.
three-text
Astrophel
collation short of this will
The
satisfactory.
frontispiece,
the
among my
of Sidney
Museum
by Thomas Lant.
which forms the
of the engraving
I
have
still
predecessors in Sidney-work,
to
my
it
would have been impossible
all
introduction.
for
me
to
the facts on which I have based
Other debts have been acknow-
ledged as they occur.
ALFRED
May, i8S8.
add
chief
due to Mr. Fox-Bourne, without whose
gather together
this
portrait of Sidney,
copy in the British
obligations are
life
be ultimately accepted as
reproduced by Mr. Praetorius, from
is
of his funeral
that
xxxix
W. POLLARD.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
I.
Loving in
That
truth,
and
faine in verse
she, deare She,
my
love to show,
my
might take some pleasure of
-^r
''
paine,
Pleasure might cause her reade, reading might
make her
know.
Knowledge might
I
sought
words
fit
pitie
winne, and pitie grace obtaine,
to paint the blackest face of
Studying inventions
fine,
fresh
and
fruitfull
i^'
;
her wits to entertaine,
Oft tumingLadiers^eaves,
Some
woe
—
to see
if
thence would flow
showers upon
my
sunne-burn'd
braine.
But words came halting
forth,
wanting Invention's stay
Invention, Nature's child, fled step-dame Studie^s blowes
And
others' feete
still
seem'd but strangers in
my
^'
;
''~
;
way.
Thus, great with childe to speak, and helplesse
in
my
throwes,
Biting
my
Foole, said
trewand pen, beating myselfe
my Muse
to
me, l ooke
B
for spite
in thy heart,
;
and
write.
^
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
Not
at the first sight,
nor with a dribb^d shot,
Love gave the wound, which, while
But knowne worth did
Till
'
by degrees
had
it
in
full
conquest got.
but lovfed not
saw, and liked
I
loved, but straight did not
At
length, to Love's decrees
Yet with repining at so
Now, even
Is
I
gone
;
breathe, will
I liked,
I
;
I
mine of time proceed,
;
what Love decreed
I,
forc'd,
agreed.
partiall lot.
that footstep of lost libertie
and now,
calHt praise
And now employ
To make me
like slave-borne Muscovite,
to suffer tyi'annie
the remnant of
selfe
beleeve that
While, with a feeling
skill, I
;
my
wit
all is well,
paint
iiiy hell.
:
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
III.
Let daintie wits crie on the Sisters nine,
That, bravely maslct, their fancies
may
be told
Or, Pindare's apes, flaunt they in phrases
;
fine,
Enam'ling with pied flowers their thoughts of gold
Or
else let
them
Ennobling new-found tropes with problemes old
Or with strange
Of herbes
For me,
How
or beastes which Inde or Afrike hold.
in sooth,
no Muse but one
my
I
?
even thus,
What Love and
But copying
is,
—in
Beautie be
what
in her
know
;
reach do grow
strange things cost too deare for
then
;
similes enrich each line,
Phrases and problemes from
And
;
in statelier glorie shine,
my
poore sprites
Stella's face I
reed
my
deed
;
then
all
Nature
B 2
;
writes.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
IV.
now
^^ertu^ alas,
Thou
set'st
If vaine
let
me
take
a bate betweene
Love have
Leave what thou
my
some
rest
my^^SjAndwTj
simple soule opprest,
«
Thy
scepter use in
do confesse
—
pardon a
My
mouth too tender
But
if
The
little
And
still th' effect
I
sweare,
reason that
more
fit
fault confest
is for
thy hard
is left in
bit.
be
me,
of thy perswasions prove,
my heart
That shrines
brest,
for thy seate
that needs thou wilt usurping
it.
\'
-
some olde Catoe's
Churches or schooles are
I
thou with
likest not, deale not
such one shall shew to thee.
in flesh so true a deitie.
That, Vertue, thou thy selfe shalt be in love.
:
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
'
V.
most
It is
Ought
6'
true that eyes are form'd to serve
The inward
light,
and
'^^
that the heavenly part
be King, from whose rules who do swerve,
to
Rebels to nature, strive for their owne smart.
It is
An
most
image
And,
true,
which
is,
fooles,
Till that
what we
call
for ourselves
we
^
carve,
V
adore in temple of our hart,
True, that truejaeautie vertue
Whereof
r
Cupid's dart
good god make church and churchmen
this
True, that on earth
we
^'
h"
are but pilgrims made,
should in soule up to our countrey
True, and yet true— that
I
starve.
is indeed.
beautie can be but a shade,
Which, elements with mortall mixture breed.
And
;^>
must
move
Stella love.
,
X
:
X
^
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
Some
when they
lovers speake,
Of hopes begot by
feare, of
Of
force of heav'nly
Of
living deaths, deare
ing
Some one
fires
his
their
Muses
wot not what
beames infusing
wounds,
entertaii
desires,
hellish paine,
faire stormes,
and
:
song
in
Jove and Jove's strange
tales at
Bordred with buls and swans, powdred with golden
Another, humbler
wit, to
Yet hiding royall bloud
To some
f
shepheard's pipe retires,
full oft in rurall
a sweetest plaint a sweetest
While teares powre out
r;
his inke,
vaine.
stile affords,
and sighs breath
his words.
His paper pale dispaire, and paine his pen doth mov
I
can speake what
But thinke that
When
all
I feele,
the
and
map
feele as
much
of my state
I
trembling voice brings forth, that
I
as they
display
do
Stella
1
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
VII.-
Wlien Nature made her chiefe worke,
In colour blacke
why wrapt she beames. so
Would
she, in
Frame
daintiest lustre, mixt of shades
Or did she
Stella's eye?,
beamie blacke,
else that sober
bright
and
light
if
no
?
hue devise,
In object best to knit and strength our sight
Least,
vaile these brave
;
gleames did disguise,
They, sunlike, should more dazle then delight
?
Or would she her miraculous power show,
That, whereas blacke seemes beautie's contrary,
She even
Both
so,
in blacke
and
thus,
doth make
all
beauties flow
?
— she, minding Love should be
Placed ever there, gave him this mourning weed
To honor
all their
?
like painter wise,-
deaths who for her bleed.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
VIII.
Love, borne in Greece, of late fled from his native place
Forc'd by a tedious proofe that Turkish hardned hart
Is
not
fit
marke
to pierce with his fine-pointed
And, pleas'd with our
soft peace, staid
dart—
here his flying
rai
But, finding these north clymes too coldly
him embrac
Not usde
some
Where
he strave
to frozen clips,
to find
part
with most ease and warmth he might employ
art
At length he perch'd himself
Whose
faire skin,
Deceiv'd the quaking boy,
Effects of lively heat
But she, most
in Stella'sjoyfull face.
beamy. eyes,
cold,
morning sun on
thought, from so pure
must needs
most
faire,
who
like
in nature
grow
made him thence
snc
lig
:
take
flight
\To
my
close heart
;
where, while some firebrands he
lay,
le burnt unwares his wings,
and cannot
fly
away.
(
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
IX.
Queene Vertue's Court, which some
call Stella's face,
Prepar'd by Nature's choisest furniture,
Hath
his front built of alabaster pure
Gold
is
doore,
Red
porphir
by which sometimes comes
is,
porches rich (which
JMarble, mixt red
name
and white, do
Looks over the world, and can
Which dare claime from
Of touch they
forth her grace,
which locke of pearle makes
sure,
of cheekes endure)
enterlace.
The windowes now, through which
Which
^
the covering of that stately place.
The
Whose
;
this heav'nly guest
find nothing such.
those lights the
are, that without
name
of best,
touch doth touch,
Cupid's selfe from Beautie's mine did draw
Of touch they
are,
and poore
I
am
their straw.
:
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
Reason, in
faith
thou art well serv'd, that
still
.Wouldst_brabling_be vvith .seace-aH-d-ieve-tmne
I
rather wisht thee clime the Muses'
Or reach the
Or seeke
Why
fruite
hill
;
;
of Nature's choisest tree
;
heav'n's course or heav'n's inside to see
shouldst thou toyle our thornie soile to
:
till ?
Leave sence, and those which sence's objects be
;
Deale thou with powers of thoughts, leave love to
But thou wouldst,needs, fight both with love
With sword of
Till
wit giving
wounds of
will.
ajad_s,e,nce.
dispraise,
downe-right blowes did foyle thy cunning fence
;
For, soone; as they strake thee with StellaZsrayes,
Reason, thou kneel'dst, and- offeredst stiaigbtto prove.
By
reason good, good reasoit her tojoxe.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
XI.
In truth,
Thou
O
-4"-^-
Love, with what a boyish kind
doest proceed in thy most serious wayes,
That when the heav'n
Yet of that best thou
leav'st the best
For, like a childe that
With guilded
to thee his best displayes,
some
behind
faire boolie
doth
!
find,
leaves or colourd velume playes,
Or, at the most, on some fine picture stayes,
But never heeds the
So when thou
Stella,
fruit
of writer's
mind
saw'st in Nature's cabinet
thou straight look'st babies in her eyes,
In her cheekes' pit thou didst thy pitfould
And
in
;
set,
her breast bo-peepe or couching lyes.
Playing and shining in each outward part
But, fQolejieekstjiot.to get into her hart.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
V^t"- ''
XII.
Cupid, because thou shin'st in Stella's eyes,
That from her
That those
That her
That
in
lockes, thy day-nets,
lips sweld, so full of
svveete breath
makes
none scapes
free,
thee they bee.
oft
thy flames to
her breast thy pap well sugred
rise.
That her grace gracious makes thy wrongs, that
What words
thy fame to the skies
lifts
countest Stella thine, like those whose powers
Having got up a breach by
fighting well,
Crie " Victorie, this faire day
O
So
no
;
her heart
fortified
That
she.
soere she speake, perswades for thee.
That her cleare voyce
Thou
fJT''
^
lies,
to
win
is
such a
all is
ours
!
cittadell.
with wit, stor'd with djsdaine.
it is all
the
skill
and paine.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
XIII.
-
13
;^
Phcebus was judge betweene Jove, Mars, and Love,
Of
those three gods, whose armes the fairest were.
Jove's golden shield did eagle sables beare.
Whose
But
talents held
in vert field
Mars bare a golden
Which through a
Each had
young Ganimed above
:
speare,
bleeding heart his point did shove
his creast.
Mars caried Venus'
glove,
Jove on his helme the thunderbolt did reare.
Cupid then
smiles, for
Stella's faire haire,
Where
on his crest there
her face he makes his shield.
roses gueuls are borne in silver
field.
Phoebus drew wide the curtaines of the
To
blaze these last,
lies
and sware devoutly
skies.
then,
The- first, thus matcht, were.scantly gentlemen.
:
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
14
XIV.
Alas, have
I
Upon whose
not paine enough,
my friend,
breast a fiercer Gripe doth tire
Then did on him who
While Love on
me
first stale
doth
all
down
the
fire,
his quiver spend,
But with your rubarb words ye must contend.
To
grieve
me
Doth pkmge
Of
worse, in saying that Desire
my
wel-form'd soule even in the mire
sinfull thoughts,
If that
Well
If that
in ruine
end
?
be sinne which doth the maners frame,
staid with truth in
Readie of
wit,
love
is
word and
faith of deed,
and fearing nought but shame
be sinne which
A loathing of
Then
which do
all
in fixt hearts
doth breed
loose unchastitie,
sinne,
and
let
me
;
sinfull be.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
XV.
You
that do search for everie
15
•
purhng spring
WTiich from the ribs of old Parnassus flowes,
And
Neare thereabouts,
Ye
which growes
everie floure, not sweet perhaps,
into
that do dictionarie's
your poesie wring
methode bring
Into your rimes, running in rathng rowes
You
With new-borne
You
---
But
You
sighes
take wrong waies
-
—
As do bewray
And
;
that poore Petrarch's long-deceasfed woes
;
and denisen'd
'
'_
!
.
goods do come
both for your love and
seeke to nurse at
Stella behold,
^
a want of inward tuch.
sure, at length stolne
if,
wit do sing
;
those far-fet helpes be such
skill,
fullest breasts of
and then.begin
to light
your name
to endite.
Fame,
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
i6
XVI.
In nature apt to
like,
when
did see
I
Beauties which were of manie carrets
My
fine,
boiling sprites did thither soone incline,
And, Love,
thought that
I
I
was
full
of thee
:
But finding not those restlesse flames in rne.
Which
I
others said did
their soules to pine,
thought those babes of some pinne's hurt did whine,
By my
sonle judging
But while
I
Mine eyes
— shall
Stella
:
now have
what Love's paine might
be.
thus with this young lyon plaid,
now she
In her sight
I
make
I
I
is
say curst or blest?
—beheld
nam'd, need more be said
a lesson
new have
learn'd love right,
speld
and
.'
;
learn'd even so
As,who„by being poispnd doth poison-know.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
17
XVII.
His mother deare Cupid offended -late,
Because that Mars, growne slacker
in her love,
With pricking shot he did not throughly move
To keepe
The boy
Who
the place of Their
threatned stripes,
But she,
in chafe,
Till thatjhis
Stella's
And
in
O how
And
if
he his wrath did prove
him from her
Brake bowe, brake
Of
loving state
first
refusde for feare of Marses hate,
shafts, while
grandame Nature,
;
lap did shove.
Cupid weeping sate
pittying
it,
browes made him two better bowes,
her eyes of arrowes
for joy
he leapes
!
infinit.
O how
straight therewith, like
Fals to shrewd turnes ;,and
he crowes
wags new got
I
was- in
his-
!
to play,
way.
:
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
i8
XVIII.
With what sharpe
;
When
:
And by just
Of
all
checl^es
my
counts
in
I
into Reason's audite
I
my
do
to
Whiche unto
it
And, which
But that
is
my
pay even Nature's
by
birthright
I
am
shent-
gfo,
a banclcrout
selfe
those goods which heav'n to
Unable quite
selfe
me
know
hath lent
rent,
do ow
;
worse, no good excuse can show,
wealth
I
have most
idly spent
My youth doth waste, my knowledge brings forth
My wit doth strive those passions to defend.
Which,
I
see,
I
see
for
my
reward, spoile
course to loose
it
with vaine annoyes.
my
selfe
doth bend
— and yet no greater sorow take
Then
that
Moose no more
for Stella's sake.
;
toyes
;
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
19
XIX. M"-'«r-v
On
Cupid's
That see
are
my wracke,
When most
I
bow how
I
my
and yet embrace the same
then
glorie,
heart-strings bent,
willing run, yet while
I
most shame
I feele
run repent
!
;
-'"
,v<-<-' t
;
My best wits still their owne disgrace invent
My verie inke turnes straight to Stella's name
And yet my words, as them my pen doth frame,
:
;
Avise themselves that they are vainely spent
For though she passe
That unto
Lookes
nie,
who
all things,
fare like
and
to the skies,
in
him
let
And
me
prop
my
is all
that both
a ditch doth
^£^.A~tz^
fall ?
;-:J-»-^
r
O
yet what
_
_
mind, yet in his growth,
not in nature for best fruits
Scholler, saith Love,
Imfit.
bend hitherward your
C
2
^^
,
wit.
,
'-
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
XX.
Fiie, fly,
my
friends
I
;
(^-•^'
my
have
death wound,
See there that boy that murthring boy,
Who,
like
So tyran he no
Nor
As
fitter
I
,
so faire levell in so secret stay,
There
which vailes the heav'nly eye
liimselfe with his shot
he close doth
Poore passenger, passe now thereby
staid, pleas'd
While
that blacke
But straight
And
ly.
him wrongfuU pray.
place could spie,
that sweete blacke
And
say,
I
a theefe, hid in darke bush doth
Till bloudie bullet get
fly ;--
I
I
lay.
did,
with the prospect of the ptace.
hue from
me
the bad guest hid
saw motions of lightning grace
;
then descried the glistring of his dart
But ere
I
could
flie
thence,
it
pierc'd
my
heart.
:
;
.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
XXI.
Your words,
My
my
That mine owne
My
friend (right healthfull caustjks),
young mind marde,
whom Love
writings, like
bad
Such
I
read "for nought but
coltish yeeres
Nobler
;
if
so,
show
servants,
wits quicke in vaine thoughts, in vertue
That Plato
blame
doth windlas
lame
;
he tame
that to_jny_birth-LQwe
desires, least else that friendly foe,
Great expectation, weare a traine of shame.
For since mad March great promise made of me,
my yeares much decline.
What can be hoped my harvest time will be ?
If
now
the
May
of
Sure, you say well, "
Your wisdome's golden mine
Dig deepe with Learning's
Hath
this
world ought so
spade.''
Now tell me
faire as Stella is
.''
this
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
XXII.
o'
o -
In highest
way
^J'
—
ta
—
T
.o
of hes^V)the Sunna^^id;ride,-
PiogresEing then jfrom fai,i^\rwinnes' gold'n pi ace,
'
Having fco scarfepf clowds l^ore
his face,
O -*•'*- — »J
But shining forth of heate in his chiefe -pride
"""
•
When some
On
faire ladies,
'vs
'•
'
--•
by hard;promise
i^
tied,
horsebacke met him infiis^furious race
;
Yet each prepar'd with fannes wel-shading grace
From
'
—
that foe's
wounds
Stella ajone with face
'^-—'
their tender skinnes to
unarmed marcht,
—
^
Either to 'do hke him which open shone,
I
Or
»,
t.
.i
hid^
,^
'<^-^'
ji
^'*^
Mf
>j,
"•'
'
'^i
.
carelesse of the wealth, because her owne^i
/
/-^
-..^/l '•^
{,
>
Yet were the hid and meaner beauties parchbr
Her
damtiest, bare, went free vthe cause
The
"~Sunne, which
:
was
this,
others burn'd, did her but kisse.
^
o
^
J *^
U
f
ASTROPHEL ASD STELLA.
23
xxin.
The
curious wits, seeing dull_pensivenesse
Bewray
it
Whence
selfe in
those
\\'ith idle
my
long-setled eyes,
same fumes
of melancholy rise,
paines and missing ayme, do guesse.
my spring I did addresse,
my Muse some fruit of knowledge plies
because the Prince my service tries,
Some, that know how
Deeme
that
Others,
Thinke that
Pjut
Scourge of
Holds
O
I
thinke state errours to redress
harder judges judge ambition's
it
selfe, still
my young
all
my
climing slipprie place-
braine captiv'd in golden cage.
fooles, or over-wise
Of
:
r&^t—
:
alas, the race
thoughts hath neither stop nor start
But. only Stella's eyes and_ Stella's hart.
;
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
24
(^
Rich fooles there be whose base and
filthy
hart
the goods wherein they flow,
Lies hatching
still
And damning
their
owne
Wealth breeding want
selves to Tantal's smart,
— more rich, more wretched grow.
Yet to those fooles Heav'n such wit doth impart,
As what
their
hands do hold,
And, knowing, love
As sacred
;
things, far
But that rich
foole,
gemme
their
heads do know
and, loving, lay apart
from
all
daunger's show.
who by
blind Fortune's lot
of love
and
The
richest
And
can with foule abuse such beauties blot
life
enjoyes,
Let him, depriv'd of sweet but unfelt joyes,
Exil'd for ay
He knowes
from those high treasures which
not,
grow
in only foUie rich
!
;
;
ASl'ROPHEL
AND
STELLA.
25
XXV.
The
By
wisest scholler of the wight most wise
Phoebus' doome, with sugred sentence sayes,
That
vertue, if
it
once met with our eyes,
S trange flames of love
But,
in
our soules would
And
in Sense's ballance wayes.
so nor will nor can behold those skies
Which inward sunne
Vertue of
late,
Love of her
to heroicke
minde
displaies
with vertuous care to ster
selfe,
tooke
Stella's shape, that
mortall eyes niight sweetly shine in her.
It is
most true
;
for since I
her did see,
Vertue's great beautie in that face
And
raise.
—for that man with paine this truth descries,
Whiles he each thing
To
it
find th' eifect, for
I
do burne
I
prove,
in love.
she
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
56
'
XXVI.
Though
And
dustie wits dare scorne Astrologie,
fooles
can thinke those lampes of purest light-
Whose numbers,
waies, greatnesse, eternitie,
Promising wonders, wonder do invite
To have
But
Or
for
no cause birthright
for
some brawle, which
They should
For me,
I
still
in the skie
blacke weeds of night
for to spangle the
daunce
in that
chamber
;
hie,
to please a gazer's sight.
do Nature unidle know,
And know
great causes great effects procure
And know
those bodies high raigne on the low.
And
Who
By
if
these rules did
oft
fore-judge
faile,
my
proofe
makes me
after-following race,
only those two starres in Stella's face.
;
sure,
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
XXVII.
Because
I oft
in
i^,-'^2,.j^*-.i'<'
darke abstracted guise
(^eeme most alone
in greatest
compani^
Witli dearth of words, or answers quite awrie,
To them
that
would make speech of speech
Tliey deeme, and of their
That poison
So
in
my
foule of
;
pride
the rumour
bubhng pride doth
swelling breast, that only
Fawne on me
Yet
doome
I
thinke doth not
(Which looks too
But one worse
That makes
and others do
selfe,
oft
Ambition,
I
despise.
soule possesse
my best
I
confesse,
friends overpasse,
Unseene, unheard, while thought to highest place
Bends
all his
;
fiies,
lie
oft in his unflattring glasse)
fault,
me
my
arise
powers, even unto Stella's grace.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
XXVIII.
You
Of
-
that with Allegorie's curious frame
others' children changelings use to
With me those
I list
paines, for God's sake,
make,
do not take
:
not dig so deepe for brasen fame.
When
I
say
Stella, I
do meane the same
Princesse of Beautie, for whose only sake
The
raines of
And joy
I
Love
therein,
beg no subject
Nor
in
Looke
(put
I love,
though never
though nations count
know
my
hands
that
I
shame.
to use eloquence,
hid wayes do guide philosophie
at
it
slake,
in
for
;
no such quintessence
;
pure simplicitie
Breathe out the flames which burne within
Love onely reading unto
me
this artei
my
heart,
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
XXIX.
29
.J!-t^'a<.
Like some weake lords neighbord by mighty kings, 1
To keepe themselves and
Do
easly yeeld that all their coasts
Ready
So
to store their
To keep
Doth
it
selfe in life
and
liberty,
all to
thus her heart escapes
.Her breasts his
;
>**
"''"
but thus her eyes
lips his heralds arre,
but for because
that coast,
am
my
giv'n
armour brave
prospect
up
t
A.
tents, legs his triumphall carre,
flesh his food, her skin his
Upon
<•
helpe his other conquerings.
Serve him with shot, her
I,
k.
;
brings,
willing grauntthat in the frontiers he
Use
Ani
may be
what power Love
And
Her
^
campes ofneedfuU things
Stella's heart, finding
-^
their chiefe cities free,
-?
;
lies
for a slave.
^
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
30
XXX.
Whether the Turldsh new-moone minded be
To
fill
How
this
yeare on Christian coast
with ill-made
fire
cold
French can yet three parts
What now
How
the Dutch
in
Moscovy
?
one agree
?
Holland hearts, now so good townes be
Ulster likes of that
Wherewith
If in the
my
same golden
father once
made
it
to
halfe
me do
;
?
tame
?
frame
cumbred with good maners, answer
But know not how
lost,
bit
Scotch Court be no weltring yet
These questions busie wits
I,
?
in their full diets boast
Trust in the shade of pleasing Orange-tree
How
?
Poles' right king meanes without leave of hoast
To warm
If
homes
his
do,
for still I thinkg_gf_y.ou.
?
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
With how
How
^_adsgteps,
silently,
VWhat, may
it
be
reade
To me,
J^
!
his sharpe arrowes tries
it
love, thou feel'st
in thy lookes
;
',.--
,1
a
lover's j^se,
thy languisht grace,
'
that feele the like, thy state descries."'"^'
Then, ev'n of fellowship,
Is
face
that even in heav'nly place
that long with love acquainted eyes i^
Can judge of
I
climb'st the skies
and with how wanne a
That busie archer
"^Siire, if
OuMooue, thou
O
^loone,
tell
me,
constant love deem'd there but want of wit
?
Are beauties there as proud as here they b^>-^
Do
they above love to be lov'd, and yet.
Those
Do
lovers scorne
whom
that love doth possesse
they call vertue there ungratefulnesse
?
:
!
o^
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
32
Morpheus, the hvely sonne of deadly Sleepe,
Witnesse of
life
to
them
that living die,
A prophet oft, and oft an historie,
A poet eke, as humours fly or creepe
Since thou in
me
That never
with clos'd-up sense do
I
my
But by thy worke
Stella
all
lie,
descrie,
I
Teaching blind eyes both how
Vouchsafe, of
;
so sure a power doest keepe,
and weepe
to smile
acquaintance, this to
Whence
hast thou ivorie, rubies, pearle, and gold.
To shew
her skin,
Foole
!
lips, teeth,
Sweet
and head so well
?
answers he.; no Indes such treasures hold
But from thy heart, while
Stella's
image
I
do
my
sire
;
tell,
charmeth
steale to mee.
thee,
;
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
I
might
And
—unhappie word — O me,
might,
I
my
then would not, or could not, see
now wrapt
Till
I
!
how
find
in
33
blisse
;
a most infernall night,
heav'nly day, wretch
did misse.
I
!
Hart, rent thy selfe, thou doest thy selfe but right
No
lovely Paris
No
force,
made
to
my
selfe
While too much
That
And
I
his.
no fraud robd thee of thy
Nor Fortune of thy
But
thy Hellen
my
fortune author
selfe
respects for both our sakes
faire
That
I
is
;
did give the blow,
wit, forsooth, so troubled
yet could not,
How
delight,
by
rising
a day was neare
had bene more
:
must show
morne
O
foresee
punisht eyes,
foolish, or
—
me,
more wise
!
:
;
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
34
XXXIV.
Come,
A
let
me
How
burthned hart.
The
And
write.
to
what end
?
To
ease
can words ease, which are
glasses of thy dayly-vexing care
?
Oft cruell fights well pictured-forth do please.
Art not asham'd to publish thy disease
Nay, that
But
will
may
not wise
Then be they
my
breed
men
close,
fame,
it is
?
so rare.
thinke thy words fond ware
and so none
What
idler thing then
What
harder thing then smart and not to speake
Peace, foolish wit
Thus
write
My harmes
I,
while
on
Stella's great
!
ink's
speake and not be hard
with wit
I
my
?
shall displease.
wit
is
?
?
mard.
doubt to write, and wreake
poore losse.
Perhaps some find
powrs, that so confuse
my
mind.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
Hiat
may words
,^here truth
/ithin
say, or
selfe
it
what may words not
must speake
what bounds can one
like flatterie
my
flames alay,
me ?
what hope that hope should once see day,
.nd, ah,
/here Cupid
is
is
sworne page
to Chastity
)oth even
grow
Vit learnes in
lot thou
?
honour'd, that thou doest possesse
lim as thy slave, and now long-needy
t is
?
?
ince Reason's selfe doth blow the cole in
[onour
say,
his liking stay,
/here Nature doth with infinite agree
/hat Nestor's counsell can
35
by
rich,
naming
my
Fame
Stella's
name.
thee perfection to expresse,
praise, but praise in thee
is
raisde
a praise to praise, when thou art praisde
:
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
36
XXXVI.
Stella,
whence doth
this
new
assault arise,
A conquerd, yolden,
ransackt heart to winne.
Whereto long
since,
through
Whole armies
of thy beauties entred in
And
my
long-battred eyes,
?
there, long since. Love, thy lieutenant, lies,
My forces razde, thy banners raisd within
Of conquest do
But
wilt
With
not these effects
now warre upon
so sweete voice,
thine
;
suffice,
owne begin ?
and by sweete Nature so
In sweetest strength, so sweetly skild withall
In
all
sweete stratagems sweete Arte can show,
That not
Long
By
my
soule,
since, forc'd
which
at thy foot did fall
by thy beames
:
but stone nor
Sence's priviledge, can scape from thee
!
tree,
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
37
XXXVII.
My mouth doth water, and my breast doth swell,
My tongue doth itch, my thoughts in labour be
:
Listen then, lordings, with
For of
my
life I
good eare
must a riddle
to
tell.
Toward Aurora's Court a nymph doth
Rich
in all beauties
me,
dwell.
which man's eye can see
Beauties so farre from reach of words, that
Abase her praise saying she doth
Rich
in the treasure of deserv'd
Rich
in the riches of
Rich
in those gifts
Who, though most
Which make
;
we
excell
renowne.
a royall hart.
which give
th' eternall
rich in these
and
crowne
everie part
the patents of true worldly blisse,
Hath no misfortune but
that Rich she
is.
;
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
38
XXXVIII.
This night, while sleepe begins with heavy wings
To
hatch mine eyes, and that unbitted thought
Doth
To
first
Unto
my mind
she,
I start,
Was
is Stella's
owne
me
selfe,
me
subject things
;
error brings
image, wrought
but with so curious drought
thinks, not onely shines but sings.
looke, hearke
;
but what in closde-up sence
opend sense
held, in
Leaving
all
powres are brought
chiefe
my fancie's
that straight
Love's
That
I,
my
and
leave the scepter of
The
By
to stray,
fall
it flies
away,
nought but wailing eloquence.
seeing better sights in sight's decay,
Cald
it
anew, and woo^d sleepe againe
But him, her
host, that
;
unkind guest had
slaine.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
39
XXXIX.
Come, Sleepe
The
O
!
Sleepe, the certaine knot of peace,
baiting place of wit, the
The poore man's
balme of woe,
wealth, the prisoner's release,
Th' indifferent judge betweene the high and low
With
shield of proofe shield
Of those
make
1
will
me
fierce darts dispaire at
in
good
me
those
civill
me
do
;
so.
pillowes, sweetest bed,
A chamber deafe to noise and blind to
A rosie garland and a wearie hed
light,
:
And
if
Move
these things, as being thine by right,
not thy heavy grace, thou shalt in me.
Livelier then else-where, Stella's
image
see.
;
pretfse
doth throw
warres to cease
tribute pay, if thou
Take thou of me smooth
from out the
:
XL.
As good
O
to write, as for to lie
Stella deare,
That hast
My
how much
my mind,
and grone.
thy power hath wrought.
none of the basest, brought
still-kept course,while others sleepe, to
Alas,
if
Thou canst vouchsafe
Upon a wretch
I
by thee
then thinke thus
Made
the influence of a thought
that long thy grace hath sought.
Weigh then how
And
am
overthrowne
manifest by such a victorie,
Since then thou hast so farre subdufed me.
O
in
my
do not
heart
let
;
—although thy beautie be
Yet noblest conquerours do wreckes avoid.
That
mone
from the height of Vertue's throne
I offer still
to thee,
thy temple be destroyd.
;
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
XLI.
Having
this
day
my
Guided so well that
my
horse,
41
>
hand,
my
launce
obtain'd the prize.
I
Both by the judgment of the Enghsh eyes
And
of
some
sent from that sweet enemie Fraunce
Horsemen my
Towne-folkes
skill in
my
strength
a daintier judge applies
;
His praise to sleight which from good use doth
Some
luckie wits impute
but to chaunce
it
Others, because of both sides
My bloud
How
I
me
a
man
farre they shot awrie
Stella lookt on,
rise
;
do take
from them who did excell
Thinke Nature
;
horsemanship advaunce,
in this,
of armes did make.
!
the true cause
is,
and from her heav'nly face
Sent forth the beames which
made
so faire
my
race.
;
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
42
XLII.
O
which do the spheares of beautie move
eyes,
Whose beames be joyes, whose joyes
Who,
The
O
while they
make Love
schooles where
all
;
vertues be
conquer, conquer Love
Venus hath leam'd
chastitie
;
;
:
eyes, where humble lookes most glorious prove,
Only-lov'd tyrants, just in cruelty
Do
not,
Keep
O
still
do not, from poore
my
For though
My life
I
me
Zenith, ever shine
;
remove,
on
me
:
never see them, but straightwayes
forgets to nourish languisht sprites
Yet
still
And
if
on me,
O
eyes, dart
from majestie of sacred
Oppressing mortal! sense
my
;
downe your rayes
:
lights
death proceed,
Wrackes triumphs be which Love high
set
doth breed.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
43
XLIII.
Faire eyes, sweet
lips,
deare heart, that foolish
Could hope, by Cupid's helpe, on you
Since to himselfe he doth your
As
maine
his
For when he
Then with
who
and easefuU stay
:
lo,
soule doth at Love's feet his
Glad
her he give them leave
if for
he
Where
With
will play,
all
Where
by and by
weapons
lay,
to die.
then in her lips he
is,
blushing red, that Love's selfe them doth love.
either lip
But when he
From
!
dare him gainesay,
those eyes he lookes
Each
When
to pray,
gifts apply.
force, choise sport,
will see
I
he doth the other kisse
will, for quiet's
sake,
the world, her heart
well he
is
knowes no man
;
remove
then his rome,
to
him can come.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
44
XLIV.
My words know do well set forth my mind
My mind bemones his sense of inward smart
I
Such smart may
;
pitie
claime of any hart
Her
heart, sweete heart,
And
yet she heares, and yet no pitie
But more
I crie,
is
of no tygre's kind
I
find.
lesse grace she doth impart.
Alas, what cause
is
there so overthwart,
That Noblenesse
it
selfe
I
much do
makes thus unkind
?
guesse, yet find no truth save this,
That when the breath of
my
complaints doth tuch
Those daintie dores unto the court of
The
;
heav'nly nature of that place
is
blisse.
such,
That, once come there, the sobs of mine annoyes
Are metamorphos'd
straight to tunes of joyes.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
45
XLV.
Stella oft sees the verie face of
Painted in
my
But cannot
beclowded stormie
skill to pitie
my
Of
face,
disgrace,
Not though thereof the cause
Yet hearing
wo
herselfe she
know
:
late a fable, which did show
lovers never
knowne, a grievous case,
Pitie thereof gate in her breast
such place.
That, from that sea deriv'd, teares' spring did flow.
Alas,
if
Though
Fancy, drawne by imag'd things
false, yet
with free scope, more grace doth breed
Then
servants' wracke,
Then
thinke,
Of
I
my
lovers' ruine
am
not
I
;
where new doubts honor brings
deare, that you in
some sad
tragedie.
pitie the tale of
me.
me
do reed
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
46
XLVI.
I
curst thee
oft, I pitie
now
thy case,
Bhnd-hitting Boy, since she that thee and
me
Rules with a becke, so tyrannizeth thee,
That thou must want or food or dwelling-place,
For she protests
Her
If
face
!
O
to
banish thee her face,
Love, a rogue thou then shouldst be,
Love learne not alone
Without desire
Alas, poore wag, that
To such a
now
Yet, deare, let
me
misse,
his
see.
whose lessons new
and so thou needs must smart.
pardon get
long, though he from
Till
and
a scholler art
schoole-mistresse,
Thou needs must
So
to love
to feed of further grace.
of,
you,
book myche
without fewell you can
make
hot
to desire.
fire.
XLVII.
What, have
I
my
thus betrayed
hbertie
?
Can those blacke beames such burning markes engrave
In
my free
side
;
or
am
Whose necke becomes
Or want
Or
I
I
such yoke of tyranny
sense to feele
sprite, disdaine of
borne a slave,
my
such disdaine to have
Who
for long faith, the' dayly helpe
May
get no almes, but scorne of beggerie.
Vertue, awake
I
may,
I
Beautie but beautie
!
must,
I
can,
I will, I
Leave following that which
!
Unkind,
love you not
I
Doth make
Soft,
my
I
is
!
O
!
crave.
;
do
it is
gaine to misse.
but here she comes
Let her go
!
miserie,
!
Go
to,
me, that eye
heart give to
my
tongue the
lie
!
XLVIII.X
Joule's joy,
bend not those morning
Where Vertue
Where Love
is
made
is
starres
from me,
strong by Beautie's might,
chastnesse, Paine doth learne delight,
\nd Humblenesse growes one with
What ever may ensue,
O
let
me
Majestie.
be
"opartner of the riches of that sight
Let not
mine eyes be
O
hel-driv'n
from that
light
O let me die, and see.
For though I oft my selfe of them bemone
That through my heart their beamie darts be
D
looke,
Whose
iTet
curelesse
since
Deare
shine,
my
wounds even now most
death-wound
Killer, spare
\ kind of grace
is
freshly bleed,
already got,
not thy sweet cruell shot
it is
to slay with speed.
gone.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
^
XLIX.
I
on
my
and Love on me, doth
horse,
Our horsmanships,
A
horsman
And now
The
to
my
49
trie
while by strange worke
prove
I
horse, a horse to Love,
man's wrongs
raine wherewith
in
my
me, poore beast, descrie.
me
rider doth
Are humbled thoughts, which
bit of
tie
reverence mo\e,
Curb'd in with feare, but with guilt bosse above
Of
hope, which makes
The wand
Girt fast
is will
;
seeme
it
faire to the
thou, fancie, saddle
by memorie
;
and while
I
My
He
sits
And now
That
fast,
hath
in the
however
made me
manage my
I
do sturre
to his
:
spurre
horse, he spurres with sharpe desire
me
eye
art.
hand
my
hart
;
so right.
selfe takes delight.
;
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
so
L.
my
Stella, the fulnesse of
Cannot be
staid within
thoughts of thee
my
panting breast,
But they do swell and struggle forth of me.
Till that in
And
words thy figure be exprest
yet, as
soone as they so formed be,
According to
my
With sad eyes
To
I
portrait that
So that
I
lord Love's
their
which
behest,
in this world is best.
my
chuse but put out what
While these poore babes
And now my pen
mind.
I
write.
their death in birth
these lines
But that they stopt
Because
owne
weake proportion see
cannot chuse but write
And cannot
:
his furie
had dashfed
do
quite,
from the same,
their forefront bare sweet Stella's
name.
find
;
ASTROPBEL AND STELLA.
LI.
Pardon mine
eares, both I
So may your tongue
To them
On
silly
all
But
Of
me
have somewhat new
find
Atlas
do not the burthen lay
some Hercules
tyr'd,.
your wisedome's heav'nly sway.
fishers in
straying wayes,
tides,
most troubled streames,
when
Meanewhile
my heart
And
irkt that so
even
;
to beare, in steed
—while you discourse of courtly
Of cunning
is
;
to say.
the grave conceits your braine dotk breed
For me,
Of
still
;
fluently proceed,
that do such entertainment need
So may you
Of
still
and they do pray
valiant errour guides,—
confers with Stella's
By such unsuted speech
sweet comedie
should hindred be.
beames
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
52
LII.
A strife is
growne between Vertue and Love,
While each pretends that
Her
eyes, her lips, her
Stella
must be
saith Love,
all,
his.
do
\fi'^
this,
Since they do weare his badge, most firmely prove.
But Vertue thus that
That
Stella,
title
That vertuous
!)
that Stella is
soule, sure heire of heav'nly blisse,
Not
this faire outside,
And
therefore,
which our hearts doth move
though her beautie and her grace
Be Love's indeed,
By no
doth disprove,
(O deare name
in Stella's selfe
he may
pretence claime any maner place.
Well, Love, since this demurre our sute doth stay,
Let Vertue have that Stella's selfe
That Vertue but that body graunt
;
yet thus.
to us.
:
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
53
LIII.
had
my
cunning
In martiall sports
I
And
more staves did mee
yet to breake
While, with the people's shouts,
Youth, lucke, and praise even
When
tride,
adresse,
must confesse,
I
fil'd
my
veines with pride
Cupid, having me, his slave, descride
In Marses livery prauncing in the presse
What
Looke
now. Sir Foole
here,
Who, hard
My
by,
!
I
made
!
said he,
look'd,
—
and
I
would no lesse
Stella spide,
a window send forth
light.
heart then quak'd, then dazled were mine
One hand
Nor
say
I
:
forgat to rule, th' other to fight,
trumpet's sound
My foe
came
Till that
eyes,
I
heard, nor friendly cries
on, and beat the aire for me.
her blush taught
me my shame
to see.
:
;
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
54
LIV.
Because
Nor do
I
breathe not love to everie one,
I
not use set colours for to weare,
Nor
nourish speciall lockes of vowfed haire,
Nor
give each speech a
full
point of a grone,
The courtly nymphs, acquainted with the
Of them who
What, he
He
!
in their lips Love's standerd beare
(say^
cannot love
And
thinke so
they of me)
That
his right
Dumbe
They
faire
no, no, let
;
still,
Professe in deed
But you,
mone
I
:
now
him
so Stella
I
dare sweare
alone.
know my minde
do not Cupid's
art
;
;
maides, at length this true shall
badge
is
:
but worne in the hart
find.
:
swannes, not chatring pies, do lovers prove
love indeed
who quake
to say they love.
;
ASTROrHEL AND STELLA.
55
LV.
Muses,
I
oft
invoked your holy ayde,
With
choisest flowers
That
it,
my
Might winne some grace
And
speech to engarland
so,
despisde in true but naked shew.
oft
in
your sweet grace anaid
whole troupes of saddest words
I
;
staid,
Striving abroad a-foraging to go,
Untill
How
by your
But now
Nor
inspiring
their blacke
I
I
might know
banner might be best
meane no more your helpe
other sugring of
my
let
me
but
to trie.
speech to prove.
But on her name incessantly
For
displaid.
to crie
name her whom
I
do
;
love,
So sweete sounds straight mine eare and heart do
That
I
well find
no eloquence
like
it.
hit,
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
56
LVI.
,
Fy, schoole of Patience, fy
Far, far too long to learne
!
it
your lesson
is
without booke
What, a whole weeke without one peece of
And
thinke
When
Which
I
I
letters
in her face teach vertue,
As of a
I
faireof blisse
could brooke
lead'n counsels, which
friend that
But now that
I,
I
do want her
that
I
sight,
can ever take
In thy cold stuffe a flegmatike delight
!
if
thou wilt
Her come and heare with
And
tooke
meant not much amisse.
alas,
What, dost thou thinke
No, Patience
looke,
should not your large precepts misse
might reade those
Somwhat thy
:
my
patience
then with patience bid
me
?
good, then
make
my desire.
my fire.
beare
!
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
Wo
many
having made, with
Each sence
of mine, each
Growne now
The thorowest words
Hoping
gift,
he
his slaves,
fit
fights, his
57
owne
each power of mind
forst
them out
;
to find
for woe's selfe to grone,
that v/hen they might finde Stella alone,
Before she could prepare to be unkind,
Her
soiile,
arm'd but with such a dainty
rind.
Should soone be pierc'd with sharpnesse of the mone.
She heard
my plaints,
But them, so sweete
With
A
is
she,
most sweetly
sing,
that faire breast .making woe's darknesse cleare.
prety case
To
and did not only heare.
feele
my
So sweets
;
I
hopfed her to bring
griefes
my
;
and
paines, that
she, with face
my
paines
me
and
voice,
rejoyce.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
S8
LVIII.
Doubt
The
there hath bene
when with
his golden chaine
oratour so farre men's harts doth bind,
That no pace
else their
guided steps can find
But as he them more short or slacke doth
Whether with words
this soveraignty
raine,
he gaine,
Cloth'd with fine tropes, with strongest reasons
Or
else
Prints his
owne
Now judge
by
lively
this
The anatomy-of
Stella's
O
:
all
forme
in rudest braine.
in piercing phrases late
my
woes
I
wrate
sweete breath the same to
voice,
Which
lin'd,
pronouncing grace, wherewith his mind
O
face
!
maugre
my
me
;
did reed.
speeche's might
woofed wo, most ravishing delight
Even those sad words even
in
sad
me
did breed.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
59
LIX.
Deare,
why make you more
If
he do
If
he waite
If
he be
he
Litle
He
love, I burne,
well,
so
barks,
litle
my
Bid'n, perhaps
But
I,
I
is
To
if
he
;
;
;
oft
doth prove
he fetcheth thee a glove,
lap,
my
him
nay
soule to thee.
that
bosome
lets, in spite
This sowre-breath'd mate
Alas,
me ?
;
songs thine owne voyce
languish,
That lap doth
dog can be
worth
unhid, fetch even
Yet, while
in love
never thence would move
yet but a
faire,
is,
I
of a dog then
burne
I
clips.
of spite,
tast of those
sugred
lips.
you graunt only such delight
witlesse things, then Love,
Becomes a
I
clog) will sopne ease
hope
(since wit
me,of
it.
:
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
6o
LX.
When my good
"Where
all
my
angell guides
good
I
do
me
to the place
in Stella see,
That heav'n of joyes throwes onely downe on
Thundred disdaines and
I
lightnings of disgrace
But when the ruggedst step of Fortune's race
Makes me
,
me
fall
from her
sight,
then sweetly she,
With words wherein the Muses'
'Shewes love and
Now
So
I,
dull
pitie to
treasures be,
absent case.
wit-beaten long by hardest fate,
am, that
The ground
I
cannot looke into
of this fierce love
Then, some good body,
Whose
my
tell
and
lovely hate.
me how J_do,
presence absence, absence presence
BlisLin-myjri.irse,_and_cursfed in
my
blisse.
is
;
;
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
6i
LXI.
Oft with true sighes, oft with uncalled teares,
Now
I
with slow words,
Stella's
But
this, at last, is
That who indeed
So captives
Now,
since her chast
he learnes, his
With chastned mind
me
:
he forbeares,
live's
mind hates
I
straight
course thence.
this love in
must shew
me,
that she
from what she hates remove.
Doctor Cupid, thou
Driv'n else to graunt,
I
;
both soule and sence,
all selfnesse
his desires
Shall quickly
eloquence,
infelt affection beares,
Then
That
dumbe
with
her sweet breath'd defence
to his Saint
That, wholly hers,
O
now
eyes assaid, invade her eares
for
by
love not without
me
reply
;
angel's sophistrie,
I
leave to love.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
62
LXII.
Late tyr'd with wo, even ready for to pine
With rage of
love,
She in whose eyes
Sweet
I
I
cald
joyed
;
Love unkind
though
love,
said, that I true
my
-unfeIt,-doth-shine,
lovejn her should
but straight thus watred was,
That love shedidy-butlovedaJove not
Which would
From
And
not
let
nobler course,
therefore,
me,
fit
by her
anchor
Alas,
if this
Of
fast
my
my
wine
blind,
my
and mind
birth
love's authority,
of vaine love to
selfe
flie.
on Vertue's shore.
the only mettall be
me
:
she loved, decline
lov e new-coind to helpe
Deare, love
find.
whom
for
WiM me these tempests
And
;
not, that ye
my
beggery,
may
love
me
more.
:
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
63
LXIII.
grammer-rules,
So children
still
O now
As my young Uove may,
Her graunt
For
1
late,
to
your vertues show
;
reade you with awfuU eyes,
me by
in
your precepts wise,
her owne vertue
know
:
with heart most high, with eyes most low,
crav'd the thing which ever she denies
;
She, lightning love, displaymg Venus' skies,
Least once should not be heard, twise said. No,
Sing then,
my
Muse, now lo Peean sing
Heav'ns envy not at
my
No
;
high triumphing,
But grammer's force with sweet successe confirme
For grammer
says,
—O
—
For grammer sayes,
That
in
this,
to
deare
Stella, say,
grammer who
sayes nay
one speech two negatives affirme
!
?
:
!
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
64
FIRST SONG.
Dnnht jnii
tn wTi nm
my M"gp
thfSf ""t-p" pntonripH-i^
Which now my
breast, orecharg'd, to
To
all
you, to you,
my
song of praise
is
musicke lendeth
due
:
Only
in
Who
Who
keepes the key of Nature's chiefest treasure
To
you
hath the
e^s which
you, to you,
Only
for
song begins and endeth.
all
marrie state with pleasure
song of praise
you the heav'n forgate
is
all
due
?
:
measure.
Who hath the lips, where wit in fairenesse raigneth
Who womankind at once both deckes and stayneth
To
you, to you,
Oaely_b Y..you
all
song of praise
Cupid
his cro wne
is
due
:
ma intaineth
.
?
?
?
?
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
65
Who hath the feet whose step of sweetnesse planteth
Who else, for whom Fame worthy trumpets wanteth
,
?
?
To
you, to you,
Onely
Who
to
O nelie
To
grace
is
you, to you,
Who
Who
song of praise
is
due
:
hath the breas t, whose milke doth passions nourish?
Whose
To
all
you her scepter Venus granteth.
such, that
all
when
through you the_tree_q f
chides doth cherish
it
song of praise
is
life
due
doth
:
fl
ourish
.
hath the hand .which, without stroke, subdueth
long dead beautie with increase reneweth
you, to you,
Onely
at
you
a)l
all
song of praise
is
due
^nvie hopelesse-rn^th
;
?
}
?
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
66
Who
Who
To
hath the haire which, loosest, fastest
tieth
?
makes a man hve then glad when he dieth
?
.
you, to you,
all
Only of you the
Who hath the
Whose
To
fl
song of praise
due
is
:
atterer never lieth .
voyre, whir h soule from sences sunder s
force, but yours, the bolts of beautie thunders
you, to you,
all
song of praise
is
due
'.
?
:
Only with you not miracles are wonders.
Doubt you,
to
whom my Muse
these notes intendeth.
Which now my
breast, orecharg'd, to
To
all
you, to you,
Only
in
you
my
'
song of praise
is
musicke lendeth
due
song begins and endeth.
:
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
67
LXIV.
No
O
more,
give
my
my
deare, no
more these counsels
passions leave to run their race
Let Fortune lay on
me
her worst disgrace
Let
me
Let
all
B ut do
I
bedimme my
no steps but of
labour trace
the earth with scorne recount
not will
do not envie
Nor doaapire
me
from
my
love to
my
case,
flie.
Aristotle's wit,
to Caesar's bleeding
Nor hope nor wish another course
But that which once
art
mv
crie
;
fame
;
Nor ou ght do ca re though some above me
Thou
;
wit,
may win
and thou
sit
to frame.
thy cruell hart
my vertue
!•
;
breake in mine eye
face,
lost
;
;
me
Let folke orecharg'd with braine against
Let clouds
trie
2
art
.
;
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
68
LXV.
Love, by sure proofe
That
may
I
may
no better eare
giv'st
Thou whom
As
I
to
me
such
call
to
thee unkind,
my just
my good
well recount, but
cries
;
turnes should bind,
none can
prize
:
For when, nak'd boy, thou couldst no harbour
In this old world, growne
I
lodg'd thee in
By
my heart,
nature borne,
Mine eyes
!
my
I
let this
That
I
may
and being blind
heart,
my
life,
;
alas
!
scorned be,
thought thy tygrish courage passe,
perhaps
am somewhat
Since in thine arme s,
Thou
my
find
so too too wise,
gave to thee mine eyes
light,
If so great services
Yet
now
bear'st the
if
kinne to thee
;
learnd fame truth hath spread,
arrow^Ithe arrow head.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
LXVI.
And
do
I
Or doth
some cause a hope
see
to feede
the tedious burd'n of long
wo
In weakened minds quicke apprehending breed
Of
I
everie
image which may_comfqrt show
cannot brag of word,
Fortune wheeles
My
much
with
me
lesse of deed,
in
one sort slow
wealth no more, and no whit lesse
Desire
And
still
still
yet
on the
amid
Stolne to
my
all
stilts
feares
me
me
while
I
fled wit h
;
need
;
of Feare doth go.
a hoj)e therejs,
the
beames of
lookt other
But when mine eyes backe
T hey
my
heart since last faire night, nay
Stella's eyes sent to
Looking on
?
to their
da\',
blisse,
way ;
heav'n did move,
blush jwhich guiltie_s.e£m'd of love.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
70
LXVU.
Hope,
Doth
The
art
thou true, or doest thou
Stella
now begin
with piteous eye
ruines of her conquest to espie
Will she take time before
Her
But
eyes-speech
failst
is
me?
flatter
all
?
wracked be
translated thus
by
?
thee,
thou not in phrase so heav'nly hie
Looke on againe, thejaire-text
better trie
?
;
What
blushing notes doest thou in margine see
What
sighes stolne out, or kild before full borne
Hast thou found such and such
Or
art
Well,
I
am
thou else to comfort
how
me
like
arguments,
forsworne
?
so thou interpret the cont^i^nts.
resol v'd thy errour to maintaine ,
Rather then by more truth to
ge.t
more
paine.
?
?
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
71
LXVIII.
Stelkj the^onely planet of
my
Light of
and
li fe,
Chiefe good whereto
World
of
my
Why doest
Fed by thy
With
Thy
fit
to
worth,
vaine
:
me
the noble
to kill in
I
my
aspire,
delight
and kindled by thy
me
sprite,
lyre.
sight
?
most sweet
words with reasons
feet,
this killing care
:
then, what^paradise of joy
so fair e a vertue_tQ-£n.joy-l
;
fire
for while thy breath
reasons firmly set on Vertue's
thinke
I t is,
desire,
wed Amphion's
choisest words, thy
Labour
O
my
hope doth only
thou spend the treasures of thy
Seeking to quench in
all in
of
light,
wealth, and heav'n of
With voice more
And
life
my
my
rare,
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
72
LXIX.
O joy too
O blisse
high for
fit
my
low
show
stile to
me
for a nobler jtate then
!
!
Enyie, put out thine eyes, least thou do see
What
My
oceans of delight in
friend, that oft
Come, come, and
Gone
is
do flow
all
me powre my
let
the winter of
My
spring appeares
For
Stella hath, with
Of her high
me
saw through
;
my miserie
O
selfe
on
me
faith
O
though she give but thus conditionly
This realme of
No
say
tTiat
blisse,
she
is
mine
:
:
!
while vertuous course
kings be crown'd but they
grow
doth shine,
the monarchic
I, I,
may
wo.
thee.
see what here doth
And
I,
my
!
words where
heart giv'n
!
maskes
I
take.
some covenants make.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
My
j\Ius£_mav well grudge at
If still
She
oft
I
my
heav'nly joy,
force her in sad rimes to creepe
hath drunke
my
Nectar of mirth, since
I
teares,
:
now hopes
Jove's cup
do keepe.
Sonets be not bound prentise to annoy
;
Trebles sing high, as well as bases deepe
Griefe but Love's winter liverie
Hath cheekes
Come
then,
is
;
the
Muse, shew thou height of delight
In well raisde notes
;
myjpen, the best
Muse
give you here
;
peace, pen, for
my hand for
my
may.
it
Shall paint out joy, though but in blacke
I
;
boy
to smile, as well as eyes to weepe.
my
Cease, eager
to enjoy
and
white.
sake stay,
truth of this,
Wise^silenceis^besLmu^ck£_iuitQ-blisse.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
74
LXXI.
Who will in fairest booke of Nature know
How vertue may best lodg'd in beautie be,
Let him but learne of Love to reade in thee,
Stella,
those faire lines which true goodnesse show.
There
shall
he find
Not by rude
force,
all vices'
overthrow,
but sweetest soywajgntLe
Qf_reason, from whose light those night-birds
That inward sunne
in thine eyes shineth so.
And, not content
be Perfection's heire
Thy
Who
selfe,
to
doest strive
marke
in thee
all
what
minds that way
is in
thee most
So while thy beautie drawes the heart
As
fast thy vertue
bends that love
But, ah, Desire^stiU^rieSi
to
Gjy^m^
to
;
move,
faire.
to love,
good
flie
:
somejfood.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
75
LXXII.
D esire,
And
though thou
oft
so chngs to
One from
my olcl companion art,
my pure love that I
the other ^carcely can descrie,
While each doth blow the
Now
from thy fellowship
Venus
I
is
I
fier
my
of
hart
needs must part
taught with Dian's wings to
must no more
Vertue's gold
flie
in thy sweet passions lie
now must head my
Service and honor,
Feare to offend,
wonder with
will
left
;
Cupid's dart.
delight,
worthie to appeare,
Care shining in mine eyes, faith in
These things are
;
me by my
my
sprite
only Deare
But thou, Desire, because thou wouldst have
Now
banisht art
;
but
yet, alas,
how
shall
?
;
:
all,
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
76
SECOND SONG.
Have
I
caught
my
heav'niy jewell,
Teaching sleepe most
Now
will
When
I
faire to
be
!
teach her that she,
she wakes,
is
too too cruell.
Since sweet sleep her eyes hath charmed,
The two only
Now will
Some
Her
I
darts of Love,
with that boy prove
play, while
he
tongue, waking,
is
disarmed.
still
refuseth
Giving frankly niggard no
Now
will
What no
I
attempt to
:
know
her tongue, sleeping, useth.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
TI
See the hand which, waking, gardeth,
Sleeping, grants a free resort
Now will
I
invade the
Cowards Love with
But,
O
foole,
fort.
losse rewardeth.
thinke of thejianger
Of her just and high
disdaine
;
Now
will
Love
feares nothing else but anger.
Yet those
Do
I,
alas, refraine
;
so sweetly swelling,
lips,
invite a stealing kisse.
Now
will I
Who
will read,
but venture this
Oh, sweet kisse
must
!
first
but ah, she
Lowring beautie chastens
Now will
Foole
!
I
away hence
More
;
learne spelling
foqle, for
me
flee
is
waking
;
:
;
no morejaking.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
78
LXXiir.
Love,
still
a boy, and
oft
a wanton
is,
School'd onely by his mother's tender eye
What wonder
When
In sport
I
it
nay
chide,
O
he
:
;
':
trie
a sugred kisse
nay threat
lie,
for only this.
was saucie Love, not humble
In beautie's throne
;
his lesson misse,
Starre, because
But no scuse serves
Those
he
suckt while she asleepe did
lowre,
Sweet,
if
for so soft a rod deare play
And yet my
Doth
then
I.
she makes her wrath appeare
see now,
who
scarlet judges, threatning
dares
come neare
bloudy paine.
heav'nly foole, thy most kisse-worthy face
Anger
invests with such a lovely grace.
That Anger
selfe I
needs must kisse againe.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
79
LXXIV.
I
never dranke of Aganippe well,
Nor
ever did in shade of
And Muses acornewith
Poore layman
Some do
But,
God
And
this
I
I
am
How
My
I,
heare of poets' furie
no pick-purse of another's
falles
it
then, that with so
I
speake
In verse, and that
?
My lips
tell.
meane by
sweare by blackest brooke of
thoughts
so
vulgar braines to dwell
wot, wot not what they
I
sit,
for sacred rites unfit.
my
Guesse we the cause
Or
Tempe
Much
lesse.
?
;
it
;
hell,
wit.
smooth an ease
and what
I
speake doth flow
verse best wits doth please
What,
How
is it
then
.''
thus
?
?
Fie, no.
Sure thus
are sweet, inspired with Stella^ kisse.
it is
:
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA
So
LXXV.
Of
all
the kings that ever here did raigne,
Edward, named
Not
fourth, as first in praise
for his faire outside,
Although lesse
gifts
I
name
:
nor well hned braine,
impe feathers
oft
on fame.
Nor
that he could, young-wise, wise-valiant, frame
His
sire's
And
revenge, joyn'd with a kingdome's gaine
gain'd by Mars, could yet
mad Mars
That ballance weigh'd what sword did
Nor
Though
That
Nor
late obtaine.
fraid,
strongly hedg'd, of bloudy Lyons' pawes.
wittie
this,
But only
To
he made the Flouredeluce so
that
so tame,
Lewes
nor
that,
for this
to
him a
tribute paid
:
nor any such small cause
;
worthy knight durst prove
loose his crowne, rather .thenJaila his love.
;
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
8i
LXXVI.
She comes, and
straight therewith her shining twins
do
move
who
Their rayes to me,
Benighted
wo
in cold
The onely Hght of
She comes with
in her tedious
but
;
absence lay
now appeares my day
joy, the onely
warmth of
love.
and warmth, which,
light
lilte
Aurora
prove
Of
gentle force, so that
With such a
rosie
mine eyes dare gladly play
morne, whose beames, most freshly gay,
Scortch not, but onely do darke chilling sprites remove.
But,
Her
lo,
while
I
do speake,
it
groweth noone with me.
and
flamie glistring lights increase with time
My heart
cries,
No wind^no
ah
!
it
burnes, rnine eyes
shade can coole
:
now
place,
dazled be
what helpe then
in
;
my
case,
But with short breath, long lookes, staid
feet,
and walking
hed,
Pray that my^sunne go dovvnewith meeker Jaeames to hed
.?
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
82
LXXVII.
Those lookes, whose beames be
joy,
whose motion
is
delight
That
face,
whose
lecture
shewes what perfect beautie
That presence, which doth give darke hearts a
;
living light
That grace, which Venus weepes that she hej
misse
is
selfe doth
;
That hand, which without touch holds more then Atlas
might
Those
lips,
kisse
That
;
which make death's pay a meane price
for a
;
whose passe-praise hue scornes
skin,
terme of white
poore
this
;
Those words, which do sublime the quintessence of blisse
That voyce, which makes the soule plant himselfe
eares
;
That conversation sweet, where such high comforts
As, consterd in true speech, the
Makes me
That
in
Yet, ah,
in
my
best thoughts
no more but these
my
in the
I
name
and
of heav'n
it
be.
beares;
quietst judgments see
might be
mayd'n Muse doth blush
fully blest
:
to tell the best.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
LXXVIII.
O how
the pleasant aires of true love be
Infected
From
by those vapours which
out that
noysome
arise
which gaping
gulfe,
Betweene the jawes of hellish jealousie
A
lies
!
monster, others' harme, selfe-miserie,
Beautie's plague, Vertue's scourge, succour of lies
Who
And
Who
his
owne joy
to his
owne hurt
onely cherish doth with injurie
since he hath,
by Nature's
applies,
:
speciall grace.
So piercing pawes as spoyle when they embrace
So nimble
feet as stirre
still,
So manie eyes, ay seeking
though on thornes
their
owne woe
So ample eares as never good newes know
Is
it
not
evill that
;
:
such a devill wants homes
G
2
?
;
;
;
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
84
LXXIX.
Sweet
kisse^ thy sweets
I
faine would sweetly endit
Which, even of sweetnesse sweetest sweetner
art
Pleasingst consort, where each sence holds a part
Which, coupling doves, guides Venus' chariot
Best charge, and bravest
A
;
right
retrait in Cupid's fight
double key, which opens to the heart.
Most
rich
when most
his riches
it
impart
Neast of young joyes, schoolmaster of
Teaching the meane at once
The
friendly fray,
The
prettie death, while
Poore hope's
first
to take
delight,
and give
;
where blowes both wound and he
each
in other live.
wealth, ostage of promist weale
But
Breakefast of love.
Cease we to praise
;
lo, lo,
where she
now pray we
is,
for a kisse.
;
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
85
LXXX.
Sweet_§sceJl«ig
lip,
well maist thou swell in pride,
Since best wits thinke jt wit thee to admire
Nature's praise, Vertue's stall
Whence
;
;
Cupid's cold
fire,
words, not words but heav'nly graces slide
The new Pemassus, where
the
Muses bide
;
;
Sweetner of musicke, wisedom's beautifier.
Breather of
Where
and fastner of
life,
Thus much
my
my
Loathing
doubting
dide.
my mouth to say
my mouth will stay,
all lies,
heart,
this flatterie is
;
:
spurre can his resty race renew,
Without,
Sweet
is
heart compeld
But now, spite of
And no
desire,
Beautie's blush in Honour's graine
how
lip,
farre this praise is short of you,
you teach
my mouth
with one sweet kisse.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
86
LXXXI.
O
which doest those ruddie gemmes impart,
kisse,
Or gemmes
Breathing
or frutes of new-found Paradise,
all blisse,
Teaching dumbe
O
kisse,
By
lips
faine
would
paint thee to
of thy gifts at least shade out
But she forbids
;
all
art,
men's eyes.
some part
with blushing words she sayes
She builds her fame on higher seated
But
my
I,
praise.
heart burnes^ Ixann»t sJlent-be.—
Then, since, deare
And
;
soules, together ties
and only Nature's
I
to the heart,
a nobler exercise
which soules, even
linkes of love
How
Or
and sweetning
mad
Stop you
life,
you faine would have
me
with delight, want wit to cease.
my mouth
with
still, still
kissing me.
peai
ASTROPHEL AKD STELLA.
S;
LXXXII.
Nymph
of the gard'n where
all
beauties be,
Beauties which do in excellencie passe
His who
till
death lookt in a watrie glasse,
Or hers whom naked the Trojan boy did see
;
Sweet-gard'n -nymph, which keepes the cherrie-tree
Whose
Most
fruit
doth farre
sweet-faire,
From comrning neare
For though,
Admitted
I
full
late
th'
most
Pardon that
I
I will
do
not, alas,
those cherries banislxmee.
of desire, emptie of wit,
by your best-graced grace,
caught^at one of them, a
And
Esperian tast surpasse,
faire-sweet,
fault
;
hun^ieiit
once more graunt
;
me
the place
do sweare, even by the same delight,
but kisse
;
I
never more
will bite.
;
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
88
LXXXHI.
Good brother
I
have borne you long
I
was content you should
While
craftily
As though
I
Philip,
you seem'd your cut
that faire soft
bare, with envie, yet
When
in
lillies'
to keepe,
hand did you great wrong
bare, your song.
her<necke you did love ditties peepe
Nay, more
In
I
;
in favour creepe,
foole
I,
oft suffered
you
neast where Love's selfe
;
to sleepe
lies
along.
What, doth high place ambitious thoughts augment
Is
sawcinesse reward of curtesie
Cannot such grace your
And through
Leave
?
silly selfe
But you must needs with those
?
content.
lips billing be,
those lips drinke nectar from that toong
that, sir Phip, least off
your necke be wroong
!
'.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
THIRD SONG.
Orpheus' voyce had force to breathe such musicke's
If
love
Through pores of sencelesse
move
trees, as
it
could
make them
;
good measure daunc'd, the Theban walles
If stones
to
build
To cadence
of the tunes vi'hich
More cause a
O
stones,
If love
O
so a
svi'eet'n
his light
birds,_
— Stella singeth.
boy of shepheard brood,
O
Grecian
was her eyes her death
Earth gave that love
O
:
a tyzard dull to taste love's daintie food
If eagle fierce could so in
As
lyre did yeeld
like effect at least wise bringeth
trees, learne hearing,
might
To make
Amphyon's
;
heav'n,
I
mayd
;
delight,
his endlesse night,
trow, love refineth,
beas.ts,lookeJ0Ye^-r-lo,_,Sj:ella shineth^
;
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
go
The
birds, beasts, stones,
love
and
trees feele this,
And
if
Nor
beasts nor birds do
the trees nor stones stirre not the
Know
that small love
amaze
come unto
eyes,
O
feelir
is
same
to prove
this blessfed gaze,
quicke, and great love do
;
They are amaz'd, but you with reason
O
and
;
eares of men,
how
armfed,
are you charai&d
!
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
91
LXXXIV.
High
And
my
my
you
\Na.y, since
chiefe Pernassus be,
Muse,
to
some
Tempers her words
to
tramphng
that
eares not unsweet,
horses' feete
More
oft
Now,
blessed you beare onward blessed
To
where
I
my
Muse and
I
must you of dutie greet
her,
-My
then to a chamber melodie.
With thankes and
Be you
still faire,
And
Of
that
meet
honourd by publike heed
you know
I
;
;
wrong'd, nor tune forgot
for bloud,
highest wish,
Hundreds
heart, safe-left, shall
wishes, wishing thankfully.
By no encrochment
Nor blam'd
me
I
nor sham'd for
envy you no
wish you so
sinfull
deed
lot
much
of yeares you Stella's feet
blisse,
may
kisse.
:
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA
92
LXXXV.
I
see the house,
Beware
—my heart thy
selfe containe
drowne not thy
full sailes
tottring barge,
Least joy, by nature apt sprites to enlarge.
Thee
to thy
Nor do
wracke beyond thy
like lords
Not pointing
to
office
all,
fit
folkes each undercharge,
themselves will discharge,
leave nothing done but paine.
But give apt servants their due place
See beautie's
totall
summe summ'd
in
let
:
eyes
her face
Let eares heare speach which wit to wonder
Let breath sucke up those sweetes
The globe
Thou but
;
let
all
the kingly tribute take.
;
ties
;
armes embrace
of weale, lips Love's indentures
of
;
whose weake confused braine,
While everie
With doing
limits straine
make
;
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
FOURTH SONG.
Onely Joy, now here you
Fit to heare
Let
my
care,
whispering voyce obtaine
Sweete reward
Take me
"
my
and ease
are,
paine
for sharpest
to thee,
and thee
my
No, no, no, no,
Night hath closd
to
Deare,
all in
me
;
:
let be."
her cloke,
Twinckling starres love-thoughts provoke,
Danger hence, good care doth keepe,
Jealouzie itselfe doth sleepe
Take me
to thee,
and thee
my
" No, no, no, no,
;
to
Deare,
Better place no wit can
me
let be."
find,
Cupid's yoke to loose or binde
These sweet flowers on
Us
in their best
Take me
"
fine
No, no, no, no,
and thee
my
to
Deare,
;
bed
language woo
to thee,
:
too.
;
me
:
let be."
93
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA
94
This small light the
moone bestowes
Serves thy beames but to disclose
So
to raise
Feare not
Take me
my
hap more
none can us spie
else,
to thee,
" No, no, no, no,
and thee
my
;
hie,
to
Deare,
;
me
:
let be."
That you heard was but a mouse,
Dumbe
sleepe holdeth
Yet asleepe,
Yong
me
the house
to thee,
" No, no, no, no,
Niggard time
This large
and thee
my
you may
to
Deare,
threats, if
offer of
stay, ere
:
thinkes they say,
folkes take time while
Take me
Long
all
our
me
:
let be."
we misse
blisse,
he graunt the same
:
Sweet, then, while ech thing doth frame,
Take me
to thee,
and thee
to
me
;
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
Your
faire
mother
is
a-bed,
Candles out and curtaines spread
She thinkes you do
Write, but
Take me
"
No,
me
let
to thee,
no, no, no,
why
Sweet, alas,
Concord better
Leave
to
Take thee
strive
fitteth
me
:
let be."
you thus
us
;
;
to
Deare,
;
?
;
force of hands,
your beautie stands
in
me, and
to
endite
and thee
Mars the
Your power
letters write
first
my
" No, no, no, no,
95
my
me
to thee
Deare,
;
:
let be.''
Wo to me, and do you sweare
Me
to hate
Cursed be
?
but
my
That brought
Soone with
I
forbeare
destines
me
my
so high to
death
" No, no, no, no,
my
;
all,
I will
Deare,
fall
please thee
let be."
:
/
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
96
LXXXVI.
Alas,
whence came
Have chang'd
Let
wo
But
if all faith,
As
gripe on
my
my
If
?
I
mine owne conscience be
selfe
condemning
heart,
me
;
shame loade mine eye
:
like spotlesse ermine, ly
which only doth
soule,
to thee,
his sole object of felicitie,
With wings
O
change of lookes
desert, let
A still felt plague to
Safe in
this
wonder
of love in aire of
flie,
ease your hand, treate not so hard your slave
In justice paines
Or
if I
till
faults
do
call
needs, sweet Judge, must torments have,
Use something
Then
come not
;
else to chast'n
those blest eyes, where
No doome
should
make
me
all
withall
my
one's heav'n
hopes do dwell
become
his hell
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
97
FIFT SONG.
While favour fed
my hope,
Thought waited on
Then grew my
I
I
thought
all
delight,
delight with hope
and speech did
was brought,
follow thought
tongue and pen records unto thy glory,
words were
lost that
were not spent of
thee,
thought each place was darke but where thy lights
w-ould be.
And
all
eares worse then deafe that heard not out thy
storie.
I
and so indeed thou
said thou wert
most
most sweet, sweet poison
faire,
art
my
;
heart
I
said thou wert
I
said m)^
I
said thine eyes were starres, thy breast the milk'n way,
souk was
thine,
O
that
Thy
fingers Cupid's shafts, thy
And
all I
said so well, as no
I
to
then had lyed
voyce the angels' lay
man
it
denied.
;
;
:
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
98
But now that hope
is lost,
unkindnesse
Yet thought and speech do
live,
kils^deliglit-;
though metamorphosd
quite,
For rage now
rules the raines
which guided were by
pleasure,
I
thinke
now
who
of thy faults,
That speech
falles
now
to
late
thought of thy praise,
blame, which., did-thy honour
raise,
The same key
op'n can, which can locke up a treasure.
whom
Thou, then,
partiall
heavens conspir'd
in
one
to
frame
The
proofe of Beautie's worth, th' enheritrix of fame,
The mansion
seat of blisse,
and just excuse of
lovers
;
See now those feathers pluckt, wherewith thou flew most
high
:
See what clouds of reproch
Whose owne
fault
recovers.
cast
shall
darke thy honour's skie
him downe hardly high
seat
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
O my
And,
Muse, though
oft
99
you luld her in your
lap,
And
then a heav'nly child, gave her ambrosian pap.
And
to that braine of hers
your kindest
Since she, disdaining me, doth you in
Suffer not her to laugh, while both
Princes in subjects wrongd
we
gifts
me
infused
disdaine,
suffer paine.
must deeme themselves
abused.
Your
client,
Revenge
!
poore
my
revenge
!
selfe, shall Stella
my Muse
!
handle so
!
Defiance trumpet blow
;
ThrMt'n what may be done, yet do more then you threat'n
'Ah,
my
Now,
sute granted
child,
is, I
feele
a lesson new you
my
breast doth swell
shall begin to spell.
Sweet babes must babies have, but shrewd gyrles must
be
beat'n.
ASTKOPHEL AND STELLA.
Thinlce
now no more to heare
Nor blushing
Nor
lillies,
whose waves
soule, so fraught with
As where thou soone
oppresse
Ungratefull,
odourd snov
in curies are brok'n
most
faith dost
mo;
;
who
is
foibid
cheefe
Theeves
fine
such ungratefulnesse.
might'st heipe,
cald, the worst of evils is spok'n
Yet worse then worst,
Now God
warme
nor pearles' ruby-hidden row,
of that golden sea,
But of thy
of
!
—a
;
say thou art a theefe— A theefe
I
theefe
!
and of worst theeves
:
steal for need,
and
steale but
goods which pain
recovers.
Bat thou, rich
in all joyes, dost
Which cannot be
Of
!
th
foes the spoile
restor'd
is evill,
rob
my joyes
from me.
by time nor Industrie
far
worse of constant
:
lovers.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
Yet, gentle English theeves do rob, but will not slay,
Thou English murdring theefe, wilt have h arts for thy pray
The name
of murdrer
now on
thy faire forehead
And even while I do speake, my death wounds
Which,
Who
I
protest,
may, and
But murder, private
I
not save, murder in
fault,
triith
seemes but a toy
:
committelh.
to thee
:
lay then to thy charge uiijustesX tyrannic,
If rule,
by
force, without all claime, a tyran
For thou doest lord
And, which
have
A
bleeding be.
proceed from only cruell thee
will
sitteth,
is
showeth
;
my heart, who. amiiotborne thy slave,
worse,
makes me, most
guiltlesse,
torments
:
rightfull priruitby -unrightiieeds„a.tj:ma.graweth.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
make
Lo, you grow proud with
this, for
Of
do appeach thee now,
foule rebellion then I
tyrans
folke
Rebell by Nature's law, rebell by law of reason
bow
:
Thou, sweetest subject, wert borne in the realme of Lov(
And
No
yet against thy prince thy force dost dayly prove
But valiant rebels
I
:
vertue merits praise, once toucht with blot of treasor
now then
Both
oft in fooles'
mouthes purchase fame
staine thy white with v^gabunding^shame,
rebell to the
sonne and vagrant from the mother
For wearing Venus' badge in every part of thee,
Unto Dianae's
Who faileth
traine thou, runaway, didst
one
is false,
flie
:
though trusty to another.
;
:
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
What,
A
not this enough
is
witch,
For,
I
I^
my
protest,
me am
!
nay, farre worse cometh here
though thou so
say, thou art,
changed,
am
I
My
feete are turn'd to rootes,
No
witchcraft
Yet witches
Alas that
I
I
may
am
And
Who
evill
repent
forst
say thou art a
For thy
so
is
faire
appeare
I
alive
my
;
and dead,
hart
becommeth lead
as which man's
;
such
deyill,
face tempts
mind
thou art far worse then they
evill
:
destroyeth.
:
of thee to say
though clothd in angel's shining
my
soule to leave the heav'n for thee.
thy words of refuse do powre even hell on
mee
:
tempt, and tempted plague, are devils in true
defining.
;
sight never thy face enjoyeth,
But
in
103
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
I04
You, then, ungrateful! theefe, you murdringjyran, you,
You
rebel!
runaway, to lord and lady untrue,
You
witch,
you
You
see what
And
such
That
all
I
divill,-alas,-yQU-stilLo£.ine_beLoved,
can say
skill in
my
;
mend
yet your froward mind.
Muse, you,
reconcil'd, shall find,
these cruell words your praises shall be proved
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
SIXT SONG.
O
O
you that heare
you that see
this voice,
this face,
Say whether of the choice
Deserves the former place
Feare not
For
it is
to
judge
:
this bate,
void of hate.
This side doth beauty take,
For that doth Musike speake
Fit oratours to
;
make
The
strongest judgements weakc
The
barre to plead their right
Is
only true delight.
Thus doth the voice and
face.
These gentle lawyers, wage,
Like loving brothers' case,
For
father's heritage
That each, while each contends
It selfe to
other lends.
105
io6
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
For beautie
beautifies
With heavenly hew and grace
The heavenly harmonies
;
And
in this faultlesse face
The
perfect beauties
A
perfect
be
harmony.
Musicke more
loftly
swels
In speeches nobly placed
;
Beauty as farre excels,
In action aptly graced
A friend
To countenance
Love more
To
:
each party drawes
his cause.
affected
seemes
beautie's lovely light
And wonder more
esteemes
Of Musicke's wondrous might
But both to both so bent,
As both
in
both are spent.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
Musike doth witnesse
The
call
eare his truth to trie
Beauty brings to the
;
hall
Eye-judgement of the eye
Both
:
in their objects such,
As no
exceptions tutch.
The common
sence, which might
Be
arbiter of this,
To
be, forsooth, upright.
To
both sides partiall
He
layes on this chiefe praise,
is
Chiefe praise on that he
Then
laies.
reason, Princesse hy.
Whose
throne
is in
Which Musicke can
And hidden
the mind,
in sky
beauties find,
Say whether thou
With
;
limitlesse
wilt
crowne
renowne ?
107
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
loS
SEVENTH SONG.
Whose
senses in so
evill
consort their stepdame Natur
laies,
That ravishing delight
raise
Or
if
in
them most sweete tunes do nc
;
they do delight therein, yet are so closde with wit,
As
with sententious hps to set a
O
let
title
them heare these sacred
vaine on
tunes,
it
and learne
ii
wonder's schooles,
To
be, in things past
bounds of
wit,
fooks— if
they
bi
not fooles.
Who
have so leaden eyes, as not
to see sweet beautie'
show.
Or, seeing, have so
wodden wits, as not that worth to know
Or, knowing, have so
muddy minds,
as not to be in love.
Or, loving, have so frothy thoughts, as easly thence
move
O
let
them see these heavenly beames, and
reede
ti
;
in faire letter
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
Heare
then, but then with
ing, see
See,
;
see, but ador-
;
No mortall gifts, no
do you see
Of which,
wonder heare
109
earthly fruites,now here descended be
this face
?
a face nay,\image of the skies
the two life-giving lights are figured in her eyes
Heare you
voice
this soule-invading voice,
and count
it
of their tunes,
when
:
but a
?
The very essence
,
angels do rejoyce.
ASTROFHEL AND STELLA.
.-r
EIGHTH SONG.
In a grove most rich of shade,
Where
birds
wanton musicke made,
May, then yong,
his pide
weedes showing,
New-perfumed with flowers fresh growing
Astrophel with Stella sweete
Did
for
mutual comfort meete.
Both within themselves oppressed.
But each
Him
Her
in the other blessfed.
great harmes
faire
had taught much
necke a foule yoke bare
But her sight
his cares did banish,
In his sight her yoke did vanish
Wept
:
they had, alas the while,
But now teares themselves did smile.
While
their eyes,
Enterchangeably
by love
directed,
reflected.
care,
:
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
Sigh they did
;
but
now
betwixt
Sighs of woe were glad sighs mixt
With arms
\\\
;
crest, yet testifying
Restlesse rest, and Hving dying.
Their eares hungry of each word
'Which the deere tongue would afford
But
their tongues restraind
Till their harts
But when
Love
it
Thus
did silence breake
;
set his lips asunder.
to speake in love
Stella,
from walking,
talking.
their tongues could not speake
selfe
Love did
had ended
soveraigne of
and wonder.
my joy,
Fair triumpher of annoy
Stella, starre of
;
heavenly per,
Stella, loadstar of desier
;
/
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
Stella, in
Are the
whose shining
Whose beames, where
Love therewith
Stella,
whose
Senses
Stella,
ej'cs
lights of Cupid's skies,
all
is
they once are darted
streight imparted
voice,
when
voice,
when
speakes,
it
asunder breakes
whose
;
it
singeth.
Angels to acquaintance bringeth
Stella, in
whose body
face
all, all
;
is
Writ each character of
Whose
;
blisse
;
beauty passeth
Save thy mind, which yet surpasseth
Graunt,
O
graunt
;
but speech, alas
Failes me, fearing on to passe
Graunt
But no
— O me, what am
I
:
saying
fault there is in praying.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
Graunt
— O deere, on knees
I
pray,
(Knees on ground he then did stay)
That, not
I,
Time and
place for
but since
I
love you.
me may move
Never season was more
Never roome more apt
you.
fit
for
it
;
my reason
" Now use the
Smiling ayre allowes
These birds
sing,
season."
This small wind, which so sweete
See how
Ech
it
the leaves doth kisse
to love inspiring.
Love makes earth the water
Love
And,
;
tree in his best attiring.
Sense of love
'
is,
to earth
if
drinke,
makes w^ter sinke
dumbe
things be so witty,
Shall a heavenly grace want pitty
?
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
114
There
his hands, in their speech, faine
Would have made
tongue's language plaine
But her hands,
hands
Gave repulse
his
As not
grace exceUing.
all
Then she spake
repelling,
;
her speech was such.
eares, but hart did tuch
While such-wise she love denied,
As
yet love she signified.
Astrophel, sayd
my
she-,
love,
Cease, in these effects, to prove
Now
Thy
be
griefe
If that
Can
still,
yet
still
more then death would
any thought
tast
beleeve me.
in
grieve me.
me
comfort but of thee.
Let me, fed with hellish anguish,
Joylesse, hopelesse, endlesse languish.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
If those eyes
you praised, be
Halfe so deare as you to me,
Let
Of
me home
returne, starke blinded
those eyes, and blinder minded
If to secret of
I
my
;
hart,
do any wish impart,
Where thou
art not
Be both wish and
If
more may be
All
my
defaced.
sayd,
my
I
my
say,
love content thee,
all love, all faith is
Trust me, while
In
foremost placed,
blisse in thee I lay
If thou love,
For
I
selfe the
I
meant
thee deny.
smart
I
try
Tyran honour doth thus use
Stella's selfe
thee.
thee,
might not refuse
I
2
thee.
-.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
more move,
Therefore, deere, this no
Least, though
Which
I
I
leave not thy love,
too deep in
should blush
me
framfed,
is
when thou
art namfed.
Therewithal! away she went,
Leaving him
to passion, rent
With what she had done and spoken,
That therewith
my song is
broken.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
NINTH SONG.
Go,
my
flocke, go, get
you hence,
Seeke a better place of feeding,
Where you may have some
Fro the stormes
And
in
my breast
breeding,
showers from mine eyes proceeding.
Leave a wretch,
Can abide
Merry
to
flock,
in
whom
all
wo
keepe no measure
such one forgo.
Unto whom mirth
Only
defence
is
displeasure,
rich in mischiefe's treasure.
Yet, alas, before you go,
Heare your wofull
maister's story,
Which
els
to stones
I
would show
Sorrow only then hath glory
WTien
'tis,
excellently sory.
117
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
ii8
Stella, fiercest
shepherdesse,
Fiercest, but yet fairest ever
O heavens do blesse,
Tho against me she persever,
Stella,
Tho
I
Stella
Stella,
whom,
blisse enherit
hath refused
who more
never
me
love hath proved,
In this caitife heart to be.
Then can
in
good eawes be movfed
Toward lambkins
Stella
best beloved.
hath refused
me
Astrophel, that so well served,
In this pleasant Spring must see,
While
in pride flowers
be preserved,
Himselfe onely Winter-stervfed.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
Why,
alas, dotli
That she loveth
Seeing
me
119
she then sweare
me
so dearely,
so long to beare
Coles of love that burne so clearely,
And
yet leave
me
helplesse meerely ?
Is that love ? forsooth, I trow,
If
saw
I
And
My
my good
dog
grievfed.
a helpe for him did know,
love should not be beleevfed,
But he were by
me
releev^d.
No, she hates me, wellaway,
Faining love, somewhat to please
For she knows,
if
;
she display
All her hate^ death soone
And
me
would seaze me,
of hideous torments ease me.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
Then
adieu, deere floeke, adieu
your straying
But, alas,
if in
Heavenly
Stella
meete with you,
Tell her, in your piteous blaying,
Her poore
slave's unjust decaying.
ASTROPHEL AiVD STELLA.
LXXXVII.
When
I
Stella,
food of
Stella,
whose eyes make
By
was
Stella's
Alas,
I
forst
from
my
Stella ever deere
thoughts, hart of
all
my
found that she with
me
saw that teares did
I
saw that sighes her sweetest
her sad words
For me,
I
I
wept
swam
in
my
did smart;
her eyes appeare
lips
did part.
saddest sence did heare.
to see pearles scattered so
in joy,
Thus, while the
And
I
tempests cleere
sighd her sighes, and wailfed for her
Yet
hart
lawes of duty to depart;
I
And
my
such love
'ffect
most
in
wo
her was seene.
bitter
was to me.
nothing then the cause more sweet could be,
had bene
vext, if vext
I
had not beene.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
LXXXVIII.
Out, traytour Absence, darest thou counsell
From my
Because
deare Captainnesse to run away,
in
brave array heere marcheth she,
That, to win me, oft shewes a present pay
Is faith so wealce
When
sun
is
?
or
is
such force
hid, can starres such
Cannot heav'n's food, once
From base
felt,
in thee
beames
?
?
display ?
keepe stomakes
free
desire on earthly cates to pray?
Tush, Absence
My
me
;
while thy mistes eclipse that
orphan sence
Where memory
flies to
light,
the inward sight,
sets foorth the
beames of love
That, where before hart loved and eyes did see,
In hart both sight and love
now coupled be
United powers make each the stronger prove.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
LXXXIX.
Now
that of absence the
most irksome night
With darkest shade doth overcome
my hemisphere,
Each day seemes
The
long,
night, as tedious,
leave
me
and longs
wooes
th'
day
me my
Since Stella's eyes, wont to give
Leaving
my
day,
in night
for long-staid night
approch of day.
Tired with the dusty toiles of busie day,
Languisht with horrors of the silent night,
SuiTering the evils both of the
While no night
is
Nor no day hath
lesse quiet then
With such bad mixture of
That
I
day and
more darke then
my
is
my
night,
my
night
night and day,
living thus in blackest winter night,
feele the
flames of hottest
day.
sommer
day.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
124
xc.
Stella, thinke
Who
who
seeke,
Thine eyes
not that
my
I
by verse seeke fame,
who
hope,
love,
pride, thy lips
who
mine
If thou praise not, all other praise
Nor
so ambitious
am
I,
Graved
Ne,
I
in
if I
sweare
I
I
That any laud thereof
my
Since
I
And
all
my
lawrell tree
Poet's
name.
just title
make,
to
plumes from
For nothing from
shame.
wish not there should be
mine epitaph a
would, could
Without
is
as to frame
A nest for my yong praise in
In truth,
but thee
live
history
my
me
should grow.
others'
wings
I
take
wit or will doth flow,
words thy beauty doth endite,
love doth hold
my hand,
and makes
me
write.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
125
XCI.
while now, by honour's cruell might,
Stella,
I
am
from you,
light of
my
life,
mis-led,
—faire you, my sunne, thus overspred
With Absence'
—
in Sorrowe's night
And
that,
vaile,
Some
I live
darke place yet shew
If this
beautie's peece, as
like
amber
Milke hands, rose cheeks, or
Or seeing
They
candle
light.
colour'd hed,
lips
more
sweet,
more red
gets blacke but in blacknesse bright
please, I
do confesse they please mine
eyes.
But why? because of you they models be;
Models, such be wood-globes of glistring
skies.
Deere, therefore be not jealous over me.
If
you heare that they seeme
Not them,
O
no, but
you
in
my hart
them
I
to
love.
move
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
126
XCII.
Be your words made, good
That you allow
Or do you
When
You
my
to
I
my
demaund
cloth'd
;
?
of Phoenix Stella's state,
you
left
her well of late
satisfies
would know whether she did
How
?
questions you so totall are
say, forsooth,
?
tender eares to spare,
God, thinke you that
1
of Indian ware.
so small rate
cutted Spartanes imitate
Or do you meane
That
Sir,
me them by
how waited on
my
sit
care
?
or walke
sighd she, or smilde
;
Whereof, with whom, how often did she talke
With what pastime
If
her
Say
all
lips
;
time's journey she beguilde
daignd to sweeten
and
all
well sayd,
my
still
poore name.
say the same.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
TENTH SONG.
O
deare
life,
when
sliall it
'
be
That mine eyes thine eyes may
And
in
them thy mind discover
Whether absence have had
Thy remembrance
From
Or
force
to divorce
the image of the lover
if I
see,
me
?
selfe find not,
After parting, ought forgot,
Nor debard from
beautie's treasure,
Let no tongue aspire to
In what high joyes
I shall
Only thought aymes
Thought, therefore,
To
tell
I
will
take up the place for
Long
I
dwell
at the pleasure.
send thee
me
will not after tary.
There, unseene, thou maist be bold,
Those
Which
faire
in
wonders
them
my
to behold.
hopes do cary.
127
"
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
128
Thouglit, see thou no place forbeare,
Enter bravely everywhere,
Seize on
But
all
to her belonging
thou wouldst garded be,
if
Fearing her beameSj take with thee
Strength of likin& ^^^^ "^ longing.
Tliinke of that most gratefuU time
When
thy leaping hart
will climb,
In thy lips to have his biding,
There those roses
Which do
Opening
rubies, pearles deviding.
Thinke of
Which
With
I
for to kisse,
breath a sugred blisse.
my
most princely power,
blessed shall devower
my greedy
licorous sences,
Beauty, musicke, sweetnesse, love.
While she doth against
Her
me
prove
strong darts but weake defences.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
Thinke, thinke of those dalyings,
When
with dove like murmurings
With glad moning, passed anguish,
We change
Each
eyes,
to other
Joying
till
joy
and hart
for hart
do depart,
make
us languish.
O my thought, my thoughts surcease,
delights my woes increase.
Thy
My life
melts with too
much
Thinke no more, but die
Till
in
thinking
me.
thou shalt revived be.
At her
lips
my
nectar drinking.
129
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
I30
XCIII.
curse, child of
my
blisse
What
sobs can give words grace
my
griefe to
What
inke
blacke inough to paint
my wo ?
fate,
i
O
fault,
is
O
Through me, wretch me, even
Yet, truth— if caitif's breath
Witnesse with me, that
From
But
carelesnesse did in
confus'd with too
wit,
And do
I
have
I,
—
then,
live
Tho worlds
I,
my
1
all
thy hurts in
cry thy sighs,
my
call
thee— this
no maner grow
much
care, did niisse.
vaine scuse give?
this P^jia rmfed thee
quite me, shall
my
may
is.
foule stumbling so.
selfe this
and know
Only with paines
That
my
vexed
Stella
show ?
I
me
selfe forgive
?
paines thus eas^d be,
my hart's
wracke
deere, thy teares
I
reede
X bleede.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
XCIV.
words
Griefe, find the
;
for thou hast
So darke with misty vapors, which
From
Can
made my
arise
'•''
out thy heavy mould, that inbent eyes
scarce discerne the shape of
braiiie
<*"
mine owne paine.
Do
thou then, for thou canst, do thou complaine
For
my
poore soule, which
Which even
now
to sence, sence of
that sicknesse tries,
it
selfe denies,
Though harbengers of death lodge
Or
if
thy love of plaint yet
As of a
caitife
Yet waile thy
That though
worthy so
selfe,
in
c-
mine
there his traine.
forbeares,
to die;
and waile with
wretchednesse thy
-j-
:
X.
causefull teares,
life
doth
lie,
in
such a wretch as
I.
''
•
<r
Yet growest more wretched then thy nature beares
By being placed
i
^
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
132
XCV.
Yet
sighs, deere sighs, indeede true friends
That do not leave your
But, as you with
my
So, gratefull now,
you
are,
friend at the wurst
left
breast
I oft
have
you waite upon
my
nurst,
care.
Faint coward Joy no longer tarry dare.
Seeing hope yeeld when this
Delight protests he
Though
oft
is
himselfe
wo
strake
him
furst
not for the accurst,
rriy
mate
in
arms he sware
Nay, sorrow comes with such maine rage, that he
Kils his
By
owne
love were
children, teares, finding that they
made
apt to consort with me.
Only, true sighs, you do not go away:
Thanke may you have
for
such a thankfull part,
Thank-worthiest yet when you shall breakem^Jiarf.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
XCVI.
Thought, with good cause thou likest so well the night,
Since kind or chance gives both one hverie;
Both sadly blacke, both blackly darkned be,
Night bard from sun, thou from thy owne sun light
Silence in both displaies his sullen might
Slow heavinesse in both holds one degree
That
Thy
full
of doubts, thou of perplexity
teares expresse night's native moisture right
In both amazefuU solitarinesse,
In night, of sprites the gastly powers to stur
In thee, or sprites or sprited gastlinesse.
But, but, alas, night's side the ods.hath fur
For
that, at length, yet
Thou, though
still
doth invite some rest
tired, yet still
doost
it
detest.
133
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
134
XCVII.
Dian, that faine would cheare her friend the Night,
Shewes her
oft,
at the
full,
her
fairest face,
Bringing with her those starry nimphs, whose chace
From
heavenly standing hits each mortal] wight.
But ah, poore Night,
in love with Phoebus' light,
And
endlesly dispairing of his grace,
Her
selfe, to
shew no other joy hath
Silent
and
Even
so, alas,
sad, in
With choise
Would
But,
mourning weedes doth
is
and
rarest
me, though Joy
She could not shew
While
I
dight.
a lady, Dian's peere,
delights
faine drive cloudes
wo
place,
dispaire
my
my
company
from out
it
selfe
my
were
heavy cheere
she.
blind braine waies of joy,
Sunnefs
aiglit
to enjoy.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
135
XCVIII.
Ab^ bed
!
the field where joye's peace
some do
see,
my thoughts to warre be traind,
field
How is thy grace by my strange fortune staind
How thy lee shores by my sighes stormed be
The
where
With sweete
To
steale
all
soft
some
shades thou
oft invitest
rest ; but, wretch, I
am
me
constraind
Spurdjwith love's spur, though gold, and shortly rain'd
With
care's
hard hand
—to tume and tosse
While the blacke horrors of the
in thee.
silent night
Paint woe's blacke face so lively to
my
sight,
That tedious leasure markes each wrinckled
line
But when Aurora leades out Phoebus' daunce,
Mine eyes then only winke
;
for spite, perchance.
That wornies should have their sun, and
I
want mine.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
136
XCIX.
When
far-spent night pers wades each mortall eye,
To whom nor art nor nature
To
lay his then
graunteth
marke wanting
light,
shafts of sight,
Clos'd with their quivers, in sleep's armory
With windowes ope then most
my mind
doth
lie,
Viewing the shape of darknesse, and delight
Takes
in that sad hue, which, with th'
Of
mazde powers, keepes
his
perfit
inward night
harmony.
But when birds charme, and that sweete
McJrne's messenger, with rose
aire
which
enameld skies
Cals each wight to salute the floure of blisse
In tombe of lids then buried are mine eyes,
Forst by their lord,
who
Such
with such a darkned mind.
light in sense,
is
asham'd
to find
is
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
O
teares
no
!
Making those
teares, but raine,
lillies
from beautie's
now more
faire,
While gracefull
pitty beautie beautifies.
O
honied sighs
!
pants do
skies,
and those roses grow,
Which ay most
Whose
137
then most faire show,
which from that breast do
make
unspilling
creame
rise,
to flow,
Wing'd with whose breath, so pleasing zephires blow.
As can
O
refresh the hell
plaints
!
where
my soule fries.
conserv'd in such a sugred phrase.
That Eloquence
it
selfe envies
your praise,
While sobd out words a perfect musike
no sorrow
give.
Such
teares, sighs, plaints,
Or
such heavenly signes must prove annoy,
if
All mirth farewell, let
me
in
sorrow
is,
live.
but joy
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
I3S
CI.
Stella is sicke,
and
in that sicke
bed
lies
Sweetnesse, which breathes and pants as oft as she
And
grace, sicke too, such fine conclusions tries,
That sickenesse brags
Beauty
That
:
it
selfe best
graced to be.
but sicke in so faire guise,
is sicke,
in that palenesse beautie's white
And joy, which
Stella,
now
is
learnes, strange case, to
Love mones thy
As thy
we
see
inseparate from those eyes,
paine,
and
weepe
in thee.
like a faithfuU page.
lookes sturre, comes up and downe, to
make
All folkes prest at thy will thy paine to asswage
Nature with care sweates
Knowing worlds
Of such heaven
for
her darling's sake.
passe, ere she
stuffe, to
enough can
find.
cloath so heavenly a mind.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
139
CII.
Where be
Where
those roses gone, which sweetned so our eyes?
those red cheeks, which
oft,
with faire encrease,
did frame
The height
Who
of honor in the kindly badge of shame?
hath the crimson weeds stolne from
my
morning
skies?
How
doth the colour vade of those vermillion
Which Nature'
selfe
dies,
did make, and selfe engraind the
same?
I
would know by what right
That hue, whose force
my
Gallein's adoptive sonnes,
this
hart
palenesse overcame
still
unto thraldome ties?
who by a beaten way
Their judgements hackney on, the fault on sicknesse lay
But feeling proofe makes
It is
To
me
say they mistake
it
furre.
but love which makes his paper perfit white,
write therein
more
fresh the story of delight.
Whiles beautie's reddest inke Venus
for
him doth
sturre.
ASTROFHEL AND STELLA.
HO
cm.
happie Tems, that didst
1
saw thy
Upon
selfe
my
many a
Stella beare
smiling line
thy cheerefull face, joye's livery weare,
While those
The
with
f^
on thy streames did
faire planets
shine.
bote for joy could not to daunce forbeare,
While wanton winds, with beauties so devine
Ravisht, staid not,
till
in
They did themselves, O
And
her golden haire
sweetest prison, twine.
faine those M.oV% youth there would their stay
Have made, but
forst
by Nature
still
to
flie,
First did with puffing kisse those lockes display
She, so discheveld, blusht
With
:
from window
sight thereof cride out, "
Let Honor'
selfe to thee
O
I
faire disgrace,
graunt highest place."
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
CIV.
Envious
wits,
what hath bene mine
That with such poysonous care
That
Ah,
is it
offence,
lookes you marke,
nay sigh of mine, you harke.
to each word,
As grudging me
my
my
sorrowe's eloquence
not enough, that
am
I
?
thence,
Thence, so farre thence, that scarcely any sparke
Of comfort
Where
But
dare
come
to this
rigour's exile lockes
if I
dungeon darke.
up
all
my
upon mine armour beare
Sicke, thirsty, glad (though but of
Your morall notes
Do
?
by a happy window passe.
If I but stars
From
sense
out
my
ribs,
Stella love
:
straight
my
empty
glasse)
hid meaning teare
and, puffing, proves that
fooles,
who doth
it
deny?
I
141
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
142
V
ELEVENTH SONG.
"
Who
is it
that this dai-ke night
Underneath
It is
my window
playneth
?
one who from thy^ight
Being, ah, exild, disdayneth
Every other vulgar
"
Why,
Be
alas,
light.
and are you he ?
not yet those fancies changed
when you
Deere,
find
change
in
?
me,
Though from me you be estrangM,
Let
"
my
chaunge
to ruine be.
Well, in absence this will dy
Leave
to see,
Absence sure
Can
learne
From what
and leave
will helpe,
how my
in
my
to wonder.''
if I
selfe to
hart doth
sunder
l}-.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
"
But time
will these
thoughts remove
143
:
Time doth worke what no man knoweth."
Time doth
as the subject prove
With time
still
In the
"
faithfull turtle
What
if
will thinke
(Image
like,
stir
;
groweth
dove.
you new beauties
Will not they
I
the affection
new
see,
affection
?
they pictures be,
of saints' perfection)
Poorely counterfeting thee.
"
But your reason's purest
light
Bids you leave such minds to nourish."
Deere, do reason no such spite
Never doth thy beauty
More then
in
my
florish
reason's sight.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
144
"
But the wrongs love beares
Love
will
make
at length leave undertaking."
No, the more fooles
it
do shake,
In a ground of so firme making
Deeper
still
" Peace,
Come no
Blisse,
I
I
they drive the stake.
thinke that some give eare
more, least
will
my
I
blisse forbeare
;
Fearing, sweete, you to endanger
But niy soule
" Well,
shall
be gone
;
;
get anger."
;
harbour there.
be gone,
I
say.
Lest that Argus' eyes perceive you."
O
unjust fortune's sway,
Which can make me
And from
thus to leave you
lowts to run away.
;
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
145
CV.
Unhappie
So neere,
Dead
sight,
in so
I
good time, so
glasse, dost
As what my
hart
sweare by her
Was
and hath she vanisht by
not in
I
fault,
free a place
!
thou thy object so imbrace.
still
sees thou canst not spie
love and lacke, that
who bent
Onely unto the heav'n of
!
I
thy dazling race
Stella's face.
Counting but dust what in the
way did
lie.
But cease, mine eyes,'your teares do witnesse well
That you,
giiiltlesse thereof,
Curst be the page from
your nectar mist
whome
the
Curst be the night which did your
bad torch
fell
:
strife resist
Curst be the cochman which did drive so
fast,
With no worse curse then absence makes me
tast.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
CVI.
O
absent presence
!
Stella
is
not here
!
False flattering hope, that with so faire a face
Bare
me
Stella, I
hand, that in this orphane place
in
say
What
saist
Thou
toldst
But thou
my
Stella,
mine eyes shouU helpe^their famisht case?
art gone,
now
Doth make me most
But heere
I
in
my
that selfe felt disgrace
to wish thy comfort neere.
do store of
Who may with
Make
should appeare
thou now? whereJa that dainty cheere
faire ladies
meete.
charme of conversation sweete
heavy mould new thoughts
Sure they prevaile as
That bad his
much
with me, as he
friend, but then
Mery with him, and not
to grow.
new maim'd,
thinke of his woe.
to
be
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
147
CVII.
thou so right a princesse art
Stella, since
Of
the powers which
all
life
bestowes on me,
That ere by them ought undertaken
They
first
Sweete, for a while give respite to
Which
pants as though
And on my
To
as a queene,
On
O,
it
which needes both use and
let
dismisse from thee
have wrought what thy owne
servants'
And
hart^
who from her presence sends
Whom she imployes,
Till
my
should leape to thee
it stil
thoughts give thy lieftenancy
this great cause,
And
be,
resort unto that soveraigne part
shame
not fooles in
oft maister's
me
my
.blame doth
thy workes reprove,
scorning say, " See what
L
2
it is
wit,
will attends.
to love
!
sit
art.
ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
148
CVIII.
When
sorrow (using mine owne
Melts downe his lead into
Through
might)
boyling brest,
my hart opprest,
a joy from thee my only light
that darke fornace to
There shines
But
my
fier's
s'oone as thought of thee breeds
And my yong soule
flutters to
Most rude
my
dispaire,
my
delight,
thee his nest,
daily unbidden guest,
my wings, straight wraps me in his night,
And makes me then bow downe my head, and say,
Clips streight
Ah, what doth Phoebus' gold that wretch availe
Whom iron
doores do keepe from use of day?
So strangely,
That
And
in
in
my
alas,
thy works in mej)revaile,
woes
for thee
thou art
my joyes
for thee
my
my joy,
only anoy.
THE END OF ASTROPHEL AND STELLA.
A SELECTION FROM "CERTAIiXE
SONETS WRITTEN BY SIR PHILIP
SIDNEY" FOR THE MOST PART
FIRST PRINTED IN THE 1598
FOLIO.
CERTAINE SONETS.
152
(2)
When
Love, puft up with rage of hy disdaine,
Resolv'd to
Like
Would
foe,
On
whose wits
often
He would
to breed
more
deadly
spite,
feeling paine
;
sets so high, that reason's light.
his strife,
So that
I live
can onlie bondage gaine
to
pay a mortall
palsie sicke of all
Like those
And can
whom
to have,
my
:
fee.
chiefest parts
;
dreames make uglie monsters
crie helpe with
Longing
To
inclin'd to
those affectes which easily yeeld to sight
all
Dead
kill,
patterne of his might,
not, arm'd with beautie, only raigne
But vertue
For
make me
nought but grones and
having no wit to wish,
starving minds such
is
god Cupid's
dish.
see,
starts
:
CERTAINE SONETS.
I53
(3)
To
The
the tune of "
Non
credo gii che piu infelice aniante."
nightingale, as soon as Aprill bringeth
Unto her
While
late
rested sense a perfect waking,
bare earth, proud of
new
clothing, springeth,
Sings out her woes, a thorne her song-booke making,
And
Her
mournfully bewailing,
throate in tunes expresseth
What
griefe her breast oppresseth
For Thereus'
O
Philomela
That here
is
force
faire,
O
on her chaste
take
will prevailing.
some gladnesse,
juster cause of plaintfuU sadnesse
Thine earth now springs, mine fadeth
Thy
thorne without,
my
thorne
my
:
;
heart invadeth.
CERTAINS SONETS.
154
Alas, she hath no other cause of anguish
love,
suffring, all
Full
her
spirits languish,
womanlike complaines her
But
I,
was brokne.
will
who, dayly craving,
Cannot have
to content
Have more cause
Since wanting
O
on her by strong hand wrokne,
But Thereus'
Wherein she
Philomela
That here
is
faire,
lament me,
to
is
me.
more woe then
O
having.
take some gladnesse,
juster cause of plaintfuU sadnesse
Thine earth now springs, mine fadeth
Thy thorne
much
too
without,
my
thorne
my
:
;
heart invadeth.
CERTAINE SONETS.
155
(4)
In wonted walkes, since wonted fancies change,
Some
For
cause there
is,
which of strange cause doth
each thing wherto mine eye doth range
in
my
Part of
The
paine,
me
seemes,
engravM
rockes, which were of constant
In clyming steepe
now hard
refusall
lyes.
mind the marke,
show
;
The shading woods seeme now my sunne
And
rise
stately hilles disdaine to looke so
The
restfull
In dales
Like
I
restlesse visions give
mowne meades,
Alas, sweete brookes
Rockes,
woods,
answere
me
low
;
way a hard ascent
see each
late
now
caves
to darke
do
hilles,
in
late cut
my
from joy
I
live
;
teares augment.
caves,
dales,
meads, brookes
:
Infected mindes infect each thing they see.
;
CERTAINE SONETS.
156
(5)
how
If I could thinke
Or
thinking
still,
If rebell sence
Or reason
my
these
my
thoughts to leave,
thoughts might have good end
;
would reason's law receave,
foyld
would not
in vaine
contend
;
Then might
I
thinke what thoughts were best to thinke
Then might
I
wisely
If either
you would change your
Or, cruell
If
still,
sinke.
cruell hart,
\
time did your beautie staine
my soul this love would once depart,
Or for my love some love I might obtaine
;
from
Then might
I
By your good
But since
You
I
helpe or in
my thoughts in
fairer still
loving
1
;
|
hope a change, or ease of mindei
•Wkh-rpncQn'g
I
swimme, or gladly
still
c^tafp.
and
my
selfe to finde
thinking
still
more
I
kisse
;
cruell bent,
a love that loveth none
yeeld and strive,
are spent,
by sp.n ^eg_ovprt'hmwn&
still
)
;
and
;
curse the paine
:
CERTAINE SONETS.
157
(6)
Oft have
Why
Depart
I
musde, but now
men
those that die,
!
But now the
I
minde,
starres, with their strange course,
heare a crye of
That parting
my life,
whom
spirits fainte
thus,
my
I
and
my
I
part.
wearie clay some breath
all
Yea, worse then death
part,
still
;
;
comforts be.
dead, doth shew departure
I
do binde
heart
blinde.
chiefest part
But that good part wherein
From joy
my
leave
the loathed part to me,
Lives to impart
Now
my
to paint death's ougly dart.
one to leave, with
Part of
say they do depart
a word so gentle to
Weakely did seeme
Me
at length I finde
is
a death
;
death parts both woe and joy
living in annoy.
;
CERTAINE SONETS.
158
(7)
Finding those beames which
To marre my minde, and
I
deemd
it
best,
some absence
must ever
my
eyes thence drawne where
love,
hurt to please,
for to prove.
might further
If farther place
My
I
with
me
to ease.
livfed all their light,
Blinded forthwith in darke dispaire did lye
Like to the molde, with want of guiding
Deep plunged
sight,
in earth, deprived of the skie.
In absence blind, and wearied with that woe,
To
Even
greater woes
by presence
I
retume
:
as the flye which to the flame doth go,
Pleased with the light that his small corse doth burne.
Fair choice
I
have, either to live or dye
A blinded molde,
or else a burnfed
flye.
:
CERTAINE SONETS.
159
(8)
TAe Smokes of Melancholy.
Who
hath ever
And knowne
felt
the change of love,
those pangs that the loosers prove,
my
May
paint
And
write the state
face vifithout seeing mee,
how my
fancies bee,
The lothsome buds growne on Sorrowe's
tree.
But who by hearesay speakes, and hath not
What
kind of
and
Shall gesse,
Feehng
O no
The
!
my
O
fires
faile,
what doth displease,
pulse, misse
no
!
my
tryall onely
Nay, former
disease.
shewes
bitter juice of forsaken
Where former
woes
blisse present evils
blisse
learners, then, to
Engulfed in despaire,
And, as you
Tread
in
my
like
;
do staine
;
addes to present paine.
While remembrance doth both
Come,
fully felt
they be in which those spirits melt,
my
states containe.
me, the modell of mishappe,
slid
downe from Fortune's lappe
double
lot,
steppes, or follow not.
;
CERTAINE SONETS.
i6o
For me,
alas, I
Those bands,
am full
resolv'd
alas, shall
not be dissolv'd
;
Nor breake my word, though reward come
Nor
faile
my
Nor change
faith in
my
in change,
late
;
failing fate
though change change
my
But alwayes one myselfe with eagle eyde Trueth,
Up
sunne
to the sunne, although the
For
if
Yet
shall
those flames burne
I
die in Phoenix'
my
desire,
fire.
my
wings do
state
to
flie
frie
;
:
CERTAINS SONETS.
i6i
(9)
my
my
When
to
When
to
Ladie,
mine eyes remained
deadlie pleasure,
livelie
torment,
Joynfed, alas, to your
With violence
beames
;
of heav'nly
Beautie, tied to vertue,
Reason abasht retyr^d
Gladly
my senses
Gladly
my
Thus
Left
They
senses yeelding,
to betray
me
;
yeelded/
my
devoid of
to the
hart's fort,
all life.
beamie Sunnes went,
Where, by the death of
all
deaths,
Finde to what harme they hastned.
M
CERTAINE SONETS.
i62
Like to the
Sylvan,
silly
Burn'd by the light he best liked,
When
with a
Yet, yet, a
fire
he
first
met.
to their death.
life
Lady, you have reserved
Lady, the
life
For though
And
I
of
my
all love.
sense be from me,
be dead, who want sense,
Yet do we both
live in you.
Turned anew, by your meanes.
Unto the
As
flowre that ay tumes.
you, alas,
my Sunne
Thus do
I fall,
Thus do
I
bends.
to rise thus
dye, to live thus
Chang'd to a change,
I
;
;
change
not.
CERTAINE SONETS.
Thus may
Thus be
I
my
not be from you
senses on you
Thus what
I
thinke
Thus what
I
seeke
All
what
I
am,
it is
is
;
;
of you
is in
you.
you
;
;
CERTAINE SONETS.
i64
(lo)
To
the tune of a Neapolitan song, which beginneth
" No, no, no, no."
No, no, no, no,
cannot hate
I
Although with
First
cruell
throwne on
She sackes
For so
my
my
my
desire,
rendred sprite
faire
foe.
fire.
:
a flame embraces
All the places
Where
that heat of all heats springeth,
That
bringeth
it
To my dying
heart
some
pleasure,
Since his treasure
Burneth bright in
fairest light.
No, no, no,
no.
CERTAINE SONETS.
No, no, no, no,
I
cannot hate
Although with
First
foe,
cruell fire,
throwne on
She sackes
my
165
my desire,
my rendred
sprite
:
Since our lives be not immortall,
But to mortall
Fetters tyed, do waite the
Of
hower
deathe's power,
They have no cause
Who
End
to
be
sorie,
with glorie
the way,
where
all
men
stay.
No, no, no,
no.
CERTAINE SONETS.
i66
No, no, no, no,
I
cannot hate
Although with
First
cruell
throwne on
She sackes
my
No man
my
my foe,
fire,
desire,
rendred sprite
doubts,
whom
beautie killeth,
Faire death feeleth.
And
in
whome
faire
death proceedeth,
Glorie breedeth
So that
I,
in
herteames
dying,
Glorie trying.
Though
in paine,
cannot complaine.
No, no,
no, no.
CERTAINS SONETS.
167
(II)
To
AH my
Thy
the
Tune
sense thy sweetnesse gained
faire haire
My poore
la, la,
my
hart enchained
;
;
reason thy words mov^d,
So that thee,
Fa,
of a Neapolitan Villanell.
like
heaven,
I
lovfed.
leridan, dan, dan, dan, deridan
Dan, dan, dan, deridan, deridan, dei
While
to
my
minde the out
:
side stood
For messenger of inward good.
Now
Thy
thy sweetnesse sowre
is
deemed.
haire not worth a haire esteemed
;
Reason hath thy words removed,
Finding that but words they proved.
Fa,
la, la,
leridan, dan, dan, dan, deridan
Dan, dan, dan, deridan, deridan,
For no
faire signe
If that the
can credit winne,
substance
faile within.
dei
:
:
CERTAINE SONETS.
No more
in thy sweetnesse glorie
For thy knitting haire be
Use
sorie
;
thy words but to bewaile thee,
That no more thy beames
availe thee
Dan, dan,
Dan, dan.
Lay not thy colours more
to view,
Without the picture be found
Woe
to
me,
alas,
she weepeth
true.
Foole, in
me what
Was
blaspheme enraged,
I
to
Where my
soule
I
follie
!
creepeth
have engaged
!
!
Dan, dan,
Dan, dan.
And
wretched
The
fault I
I
must yeeld
to this
blame her chastnesse
is
CERTAINE SONETS.
Sweetnesse
Ty me,
Words
!
sweetly pardon folly
your captive holly
haire,
!
O
;
:
words of heavenlie knowledge
Know, my words
their faults
acknowledge
Dan, dan,
Dan, dan.
my
169
And
all
The
lesse I love, I live
life I will
confesse,
the lesse.
!
;
CERTAINE SONETS.
170
(12)
Ring out your
For Love
All
is
Love
belles, let
dead
dead, infected
is
With plague
mourning shewes be spread
:
of deep disdaine
Worth, as nought worth,
And
:
rejected.
Faith faire scorne doth gaine.
From
so ungratefull fancie,
From such
a femall franzie,
From them
that use
Good
men
Lord, deliver us
!
Weepe, neighbours, weepe
That Love
is
dead
thus,
;
do you not heare
?
His death-bed, peacock's foUie
His winding sheete
is
shame
;
;
it
said
;
CERTAINE SONETS.
His
will,
false-seeming holie
;
His soule exectour, blame.
From
so ungrateful! fancie,
From such a
femall franzie,
men
From them
that use
Good Lord,
deliver us
thus,
!
Let Dirge be sung, and Trentals rightly read,
For Love
Sir
is
dead
Wrong
My mistresse
Which
"
his
;
tombe ordaineth
Marble-heart,
epitaph containeth,
Her eyes were once
From
his dart."
so ungratefuU fancie,
From such a
femall franzie.
From them
that use
Good Lord,
deliver us
men
!
thus,
171
CERTAINE SONETS.
172
Alas,
I lie
Love
is
Love
:
rage hath this errour bred
not dead
is
;
not dead, but sleepeth
In her unmatched mind,
Where
Till
she his counsell keepeth,
due desert she
find.
Therefore from so
To
call
Who
such
vifit
vile fancie,
a franzie,
Love can temper
Good Lord,
deliver us
thus,
!
;
CERTAINE SONETS.
173
(13)
Thou
blind man's marke, thou foole's selfe chosen snare,
Fond
fancie's
Band
of
Thou web of
Desire
With
Too
!
scum, and dregs of scattred thought
all evils
will,
Desire
prise of
!
cradle of causelesse care
;
whose end
I
is
have too dearely bought,
mangled mind, thy worthlesse ware
long, too long, asleepe thou hast
Who
should
my
In vaine thou ma'dest
me
In vain thou kindlest
all
For Vertue hath
my
me
brought,
mind to higher things prepare.
But yet in vaine thou hast
Within
;
never wrought
my
ruine sought
to vaine things aspire
thy smokie
fire
;
this better lesson taught,
selfe to
seeke
Desiring nought but
how
my
onelie hire.
to kill Desire.
;
:
dERTAINE SONETS.
174
(H)
Leave mq,
O
And
my
thou,
Grow
Love, which reachest but to dust
mind, aspire to higher things
rich in that
which never taketh
What
ever fades, but fading pleasure brings.
Draw
in
To
thy beames, and humble
that sweet yoke
all
;
rust
thy might
where lasting freedomes be
;
Which breakes
the clowdes, and opens forth the
That doth both
shine,
O
take fast hold
;
let
and give us
light,
sight to see.
that light be thy guide
In this small course which birth drawes out to death,
And
think
how
evill
becommeth him
to slide,
Who
seeketh heav'n, and comes of heav'nly breath.
Then
farewell,
world
;
thy uttermost
Eternall Love, maintaine thy
SPLENDIDIS
life
I
see
:
in me.
LONGUM VALEDICO
NUGIS.
NOTES.
NOTES.
-Thomas Newman's
Quarto, 'with Preface by Nash,' and
first
other rare Sonnets of divers
Q.
2.
—Thomas
'
Sundry
i,
revised
Noblemen and Gentlemen.''
Newman's second Quarto, being a
reprint of Q.
from another MS., with the omission of Nash's Preface and the
"Other
Qs.— Q.
I
rare Sonnets."
and Q.
2.
2.
That
7.
Oft turning
she, deare she.
many
—
others'
^In
leaves.
of such writings as
sistable love, if I
" The deare
Qs.
— Cp.
she.
Apologie:
come under
the
''
"But truly
name of unre-
were a mistress, would never persuade
me
they were in love, so coldly they apply fiery speeches,
as
vieji
that
had
rather read lovers' writings,
caught up certain swelling phrases
and
so
than that
in truth they feel those passions."
13.
Biting
my
pen."
— Q.
= truant.
tremand pen.
Trewand
N
I:
" Biting
my
tongue and
NOTES.
178
I.
Nor
with a dribbid
shot.
—Qs.
"dribbing."
A
dribbed
shot appears to have been one aimed in the air to hit the
mark
3.
In mine of
sieges.
whole
6.
opposed to a straight aim.
in its fall, as
time.
Q.
I:
—A metaphor
tract of a
Did fiot what
love decreed.
3.
and so a
in
"The
comedy."
courtship while he was
heir,
from mining operations
"tract of time": cp. Apologie:
fit
match
— An
still
allusion to his slowness in
regarded as Lord Leicester's
for Stella.
Flaunt they in phrases fine.
—Q.
" flaunt in their phrases
i:
fine."
4.
Enam'ling with pied flowers their thoughts of gold.
'
'
Enam'ling
their pride
5.
Statlier.—Cl. I:
7.
Strange
similes.
certaine
they
I:
"stately."
— Cp.
printed
all stories
— Q.
with flowers of gold.
"
Apologie:
discourses,
I
S,o
for
thinke
similitudes, in
all
Herbarists,
of Beasts, Foules and Fishes, are rifled up, that
come
in multitudes,
to
waite upon
any of our
conceits."
2.
My will and wit. — Q.
of rhyme.
^
I:
Bate here
'
and me —in defiance
= debate, controversy.
"My love
"
NOTES.
4.
Leave what thou UKst not, deale not thou with
" Leave what thou
14.
179
it.
— Q.
and deale not thou with
lik'st,
That, Virtue, thou thyself shall be in love.
I
:
it.''
—The whole tone
of this sonnet suggests that the debate referred to
is
not
between morality and immorality, but between the high
ideal of patriotism
in fighting
with Stella.
idle life at Court,
A
commentary on
curious
is
which bade Sidney serve
found in the Apologie
well
it
:
which. Lord,
if
See Introduction.
this sonnet,
" Other
:
have we none, but that
sonnets
his country
Spain in the Netherlands or America, and an
lyrical
by Sidney
himself,
sorts of poetry almost
kind
of
and
songs
he gave us so good mindes,
how
might be employed, and with howe heavenly fruite,
both private and publique, in singing the prayses of the
immortall beauty
who
:
the immortall goodness of that God,
giveth us hands to write, and wits to conceive, of
which we might well want words, but never matter
of which,
we
could turn our eies to nothing, but
should ever have
13.
new budding
Andshould in souk up to
our countrey move.
= heaven, or the true home of the
use oif atria, and the
14.
True,
and yet
true.
— Qs.
— 'Countrey'here
soul, as in the
German Heinigang.
:
N
"
true
2
we
occasions."
and most true."
medieval
NOTES.
i8o
This sonnet
These
is
closely connected with the
tary on the unreality
His
other lovers.
many among
the
the ninth, which
and
it is
6,
I.
—Q.
apply with equal force
hardly possible to believe that he
vision
had attained this
—From Sonnet IX.
" Gold
Stella
we
learn
the covering of that stately place," so that
is
had the
striking combination of golden hair and
lustrously black eyes.
blonde,
clearness.
i: " flashing fyres.
Stellds eyes in colour blacke..
that
to
twenty of these sonnets, notably
composed after his poetic
Freesing fires.
third.
affectation of the outpourings of
strictures
first
and
first
form Sidney's commen-
three, with the fifteenth,
" where
Her complexion was
that of a
roses gueuls are borne in silver field
"
(Sonnet Xni.).
7.
Mixt of
shades
and
light.
— Q.
i
:
" Mixt with shadowes
light."
2.
A
tedious proof
— Constantinople passed into Turkish hands
in 1453, but the outlying dependencies held out
longer.
surrendered by the Venetians in 1573.
4.
Flying.
— Q.
much
Cypras, the special island of Love, was only
:
"fleeting."
NOTES.
5.
But finding
i8i
these north clyjnes too coldly
reading do for too of our folio
is
too
him
weak
embrace.
—The
to be maintained
against the Qs.
6.
10.
Clips: embraces.
Quaking
:
i.e.
—Q.
"lippes."
i:
with cold.
—The
word
used in Arcadia,
is
Book I., of the effects of anger: "He," Amphialus,
" never answered me, but pale and quaking went straight
away.
—Qs.
"cheefest."
2.
Choysest.
3.
Comes forth her grace.
II
—
14.
Touch.
;
— Q.
I:
"runnes"; Q.
—^According to Nares' Glossary
often used for
any costly marble
hasanites of the Greeks, a very
Harington describes
An
A
architect this
hard black granite.
work
golden roof, with straw
is
is,
so strangely matcht
ivory house, doors, wals, and
In line 14 touch
.
:
?
windowes
tuch,
all over-thatcht.
Where shall pearl bide when place
box.
word " was
but was properly the
"Ambitious straw, that so high placed
What
this
" romes.''
lady with a straw hat, in these
a.
magnificent metaphors
;
2:
of straw
is
such ?
"
punningly used for a touch, or tinder-
NOTES.
i82
3.
5.
Wis/it.—Qs.
Or
"wish."
.
heav'n's inside to
see.
last is
Kneeld'st.~T\ie Qs.
10.
Look'st
in
babies
Attey's
Adonis
First
worth recording, but
the
:
" knewest."
her
eyes.
Book of
—
amorously;
i.e.
John
cp.
where Venus addresses
Airs,
:
" Come,
And
Pilfold.
reads: "heavens unusde
I
is
obviously wrong.
13.
11.
—Q.
word
to thee," the second
O
come, ray dearest treasure,
look babies in
—Qs.
"pitfall."
:
my
eyes.
Either
word means "a
snare
to entrap birds or beasts " (Nares).
12.
And
in her brest bo-peepe or crouching
ing " Q. 2 reads
" touching
''
;
brest to peepe, a lowting lyes."
Q.
"
lies.
I
— For "crouch-
has " and in her
Lies "
is clearly
used
" lowting " (bowing) has no force, and
the same may be said of " touching," unless indeed it be
for
"liest";
connected with the use of "toucher," for a good archer.
2.
That from her
locks,
thy day-nets, none scapes free.
—
I follow
Dr. Grosart in adopting the reading " day-nets
for catching
of the folio
:
" (nets
small birds) in preference to "dances"
cp. Bateson's
Madrigal
NOTES.
" Her
hair the net of golden wire
\Vherein
So
fast
It can,
The
my
heart, led
entangled
nor
will,
reading of Q. 2
full
183
imu
again
is
:
by
my
that in
is
wandering eyes,
no wise
retire.''
" That from her
scapes free," which
lookes thy
obscure
Q. i is
;
uncomplimentary to Cupid, substituting " dimnesse " for " day-nets." Throughout this sonnet Q. i is
day-nets
is
actually
very bad indeed.
13.
Blaze:
14. Scantly.
i.e.
"blazon."
—Qs.
:
"scarcely.''
For the whole of
this
sonnet compare the dialogue on Love
between Musidorus and his friend Pyrocles,
Amazon,
has found attired as an
whom
in Arcadia,
Book
he
I.
Love for a woman, according to Musidorus, is something
" engendered betwixt lust and idleness," and it is another
Musidoras to
2.
A fiercer
seize
whom
gripe doth
this
tire.
sonnet
is
addressed.
— " Gripe," a vulture
with the beak; cp.
Cornelia,
ii.
;
"
tire," to
299; "and the
eagle tyering on Promotheus."
5.
13.
Rubarbe
Q.
I
:
:
i.e.
medicinal.
"A loathing of all loost
{i.e. lust),
true chastitee.''
1
NOTES.
84
XV.
This sonnet
of
directed against those who, in the words
is
" apparell, or
the Apologie,
rather disguise,
honey flowing Matron Eloquence
fet
words
'
{i.e.
may seeme
far-fetched, cp.
monsters
if
1.
far-fet helps,' I.9), they
but must seeme strangers to any
:
bound
they were
Dictionary (cp.
to follow the
flowers, extreamlie winter- starved " (cp.
8.
And
denisen'd wit do sing.
sing"
10.
A
;
Q. 2
:
"and
want of inward
— Q.
1
:
1.
3).
" and wit
devised wit do
tuch.
kindled tinder or
of a
method of a
another tyme, with figures and
;
5)
that
one time with so fane
Another tyme, with coursing
poore Englishman.
Letter, as
'
'
disguised
sing.''
— " Touch " can hardly here mean
as Dr. Grosart suggests, though
fire,
we might
with this interpretation
see an
ingeniously
obscure allusion to Prometheus in the " stolne goods"
But
of the next line.
is
it
better
to
take
"inward
touch " as spiritual tact or feeling.
XVI.
8.
14.
By my
Q.
I
soule.
reads
:
—Qs.
:
" As they
Place, according to
a.
my
love."
that being
Nares
:
ii.
4)
:
poysoned poison know.''
" the
bird of prey attains in
(Macb.
I
" By
its
greatest elevation which
flight";
so
Shakespeare
"A falcon tow'ring in her pride of place."
follow Dr. Grosart in preferring this reading from Q.
to pace of Q. 2
and the
folio.
i,
NOTES.
For the tone of
there on
" sharp
for
"
in the ninth,
sonnet compare the 4th, and the note
this
In the
14.
1.
line the Qs. read
first
Q
in the third,
;
"
i8s
I.
wit "for " youth "
an entirely different reading
;
and
" With,
:
"strange"
has "such " for " just
";
in the eleventh
my
rewarde, the
spoiles of vain annoyes.
8.
Avise themselves.
—Q.
the catchword
gives
omits this linealtogether, but has
i
"accuse "
;
Q. 2 reads, " against," which
no meaning consistent with grammar.
XX.
3.
In darke busk.
6.
Nor
— Qs.
sonnet
is
—Aim so
fairly
from
eye.
— Qs. read
" thy," which,
:
as the
For
not addressed to Stella, must be wrong.
"veiles" Q.
10.
in a bushe."
ambush.
heavenly
Veiles the
"
in so secret stay.
so faire levell
so secret an
7.
:
i
has
"
walles."
Pleas'd with the prospect.
— Q.
I: " to see the prospect."
XXI.
In this sonnet Q.
1.
I
:
blame
offers
i
" Your words,
"
;
in
1.
2
:
a series of various readings
my
" menace "
" Plato I have read "; in
in
1.
12:
vertue's
interest.
" Well
friends,
said
1.
\i.e.
7
:
for
me
" windlasse
"to my
you said
;
in
causelessly doe
" for
well],
"
"
;
in
1.
5
:
friendly ";
your wit in
golden mire." All of these are of more than usual
NOTES,
86
1
2.
Windlas, used metaphorically for a subtle and
attack
'
'
6.
Yeeres.
Hamlet
cp.
;
And thus do we of wisdom and of reach,
By windlaces and by assays of bias
By indirections find directions out."
— Q. 2
:
"
giers " (gyres), possibly right as carrying
on the metaphor
2.
in
From fairs Twinnes
'
'
windlas.
golden place.
and Pollux, the Gemini,
May and
during the end of
—The
its
tone, that
Wilton
—
after April
veil; Qs.
3.
Scarfe.
4.
But shining forth of
i.e.
it
to
:
This
It is incredible,
in June, 1581.
June of some
We
earlier year,
we have no proof of Sidney's
probably 1580, for
at
are Castor
the beginning of June.
was written
it
must, therefore, assign
twins
whose constellation the sun is
in
sonnet, therefore, was written in June.
from
indirect
I
ii.
residence
28th of that year.
"maske."
heate.
— Q.
I:
"But
streaming forth
his heate in chiefest pride.''
10.
Which open
— Q.
shone.
reading good in
itself,
1
^
in the next line.
13.
Daintiest.
— Q.
2
:
"as
carelesse
showne," a
but conflicting with " carelesse
"dainties."
''
NOTES,
7.
my
Because the Prince
187
service tries.
biographies of Sidney gives
allusion with
certainty.
—Nothing
any help
From
Languet's
learn that as early as 1579 Sidney
Letters
may mean " put
tries "
may be
to the
test,"
to Sidney's opposition to the
" Prince
" being
may be
Prince
the
Duke
and the
But
Prince Casimir.
again,
;
allusion
French match, the
Anjou
of
we
was endeavouring to
employment from the Prince of Orange
obtain
"
in the various
to explain this
;
or again,
the
none of these
explanations are satisfactory.
9.
12.
Ambition's rage.
Q.
reads
I
"
O
Q
:
"Ambitious
rage.''
;
fooles, farre otherwise, alas the case
For
2.
— Qs.
all
my
!
thoughts have neither slop nor
start.
stands half-way between this and the folio, reading
"or overwise," and "of" with the
and " have
folio,
" with Q. I, to the confusion of
and "case"
meaning and
grammar.
This
is
the
of the sonnets
first
playing upon the
name
of
Lord Rich, Penelope Devereux's enforced husband.
It
is
obviously written after their marriage.
position
More
is
rich.
so
among
— Our
much
the
first
For
its
thirty sonnets vide Introduction.
folio reads "blist,"
but "rich" of the Qs.
better as to claim adoption into the text.
NOTES.
;
Heaven makes
have got
love
these fools wise enough to
\i.e.
makes them
there
is
treasure
one rich fool
and
abstinence,
know what
it
Lord Rich] who
\i.e.
for his
as too sacred to touch.
punishment
knowledge of the treasures of
obvious enough,
but Dr.
Stella's
uses no such
mind.
Grosart finds
to
commas
the meaning
:
"and knowing [what
all
This seems
"
it
puzzling
lines 7
"love" and "things,"
after
it,
But
exiled from
is
nonsense," and by reducing the punctuation in
8,
they
money], knowledge makes them love
and
elicits as
hands hold]
their
they lay love and loving apart (as they would sacred
things) far from even the
I.
The wisest scholler,
whom
etc.
—
show
of danger "
!
I
«.«.
:(Tlato, the scholar
o^ocrates,
the oracle of Apollo at Delphi pronounced the
wisest of men.
3.
Met.
—Qs.
" meete "
:
" himselfe
" for
inl. 13;
and (Q.
—a
series of
1.
14
;
so "
" herselfe
I
summe
" in
1.
" for
10
;
" sunne "
" her
only) "defect "for
"
" for
in
"
1.
8
that
th' effect
;
"
"in
bad readings.
XXVI.
I.
3.
Dustie.—Qs.
Wales
(i.e.
:
"duskie."
ways).
" weighs."
—A reading from the Qs.
Our
folio has
NOTES.
" Promising wondrous wonders to
4.
Qs.
7.
Braule
:
:
:
Q.
I
"
:
For me,
braue.''
I
nature every deale doe
"every deale'' = in every respect,
13.
3.
Fore-judge.
Or: Qs.
— Q.
and
;
in
1.
This sonnet connects
its
4.
:
showing
"Love
Store.— Qs.
13, 14.
so in
Q.
I
1.
8
:
"all others" for
itself with
the
first,
third,
and
for
Upon
his love
poems.
me
into this art.''
"serve."
reads
" But
where
"and
10: "this unflattering glass."
onely leading
:
;
every whit.
chief interest lies in its proof that Sidney
habit of
Qs.
know "
2: "foresee"; Q. I: "bewraies."
"and";
:
others"
14.
invite.
a French dance ; cp. Zove's Laiour's Lost, iii. I
" Master, will you win your love with a French brawl?"
TheQs. read "
9.
189
:
because
my chiefest prospect lies
am given up for a slave.
the coast, I
fifteenth;
was
in the
I
NOTES.
go
As
will
be seen from the ensuing notes, the numerous
political allusions of this sonnet
with the
date.
first
It has,
few weeks of
on the whole agree better
1 581
than with any other
however, been assigned to the beginning
of 1580.
I.
The Ttirkish new moone.
—In
Languet's
last
letter
to
Sidney, dated Antwerp, 28th October, 1580, he writes
"The Archduke
peace
letters
Mathias has heard from Vienna
made between
is
the Turks and Persians, and
from Constantinople imply the same, but do
directly affirm
They
it.
:
that
not
add, that the Sultan has com-
manded
Ochiali to have a
that
expected he will make some attempt against the
it is
Spaniard next summer. "
number
of
new galleys
As peace with
built, so
Persia was a
necessary preliminary to war with Christendom, and the
negotiations of which Languet here speaks, by the date
of his
letter,
reference
is
had
already fallen through,
this
single
almost decisive as to the time of composition
of this sonnet.
3.
How
Poles'
right
King.
—
i.e.
Stephen Bathori,
election to the throne so precipitately vacated by
III. of France,
had been greatly disputed; hence
emphasis here on the word "right."
draught, as represented by the Qs., ran
King."
whose
Henry
the
Sidney's earlier
:
"
How
Poland's
NOTES.
Without leave of
host.
—In
191
1580, Bathori, after capturing
was obliged,
several Russian towns,
approach of
at the
autumn, to beat a retreat, partly from want of supplies,
partly apparently because the
plague.
army was weakened by the
After having with great diflBculty obtained a
he invaded, the next year, the
grant from the nobles,
great district of
Novgorod with complete
success.
The
words, "without leave of host,'' refer to his difficulties
in the
autumn of 1 580
for to take host, as
;
meaning the
Muscovites seems weak.
5.
Of French can
to
the
yet three parts in one
three
the
parties,
agree.
—An
allusion
Catholics,
intolerant
the
Huguenots, and the Politiques or moderates.
What now
the
the
Dutch in
two following
their full diets boast.
lines
—This
and
appear to refer to the meetings
of the States on the subject of the acceptance of the
sovereignty of Elizabeth's suitor,
the
Though the Prince of Orange was
Duke
of Anjou.
in favour of this, the
Hollanders refused any other governor than himself, and
the
States
were thus to be divided into two friendly
confederations,
one
of
of
which Anjou accepted the
sovereignty in January, 1581, the
month
probable this sonnet was written.
It is better to refer the
loss
of
preferred
of Count
the
to
which
it
is
towns as referring to these which
good
Anjou
in
Orange, rather than to the treachery
Renneberg
in the matter of Groningen.
NOTES.
192
9.
How
Ulster
was
thrice
likes,
etc.
—Philip's
Henry
father, Sir
Lord Deputy of Ireland, the
Sidney,
third time from
1575 to 1578.
II.
If in the Scotch Court he no meltring
to
the
turbulent
which
scenes
of Ruthven, in August, 1581.
yet.
—A
preceded
The
reference
the
Qs. write this
Raid
line
:
" If in the Scottish Court be weltring yet."
XXXI.
2.
How
7, 8.
uuanne a face.
The
Qs. have the
'
'
I
1.
As
here they
The
:
"
difficult
How
meane a
face.''
and obscure readings
reade within thy lookes thy languisht grace,
To mee
1 1.
— Qs.
be.
that feele the hke,
—Qs.
lively sonne.
;
"
my state
discries."
as here there be."
— " Lively" may possibly here^
life-like,
but more probably, as in the " lively heat " of vili.
or the
'
'
lively repentance " of the Prayer
dignified approach to its
3.
11,
Book, makes
a
modern meaning.
In this line the reading of Q.
i
:
"A prophet oft
of hidden
mysterie," plainly represents an earlier draught of the
poem.
5.
Power.—q%.
:
"hold."
NOTES.
6.
Clos'dup.
—The
193
reading of the Qs. for "close up'' of our
folio.
Two
sonnet are possible
different interpretations of this
the
first,
made
thy
Helen
his failure to
his, "
for her
Grosart's, sees in
stupidity
it
"No
9,
lovely
as Sidney's
Paris
lament for
it
;
the
second,
which
is
Dr.
only an even-tide repentance for the
which had foregone an opportunity of seeing
we imagine
If
Stella.
construes
1.
win Stella while yet he was regarded as a
match
suitable
supported by
chiefly
the sonnet to have been written
soon after Sidney heard of Stella's marriage,
when he
was ignorant of 4he sore compulsion to which she had
yielded, the line
delight,"
is
"No
no fraud rob'd thee of thy
force,
not an insurmountable objection to the deeper
of the two interpretations, while the "respects for both
our sakes " are sufficiently explained by the uncertainties
of Sidney's position.
But the words "
O
punisht
eyes " can hardly refer to anything but a failure to see
Stella,
and
adopt.
me,
8.
this is the interpretation
— Qs.
The Qs. read
Hard:
i.e.
I reluctantly
"woe me."
:
:
" Then be they
displease."
9.
which
See, however, Introduction.
"heard."
O
close,
and ihey shall none
NOTES.
194
Where nature doth with
agree.
infinite
—The
opposition
between "nature "and "infinite "is so unfinished that
the reading of Q. i, " with excellence appears happier,
''
despite
" within what boundes "
Naming my
name.
Stella's
—Qs.
in the preceding Hne.
;
" meaning.''
Lady Rich,
play on Stella's name, as
For
the
cp. Sonnets xxiv.
and XXXVII.
Yolden.
—
the
i.e.,
old
past participle
of yield, restored
here for the misprint " golden " of the
folio,
and
in
preference to yedding of the Qs., which does not agree
with " conquer'd" and " ransackt."
And there
long since,
etc.
—
It
seems
on the whole,
better,
to
connect these two lines with those that follow, by taking
" there "
as
used for
" where
sense from
"where," than
to " of
1.
to
carry on the
3.
This sonnet, like the Eleventh Song and part of the Eighth,
first
appeared in the 1598
folio.
XXXVIII.
—
To hatch mine eyes, etc. Both Qs. read "close" for
" hatch " ; in the remainder of the line, Q. i has " thai
my
troubled
thought "
;
and
Q.
2
:
" the unbilled
thought," for "that unbitted thought " of our
Sights.
— Qs.
:
text.
"sighs, " with other misprints in this sonnet.
NOTES.
2.
Baiting-place.
— Qs.
195
Both
"bathing-place."
:
readings
denote "refreshment," though of different kinds.
5.
10.
Prease
Deafe
i.e.,
:
press.
to noise
and blind of light.
— Qs.
'
'
:
deafe of noise and
blind of light."
11.
A
rosie
garland.
— Cupid,
Harpocrates, the god
it
is
assistance in the intrigues of
the
emblem
said, dedicated the rose to
a reward
of silence, as
The
Venus.
rose
for his
is
thus
of silence, hence the appropriateness of the
adjective.
14.
Livelier than elsewhere, Stella! s
lier
than
els,
rare Stella's
image
image
see.
— Q.
i
:
" Live-
see."
XL.
3.
None of
the basest.
—The Qs. unite
in the reading,
of the basest," which agrees with
much
" Noia
in the tone of
But with the reading of the folio we may
" Desire doth plunge my wellcompare sonnet XIV.
this
sonnet.
:
formed soul ev'n
the case in
in the mire," etc.,
which
it
is
and
this is exactly
dangerous to depart from the
authority of the best edition.
It is
open, however, to
anyone to believe that Sidney himself wrote "now," and
that the sisterly affection of the Countess of
Pembroke
is
responsible for our reading.
5.
Q.
I
has the excellent alternative reading
:
"Alas, if thou,
the height of Vertue's throne, canst but vouchsafe, " etc.
O
2
NOTES.
195
II.
Yet noblest conquerours da wreckes avoid.
and
"noblest,"
{i.e.
the
wanton vengeance)
The mention
of
France "
makes
probable
composed during the
" noble "
:
sweet
that
that
this
enemie
sonnet
was
of the French Embassage sent
visit
Anjou and Elizabeth;
to arrange the marriage of
between April 15 and August, 1581, and probably
the_
for
"wreake"
" wreckes."
for
" some sent from
it
—Qs.
reading
attractive
former of these dates, as on
May
i.e.,
nearer
15th and i6th,
Sidney, with the three other " Children of Desire," was
seriously discomfited in the great tourneying before the
Queen, and would hardly have been writing then on
this
theme.
12.
How far they shot awrie. — Qs.
:
"shoot."
XLII.
2.
Whose beames
6.
Only
bejoyes.
;
" whose beames
lov'd tyrants. Just in cruelty.
attractive reading
g.
— Qs.
For though 1 never
:
" Onely love
see
them.
XLIII.
2.
On you
to
pray.
—
i.e.:
"prey.''
I
has
the very
tasting of your crueltie."
—Q.
never sees them."
— Q.
al/'pyes."
1
:
" For
thought's eye
NOTES.
197
XLIV.
4,
And yet
no pitie
Ifind.- -<^,
In this sonnet Q.
I
1
:
"and
I
no
pittie finde."
has a whole series of earlier readings.
"bewrinkled" for "beclowded"; 1, 4, "the
"
cause thereof " for " thereof the cause "; 1. 6, " pittious
In
for
1.
2,
"grievous";
1.
"fained"
9,
Two
"store" for "scope."
special
mention
;
viz.,
1.
of teares did flow";
the tale of
me."
" Yet Hermes
On
"As
8,
and
1.
for
"imag'd";
readings
other
1.
from her eyes a spring
14,
"And
if
not me, pittie
the other hand, the version of
late a fable,
who
10,
deserve
did show,"
is
1.
5,
quite unin-
telligible.
13.
7.
Some sad tragedie.
— Q.
If love learne not alone
2
:
"some
to love
thrise-sad tragedie."
and see.
— "Alone " here must
be taken with the words that follow, and in the sense
of "only."
The meaning
is,
"unless love learn to love
and gaze without any further desire."
13.
Myche
to desire.
— " Myche " here
may be
skulk off"; in Elizabethan English
it
is
rendered as " to
usually coupled
Euphues,
"What made
the gods so often to trewant from heaven
and mich here
with the word
on earth
?
"truant":
cp.
NOTES.
igS
Compare with
the whole tone of this sonnet the admonition
Musidorus
of
" Remember,
Pyrocles
to
Boole
Arcadia,
in
know you know
for I
that if
it,
men, the reasonable part of our soul
is
we
I.
will
;
be
to have absolute
commandment against which, if any sensual weaknesse
arise, we are to yield all our sound forces to the overthrowing of so unnatural a rebellion. Wherein how can
we want courage, since we are to deal with so weak an
;
adversary, that in itself
we are
and
is
to resolve that
we must do
if
childish
and
;
Q.
I
give
reads
my
"
:
Q.
I
Woe
7.
14.
:
it
;
it
The
similarity
remarkable.
my
Q. 2 varies from our
";
Nay,
?
we must do
for to say I cannot,
womanish."
is
"my heart give
" Where love
— Q.
I
9
do
it,
me, that I must make
and humblenesse
Hel-driven.
5/3J/.— Q.
1.
tongue the lye
reads
delight,
will
I will not,
in the poor reading,
3, 4.
reason direct
we
it,
of the last sentence to
13, 14.
nothing but weakness
is
if
to
hart thus
folio only
my tongue
a lie."
chastnesse scorning youihes
is
is linckt
with majestic."
i: "blinded"; Q. 2: "driven."'
"kill."
XLIX.
6.
14.
Humbled.
My
—
Qs.
self takes
sonnet
2.
;
"reverent."
delight.
— Q.
I
:
"
I
myself delight,"
cp.
NOTES.
I, z.
Q.
I
reads
"
:
thoughts,"
8.
Stella, the fulness
199
cannot staied be of hidden
etc.
That which in.—Qs.
"what within"; and Q.
-.
I
(wrongly)
"blest "for "best."
LI.
2.
Fluently.
5.
Silly.
is
10.
13.
— Qs.
— In
"
:
flauntingly.
old sense of " innocent," as in the Apologie
its
it
applied to poetry.
— Qs. " cunning'st.
EvenirKt. — Qs. "even woe."
Cunning.
:
:
With the thought of
faith of
his
this
sonnet compare the
answer to her, " With whose beauty
been in love
beauty
;
but
X
it
should be so with you,
can
as likeness
make
one," &c.
I.,
and
had only
if I
who have
was Parthenia's self\ loved and
of the
trial
Argalus by Parthenia in Arcadia, Book
the
love,
same
which
The sonnet must
course be taken as Sidney's playful raillery of his
of
own
Platonic meditations.
2.
Mitsthe.~(^.
7.
I would no
stop
for
Grosart)
I
lesse.
:
"maybe."
—The
meaning appears
to be,
"I would
nothing short of this," rather than (with Dr.
"
there
was no epithet
I
washed for
less.
NOTES.
20O
9.
Made a window send forth
" through
window
Spencer,
a
window
light.
;
(less poetically):
I
Q. 2
:
" through
a
sent forth light."
in
his
"Astrophel," writes
Them
maidens often did him woo,
rimes to name."
his
— Q.
sent her light "
how "Full many
to vouchsafe
amongst
This sonnet represents the
ill-
natured remarks of these leap-year suitors.
9.
Q.
reads
I
must
14.
They
"
Protest indeed I
refer to the courtly
love indeed
who quake
dare not say " of Q.
I
know
not,''
where " protest
nymphs.
to
say they love.— The " who
sinks into meanness before this
splendid line.
The Qs. reverse the
The thought here
3.
order of this and the following sonnet.
is
similar to that in the
Without one piece of looke:
— Q.
i
:
"And
first.
get not half a
looke."
6, 7.
Q.
'
'
I
has instead of these lines
Within her face each vertue
From what
The
first
reading
;
:
I
could brooke,
the leaden counsels that
I tooke.''
of these variants points to a possible earlier
of the second nothing can be made.
NOTES.
LVII.
This sonnet must refer to some "song of a lover's complaint,"
which Sidney had sent
her sing.
It
is
eleven handed
next sonnet
is
to Stella,
and had heard
not likely that the song
down
to us in Astrophel
on a similar theme to
this.
is
one of the
The
Compare with
and
Stella.
them both sonnet the 44th.
10.
Q.
13.
Q.
I
:
"But them
I
:
"
My
so sweet, she did
most sweetly sing."
privie cares I holpe to her to bring
To
tell
my
griefe," etc.
3.
Q.
7.
Or
I
:
" That no place
else
else their giddie steps
fronouiuing grace.
—
t.e.,
"or
else
can find."
[by] grace of
utterance," a singularly harsh construction.
10.
Wrote:
13, 14.
Q.
I
i.e.,
"wrote."
reads
:
" Maugre my
speeche's might.
With wooed words most ravishing
Even
those sad words a joy to
Here "ravishing " might apply
carefully chosen
me
to the victory of Sidney's
words of woe over
struction is very forced.
delight,
did breed."
delight, but the con-
NOTES.
202
LIX.
I.
why make you more ofa dog then me?
Deare,
able that there
is
line, for it is the
11.
no alternative reading
very worst in
This so7vre-hreaih'd male.
"
unpleasantly,
this
— Q.
—
It is
lament-
to record in this
all
the sonnets.
i,
less
vividly
but
less
fawning mate."
LX.
12.
Tell
me how I do.
— Qs.
"
:
me how
tell
to
do."
LXI.
3.
Assaid.
— Qs.
"
;
assaild,"
which has
less of
a lover's modesty,
but agrees with " invade."
— Qs.
5.
In-felt affection.
9.
Her chaste mind.
10.
" a sound
— Q. i: "
I straight must shew. — Q. I:
affection.
this chaste love.
"
I
needes must shew."
;
" but with a
LXII.
6.
But
loved a love not blind.
— Qs.
love.
LXIII.
It
is
curious to find a sonnet written
particular
grammar
rule,
which
in
1
English
successfully defied for another half century
58 1 on
this
dramatists
— curious, and,
at this exact conjuncture in the sonnets, disappointing.
We may
compare a madrigal by Thomas Weelkes
" Yet there
is
For double
hope we
710
If that be so,
With
shall agree,
importeth yea.
my
no, no, no,
dearest.
my
heart thou cheerest."
:
NOTES.
this,
12.
deare Stella,
misprint " nay "
may.
203
— Our
has
folio
" way" of the Qs.
;
=
the
obvious
weigh.
First Song.
Page
i.
2.
Orechar£d.
— Qs.
64.
and
this line,
"
"surcharg'd," but
:
the form used in the last stanza
in ix. 3, the Qs.
and
orecliarg'd "
in sonnet 63.
unite in reading
:
is
In
" with
musicke.
— Qs. "forget."
—Qs. " with
Both deckes and
—
ii.
4.
Forgate.
iii.
I.
In fairenesse
2.
:
.
siaytielh.
seem
of her sex
I.
Whose
step
Stella's
beauty
of sweetnesse planteth.
The
sense
reading of the Qs.
—Qs.
:
— "of
I.
Passions.
2.
Long-dead beautie.
:
is
The haire, which,
smoothly
viii.
4.
:
a
"
partitive
thus nearly the same as in the
" whose steps
— Qs.
:
Page
I.
as
sweetnesse
al
sweetnesse planteth.
"patience."
V.
vi.
vii.
the rest
65.
must not be taken with "step," but
genitive.
made
plain.
Page
iv.
fairnesse.''
"long-hid."
66.
loosest, fastest tieth.
"which, most
Not miracles are wonders.
loose,
—Qs.
most
:
— Qs. read,
fast tieth."
" no
miracles.
''
more
NOTES.
204
5.
my
Q. I: "Let clowdes be dimme,
bereaves mine
fate
eye"; where "be dimme'' should of course be read
one word governing " mine eye."
4.
But none can prize.
in this line
13.
— Q.
i:
= estimate
" but cannot
prize. "
as
"Prize"
the worth of,
If leamd fame truth hath
spred.
— Q.
i
:
"of fame most
truly spred."
14.
Thou
arrow,
bear's! the
I the arrow head.
arms were, argent, a pheon
(or
—The
Sidney
arrow head), azure.
LXVI.
6.
Q.
I
reads
" Fortune's windes
:
still
with
me
in
one
sort
bio we."
7.
My
wealth no more.
— " Wealth
wealth of love, but there
is
" here
is,
of course, the
probably a double meaning,
Sidney was greatly pressed by the narrowness of
for
fortunes,
and
it
was
and rank by the marriage of
Leicester,
which
his
his loss of the expectation of wealth
lost
him
his
uncle, the
Earl of
Stella.
LXVII.
3.
Q.
I
:
"The
raigne of this her conquest to espie"; where
" raigne" has
little
meaning.
NOTES.
4.
Will she take time before all wracked
'
'
be.
— " Time
" opportunitas " than "tempus":
rather
8.
205
my
will she forestall
Fed by thy worth.
—Q.
i
on,''
and
it is
Q.
" Set by thy wrath," where both
:
needful
presents so
i
now and
appear the better
2.
State.— Qs.
5.
Saw.
— Qs.
:
instance
is,
1.
11,
"
are " for
" annoy " with singular perverseness
in 14,
" enjoy."
here
ruin.
variations appear to be misprints, so in
"
" is
the sense
many
for
excellent readings that
again to record
its
blunders, lest
it
text.
"seat."
:
"sawst," but
this is
by no means our
of Sidney's dropping the termination
first
of the
second person singular.
10.
/, /,
0,
If still
I may say.
Iforce her
—Q.
in sad rimes
woe
force her thus in
Jove's cup
do keepe,"
"Jove's Cupid"
Shew thou
tamely
i
height
:
" and so
it
— Q.
to creepe.
to weepe,"
In
1.
may."
I
i
:
" Yf
4, for
still I
"since I
has the ingeniously wrong variant
!
of delight.— Qi.
of delight"; Q. 2:
" shew
i:
"shew
the
the height of delight.
force
NOTES.
2o6
LXXI.
11.
Who marks
in thee
what
is
in thee most fair.-
second " in thee," Q. 2 reads " indeede "
12.
Who
"
line,
Drawes
marking thee which
the heart.
— Qs.
"
:
drives
art
;
Q.
— For
I
the
gives the
indeede most
fair.''
my hart."
LXXII.
lo.
14.
Will worthie
But yet,
alas,
— Qs. "
how shall? — For
to appear.
vfell " for
this
shall I banish
"
:
Now banisht
thee
art,
Q.
?)
i
"will."
abrupt ellipse
(= how.
has the too easy reading
but yet within
my
call."
Second Song.
vii.
8.
3.
Away
Sweet,
it
hence
flee.
— Qs.
was sawcie
"for
:
love,
feare,
hence
not humble
1.
flee."
— Q.
I:
"sweet
it
was sawcie love that prest so nye."
LXXIV.
With
joyous intoxication of
love,
and the passage from the Apologie
there
this sonnet, written in the
compare the
1st,
quoted.
I.
Aganippe well.— 'Nym-ph and fountain had both the same
name, but we should have expected "Aganippe's."
14.
My
lips
are sweet, inspired with Stella's
lips are sure inspired,"
preceding
line.
hisse.
—Qs.
which clashes with " sure
;
"My
" in the
:
NOTES.
4.
Although
lesse
'
explains
wing or
cp.
'
7.
14.
Edward
3.
as
Q.
— Q.
I
reads
";
feathers to
"Although
:
i:
lesse
" make Mars so tame."
—For"faile"Q.
Elizabeth
wo; but now
in cold wo, but
Grey
;
i
by
reads "loose."
marrying
her
:
" benighted
now
" for
appeares
appears
my day. — Q. I:
my shining day."
" bathde," but
is
otherwise
I.
But with short
head,
love.
= Lady
Benighted in cold
Q. 2 has
"Imp
Florence:
the
broken one
alienated the King-maker, Warwick.
" Bathde
13.
so tame.
Rather then faile his
His love
in the place of a
Duke of
—Nares
feather into
are fethers of high fame.
mad Mars
Could yet
on fame.
oft
new
to insert a
wing of time." Q.
the broken
\sic']
"
hawk,
Great
Mass.,
guift
as
of a
tail
impe feathers
gifts
imp "
207
—
It is
breath, long looks,
staid feet atid walking
necessary to quote the whole of this line to
defend the retention of "walking," even against the
unmeaning "waking" of Q. I, or Dr. Grosart's conjecture
" aching."
" Short breath, long looks," requires a
parallel antithesis
and "head."
which
Song
may
viii.
walking."
between the epithets assigned
This
is
supplied
surely be construed
1.
23
:
" but
their
if
we
as
to " feet
" walking,"
"wandering" cp.
retain
tongues
:
restrain'd
from
NOTES.
2o8
Compare with
song in Arcadia, Book
this sonnet the
i.,
beginning
" What tongue can her perfection
In whose each part
Her
all
tongues
tell
may
dwell,
hair fine threads of finest gold,
In curled knots man's thought to hold
where
also,
"
?
the mingled praise of golden hair and
as
"black stars" of eyes
shows, Sidney was
sufficiently
thinking of Stella.
Quietst judgements.
more
easily,
and
— Qs.:
judgment looking a
6.
"quiet judgments," which rtads
supported by the
is
little
plague, Vertuis
Beautie's
rather unpleasant
'
'
they
who with quiet
deeper " of the Afolo^ie.
succour of
scourge,
rhythm of this
where
in the next sonnet but one,
lies.
—The
line is exactly repeated
1.
3 reads
:
"
Nature's
praise, Vertue's stall, Cupid's cold fire."
14.
Q.
I
reads
:
"
Is it
not zV/that such a beast wants homes ?
Q. 2 has "ill" and "devill."
LXXIX.
3.
Consort
(i.e.,
concert).
— Q.
i
" pleasing'st," and "holdeth"
9.
12.
The meane.
—Qs.:
"pleasing"
"hold
for
a."
"themeanes."
Ostage («>., hostage).
pledge "; Q.
reads:
for
—Q.
i
has the earlier reading,
2, the misprint,
"a
stage."
"a
NOTES.
209
LXXX.
3.
Stall—
6.
Sweetner.
12-14.
i.e., seat.
— Qs.:
Of these
"sweetnes."
lines
Q.
I
has a quite distinct version,
" And no spurre can
Wherefore, to
How can
this restie race refraine
trie if that I said
I better
be
two
"how
prove then with a kisse.
lines are certainly Sidney's.
10; but the
1.
In the
folio
reading
not an interjection, but must be
etc., is
farre,''
;
true,
Here "refraine'' clashes with "stay "in
last
viz.;
taken with "teache."
— Qs
"sweetnes."
3.
Sweetning.
8.
Shade out some part.
12.
hear
In
life.
— Q.
:
till
I
I: " dear
excellencis passe.
His who
—Q.
—Q.
:
"set out."
kisse,''
I.
" In
:
wrongly.
excellence surpasse."
death lookt in a watrie glasse
reads
" whose
Q.
I
for
"
lookt."
there
is little
" for
—
i.e.,
Narcissus.
"
"who,'' and both Qs. " lock't
The line as it stands is feeble enough, but
be made of these variants. Could Sidney
to
ever have written
watrie glasse "
"His, whose
?
P
still
death lockt in a
A'OTES.
2IO
II.
I cattght at one of them a hungry bit. To construe this line
we must take bit=the substantive " bite, " and make " a
hungry
bit "
"an"
read
a cognate accusative
for
"a," and
'
Grosart's emendation
1-14.
'
Good brother Philip.
Nares
.
to
"caught.""
Qs.
and.
.
Leave that Sir Phip: Vide
.
A
"Philip, or contracted into Phip.
:
The
this gives probabihiy to Dr.
familiar
appellation for a sparrow, from a supposed resemblance
in their note to that
To
whit, to
sound
whoo
:
the owle does crye
Phip, phip, the sparrows as they
Compare,
too,
flye.
Lyly 's Mother Bombie,
iii.
4.
Skelton's charming "
A
little
Philip sparrowe," where a
nun laments
boke of
the loss of her
dead favourite.
3.
While craftily you seem'd your cut
to keepe.
— From
the
undoubted use of "cutted" for " cross or querulous" (cp.
Middleton, " she's grown so cutted there's no speaking to
her"),Dr. Grosart derives a substantive "cut "^crossness,
discontent, of which this will
meaning
little
be the only
suits this line excellently,
doubtful.
meant a "lot"
In Ehzabethan Enghsh "cut"
(cp.
Walton,
"I
The
instance.
but the derivation
think
it
best to
is
a
still
draw
and avoid contention"), and a possible interpretation
of " keepe your cut " would be " to adhere to your part."
cuts
NOTES.
THIRD SONG.
The
this stanza are to
allusions in
Natural History, the
two
stories in Pliny's
of a certain Thoas in Arcadia,
first
who was rescued from robbers by a dragon which he had
nurtured
the second of an eagle which a maid of Sestos
;
had brought up, and which,
venison during her
there
As
life,
after
providing her with
flew into her funeral
fire,
and was
consumed.
his light
light."
was her
In
1.
6.
eyes.
— Qs.
:
"As
her eyes were his
Qs. read "for Stella shineth."
LXXXIV.
2.
Unsweet.
6.
Safe-left.
— Qs.
misprint
8.
:
"unmeete.
—The reading
"
safelest "
The Qs. read
:
j
"Be
of the folio of 1613
Qs.
you
;
ours has the
"safeliest."
:
stiU carefull kept
by publike
heed."
I.
Q.
I
reads:
contains.
7.
Q.
13.
Q.
"Behold
my
heart,
the
house
that
thee
''
" Strive in themselves each office to discharge, " with
I
" braines " for " braine " in 1. 5.
:
I
omits this line altogether.
P 2
NOTES.
212
FOURTH SONG.
II.
4.
fealouzie
ilselfe.
— Qs
(Page 93.)
"himselfe.
:
III.
2.
Cupid's knot.
—Qs.
"yoke";
;
in the next line they have
the rather better reading, " these sweet flowers onr fine
bed too."
IV.
3.
— Qs.
Hap.
:
(Page 94.)
"heart."'
V.
4.
Folkes.
— Qs.
.
"fooles."
VIII.
5.
Take
thee to
me,
etc.
(Page 95.)
—The
Qs. give this line in the same
form as in the other stanzas, and it
in the folio has
is
doubtful if its change
much meaning.
LXXXVI.
1.
9.
Came.
Q.
I
— Qs.
:
:
"comes."
"Cease your hard hand,
threat not so hard your
slave.
12.
Use sotnething
else.
— Q.
i: " seeke " for
"
use.
NOTES.
FIFTH SONG.
(Page 97.)
1.
3.
1-2.
Grew.
— Qs.
Wert.
;
"drew."
— This
reading of
" art" of our
/.— Qs.
3.
that
6.
The Qs.
the
Qs.
must be preferred
to
folio.
"
:
O
would
" And
read,
I."
all is
said so well that
no man
it
denied."
(Page 98.)
III.
4.
3.
6.
Thought.
— Qs.
:
"wrote."
—
The mansion seat of blisse. A reading of the Qs. adopted
for " the mansion state " of the folio.
The
Qs. read "
whom
fault
(Page 99.)
V.
3.
Kindest.
—The
misprint
reading of the
" hidnest
6.
In
3.
Threa(n,etc.,—Cl%.
subjects
once casteth downe."
wrong'd.
"
;
— Qs
Qs.
:
:
1613 folio
"in
subjects'
VI.
6.
Babies —
i.e., dolls.
:
;
ours has
"highest."
" Threat,
threat.
wrongs."
the
NOTES.
214
VII.
"fine-shining."
1.
Ftne-odour'd.—Qi.
5.
Most faith
6.
Evils.— Qi. "ills"; so
.
(Page 100.)
dost most oppresse.—Qs.
in
" there thou dost."
-.
"ill "for "evil."
xiii. 6.
X. (Page loi.)
2.
Unjtistest.
—Qs.
4.
For thou
dost lord
:
"unjustice."
my
heart.— Q%
:
" For thou
art
my
heart's lord."
XI.
3.
2.
Qs
:
" Rebels
(Page 102.)
by Nature's lawes,
With vagabonding shame.
— Qs.
rebell
;
by way of reason."
"with
blackest blot of
shame."
XIII.
3.
(Page 103.
MIy sight never thy face enjoyeth.
thy sight."
XIV.
6.
Tempted.
— Q.
2: "tempting."
— Qs.
:
" Mine eyes never
NOTES.
215
SIXTH SONG.
I.
4.
Former.— Q&.
"better."
.
"Bate,"
in
the
next line
=
quarrel.
II.
—Qs.
5.
Their rioht.
I.
Loftly.—Ci^.
4.
Eye-judgment.
5.
He
"the
.
right."
(Page 106.)
V.
"histie."
(Page 107.)
VII.
— Qs.
:
"
the judgment.
layes on this chiefe praise.
—Against
metre and
other editions our folio inserts "side " after
"
SEV'ENTH SONG.
I.
3.
Closde.—Q%.
4.
To
set
a
:
"cloi'd."
title vaiiie, etc.
—
i.e.,
to stigmatize as foolish.
II.
4.
Thoughts.
— Qs.
'^hearts."
:
III.
1,
2.
— Qs.
Descended. — Qs.
Adoring.
(Page 109.)
"admiring."
:
:
"discerned."
all
this."
the
NOTES.
2i6
EIGHTH SONG.
II.
But
4.
in the other blessed,— Qs.
each,
:
" Either
in
each
other."
V. (Page III.)
Sigh they
1.
did.
With arms
3.
— Qs. " sigh' d they had."
—A sign of sorrow;
;
crost.
Ferdinand,
His arms in
'
so Ariel says of
this sad knot."
VIII.
Faire triiimpher of annoy.
2.
— Qs.
" Faire triumphres
.
[i.e.j
triumpheress) in annoy."
XI. (Page 112).
Each
2.
3, 4.
character.
The
Qs. read
"
— Qs.
;
" the carecters.
:
Whose
sweeteface
beautie passeth,
all
Save the minde which
GrauntOme!— Qs.
3.
:
" Graunt
surpasSeth."
it
to
me."
In the next
line
they have "sin " for "fault."
XVII. (Page 114.)
3, 4.
Repelling
.
.
.
Excelling.
—Qs.
Expelling.
xviil.
2.
So
Qs.
.
"with."
:
" Compelling
.
,
.
JVOT£S.
XIX
217
— XXVI.
These stanzas were printed
for the first time in the
1598
edition.
XXVI. (Page 117.)
Leaving him
2.
to passion, rent,
etc.
— Qs.
:
" Leaving him
with passion rent."
NINTH SONG.
(Page 119.)
IV.
I
—
The Qs. read
" 'itt&s., fairest shepherdesse,
3.
:
Fairest, but yet crtilest ever
Stella,
whom
;
the heavens still blesse.
V.
—
4.
Eawes
5.
Helplesse.
3.
Qs.
i
"Knowing
1.
Qs.
:
" Then,
ewes.
i.e.,
VII.
— Qs.
"hopelesse."
:
IX.
if
(Page 120.)
she should display."
X. (Page 121.)
my
dear flocke,
now
adieu."
LXXXVII
2.
Hart of my
8.
Saddest.
hart.
— Q.
—Q.
i:
" hurt
of
my
hart."
2 has the pretty reading
"sad deare."
" sadded
"
;
Q.
i
A'OTES.
2i8
LXXXVIII.
2.
Caplainnesse.
4.
Q.
9.
Q.
I
—Q.
" That
:
I
to entice
"When,
.
l: "Conqueror.''
mee
prefers present paye."
with her mistes obscures her
absence,
light."
10.
Flies.
— Q.
I
:
" slides," and
in the next line
"feeds"
for
"sets."
3.
Wont
me my
give
to
day.
—Q
i
me my
"that wont give
:
day."
7.
13.
Tired.— CI.
I:
"toyled."
That living thus.
—With
original construction
the omission of this line Sidney's
would be preserved.
must understand "tired"
2.
Who live but thee.
absorb
7.
I wish
The
all
mean "so
As
it
we
is,
am
tired
I."
—A splendid phrase, which needs no more
explanation than the
lovers.
inl. 7 to
common
'
'
my
light,
my
Qs. have the tamer reading " like
my powers not only of love,
life
"
of
"="you
but even of liking."
not there should he Graved in mine epitaph a Poet'
name
:
cp. Apologie
:
"
Who
chance) having slipt into the
(I
knowe not by what
title
mis-
of a Poet," and Sidney's
dying injunction that his Arcadia should be burnt.
NOTES.
12.
Plumes.
— Q.
I
With
" payns, "
:
to suppose a
surely by error
And that. — C^.
8.
Or
;
is
it
impossible
pun on "pens."
the theme, of this Sonnet
3.
219
I
"And
-
compare Song
xi.
verse
5.
whiles."
seeing gets, blacke, but in blackncsse bright.
— Qs.
:
" Or
"Gets''-and "jet" or "jets" are of
seeming jett."
course the same
word
Chaucer, " his toon black as
(cp.
the gette " of Chaunticleer's toes). In this case the reading
of the folio
relevance,
were so
white,
:
undoubtedly
is
since
right, for
Stella's eyes did
just as her hair
and her cheeks
through which to see,"
was of amber-gold, her hands
"Seeing
rosy.
i.e., jet-like
Or do you cutted Spartanes imitate.
Q.
I:
"Or
folio
reference in
Spartans,
difficult to
Sonnet
"=" jets
— So Q. 2 and our
Dr.
of 1605 the reading
any case
folio.
is
Grosart accepts
"curted."
The
to the churlish brevity of the
and the form of " curted " is but little less
explain than " cutted." As alreadynoted, on
Ixxxiii. 3,
"cutted "
sense of "cross," but
wanted.
gets
eyes.
do you the Laconians imitate," printing
"Laconians" as "Caconians."
from the
"seeming" has no
not seem black, but
is
used by Middleton in the
here this
is
hardly the meaning
NOTES.
220
TENTH SONG.
I.
6.
The
2.
Qs.
— Qs
lover.
:
"
thy lover."
II.
" By thine absence
i
oft forgot.''
V. (Page 129.)
2.
When
—The
thy leaping heart.
folio of 161 3
reading which Dr. Grosart adopts.
"
lips " are alike Sidney's,
"my,"
has
a
But the "hart" and
not Stella's.
vr., VII., VIII.
These stanzas are omitted
VIII.
I.
my
thought.
"your
5.
Revived.
—Qs.
:
delights " for
— Qs
:
in the Qs.
(Page 130.)
" thoughts," and
" thy delights."
in
the
next line
"received."
xcni.
10.
—
—
I have—live I and know this ? harmed thee. Qs "I do,
sweete Love, and know this harmed thee," a most weak
variant,
for
wliich
it
to
is
:
be hoped Sidney
is
not
responsible.
II.
Tho' worlds quite me.
— So
the folio of 1613.
by an obvious misprint has "words"
" Quite "
=
acquit.
Qf.
:
"The
for
Our
text
"worlds."
world quit mee."
NOTES.
In
this
is
Sonnet Q.
offers so
I
simplest to reprint
marked
are
its
in italics
;
many
earlier readings that
The
version entire.
the punctuation
it
variations
as in the
is
original.
'
'
Greefe find the words, for thou hast
So darke with mistie vapours which
From
Can
out thy heavy mould, that
scarce discerne the shape of
Do
thou then
For
my
(for
men mine
poore soule which wit that sicknes
Though harbengers
it
of a Caitife not vouchsaft to die
wretchednes thy
Thou maist more wretched
As being
2.
Your
left
tries,
traine.
forbeares,
Yet shewe thy hate of life in living
in
:
selfe denies.
and of his
of death
The execution of my fate
That though
eyes
mine owne paine
thou canst) do thou complaine
\\Tiich even to sense, sense of
As
made my vaine
arise
he
:
teares
life
doth
:
lie,
than nature beares
:
plast in such a wretch as I."
friend.— Q^.
I:
"best"
for
"left";
Q.
2:
"least."
7.
Delight protests he
—
not for the accurst
is
nothing to do with them.
for
8.
9.
Qs.
Q.
:
:
i.e.,
he will have
" Delight exclaims he
fault curst."
" Although
-.
I
my
Qs
my
mate
" Nay, sorrow,
in
arms himselfe he sware."
in as great a rage as he."
is
NOTES.
I.
Thought.
—Qs.
"Though":
:
the latter
if
right Sidney
is
must apostrophize himself as "thou."
In 1. 2 the Qs.
misprint " libertie " for " liverie." Kind
nature.
=
" Slowe Heavens
in both
6.
Qs.
9.
In both amazeful soUtarinesse,
:
do hold the one degree."
.
.
"In
to
.
By
the ghostly powers of spirits.
disturb the solitude.
—
power
night, of spirits the gastly
reverse this construction,
stur
«'.«.,
able to
reading in the next
sturr," the Qs.
and make the powers of
The
stir
line,
Qs. proceed,
'
'
And
spirits
in our
sprites are spirits gastlines.
4.
9.
From
A
heavenly standing hits each mortall wight.
ing," an
ambush from whence
" hurts "
for
lady,
to shoot
— "Stand-
game.
Qs.
:
"hits."
Diati s feere.
— Not identifiable
;
certainly not with
Sidney's future wife.
14. Sight.
—Qs.
:
"light."
these sonnets,
—Qs.
is,
"
The "Sun"
low shrowdes
4.
Lee
7.
Though gold.— ()%. "this held."
shores.
:
here, as throughout
of course, Stella.
forced.
;
" both readings are very
A'OTSS.
6, 8.
The
make nonsense
Qs.
comma
of these lines by transferring the
end of
to the
223
and printing the next two
6,
1.
lines as
And
'
'
takes that sad hue, with which inward might
Of his mazde powers he keepes
9.
II.
Qs.
:
" But when
Floure.
— Qs.
just
harmony."
birdes chirpe aire, and sweete
aire,''
etc.
"heaven."
:
" shoures "
fairer needs must show " in
"gracefuU" in 1. 4
"wingid
Tlie chief readings of the Qs. in this sonnet are
for
1.
"raine"
3;
with
in
1.
ij " now
"grateful" for
woes breath,
"might"
for
"can"
and yet doth prayse
for
"sobd "
Among
in
1.
II
;
doth Zephire blow " in
so
;
in
1.
" in
"That eloquence
8;
1.
" sighs
10; "sightd"
7
;
(z>., sighed)
" for "signes " in
I.
13.
the " Certaine Sonets " printed with other works of
Sidney's in the
"These
1598
are four with
folio,
foure following Sonnets were
Ladie had paine in her face."
identify the
Lady with
that the sickness
7.
1.
envies
Inseparate.
— Qs.
:
is
the
It is
Stella;
same
as
"unsever'd."
is
but
it
the heading
made when
his
probably right to
does not follow
here alluded
to.
NOTES.
224
S.
In
thee,
— Qs.
correct a
"with me," probably a bad attempt
:
somewhat obscure
"Stella"
construction.
to
is,
of course, the person addressed, and "thee'' refers not
9.
10.
Joy which cannot leave thy
but to her.
to joy,
when
eyes,
they weep, weeps with them.
—I adopt Dr. Grosart's emendation
Comes. — Qs.
"runs," and in next
Mones.
for
line
:
'
moves.
'
"swage"
for
"assuage."
12.
— Qs.
Sweales.-
In
'
"seekes.
mostly
1.
i,
"So
"engrain'd";
"sure"
and sometimes
trifling
Vermillion eyes " in
are
"
Sonnet the Qs. unite in a great number of
this
tions,
'
:
1.
5)
6,
1.
"engrave"
"in so great thraldome "
8,
for "furre."
In
li.
2,
3,
varia-
in the reading
The more noteworthy
absurd.
sweetned earst";
1.
(as
;
1.
for
II,
they have the unintel-
"Where be those red cheekes, which
did frame No hight of honor in the kindly
ligible reading,
fair
increase
badge of shame."
"With
faire
encrease,"
sc.
of red,
with a heightened
i.e.,
colour.
3.
Joye's livery.
Liver}'."
— Q.
i
:
" Jove's Livery
"
;
Q. 2
:
" Love's
NOTES.
9.
Those
22S
^oV s youth. — Those children of Mollis.
Qs.:" those
friendly vvindes."
12.
So discheveld.
— Qs.
6.
Scarcely.
— Qs.
8.
Rigour's
exile.
12-14
" so discovered.
:
"scantly.''
:
— Qs.
;
" Rigorous
"Your morals note straight my hid meaning
From out my ribs a whirlewind proves that I
Doe Stella love. Fooles, who doth it denie.''
Qs
:
SONG
This song was
—
3.
Dead glasse
5.
Qs.
6.
Thy dazling race.
10.
exile.
:
first
there
XI.
printed in the 1598 folio.
a telescope.
i.e.,
"I sweare by
hir
Love and
— Qs.
— Qs.
Yournectar mist.
:
"my"
;
my
for
lacke.'
"thy."
"your necklace mist," an obvious
misreading.
12.
14.
—
Yotir strife
z'.e.,
With no worse
your struggles to
curse.
—
Bitterly,
no greater curse than
my
curse."
Q
I
see.
Qs.
:
"your
will."
curse him, but can wish
own.
Qs.
:
"with no
lesse
NOTES.
226
CVI.
3.
6.
7,8.
—
Bare me in hand
Told St.
The
— Qs.
sense
to
this
can
-.
"would'st."
"and
is
deluded me.
i.e.,
delegate your
command
over
my thouglits
great cause," another historical allusion, which
be vaguely explained by Sidney's constant
only
endeavours to obtain employment against Spain either
Holland or on the
in
The
seas.
Qs. read
" And on my thoughts give the Lieuetenancie
To this great cause, which needes both wit and
11.
Till
12.
Qs.
it
have wrought.
" For
:
13. Reprove.
I.
sei-vants
— Qs.
Fiet^s.— Qi.
.
:
"
—Qs.
:
" still
shame of Maisters blame doth
"approve "
Siers,"
=
art."
to have wrought.
fit."
test.
a blunder only worth quoting as
illustrating the perfunctory
manner
in
which the Editor
of the second quarto performed his task of revising the
first.
6.
Qs.
7.
Most
.
So too
in
1.
11,
"And my young
rtide dispaire.
"darts" for "doores."
soule once flutters to her nest."
— Qs,
:
"most dead
dispaire.''
N^OTES.
NOTES ON THE
The
fourteen sonnets
selection
tion
"
CERTAINE SONETS."
and songs which here
follow are a
from the twenty-seven printed (with the excep-
of eight published four
Constable's Diana) for the
the 159^ folio.
It is
years
first
time,
Henry
in
earlier
on pp. 472-490 of
a tenable theory that in
poems on these pages there
l
227
is
ove for Stella, certainly this
some
is
relerjpyg
]
;o
all
the
Sirlnp v's
the case with those here
The reason for their exclusion from the
Astrophel and Stella series is matter of conjecture.
It is
possible that by some accident Sidney's own copies were
selected.
destroyed, and that
we owe
these additional
poems
to the
fortunate preservation of duplicates in the,possession of
the Countess of
Pembroke.
(I.)
That hardly
11. 12.
usde,
etc.
—
i.e.,
that a prisoner
harsh treatment, in making his escape,
is
justified
by
and does not
thereby break his parole.
(2.)
10.
Dead
palsie sicke.
—To be construed as a single adjective=
Sick of a deadly palsy in
12.
Andean
crie
—
Mpe.—" And
"
all
my
crie,
parts.
O, helpe," Diana, 1594.
13.
No
14.
Staruing.—" Sis.Tam.enng," Diana.
wit.
'S!io
v/\\\,"
Diana.
Q
2
NOTES.
228
(3-)
8.
Thereus
.
.
Philomela.
.
— Tereiis,
King of the Thracians,
persuaded Philomela to marry him by protesting that
wife, her sister Procne,
on discovering the
was dead.
Procne was
his
alive, and,
fraud, the sisters fled together.
When
nearly overtaken they were changed, on prayer to the
gods, Procne to a swallow, Philomela to a nightingale
;
while Tereus became a hoopoo, or according to other
versions of the legend, a hawk.
According to the theory advanced in the Introduction,
and the two following sonnets
will
Wilton, during the spring of 1580, while
on Sidney's meeting her again
to Stella
the
summer.
but
it is
No
this
have been written
(7) is
at
addressed
in the course of
record of such a meeting
is
preserved,
impossible to maintain that Sidney was deeply in
love with Stella during 1580, and that he allowed nine
months
to pass vrithout seeing her.
(6.)
—For
the two
words "clay some," Diana reads "day-some,"
surely a
10. Lives to
impart
misprint.
my
wearie clay some hreath.
But the Diana hyphen has encouraged Dr.
Grosart to read "clay-some" as an adjective applying to
breath.
NOTES.
229
(7.)
7.
The
moltL',
—
i.e.,
a mole.
(8.)
For the import.ance of
and
xxiv.
It is
this
song see Introduction, pp.
xiii.
hardly possible that the conjecture can
be wrong which associates
ment on hearing of
with Sidney's bitter resent-
it
Stella's marriage.
I die in Phanix fire, cf. Sonnet
demand of Phoenix Stella's state.''
Yet shall
xcii.
"When
I
(9-)
From
the
last
verse but one
the two which follow
it,
imagine
I
to
this
poem,
Sidney was meeting Stella after her marriage,
thus either out of
series,
its
order, or
like
have been written when
(12)
is
must form part of the same
instead of having been written
when Sidney
first
heard of the loss of all his hopes. But the order of these
" Certaine Sonets " is by no means plainly chronological.
(I3-)
Dr.
Grosart
adopts the bold step of printing
this
the following Sonnet as CIX. and ex. of Astrophel
Stella.
ture
There seems
little justification for
from the text of
Sonnets,
all
the
such a depar-
editions^ but these
with the motto subjoined
to
and
and
them,
two
are un-
doubtedly, intended, to close the book of Sidney's ill-fated
lov.e.
NOTES.
230
NOTE.
The
following are the editions of Astrophel
and
Stella,
published during the sixteenth century, and of importance
in the construction of a text.
His Astrophel and Stella
Syr P.S.
|
wherein the
|
To
I
lence of sweete
poesie is concluded.
I
are added, sundry
|
excel-
the end of which
other rare Sonnets of divers Noble
|
men and Gentlemen. At London.
Newman. Anno Domini. 1591.
|
|
|
Printed for
Thomas
|
Pp. So. Sig. A-L, in fourSj Title, A i, Dedication '* To the worshipfull and his very good freend, Ma. Frauncis Flower Esquire, increase
of all content," signed
'*Tho. Newman,** Aii; "Somewhat to
reade for them that list," signed " yours in all desire to please, Tho.
:
:
A3, 4; "Sir P. S. His Astrophel and Stella," pp. 1-61
Nash."
" Poemes and Sonets of sundrie other Noble men and Gentlemen,"
pp. 62-80.
(11.)
[Another Edition.]
At London.
Printed for Matthew
Lownes.
A reprint of
the above with trifling alterations. The editofj if there
were one, had no means of supplying the lines which id two or three
of the sonnets had accidentally been omitted from Newman's first
edition.
The asserted existence of a copy of this edition of Lownes,
with the date 1591 on the title page, appears to be a mistake.
NOTES.
231
(in.)
P.
Sir
his
S.
Astrophel
|
excellence of sweete
and
Poesie
|
is
|
Stella.
Wherein
|
concluded.
the
At London,
|
|
Thomas Newman.
Printed for
Pp. 61.
Sig.,
AH.,
in fours.
|
Anno Domini.
1591.
Title, A.
(IV.)
The
Countesse
I
Sir
|
Pembrokes
of
Sidney
Philip
I
|
Knight.
|
Arcadia.
Now
Written
|
the
third
by
time
|
published,
Author.
with
sundry new additions
London
Anno Domini.
|
|
of the
same
Imprinted for William Ponsonbie.
|
1598.
Pp. 576., preceded by three unnumbered leaves, containing the
page, Sidney's letter
'To my deare lady and sister, the
Countesse of Pembroke," and a preface "To the Reader" signed
H. S. pp. 1-471. The Arcadia pp. 472-490, " Certaine Sonets
written by Sir Philip Sidney
never before printed " pp. 491-518,
"The Defence of Poesie, by Sir Philip Sidney Knight " pp. 519-569,
" Astrophel and Stella," written by the noble Knight Sir Philip Sidney
pp. 570-576, The " Masque of May."
title
;
;
:
;
;
This edition was immediately reprinted in Edinburgh, with only
Dublin. During the next century it
; and also in
went through numerous editions.
trifling alterations
On
the relations of the four editions here specified, see the
Introduction, p. 36.
In connection with the quartos two
entries in the Register of the Stationers'
interest.
The
first
Company
are of
has been often quoted.
Item paid to John Wolf when he ryd with an answere to my Lord
Treasurer, beinge with her maiestie in progress for the takinge in of
bookes intituled Sir
S. P.
Astrophell and Stella,
xvs.
NOTES.
232
It
has been justly remarked that this entry does not enable
us to decide with certainty whether the books "taken
in "
were those of Matthew Lownes
Newman
Newman,
or.
Sidneys.
The mention, however,
those of
and the despatch of a
the affair was
alternative the
of
at the instance of
the instance of the
at
Lord Treasurer,
of the
special messenger, as showing that
some importance, make
more probable
;
and another
two higher up on the page, strongly
the
latter
entry, only
confirms
this
(1591) for carryeinge of
New-
view.
Item paid the xviiith of September,
man's bookes to the hall, iiiid.
It is
hardly possible to avoid the conclusion that the books
here mentioned are those subsequently alluded to as
" taken in "
;
for the
Company would
not have been
at
charges for the canning of books of Newman's for that
too enterprising publisher's convenience, while
naturally have to
it
pay the carriage of copies which
would
it
had
seized.
this edition the text of the
In preparing
rigidly
followed,
alteration,
modem
with these
hannless,
I
hope, because
usage of the letters
substituted
for
the
1598
folio
exceptions.
i
and
EHzabethan.
By an
invariable,
u and
/,
has been
(i.)
(ii.)
v,
The
the
has been
original
punctuation has been, throughout, abandoned as hopeless,
(iii.)
Twenty-five
obvious
misprints
on very
plainly inferior readings have been corrected from the
quartos
v.
;
one such correction, kindest for hidnest, in Song
has been
made from
the folio of 1613
;
of
two others,
the
NOTES.
Rist,
yolden
the editor
is
due
tions
iox golden in
Dr. Grosart.
to
from the Quartos
hoped that no
Sonnet
viii.
"
this
A
list
is
appended.
but
a conjecture of
is
"moues"
in
ci. 9,
of the twenty-five correc-
hardly to be
It is
been made in transcripvariations from the folio
all
must be confessed as
5,
"too coldly"
for
errors of carelessness.
"do
coldly";
xii.
2,
"daimces"; xvi. 9, "this young lyon "
lyon" ; xvii. 4, " place " for "pace " ; xviii. 5,
for
"hath lent"
"blist";
"clos'd
" for
list
"day-nets"
for
mones
single slip has
tion or proof-reading,
not in this
Sonnet xxxvi.,
the second, "
;
233
for
xxvi, 3,
"have lent"; xxiv. 4, "rich" for
"waies" for "weighs''; xxxii. 6,
up"for "close up";
xlvii.
12,
"vnsh"for "with"; Ixviii.
"blinded"; Ixxxiv. 6, "safe-left"
Ixiv. 12,
Ixxxvi. 14,
"one's "for "once'';
"go "
for
xc. 9,
"do";
for
"kindled "for
8,
"safe-lest";
"could
I
" for
"I could"; xciii. 11, "she did sit "for "she sit"; xcv. 8,
"arms" for "arme"'; xcviii. 11, "markes" for "makes'';
" sugred " for "surged"; ci. 6, "palenesse" for
" palanesse " ; cv. 11, " whome " for "whence"; cvi.
c. 9,
6,
5,
Song
"famisht"for "famist.''
"art";
"on
vi.
6,4, " Musicke's
this''
for
"on
this
" for
side";
v.
2, l,
"wert"for
" Musicke
xi. 5, 3,
"
;
vi.
8,
"they "for
"thy.'
HENDERSON, RAIT, AND SPALDING, PRINTERS, MARYLEBONE LANE, W.