XLVIII

BUT of thy heart too cruel I thee tell,
Which hath tormented my young budding age,
And doth, unless your mildness passions quell,
My utter ruin near at hand presage.

Instead of blood which wont was to display

His ruddy red upon my hairless face,

By over-grieving that is fled away,

Pale dying colour there hath taken place.

Those curled locks which thou wast wont to twist

Unkempt, unshorn, and out of order been;

Since my disgrace I had of them no list,

Since when these eyes no joyful day have seen

Nor never shall till you renew again

The mutual love which did possess us twain.

XLIX

You that embrace enchanting poesy,
Be gracious to perplexèd Corin's lines;
You that do feel love's proud authority,
Help me to sing my sighs and sad designs.
Chloris, requite not faithful love with scorn,
But as thou oughtest have commiseration;
I have enough anatomised and torn

My heart, thereof to make a pure oblation.
Likewise consider how thy Corin prizeth
Thy parts above each absolute perfection,
How he of every precious thing deviseth
To make thee sovereign.

tion!

Grant me then affec

Else thus I prize thee: Chloris is alone

More hard than gold or pearl or precious stone.

L

COLIN, I know that in thy lofty wit

Thou wilt but laugh at these my youthful lines. Content I am they should in silence sit,

Obscured from light, to sing their sad designs;
But that it pleased thy grave shepherdhood
The patron of my maiden verse to be,
When I in doubt of raging envy stood;
And now I weigh not who shall Chloris see,
For fruit before it comes to full perfection

But blossoms is, as every man doth know;
So these being blooms and under thy protec-
tion,

In time I hope to ripeness more will grow.
And so I leave thee to thy worthy muse,

Desiring thee all faults here to excuse.

Printed by Ballantyne, Hanson & Co. London & Edinburgh

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