1
Whenmyloveswearsthatsheismadeoftruth,Idobelieveher,thoughIknowshelies,Thatshemightthinkmesomeuntutoredyouth,Unskilfulintheworld\'sfalseforgeries。
Thusvainlythinkingthatshethinksmeyoung,AlthoughIknowmyyearsbepastthebest,Ismilingcreditherfalse-speakingtongue,Outfacingfaultsinlovewithlove\'sillrest。
Butwhereforesaysmylovethatsheisyoung?
AndwhereforesaynotIthatIamold?
O,love\'sbesthabit\'sinasoothingtongue,Andageinlovelovesnottohaveyearstold。
ThereforeI\'llliewithlove,andlovewithme,Sincethatourfaultsinlovethussmotheredbe。
2
TwolovesIhave,ofcomfortanddespair,Thatliketwospiritsdosuggestmestill;
Mybetterangleisamanrightfair,Myworserspiritawomancolouredill。
Towinmesoontohell,myfemaleevilTemptethmybetterangelfrommyside,Andwouldcorruptmysainttobeadevil,Wooinghispuritywithherfairpride。
Andwhetherthatmyanglebeturnedfiend,SuspectImay,yetnotdirectlytell;
Forbeingbothtome,bothtoeachfriend,Iguessoneangelinanother\'shell。
ThetruthIshallnotknow,butliveindoubt,Tillmybadangelfiremygoodoneout。
3
Didnottheheavenlyrhetoricofthineeye,\'Gainstwhomtheworldcouldnotholdargument,Persuademyhearttothisfalseperjury?
Vowsfortheebrokedeservenotpunishment。
AwomanIforswore;butIwillprove,Thoubeingagoddess,Iforsworenotthee:
Myvowwasearthly,thouaheavenlylove;
Thygracebeinggainedcuresalldisgraceinme。
Myvowwasbreath,andbreathavapouris;
Then,thoufairsun,thatonthisearthdothshine,Exhal\'stthisvapourvow;intheeitis:
Ifbroken,thenitisnofaultofmine。
Ifbymebroke,whatfoolisnotsowiseTobreakanoath,towinaparadise?
4
SweetCytherea,sittingbyabrookWithyoungAdonis,lovely,freshandgreen,Didcourttheladwithmanyalovelylook,Suchlooksasnonecouldlookbutbeauty\'squeen。
Shetoldhimstoriestodelighthiscar;
Sheshowedhimfavourstoallurehiseye;
Towinhisheart,shetouchedhimhereandthere;
Touchessosoftstillconquerchastity。
Butwhetherunripeyearsdidwantconceit,Orherefusedtotakeherfiguredproffer,Thetendernibblerwouldnottouchthebait,Butsmileandjestateverygentleoffer:
Thenfellsheonherback,fairqueen,andtoward:
Heroseandranaway;ah,fooltoofroward。
5
Iflovemakemeforsworn,howshallIsweartolove?
Oneverfaithcouldhold,ifnottobeautyvowed:
Thoughtomyselfforsworn,totheeI\'llconstantprove;
Thosethoughts,tomelikeoaks,totheelikeosiersbowed。
Studyhisbiasleaves,andmakeshisbookthineeyes,Whereallthosepleasureslivethatartcancomprehend。
Ifknowledgebethemark,toknowtheeshallsuffice;
Welllearnedisthattonguethatwellcantheecommend:
Allignorantthatsoulthatseestheewithoutwonder;
Whichistomesomepraise,thatIthypartsadmire。
ThineeyeJove\'slightningseems,thyvoicehisdreadfulthunder,Which,nottoangerbent,ismusicandsweetfire。
Celestialasthouart,Odonotlovethatwrong,Tosingheaven\'spraisewithsuchanearthlytongue。
6
ScarcehadthesundriedupthedewymornAndscarcetheherdgonetothehedgeforshade,WhenCytherea,allinloveforlorn,AlongingtarrianceforAdonismadeUnderanosiergrowingbyabrook,AbrookwhereAdonusedtocoolhisspleen。
Hotwastheday;shehotterthatdidlookForhisapproach,thatoftentherehadbeen。
Anonhecomes,andthrowshismantleby,Andstoodstarknakedonthebrook\'sgreenbrim:
Thesunlookedontheworldwithgloriouseye,Yetnotsowistlyasthisqueenonhim。
He,spyingher,bouncedinwhereashestood;
\'OJove,\'quothshe,\'whywasnotIaflood!\'
7
Fairismylove,butnotsofairasfickle;
Mildasadove,butneithertruenortrusty;
Brighterthanglass,andyet,asglassis,brittle;
Softerthanwax,andyetasironrusty;
Alilypale,withdamaskdyetograceher;
Nonefairer,nornonefalsertodefaceher。
Herlipstominehowoftenhathshejoined,Betweeneachkissheroathsoftrueloveswearing!
Howmanytalestopleasemehathshecoined,Dreadingmylove,thelossthereofstillfearing!
YetinthemidstofallherpureprotestingsHerfaith,heroaths,hertears,andallwerejestings。
Sheburnedwithlove,asstrawwithfireflameth;
Sheburnedoutlove,assoonasstrawout-burneth;
Sheframedthelove,andyetshefoiledtheframing;
Shebadelovelast,andyetshefella-turning。
Wasthisalover,oralecherwhether?
Badinthebest,thoughexcellentinneither。
8
Ifmusicandsweetpoetryagree,Astheymustneeds,thesisterandthebrother,Thenmustthelovebegreat\'twixttheeandme,Becausethoulov\'sttheoneandItheother。
Dowlandtotheeisdear,whoseheavenlytouchUponthelutedothravishhumansense;
Spensertome,whosedeepconceitissuchAspassingallconceitneedsnodefence。
Thoulov\'sttohearthesweetmelodioussoundThatPhoebus\'lute,thequeenofmusic,makes;
AndIindeepdelightamchieflydrownedWhenashimselftosinginghebetakes。
Onegodisgodofboth,aspoetsfeign;
Oneknightlovesboth,andbothintheeremain。
9
Fairwasthemorn,whenthefairqueenoflove,Palerforsorrowthanhermilk-whitedove,ForAdon\'ssake,ayoungsterproudandwild,Herstandshetakesuponasteep-uphill,AnonAdoniscomeswithhornandhounds;
She,sillyqueen,withmorethanlove\'sgoodwill,Forbadetheboyheshouldnotpassthosegrounds。
\'Once\',quothshe,\'didIseeafairsweetyouthHereinthesebrakesdeep-woundedwithaboar,Deepinthethigh,aspectacleofruth!
See,inmythigh,\'quothshe,\'herewasthesore。\'
Sheshowedhers;hesawmorewoundsthanone,Andblushingfled,andleftherallalone。