Sir P.S.: His Astrophel and Stella: Wherein the excellence of sweete poesie is concludedSidney, Philip
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Sir P.S.: His Astrophel and Stella: Wherein the excellence of sweete poesie is concluded
Sidney, Philip
English poetry -- Early modern, 1500-1700; Sonnets, English
_12_ But valiant Rebels oft in fooles mouthes purchase fame,
I now then staine thy white with blackest blot of shame,
Both Rebel to the Sonne, and vagrant from the Mother,
For wearing _Venus_ badge, in every part of thee,
Unto _Dianaes_ traine thou runnaway didst flie:
Who faileth one is false, though trustie to another.
_13_ What is not this enough, nay farre worse commeth here:
A _Witch_ I say thou art, though thou so faire appeare.
For I protest, mine eyes never thy sight enjoyeth,
But I in mee am chang’d, I am alive and dead.
My feete are turn’d to rootes, my heart becommeth lead,
No witchcraft is so ill, as which mans minde destroyeth.
_14_ Yet Witches may repent, thou art farre worse than they:
Alas, that I am forst such evill of thee to say:
I say thou art a Divel though cloathd in Angels shining:
For thy face tempts my soule to leave the heavens for thee,
And thy words of refuse doo powre even hell on mee:
Who tempts, and tempting plagues are Divels in true defining.
_15_ You then ungrateful theefe, you murthering Tirant you,
You Rebell runnaway, to Lord and Lady untrue,
You Witch, you Divel (alas) you still in me beloved,
You see what I can say: mend yet your froward minde,
And such skill in my Muse you reconcil’d shall finde,
That by these cruell words your praises shal be proved.
_The Sixth Sonnet._
O You that heare this voice,
O you that see this face,
Say whether of the choice,
Deserves the better place,
Feare not to judge this bate,
For it is voide of hate.
_2_ This side doth Beautie take,
For that doth Musick speake,
Fit Orators to make,
The strongest judgements weake.
The barre to plead the right,
Is onely true delight.
_3_ Thus doth the voice and face,
The gentle Lawiers wage,
Like loving brothers case,
For Fathers heritage,
That each while each contends,
It selfe to other lends.
_4_ For Beautie beautifies
With heavenly view and grace,
The heavenly harmonie;
And in this faultles face
The perfect beauties bee,
A perfect harmonie.
_5_ Musick more lustie swels
In speeches nobly placed,
Beautie as farre excels
In actions aptly graced.
A friend each partie drawes,
To countenance his cause.
_6_ Love more affected seemes
To Beauties lonely light,
And wonder more esteemes
Of Musicks wondrous might;
But both to both so bent,
As both in both are spent.
_7_ Musicke doth witnes call
The eare his truth to trie:
Beautie brings to the hall
The judgement of the eie:
Both in their objects such,
As no exceptions tuch.
_8_ The common Sense which might
Be arbitrer of this,
To be forsooth upright,
To both sides partiall is:
He laies on this chiefe praise,
Chiefe praise on that he laies.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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