Tottel sig. Niir

[sig. Niir]

Songes and Sonettes of
vncertain auctours.

The complaint of a louer
with sute to his loue
for pitie. +

I F euer wofull man might moue your hartes to ruthe, Good ladies here his woful plaint, whose deth shal try his truth And rightfull iudges be on this his true report: If he deserue a louers name among the faithfull sort. (5) Fiue hundred times the Sunne hath lodged him in the west: Since in my hart I harbred first of all the goodlyest gest. Whose worthynesse to shew my wits are all to faynt. And I lack cunning of the scooles, in colours her to paynt. But this I briefly say in wordes of egall weight. (10) So void of vice was neuer none, nor with such vertues freight. And for her beauties prayse, no wight, that with her warres. For, where she comes, she shewes her self as sun among the starres +But Lord, thou wast to blame, to frame such parfitenesse: And puttes no pitie in her hart, my sorowes to redresse. (15) For if ye knew the paines, and panges, that I haue past: A wonder would it be to you, how that my life hath last. When all the Gods agreed, that Cupide with his bow Should shote his arrowes from her eies, on me his might to show I knew it was in vain my force to trust vpon: (20) And well I wist, it was no shame, to yelde to such a one. Then did I me submit with humble hart and mynde, To be her man for euermore: as by the Gods assinde. And since that day, no wo, wherwith loue might torment, Could moue me from this faithfull band: or make me once repent. (25) Yet haue I felt full oft the hottest of his fire: The bitter teares, the scalding sighes, the burning hote desire. And with a sodain sight the trembling of the hart: And how the blood doth come, and go, to succour euery part. When that a pleasant looke hath lift me in the ayer: (30) A frowne hath made me fall as fast into a depe despayer. And when that I ere this, my tale could well by hart: And that my tong had learned it, so that no word might start: The sight of her hath set my wittes in such a stay: That to be lord of all the world, one word I could not say.