¶ An excellent Sonnet of a Nimph. +Taken from Sidney, The Countesse of Pembroke’s Arcadia (1598), p. 368, with a title added and the metrical mark-up placed over the lines in superior numbers removed. Philoclea’s song is overheard by Pyrocles when he goes to her door ‘which should be the entrie to his happinesse, he was met with the latter end of a song, which Philoclea like a solitarie Nightingale, bewailing her guiltlesse punishment, &c helplesse misfortune, had newly deliuered ouer, meaning none should be iudge of her passion, but her owne conscience. The song hauing bene accorded to a sweetly playd on Lute, contained these verses, which she had lately with some art curiously written, to enwrap her secret and resolute woes’. Other copies are in: C5: 308/I.7, c. 1581, fol. 126v; F:H.b.1., 1600, fol. 114v; HN: HM 162, c. 1585, fol. 108v; L: Add. 38892, c. 1590, fol. 113v; L: Add. 41204, c. 1590, fol. 104v; L: Add. 41498, c. 1590, fol. 23; L: Add. 61821, c. 1595, fol. 71v; L: Harl. 7392 (2), c. 1585-90, fol. 66; NLW: Ottley Papers, c. 1584, fol. 2v; O: e Museo 37, c. 1588, fol. 131v; O2: MS. 301, c. 1585, fol. 81; O18: MS. 150, c. 1585, p. 168. Author: Sir Philip Sidney. Structure (May/Ringler): 14: ss quant.
V Ertue, beautie, and speech, did strike, wound, charme, My heart, eyes, eares, with wonder, loue, delight: First, second, last, did binde, enforce, and arme, His works, showes, sutes, with wit, grace, and vowes-might.
(5) Thus honour, liking, trust, much, farre, and deepe, Held, pearst, possest, my iudgement, sence, and will;