Nor ope my heart, that, from without, he there
His poisonous and ruthless shafts may fix.
No tears can now find issue from mine eyes,
But the way there so well they know to win,
That nothing now the pass to them denies.
Though the fierce ray rekindle me within,
It burns not all: her cruel and severe
Form may disturb, not break my slumbers here.
MACGREGOR.
SONNET LXIII.
Occhi, piangete; accompagnate il core.
DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE POET AND HIS EYES.
Playne ye, myne
eyes, accompanye my harte,
For, by your fault, lo, here
is death at hand!
Ye brought hym first into
this bitter band,
And of his harme as yett ye
felt no part;
But now ye shall: Lo!
here beginnes your smart.
Wett shall you be, ye shall
it not withstand
With weepinge teares that
shall make dymm your sight,
And mystic clowdes shall hang
still in your light.
Blame but yourselves that
kyndlyd have this brand,
With suche desyre to strayne
that past your might;
But, since by you the hart
hath caught his harme,
His flamed heat shall sometyme
make you warme.
HARRINGTON.
P. Weep, wretched eyes,
accompany the heart
Which only from your weakness death sustains.
E. Weep? evermore we weep; with keener
pains
For others’ error than our own we smart.
P. Love, entering first through you an
easy part,
Took up his seat, where now supreme he reigns.
E. We oped to him the way, but Hope the
veins
First fired of him now stricken by death’s
dart.
P. The lots, as seems to you, scarce equal
fall
’Tween heart and eyes, for you, at
first sight, were
Enamour’d of your common ill and shame.
E. This is the thought which grieves us
most of all;
For perfect judgments are on earth so rare
That one man’s fault is oft another’s
blame.
MACGREGOR.
SONNET LXIV.
Io amai sempre, ed amo forte ancora.
HE LOVES, AND WILL ALWAYS LOVE, THE SPOT AND THE HOUR IN WHICH HE FIRST BECAME ENAMOURED OF LAURA.
I always loved, I love sincerely
yet,
And to love more from day
to day shall learn,
The charming spot where oft
in grief I turn
When Love’s severities
my bosom fret:
My mind to love the time and
hour is set
Which taught it each low care
aside to spurn;
She too, of loveliest face,
for whom I burn
Bids me her fair life love
and sin forget.
Who ever thought to see in
friendship join’d,
On all sides with my suffering
heart to cope,
The gentle enemies I love
so well?
Love now is paramount my heart
to bind,
And, save that with desire
increases hope,
Dead should I lie alive where
I would dwell.