Calling to minde since first my loue begunne, Th’ incertaine times oft varying in their course, How things still vnexpectedly haue runne, As please the fates, by their resistlesse force:  Lastly, mine eyes amazedly haue scene, Essex great fall, Tyrone his peace to gaine, The quiet end of that long-liuing Queene, This Kings faire entrance, and our peace with Spaine, We and the Dutch at length our selues to seuer.  Thus the world doth, and euermore shall reele, Yet to my goddesse am I constant euer; How ere blind fortune turne her giddy wheele: 
  Though heauen and earth proue both to mee vntrue,
Yet am I still inuiolate to you.

Sonnet 57

    You best discern’d of my interior eies,
    And yet your graces outwardly diuine,
    Whose deare remembrance in my bosome lies,
    Too riche a relique for so poore a shrine: 
    You in whome Nature chose herselfe to view,
    When she her owne perfection would admire,
    Bestowing all her excellence on you;
    At whose pure eies Loue lights his halowed fire,
    Euen as a man that in some traunce hath scene,
    More than his wondring vttrance can vnfolde,
    That rapt in spirite in better worlds hath beene,
    So must your praise distractedly be tolde;
      Most of all short, when I should shew you most,
      In your perfections altogether lost.

Sonnet 58

    In former times, such as had store of coyne,
    In warres at home, or when for conquests bound,
    For feare that some their treasures should purloyne,
    Gaue it to keepe to spirites within the ground;
    And to attend it, them so strongly tide,
    Till they return’d, home when they neuer came,
    Such as by art to get the same haue tride,
    From the strong spirits by no means get the same,
    Neerer you come, that further flies away,
    Striuing to holde it strongly in the deepe: 
    Euen as this spirit, so she alone doth play,
    With those rich Beauties heauen giues her to keepe: 
      Pitty so left, to coldenes of her blood,
      Not to auaile her, nor do others good.

To Sir Walter Aston, Knight of the honourable
        order of the Bath, and my most
               worthy Patron

    I will not striue m’ inuention to inforce,
    With needlesse words your eyes to entertaine,
    T’ obserue the formall ordinarie course
    That euerie one so vulgarly doth faine: 
    Our interchanged and deliberate choise,
    Is with more firme and true election sorted,
    Then stands in censure of the common voice. 
    That with light humor fondly is transported: 
    Nor take I patterne of another’s praise,
    Then what my pen may constantly avow. 
    Nor walke more publique nor obscurer waies
    Then vertue bids, and iudgement will allow;
      So shall my tone, and best endeuours serue you,
      And still shall studie, still so to deserue you.
                                  Michaell Drayton.