| Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517–47). The Poetical Works. 1880. | | | | Songs and Sonnets | | On Sardanapalus’s dishonourable Life and miserable Death |
| | | TH’ Assyrian king, in peace, with foul desire | |
| And filthy lusts that stain’d his regal heart; | |
| In war, that should set princely hearts on fire, | |
| Did yield vanquisht for want of martial art. | |
| The dint of swords from kisses seemed strange; | 5 |
| And harder than his lady’s side, his targe: 1 | |
| From glutton feasts to soldier’s fare, a change; | |
| His helmet, far above a garland’s charge: | |
| Who scarce the name of manhood did retain, | |
| Drenched in sloth and womanish delight. | 10 |
| Feeble of spirit, impatient of pain, | |
| When he had lost his honour, and his right, | |
| (Proud time of wealth, in storms appalled with dread,) | |
| Murder’d himself, to shew some manful deed. | |
|
|
|
