| Seccombe and Arber, comps. Elizabethan Sonnets. 1904. | | | | Laura—Part III. | | XXXIX. In vasty sea, fain would my slender Muse | | Robert Tofte (1561–1620) |
| | | IN vasty sea, fain would my slender Muse | |
| Wade in thy praise! to praise thy beauty right: | |
| But, Lady, I for pardon crave excuse. | |
| To break such waves, too brittle is her might! | |
| Meantime, with lowly verse, in humble show, | 5 |
| Along the shallow shore I’ll wading go. | |
| The time may come, perhaps ere it be long, | |
| That this my Quill, more bold, may write thy praise: | |
| And venture for to sail in th’ ocean strong; | |
| Though now, on gravelled shore it fearful stays. | 10 |
| And whereas now, to dip his foot he fears: | |
| He then shall dive himself o’er head and ears. Fano. | | | | |
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