| Seccombe and Arber, comps. Elizabethan Sonnets. 1904. | | | | Astrophel and Stella | | I. Loving in truth, and fain in verse my love to show | | Sir Philip Sidney (1554–1586) |
| | | LOVING in truth, and fain in verse my love to show, | |
| That She, dear She! might take some pleasure of my pain; | |
| Pleasure might cause her read, reading might make her know, | |
| Knowledge might pity win, and pity grace obtain: | |
| I sought fit words to paint the blackest face of woe, | 5 |
| Studying inventions fine, her wits to entertain; | |
| Oft turning others’ leaves, to see if thence would flow | |
| Some fresh and fruitful showers upon my sunburnt brain: | |
| But words came halting forth, wanting Invention’s stay. | |
| Invention Nature’s child, fled step-dame’s Study’s blows; | 10 |
| And others’ feet still seemed but strangers’ in my way. | |
| Thus great with child to speak, and helpless in my throes; | |
| Biting my trewand pen, beating myself for spite: | |
| “Fool!” said my Muse, “look in thy heart, and write!” | | | | |
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