| Seccombe and Arber, comps. Elizabethan Sonnets. 1904. | | | | Parthenophil and Parthenophe | | Madrigal 3. Once in an arbour was my Mistress sleeping | | Barnabe Barnes (1569?–1609) |
| | | ONCE in an arbour was my Mistress sleeping, | |
| With rose and woodbine woven, | |
| Whose person, thousand graces had in keeping, | |
| Where for mine heart, her heart’s hard flint was cloven | |
| To keep him safe. Behind, stood, pertly peeping, | 5 |
| Poor CUPID, softly creeping, | |
| And drave small birds out of the myrtle bushes, | |
| Scared with his arrows, who sate cheeping | |
| On every sprig; whom CUPID calls and hushes | |
| From branch to branch: whiles I, poor soul! sate weeping | 10 |
| To see her breathe (not knowing) | |
| Incense into the clouds, and bless with breath | |
| The winds and air; whiles CUPID, underneath, | |
| With birds, with songs, nor any posies throwing, | |
| Could her awake. | 15 |
| Each noise, sweet lullaby was, for her sake! | | | | |
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