| Seccombe and Arber, comps. Elizabethan Sonnets. 1904. | | | | Parthenophil and Parthenophe | | Elegy XVIII. If neither Love, nor Pity can procure | | Barnabe Barnes (1569?–1609) |
| | | IF neither Love, nor Pity can procure | |
| Thy ruthless heart subscribe to my content; | |
| But if thou vow that I shall still endure | |
| This doubtful fear, which ever doth torment! | |
| If to thine eyes, thine heart can lend a fire, | 5 |
| Whiles cold disdain, upon them sets a lock | |
| To bar forth Pity, which kind hearts desire, | |
| Whiles the distressèd make prayers to a rock! | |
| If that thine eyes send out a sunny smile | |
| From underneath a cloudy frown of hate! | 10 |
| Plain love with counterfeasance, to beguile; | |
| Which, at thy windows, for some grace await! | |
| If thou, thine ears can open to thy praise, | |
| And them, with that report delighted, cherish. | |
| And shut them, when the Passionate assays | 15 |
| To plead for pity, then about to perish! | |
| If thou canst cherish graces in thy cheek, | |
| For men to wonder at, which thee behold! | |
| And they find furies, when thine heart they seek, | |
| And yet prove such as are extremely cold! | 20 |
| Now as I find no thought to man’s conceit; | |
| Then must I swear, to woman’s, no deceit! | | | | |
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