| Seccombe and Arber, comps. Elizabethan Sonnets. 1904. | | | | Parthenophil and Parthenophe | | Ode 8. In a shady grove of myrtle | | Barnabe Barnes (1569?–1609) |
| | | IN a shady grove of myrtle, | |
| Where birds musical resorted, | |
| With FLORA’s painted flowers fert’le, | |
| Which men with sight and scent comforted, | |
| Whilst turtles equally disported, | 5 |
| Where each Nymph looses | |
| Bunches of posies, | |
| Which into chaplets sweet they sorted! | |
| |
| There, seated in that lovely shade, | |
| With LAYA beautiful, there sate | 10 |
| A gentle Shepherd, which had made, | |
| ’Gainst evening twilight, somewhat late, | |
| An arbour built in sylvan state, | |
| Where, in exchange, | |
| Their eyes did range, | 15 |
| Giving each other, the checkmate. | |
| |
| He said, “Sweet comfort of my Life! | |
| Come and embrace PARTHENOPHIL!” | |
| “Met we,” said She, “to fall at strife! | |
| I will be gone! Ay, that I will!” | 20 |
| “I loved you long!” “Why, do so still!” | |
| “I cannot choose, | |
| If you refuse! | |
| But shall myself, with sorrow kill.” | |
| |
| With that, he sighed, and would have kissed! | 25 |
| And viewed her with a fearful smile: | |
| She turned, and said, “Your aim missed!” | |
| With sighs redoubled, the meanwhile, | |
| The Shepherd sate, but did compile | |
| Green-knotted rushings; | 30 |
| Then roundelays sings! | |
| And pleasant doth twilight beguile! | |
| |
| At length, he somewhat nearer presst, | |
| And, with a glance, the Nymph deceiving, | |
| He kissed her! She said, “Be at rest!” | 35 |
| Willing displeased, in the receiving! | |
| Thence, from his purpose, never leaving, | |
| He pressed her further! | |
| She would cry “Murder!” | |
| But somewhat was, her breath bereaving! | 40 |
| |
| At length, he doth possess her whole! | |
| Her lips! and all he would desire! | |
| And would have breathed in her, his soul! | |
| If that his soul he could inspire: | |
| Eft that chanced, which he did require, | 45 |
| A live soul possesst | |
| Her matron breast— | |
| Then waking, I found Sleep a liar! | | | | |
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