| Seccombe and Arber, comps. Elizabethan Sonnets. 1904. | | | | Idea | | Sonnet 23. Love banished heaven, in earth was held in scorn | | Michael Drayton (1563–1631) |
| | [First printed in 1599 (No. 24), and in all later editions.] |
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LOVE banished heaven, in earth was held in scorn; | |
| Wand’ring abroad in need and beggary: | |
| And wanting friends, though of a goddess born, | |
| Yet craved the alms of such as passèd by. | |
| I, like a man devout and charitable, | 5 |
| Clothèd the naked, lodged this wandering guest; | |
| With sighs and tears still furnishing his table, | |
| With what might make the miserable blest. | |
| But this Ungrateful! for my good desert, | |
| Inticed my thoughts, against me to conspire; | 10 |
| Who gave consent to steal away my heart, | |
| And set my breast (his lodging) on a fire. | |
| Well, well, my friends! when beggars grow thus bold; | |
| No marvel then, though Charity grow cold. | | | |
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