| Seccombe and Arber, comps. Elizabethan Sonnets. 1904. | | | | Fidessa | | Sonnet LXI. Fidessa’s worth in time begetteth praise | | Bartholomew Griffin (d. 1602) |
| | | FIDESSA’s worth in time begetteth praise, | |
| Time, praise; Praise, fame; Fame, wonderment; | |
| Wonder, fame, praise, time, her worth do raise | |
| To highest pitch of dread astonishment. | |
| Yet Time in time, her hardened heart bewrayeth: | 5 |
| And Praise itself, her cruelty dispraiseth. | |
| So that through Praise, alas, her praise decayeth: | |
| And that which makes it fall, her honour raiseth. | |
| Most strange! yet true. So wonder wonder still, | |
| And follow fast the wonder of these days! | 10 |
| For well I know (all wonder to fulfil) | |
| Her will at length unto my will obeys: | |
| Meantime, let others praise her constancy! | |
| And me attend upon her clemency! | | | | |
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