| Seccombe and Arber, comps. Elizabethan Sonnets. 1904. | | | | Diella | | Sonnet XXI. As winter’s rage, young plants unkindly spilleth | | Richard Linche (fl. 1596–1601) |
| | | AS winter’s rage, young plants unkindly spilleth; | |
| as hail, green corn; and lightnings, flowers perish; | |
| So man’s decay is Love! whose heart it killeth, | |
| if in his soul, he carefully it cherish. | |
| O how alluringly he offers grace; | 5 |
| and breathes new hope of life into our thought. | |
| With cheerful, pleasant (yet deceitful) face | |
| he creeps and fawns, till, in his net w’ are caught; | |
| Then, when he sees us captives by him led, | |
| and sees us prostrate, humbly craving help, | 10 |
| So fierce a lion, Lybia never bred! | |
| nor adder’s sting! nor any tigress’ whelp! | |
| O blest be they that never felt his force! | |
| LOVE hath, nor pity, mercy, nor remorse! | | | | |
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