| Seccombe and Arber, comps. Elizabethan Sonnets. 1904. | | | | Chloris | | Sonnet XXII. O fairest Fair, to thee I make my plaint | | William Smith (fl. 1596) |
| | | O FAIREST Fair, to thee I make my plaint, | my plaint | |
| To thee from whom my cause of grief doth spring: | doth spring. | |
| Attentive be unto the groans, sweet Saint! | sweet Saint! | |
| Which unto thee in doleful tunes I sing. | I sing. | |
| My mournful Muse doth always speak of thee. | of thee. | 5 |
| My love is pure, O do not it disdain! | disdain! | |
| With bitter sorrow still oppress not me; | not me; | |
| But mildly look upon me which complain. | which complain. | |
| Kill not my true-affecting thoughts; but give | but give | |
| Such precious balm of comfort to my heart, | my heart, | 10 |
| That casting off despair, in hope to live, | hope to live, | |
| I may find help at length to ease my smart. | to ease my smart. | |
| So shall you add such courage to my love, | my love, | |
| That fortune false, my faith shall not remove. | shall not remove. | | | | |
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