Seccombe and Arber, comps. Elizabethan Sonnets. 1904.
Astrophel and StellaLXXXII. Nymph of the garden! where all beauties be
Sir Philip Sidney (1554–1586)N
Beauties which do in excellency surpass
His, who till death lookt in a wat’ry glass;
Or hers, whom naked the Trojan boy did see.
Sweet garden nymph! which keeps the cherry tree,
Whose fruit doth far th’Hesperian taste surpass:
Most sweet fair! most fair sweet! do not, alas,
From coming near those cherries, banish me!
For though full of desire, empty of wit,
Admitted late by your best gracèd grace;
I caught at one of them a hungry bite:
Pardon that fault! Once more grant me the place;
And I do swear even by the same delight,
I will but kiss, I never more will bite.