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Home  »  Elizabethan Sonnets  »  The First Decade. Sonnet I. Resolved to love, unworthy to obtain

Seccombe and Arber, comps. Elizabethan Sonnets. 1904.

Diana

The First Decade. Sonnet I. Resolved to love, unworthy to obtain

Henry Constable (1562–1613)

RESOLVED to love, unworthy to obtain,

I do no favour crave; but, humble wise,

To thee my sighs in verse I sacrifice,

Only some pity, and no help to gain.

Hear then! and as my heart shall aye remain

A patient object to thy lightning eyes;

A patient ear bring thou to thund’ring cries!

Fear not the crack! when I the blow sustain.

So as thine eye bred mine ambitious thought;

So shall thine ear make proud my voice for joy.

Lo, Dear! what wonders great by thee are wrought,

When I but little favours do enjoy.

The voice is made the ear for to rejoice:

And your ear giveth pleasure to my voice.