Silvia Who hath the hair, which loosest fastest tieth? Who hath the voice, which soul from senses sunders? Doubt you to whom my Muse these notes intendeth, Philip Sidney [1554-1586] SILVIA From "The Two Gentlemen of Verona" WHO is Silvia? What is she? That all our swains commend her? Holy, fair, and wise is she; The heaven such grace did lend her, Is she kind as she is fair? For beauty lives with kindness: To help him of his blindness; Then to Silvia let us sing, That Silvia is excelling; She excels each mortal thing 1 Upon the dull earth dwelling: To her let us garlands bring.. William Shakespeare (1564-1616] CUPID AND CAMPASPE He stakes his quiver, bow, and arrows, The coral of his lip, the rose Growing on's cheek (but none knows how); O Love! has she done this to thee? John Lyly [1554?—1606] APOLLO'S SONG From "Midas " My Daphne's hair is twisted gold, On Daphne's check grow rose and cherry, Daphne's snowy hand but touched does melt, My Daphne's voice tunes all the spheres, My Daphne's music charms all cars. These glories now are turned to bays. John Lyly [1554?-1606] "FAIR IS MY LOVE FOR APRIL'S IN HER FACE " From "Perimedes" FAIR is my love for April's in her face, Her lovely breasts September claims his part, And lordly July in her eyes takes place, But cold December dwelleth in her heart; Blest be the months that set my thoughts on fire, Like Phoebus' fire, so sparkle both her eyes, As earth, her heart, cold, dateth me to death: In pomp sits mercy seated in her face, Love 'twixt her breasts his trophies doth imprint, Her eyes shine favor, courtesy, and grace, T But touch her heart, ah, that is framed of flint! Therefore my harvest in the grass bears grain; The rock will wear, washed with a winter's rain. Robert Greene [1560?-1592] SAMELA From "Menaphon" LIKE to Diana in her summer weed, Girt with a crimson robe of brightest dye, Whiter than be the flocks that straggling feed, As fair Aurora in her morning-gray, Like lovely Thetis on a calmèd day, Whenas her brightness Neptune's fancy move, Her tresses gold, her eyes like glassy streams, Her cheeks like rose and lily yield forth gleams; Thus fair Samela Passeth fair Venus in her bravest hue, Pallas, in wit, all three, if you well view, Yield to Samela. Robert Greene [1560?~1592] DAMELUS' SONG OF HIS DIAPHENIA DIAPHENIA like the daffadowndilly, White as the sun, fair as the lily, Heigh ho, how I do love thee! I do love thee as my lambs Are beloved of their dams; How blest were I if thou would'st prove me. Diaphenia like the spreading roses, That in thy sweets all sweets encloses, I do love thee as each flower Loves the sun's life-giving power; For dead, thy breath to life might move me. Diaphenia like to all things blessed, Dear joy, how I do love thee! Then in requite, sweet virgin, love me! Henry Constable [1562-1613] MADRIGAL My love in her attire doth show her wit, It doth so well become her; For every season she hath dressings fit, I SAW fair Chloris walk alone, Thence falling on her garment's hem, Unknown "THERE IS A LADY SWEET AND KIND" THERE is a lady sweet and kind, Her gesture, motion, and her smiles, Cupid is winged and doth range, But change she earth, or change she sky, Unknown |