Astrophil and Stella

by Philip Sidney

  1. Loving in trueth, and fayne my love in verse to show
  2. Not at first sight, nor with a dribbing shot
  3. Let Daintie wittes cry on the Sisters nine
  4. Vertue (alas) now let me take some rest
  5. It is most true, that eyes are found to serve
  6. Some Lovers speake, when they their Muses entertaine
  7. When nature made her chiefe worke, Stella’s eyes
  8. Love borne in Greece, of late fled from his native place
  9. Queene Vertues Court, which some call Stellas face
  10. Reason, in faith thou art well serv’d, that still
  11. In truth oh Love: with what a boyish kinde
  12. Cupid because thou shin’st in Stellas eyes
  13. Phœbus was Judge, betweene Jove, Mars, & love
  14. Alas, have I not paine enough my friend
  15. You that do search for every purling spring
  16. In nature apt to like, when I did see
  17. His mother deere Cupid offended late
  18. With what strange checkes I in my selfe am shent
  19. On Cupids bowe, how are my hart strings bent?
  20. Fly, flye my friends, I have my deathes wound, flye
  21. Your words my freend right helthfull caustickes blame
  22. In highest way of heaven the Sunne did ride
  23. The curious wits, seeing dull pensivenes
  24. Rich fooles there there be, whose base and filthie hart
  25. The wisest scholler of the wight most wise
  26. Though duskie wits dare scorne Astrologie
  27. Because I oft in darke abstracted guise
  28. You that with allegories curious frame
  29. Like some weake Lords Neighbord by mightie kings
  30. Whether the Turkish new Moone minded be
  31. With how sad steps ô Moone thou clim’st the skyes
  32. Morpheus the lively sonne of deadlie Sleepe
  33. I might, unhappy word, (woe me) I might
  34. Come let me write, and to what end? to ease
  35. What may words say? or what may words not say
  36. Stella, whence doth these newe assaults arise
  37. My mouth doth water, and my breast doth swell
  38. This night while sleepe begins, with heavie wings
  39. Come Sleepe, ô Sleepe, the certaine knot of peace
  40. As good to write, as for to lie and groane
  41. Having this days, my horse, my hand, my Launce
  42. O Eyes which doe the Spheres of beautie move
  43. Faire eyes, sweet lips, deere hart, that foolish I
  44. My words I know doe well set forth my minde
  45. Stella oft sees the verie face of woes
  46. I curst thee oft, I pittie now thy case
  47. What, have I thus betraide my libertie
  48. Soules joy, bend not those morning starres from me
  49. I on my horse, and Love on me doth trie
  50. Stella, the fulnes of my thoughts of thee
  51. Pardon mine eares, both I and they doe pray
  52. A Strife is growne betweene Vertue and Love
  53. In Martiall sportes I had my cunning tryde
  54. Because I breathe not love to every one
  55. Fie schoole of Patience, fie, your Lesson is
  56. Muses, I oft invoked your whole ayde
  57. Woe having made with many sighs his owne
  58. Doubt there hath beene, when with his golden chaine
  59. Deere, why make you more of a dogge than me?
  60. When my good Angell guides me to the place
  61. Oft with true sighes, oft with uncalled teares
  62. Late tyr’d with woe, even ready for to pine
  63. Oh Grammer rules, oh now your vertues showe
  64. No more my deere, no more these Counsels try
  65. Love, by sure proofe I may call thee unkinde
  66. And doe I see some cause a hope to feede
  67. Hope art thou true or doost thou flatter me?
  68. Stella, the only Plannet of my light
  69. Oh joy, too high for my Love still to showe
  70. My Muse may well grudge at my heavenly joy
  71. Who will in fayrest booke of nature know
  72. Desire, though thou mine olde companion art
  73. Love still a Boy, and oft a wanton is
  74. I Never dranke of Aganippe well
  75. Of all the Kings that ever heere did raigne
  76. Shee comes, and straight therewith her shining twins do move
  77. Those lookes, whose beames be joy, whose motion is delight
  78. Oh how the pleasant ayres of true love bee
  79. Sweete kisse, thy sweetes I faine would sweetely indite
  80. Sweet swelling lip well maiest thou swell in pride
  81. O Kisse which doth those ruddie gemmes impart
  82. Nymph of the garden where all beauties be
  83. Good brother Philip I have forborne you long
  84. High way since you my chiefe Pernassus be
  85. I see the house my harte thy selfe containe
  86. Alas whence comes this change of lookes?
  87. When I was forst from Stella ever deare
  88. Out Traytour absence dar’st thou counsell mee
  89. Now that of absence the most yrksome night
  90. Stella, thinke not that I by verse seeke fame
  91. Stella, while now by honours cruell might
  92. Be your words made (good sir) of Indean ware
  93. O Fate, ô fault, O curst child of my blisse
  94. Greefe find the words, for thou hast made my braine
  95. Yet sighes, deare sighes, in deede true friends you are
  96. Though with good cause thou lik’st so well the night
  97. Dian that faine would cheare her friend the Night
  98. Ah bed the feeld where joyes peace some do see
  99. When farre spent night perswades each mortall eie
  100. Oh teares, no teares, but shoures from beauties skyes
  101. Stella is sicke, and in that sick-bed lyes
  102. Where be those Roses, which so sweetned earst our eyes?
  103. O happie Thames that didst my Stella beare
  104. Envious wits what hath beene mine offence
  105. Unhappie sight and hath shee vanisht by
  106. O absent presence Stella is not here
  107. Stella since thou so right a Princesse art
  108. When sorrow (using my owne Siers might)

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