A sweet Sonnet, wherein the Lover Exclaimeth against
Fortune, for the losse of his Ladyes favour, almost past hope to get again, and in the
end receives a comfortable answer and attains his desire, as may here appear.
The tune is, Fortune my Foe.
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The Lovers complaint for the losse of his Love.
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FOrtune my Foe why dost thou frown on me?
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And will thy favour never better be?
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Wilt thou I say for over bred my pain?
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And wilt thou not restore my joyes again?
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Fortune hath wrought my grief and great decay
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Fortune hath falsly stoln my Love away,
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My love and joy whose sight did make me glad,
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Such great misfortunes never Youngman had.
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Had Fortune took my treasure and my store,
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Fortune had never grievd me half so sore,
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But taking her whereon my heart did stay.
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Fortune thereby hath took my life away.
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Far worse then death my life I lead in wo,
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With bitter thoughts still tossed to and fro.
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O cruell chance thou breeder of my pain,
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Take life or else restore my love again.
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In vain I sigh in vain I wail and weep,
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In vain mine eies refrain from quiet sleep.
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In vain I shed my tears both night and day,
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In vain my sobs my sorrows do bewray.
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My love doth not my piteous plaint espie,
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Nor feels my love what griping grief I trie,
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Full well may I fals Fortunes deeds reprove
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Fortune that so unkindly keeps my love.
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Where should I seek or search my Love to find,
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When Fortune fleets and wavers as the wind,
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Sometimes aloft sometimes again below,
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Thus tottering Fortune totter-th too and fro,
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Then will I leave my love in Fortunes hands,
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My dearest Love in most unconstant bands,
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And onlie serve the sorrow due to me,
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Sorrow hereafter thou shalt my mistris be.
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And onlie joy that sometimes conquers Kings,
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Fortune thus rules on earth and earthly things,
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So that alone I live not in this wo,
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For manie more hath Fortune served so.
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No man alive can Fortunes spight withstand,
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By wisdome skill or mighty strength of hand.
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In midst of mirth she bringeth bitter moan,
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And wo to me that hath her hatred known
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If wisdomes eyes had but blind Fortune seen.
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Then had my Love my Love for ever been,
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Then love farewell though fortune conquer thee
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No Fortune frail shall ever conq[u]er me.
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The Ladyes comfortable and pleasant Answer
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AH sillie Soul art thou so sore afraid,
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Mourn not my Dear nor be not so dismaid
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Fortune cannot with all her power nor skill,
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Enforce my heart to think thee any ill.
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Blame not thy chance nor envie not thy choice
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No cause thou hast to curse but to rejoyce.
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Fortune shall not thy joy and love deprive.
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If by my love it may remain alive.
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Receive therefore thy life again to thee
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Thy life and love shall not be lost by me
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And while thy heart upon thy life doth stay
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Fortune shall never steal the same away;
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Live thou in blisse and banish death to hell
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All carefull thoughts see thou from thee expell:
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As thou dost wish thy Love agrees to be,
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For proof thereof behold I come to thee:
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In vain therefore do neither wail nor weep,
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In vain therefore break not thy quiet sleep:
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Wast not in vain thy time in sorrow so:
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For why thy love delights to ease thy wo
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Full well thy love thy privie pangs doth see,
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And soon thy love will send to succour thee.
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Tho wel thou maist false Fortunes deeds reprove
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Yet cannot Fortune keep away thy love.
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Nor will thy love at Fortunes back abide,
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Whose fickle wheele doth often slip aside.
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And never think that Fortune beareth sway.
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If Vertue watch and will not her obey,
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Pluck up thy heart supprest with brinish tears,
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Torment thee not but take away thy fears.
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Thy Mistris mind brooks no unconstant bands,
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Much lesse to live in ruling fortunes hands.
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Though mightie Kings by Fortune get the soile
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Loosing thereby their travell and th[e]ir toile,
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Though Fortune be to them a cruell Foe,
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Fortune shall not make me to serve thee so,
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For Fortunes spight thou needst not care a pin
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For thou thereby shalt neither loose nor win,
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If faithfull love and favour I do find
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My recompence shall not remain behind,
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Die not in fear nor live not discontent,
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Be thou not slain where never blood was meant,
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Revive again to faint thou hast no need.
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The lesse afraid the better thou shalt speed,
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