Love
Diana: Second Decade, Sonnet 4
From Elizabethan Sonnet-Cycles, ed. M. F. Crow (1896)
Lady, in beauty and in favour rare,
Of favour, not of due, I favour crave.
Nature to thee beauty and favour gave;
Fair then thou art, and favour thou may'st spare.
Nor when on me bestowed your favours are,
Less favour in your face you shall not have;
If favour then a wounded soul may save,
Of murder's guilt, dear Lady, then beware.
My loss of life a million fold were less
Than the least loss should unto you befall;
Yet grant this gift; which gift when I possess,
Both I have life and you no loss at all.
For by your favour only I do live,
And favour you may well both keep and give.
Cite this poem
MLA
Constable, Henry. “Diana: Second Decade, Sonnet 4.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/constable/15/.
Chicago
Constable, Henry. “Diana: Second Decade, Sonnet 4.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/constable/15/.
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