| Edward Farr, ed. Select Poetry of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth. 1845. | | | | Sonet LI | | XI. Henry Lok |
| | From the “First Centurie of Sonets”
WHILST in the garden of this earthly soile | |
| Myself to solace and to bath I bend, | |
| And fain would quench sin’s heat, which seems to boile | |
| Amidst my secret thoughts, which shadow lend: | |
| My sence and reasons which should me defend, | 5 |
| As iudges chosen to the common weale, | |
| Allur’d by lust, my ruine do pretend | |
| By force of sin, which shamelesse they reueale: | |
| They secretly on my affections steale, | |
| When modestie my maides I sent away, | 10 |
| To whom for helpe I thought I might appeale, | |
| But grace yet strengthens me to say them nay: | |
| Yet they accuse me, Lord, and die I shall, | |
| If Christ my Daniell be not iudge of all. | | | | |
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