| Samuel Waddington, comp. The Sonnets of Europe. 1888. | | | | A Stolen Glove | | By Francesco Petrarca (1304–1374) |
| | Translated by Charles Bagot Cayley
OH lovely hand, thou that my heart dost wring, | |
| And shut my life up in that narrow space, | |
| Hand, to which heaven and Nature, to win grace | |
| Themselves, did all their zeal and cunning bring! | |
| In yon five pearls of orient colouring | 5 |
| (Though keen and cruel in my single case) | |
| Five taper fingers Love before my face | |
| Hath bared awhile—what wealth on me to fling! | |
| Oh white and dainty glove, oh glove, which hast | |
| Covered such roses fresh and ivory clear, | 10 |
| Has mortal ever seen so sweet a prey? | |
| I would I held her charming veil as fast; | |
| But oh, the unfaithfulness of all things here! | |
| ’Tis but a theft, and will be plucked away. | | | | |
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