Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Seccombe and Arber, comps. Elizabethan Sonnets. 1904.

Elegy II: Distance of place, my Love and me did part

Giles Fletcher (1586?–1623)

1.DISTANCE of place, my Love and me did part;

Yet both did swear, We never would remove!

In sign thereof, I bade her take my heart;

Which did, and doth, and cannot choose but, love.

Thus did we part, in hope to meet again;

Where both did vow most constant to remain.

2.A she there was that passed betwixt us both;

By whom each knew how other’s cause did fare:

For men to trust men in their love are loath.

Thus had we both of love a Lover’s care.

Haply he seeks his sorrows to renew,

That for his love, doth make another sue.

3.By her a kiss, a kiss to me She sent;

A kiss for price more worth than purest gold.

She gave it her. To me the kiss was meant.

A she to kiss: what harm if she were bold?

Happy those lips, that had so sweet a kiss!

For heaven itself scarce yields so sweet a bliss.

4.This modest she, blushing for shame of this,

Or loath to part from that she liked so well,

Did play false play; and gave me not the kiss:

Yet my Love’s kindness could not choose but tell.

Then blame me not, that kissing, sighed and swore,

“I kissed but her, whom you had kissed before!”

5.“Sweet, love me more! and blame me not, sweet Love!

I kissed those lips: yet, harmless, I do vow:

Scarce would my lips from off those lips remove;

For still, methought, sweet Fair, I kissèd you.

And thus kind love, the sun of all my bliss,

Was both begun, and ended, in a kiss.

6.“Then send me more; but send them by your friend!

Kiss none but her! nor her, nor none at all.

Beware by whom such treasures you do send!

I must them lose, except I for them call.

And love me, Dear! and still still kissing be!

Both like and love but none, sweet Love! but me!