| Seccombe and Arber, comps. Elizabethan Sonnets. 1904. | | | | Fidessa | | Sonnet LIII. I was a King of sweet Content at least | | Bartholomew Griffin (d. 1602) |
| | | I WAS a King of sweet Content at least; | |
| But now from out my Kingdom banished! | |
| I was chief guest at fair Dame Pleasure’s feast; | |
| But now I am for want of succour famished! | |
| I was a saint, and heaven was my rest; | 5 |
| But now cast down into the lowest hell! | |
| Vile caitiffs may not live among the blest! | |
| Nor blessed men, amongst cursed caitiffs dwell! | |
| Thus am I made an exile, of a King. | |
| Thus choice of meats, to want of food is changed, | 10 |
| Thus heaven’s loss doth hellish torments bring. | |
| Self crosses make me from myself estranged. | |
| Yet am I still the same, but made another! | |
| Then not the same! Alas, I am no other! | | | | |
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