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Home  »  Elizabethan Sonnets  »  Sonnet LXI. Fidessa’s worth in time begetteth praise

Seccombe and Arber, comps. Elizabethan Sonnets. 1904.

Fidessa

Sonnet LXI. Fidessa’s worth in time begetteth praise

Bartholomew Griffin (d. 1602)

FIDESSA’s worth in time begetteth praise,

Time, praise; Praise, fame; Fame, wonderment;

Wonder, fame, praise, time, her worth do raise

To highest pitch of dread astonishment.

Yet Time in time, her hardened heart bewrayeth:

And Praise itself, her cruelty dispraiseth.

So that through Praise, alas, her praise decayeth:

And that which makes it fall, her honour raiseth.

Most strange! yet true. So wonder wonder still,

And follow fast the wonder of these days!

For well I know (all wonder to fulfil)

Her will at length unto my will obeys:

Meantime, let others praise her constancy!

And me attend upon her clemency!