m the mark he shooteth
his bolte, hauing no respect to degree or state. Haue not many
excellent and worthy personages, yea Dukes, Emperours and
Kinges, bin inflamed with the loue of Ladies, and Women of base
and vile degree? Haue not most honorable dames, and Women of
greatest renoume despised the honor of theyr states, abandoned
the company of theyr hushands, and neglected the loue of theyr
Chyldren, for the ardent loue that they haue borne to men of
inferiour sort? All Historyes be full of examples of that
purpose: The memoryes of our auncestors be yet in fresh
remembraunce, whereof if they were ignorant vnto you that be of
great experience, I could aduouche assured testimony: Yet thus
mutch I say vnto you, that it seeme no newe thing for a man to
be ouercome by his owne affectyon: It is not the Nobility of hir
state, or for that shee is a Queene, it is not the consideration
of one parte or other, that moued me first hereunto: But loue it
is, that is of greater force than we our selues bee of, which
many tymes maketh that to seeme lawfull, which altogether is
vnlawful, and by subduing reason maketh the great potentate
lorde tributarie to his wyl and pleasure, whose force is farre
greater then the lawes of Nature. And albeit that I neuer hope
to attayne to prosperous end of this magnifike and stately loue,
whych more and more doth seeme infortunate, yet I can not for my
Lyfe else where apply the same, or alter it to other place: And
consumynge still through faithful and feruent loue borne to the
Queene, I haue forced and constrained my self by al possible
meanes to gyue ouer that fond and foolish enterprise, and to
place my mynd else where: but mine endeuour and all my labour
and resistance is employed in vayne: Yea and if it were not for
feare of eternall damnation, and the losse of my poore afflicted
soule (which God forbid) myne owne Handes before this time had
ended my desires. I am therefore determined (sith that I can
attaine no successe of Loue, and that God doth suffer me to be
inspyred wyth that most honourable and curteous Lady, beyond all
order and estimation) to content my selfe with the sight of
those hir fayre and glistring eyes, farre excelling the
sparcling glimpse of the Diamonde or Saphire, and to serue, loue
and honour hir, so long as life doth last within this feeble
corpes: Vpon whose radiant and excelling beautie, my hope
shall continually feede: and yet I am not so far voyd of
vnderstandinge,