At length before that high tribunal each—­
    With anxious trembling I, while in his mien
    Was conscious triumph seen—­
    With earnest prayer concluded thus his speech: 
    “Speak, noble lady! we thy judgment wait.” 
    She then with equal air: 
    “It glads me to have heard your keen debate,
    But in a cause so great,
    More time and thought it needs just verdict to declare!”

    MACGREGOR.

[OF PARTS ONLY]

      I cited once t’ appear before the noble queen,
    That ought to guide each mortal life that in this world is seen,
    That pleasant cruel foe that robbeth hearts of ease,
    And now doth frown, and then doth fawn, and can both grieve and please;
    And there, as gold in fire full fined to each intent,
    Charged with fear, and terror eke I did myself present,
    As one that doubted death, and yet did justice crave,
    And thus began t’ unfold my cause in hope some help to have.

    “Madam, in tender youth I enter’d first this reign,
    Where other sweet I never felt, than grief and great disdain;
    And eke so sundry kinds of torments did endure. 
    As life I loathed, and death desired my cursed case to cure;
    And thus my woeful days unto this hour have pass’d
    In smoky sighs and scalding tears, my wearied life to waste;
    O Lord! what graces great I fled, and eke refused
    To serve this cruel crafty Sire that doubtless trust abused.”

    “What wit can use such words to argue and debate,
    What tongue express the full effect of mine unhappy state;
    What hand with pen can paint t’ uncipher this deceit;
    What heart so hard that would not yield that once hath seen his bate;
    What great and grievous wrongs, what threats of ill success,
    What single sweet, mingled with mass of double bitterness. 
    With what unpleasant pangs, with what an hoard of pains,
    Hath he acquainted my green years by his false pleasant trains.”

    “Who by resistless power hath forced me sue his dance,
    That if I be not much abused had found much better
    And when I most resolved to lead most quiet life, chance;
    He spoil’d me of discordless state, and thrust me in truceless strife. 
    He hath bewitch’d me so that God the less I served,
    And due respect unto myself the further from me swerv’d;
    He hath the love of one so painted in my thought,
    That other thing I can none mind, nor care for as I ought. 
    And all this comes from him, both counsel and the cause. 
    That whet my young desire so much to th’ honour of his laws.”

    HARINGTON MS.

SONNET LXXXII.

Dicemi spesso il mio fidato speglio.

HE AWAKES TO A CONVICTION OF THE NEAR APPROACH OF DEATH.