Radagon's Sonnet

No clear appear'd upon the azur'd sky;

A veil of storms had shadow'd Phoebus' face,

And in a sable mantle of disgrace

Sat he that is y-clep't heaven's bright eye,

As though that he,

Perplex'd for Clytia, meant to leave his place,

And wrap'd in sorrows did resolve to die,

For death to lovers' woes is ever nigh;

Thus folded in a hard and mournful laze

Distress'd sat he.

A misty fog had thickn'd all the air;

Iris sat solemn and denied her showers;

Flora in tawny hid up all her flowers,

And would not diaper her meads with fair,

As though that she

Were arm'd upon the barren earth to lour;

Unto the founts Diana nild repair,

But sat, as overshadow'd with despair,

Solemn and sad within a wither'd bower,

Her nymphs and she.

Mars malcontent lay sick on Venus knee;

Venus in dumps sat muffled with a frown;

Juno laid all her frolick humors down,

And Jove was all in dumps as well as she:

'Twas Fate's decree;

For Neptune, as he meant the world to drown,

Heav'd up his surges to the highest tree,

And, leagu'd with Aeol, marr'd the seasman's glee,

Beating the cedars with his billows down;

Thus wroth was he.

My mistress deigns to show her sun-bright face,

The air clear'd up, the clouds did fade away;

Phoebus was frolick when she did display

The gorgeous beauties that her front do grace:

So that when she

But walk'd abroad, the storms then fled away;

Flora did chequer all her treading-place,

And Neptune calm'd the surges with his mace;

Diana and her nymphs were blithe and gay,

When her they see.

Venus and Mars agreed in a smile,

And jealous Juno ceased now to lour;

Jove saw her face and sighed in his bower;

Iris and Aeol laugh'd within a while

To see this glee.

Ah, born was she within a happy hour,

That makes heaven, earth, and gods, and all, to smile!

Such wonders can her beauteous looks compile

To clear the world from any froward lour;

Ah, bless'd be she!