Quotes from Edmund Spenser

There did I finde mine onely faithfull frend In heauy plight and sad perplexitie; Whereof I sorie, yet my selfe did bend, Him to recomfort with my companie.

Emongst the Roses grow some wicked weeds; For this was not to love, but lust inclind; For love does alwayes bring forth bounteous deeds, And in each gentle hart desire of honour breeds.

Wrath, gealosie, griefe, loue do thus expell: Wrath is a fire, and gealosie a weede, Griefe is a flood, and loue a monster fell; The fire of sparkes, the weede of little seede, The flood of drops, the Monster filth did breede: But sparks, seed, drops, and filth do thus delay; The sparks soone quench, the springing seed outweed, The drops dry vp, and filth wipe cleane away: So shall wrath, gealosie, griefe, loue dye and decay.

Faire Ladies, that to loue captiued arre, And chaste desires do nourish in your mind, Let not her fault your sweet affections marre, Ne blot the bounty of all womankind; 'Mongst thousands good one wanton Dame to find: Emongst the Roses grow some wicked weeds; For this was not to loue, but lust inclind; For loue does alwayes bring forth bounteous deeds, And in each gentle hart desire of honour breeds.

LO I the man, whose Muse whilome did maske, As time her taught, in lowly Shepheards weeds, Am now enforst a far vnfitter taske, For trumpets sterne to chaunge mine Oaten reeds, And sing of Knights and Ladies gentle deeds; Whose prayses hauing slept in silence long, Me, all too meane, the sacred Muse areeds To blazon broad emongst her learned throng: Fierce warres and faithfull loues shall moralize my song.

his hand did quake, And tremble like a leafe of Aspin greene, And troubled blood through his pale face was seene To come, and goe with tidings from the heart, As it a ronning messenger had beene.

Leaves, lines, and rhymes, seek her to please alone, Whom if ye please, I care for other none.

All this world's glory seemeth vain to me, And all their shows but shadows, saving she.

Gather the rose of love whilst yet is time.

Ill can he rule the great that cannot reach the small.

What more felicity can fall to creature, than to enjoy delight with liberty?

The gentle mind by gentle deeds is known. For a man by nothing is so well betrayed, as by his manners.

And painful pleasure turns to pleasing pain.

Fierce wars and faithful loves shall moralize my song.

The ever-whirling wheelOf Change; the which all mortal things doth sway.

Full little knowest thou that hast not tried,What hell it is, in suing long to bide:To lose good days, that might be better spent;To waste long nights in pensive discontent;To speed today, to be put back tomorrow;To feed on hope, to pine with fear and sorrow.

Gather therefore the Rose, whilst yet is prime,For soon comes age, that will her pride deflower:Gather the Rose of love, whilst yet is time.

For of the soul the body form doth take:For soul is form, and doth the body make.

Her angel's faceAs the great eye of heaven shined bright,And made a sunshine in the shady place.

For deeds do die, however nobly done,And thoughts of men do as themselves decay,But wise words taught in numbers for to run,Recorded by the Muses, live for ay.

Roses red and violets blue,And all the sweetest flowers, that in the forest grew.

Ah! when will this long weary day have end,And lend me leave to come unto my love?

How over that same door was likewise writ,Be bold, be bold, and everywhere Be bold.

I was promised on a timeTo have reason for my rhyme;From that time unto this season,I received nor rhyme nor reason.