The dragon's lair

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A personal collection of verse

Sonnet 36

Edmund Spenser

Tell me when shall these wearie woes haue end,
  Or shall their ruthlesse torment neuer cease:
  but al my dayes in pining languor spend,
  without hope of asswagement or release.
Is there no meanes for me to purchase peace,
  or make agreement with her thrilling eyes:
  that their cruelty doth still increace,
  dayly more augment my miseryes.
But when ye haue shewed all extremityes,
  then thinke how litle glory ye haue gayned:
  by slaying him, whose lyfe though ye despyse,
  mote haue your life in honour long maintayned.
But by his death which some perhaps will mone,
  ye shall condemned be of many a one.

Sonnet 36

Edmund Spenser

Tell me when shall these wearie woes haue end,
  Or shall their ruthlesse torment neuer cease:
  but al my dayes in pining languor spend,
  without hope of asswagement or release.
Is there no meanes for me to purchase peace,
  or make agreement with her thrilling eyes:
  that their cruelty doth still increace,
  dayly more augment my miseryes.
But when ye haue shewed all extremityes,
  then thinke how litle glory ye haue gayned:
  by slaying him, whose lyfe though ye despyse,
  mote haue your life in honour long maintayned.
But by his death which some perhaps will mone,
  ye shall condemned be of many a one.