Robert Sidney

Sonnet 7. The hardly captain, unused to retire

The hardly captain, unused to retire,
Turns and returns to the too-well-kept place
Where wound to wound, disgrace upon disgrace
He takes, while will and power ’gainst him conspire:

Scorn of repulse, of loss the stinging fire
His heart with grief doth fill, with shame his face;
But no force finding way, with heavy pace
Forsake he doth his ill-blest fair desire.

With equal care, but with an end more high,
I sought to win the kingdom seat of love,
Beauty’s best treasure, praise of victory:
But scorned, repulsed, heartbroken I remove,

Reaping loss for desert, for love contempt,
And grief and shame for so dear foiled attempt.