Sonnet XIV, by William Shakespeare

Not from the stars do I my judgement pluck
And yet methinks I have astronomy;
But not to tell of good or evil luck,
Of plagues, of dearths, or seasons' quality.
Nor can I fortune to brief minutes tell,
'Pointing to each his thunder, rain, and wind,
Or say with princes if it shall go well
By oft predict that I in heaven find;
But from thine eyes my knowledge I derive,
And, constant stars, in them I read such art
As truth and beauty shall together thrive
If from thyself to store thou wouldst convert.
  Or else of thee this I prognosticate:
  Thy end is truth's and beauty's doom and date.

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On the Religious Memory of Mrs. Catherine Thomason, My Christian Friend, Deceased December 16, 1646

By John Milton, sonnet #14, composed in 1646.

When Faith and Love which parted from thee never,
Had ripened thy just soul to dwell with God,
Meekly thou didst resign this earthy load
Of Death, call'd Life; which us from Life doth sever.
Thy Works and Alms and all thy good Endeavor,
Stay'd not behind, nor in the grave were trod;
But as Faith pointed with her golden rod,
Followed thee up to joy and bliss for ever.
Love led them on, and Faith, who knew them best
Thy handmaids, clad them o'er with purple beams
And azure wings, that up they flew so drest,
And spake the truth of thee in glorious Themes
Before the Judge; who thenceforth bid thee rest
And drink thy fill of pure immortal streams.

Author: Edmund Spenser
Born: 1552?
Died: 1599
Nationality: English
Profession: Civil Servant, Writer
Pseudonym: Clout, Colin

Text: Sonnet 14

Then might I see upon a white horse set
The faithful man with flaming countenance,
His head did shine with crowns set thereupon.
The word of God made him a noble name.

His precious robe I saw embrewed with blood.
Then saw I from the heaven on horses white,
A puissant army come the self-same way.
Then cried a shining angel as me thought,

That birds from air descending down on earth,
Should war upon the kings, and eat their flesh.
Then did I see the beast and kings also
Joining their force to slay the faithful man.

But this fierce hateful beast and all her train,
Is pitiless thrown down in pit of fire.

ADDITIONAL READING:
King James Bible - Revelations 19:11 - 21