Sonnet 22

THIS holy season, fit to fast and pray,

Men to deuotion ought to be inclynd:

Therefore, I likewise, on so holy day^[1],

For my sweet saynt some seruice fit will find,

Her temple fayre is built within my mind,

In which her glorious ymage placéd is,

On which my thoughts doo day and night attend

Lyke sacred priests that neuer thinke amisse.

There I to her, as th'author of my blisse,

Will builde an altar to appease her yre:

And on the same my hart will sacrifise,

Burning in flames of pure and chast desyre:

The which vouchsafe, O goddesse, to accept,

Amongst thy deerest relicks to be kept.

[1] holy day:圣灰星期三，四旬齋期的第一天。圣灰星期三，也稱圣灰節(jié)，大齋首日，或次日，是基督教的教會年歷節(jié)期大齋期之始。大齋首日一定是禮拜三，因為耶穌是在禮拜三被出賣的。圣灰星期三當(dāng)天，教會會舉行涂灰禮，要把去年棕枝主日祝圣過的棕技燒成灰，再涂在教友的額頭上，作為悔改的象征。