SHAKE-SPEARES
¶How with this rage
shall beautie hold a plea,
¶Who
se action is no
stronger then a flower
?
965O how
shall
summers hunny breath hold out,
¶Again
st the wrackfull
siedge of battring dayes,
¶When rocks impregnable are not
so
stoute ,
¶Nor gates of
steele
so
strong but time decayes?
¶O fearefull meditation, where alack,
970Shall times be
st Iewell from times che
st lie hid?
¶Or what
strong hand can hold his
swift foote back,
¶Or who his
spoile or beautie can forbid?
¶_O none,
_vnle
sse this miracle haue might,
¶That in black inck my loue may
still
shine bright.
¶TYr'd with all the
se for re
stfull death I cry,
¶As to behold de
sert a begger borne,
¶And needie Nothing trimd in iollitie,
¶And pure
st faith vnhappily for
sworne,
980And gilded honor
shamefully mi
spla
st,
¶And maiden vertue rudely
strumpeted,
¶And right perfection wrongfully di
sgrac'd,
¶And
strength by limping
sway di
sabled ,
¶And arte made tung-tide by authoritie,
985And Folly (Doctor-like
) controuling skill,
¶And
simple-Truth mi
scalde Simplicitie,
¶And captiue-good attending Captaine ill.
¶_Tyr'd with all the
se,
_from the
se would I be gone,
¶Saue that to dye,
_I leaue my loue alone.
¶AH wherefore with infection
should he liue,
¶And with his pre
sence grace impietie,
¶That
sinne by him aduantage
should atchiue,
¶And lace it
selfe with his
societie ?
995Why
should fal
se painting immitate his cheeke,
¶And
steale dead
seeing of his liuing hew
?
¶Why
should poore beautie indirectly
seeke,
¶Ro
ses of
shaddow,
_since his Ro
se is true?