Internet Shakespeare Editions

About this text

  • Title: The Passionate Pilgrim (Octavo, 1599)
  • Editor: Hardy M. Cook
  • ISBN: 978-1-55058-411-0

    Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Hardy M. Cook
    Not Peer Reviewed

    The Passionate Pilgrim (Octavo, 1599)

    SWeet Rose, faire flower, vntimely pluckt, soon vaded,
    Pluckt in the bud, and vaded in the spring[.]
    Bright orient pearle, alacke too timely shaded,
    Faire creature kilde too soon by Deaths sharpe sting:
    135 Like a greene plumbe that hangs vpon a tree:
    And fals (through winde) before the fall should be.
    I weepe for thee, and yet no cause I haue,
    For why: thou lefts me nothing in thy will[.]
    And yet thou lefts me more then I did craue,
    140For why: I craued nothing of thee still:
    O yes (deare friend I pardon craue of thee,
    Thy discontent thou didst bequeath to me.
    VEnus with Adonis sitting by her,
    145Vnder a Mirtle shade began to wooe him,
    She told the youngling how god Mars did trie her,
    And as he fell to her, she fell to him.
    Euen thus (quoth she) the warlike god embrac't me:
    And then she clipt Adonis in her armes:
    150Euen thus (quoth she) the warlike god vnlac't me,
    As if the boy should vse like louing charmes:
    Euen thus (quoth she) he seized on my lippes,
    And with her lips on his did act the seizure:
    And as she fetched breath, away he skips,
    155And would not take her meaning nor her pleasure.
    Ah, that I had my Lady at this bay:
    To kisse and clip me till I run away.
    Crabbed age and youth cannot liue together,
    Youth is full of pleasance, Age is full of care,
    160Youth like summer morne, Age like winter weather,
    Youth like summer braue, Age like winter bare.
    Youth is full of sport, Ages breath is short,
    Youth is nimble, Age is lame
    Youth is hot and bold, Age is weake and cold,
    165Youth is wild, and Age is tame.
    Age I doe abhor thee, Youth I doe adore thee,
    O my loue my loue is young:
    Age I doe defie thee. Oh sweet Shepheard hie thee:
    For me thinks thou staies too long.