541AS a decrepit father takes delight,
542To
see his a
ctiue childe do deeds of youth,
543So I , made lame by Fortunes deare
st spight
544Take all my comfort of thy worth and truth.
545For whether beauty,
birth,
or wealth,
or wit,
546Or any of the
se all,
or all,
or more
547Intitled in their parts,
do crowned
sit,
548I make my loue ingrafted to this
store:
549So then I am not lame,
poore, nor di
spi
s'd,
550Whil
st that this
shadow doth
such
sub
stance giue,
551That I in thy abundance am
su
ffic'd,
552And by a part of all thy glory liue:
553 Looke what is be
st,
that be
st I wi
sh in thee,
554This wi
sh I haue,
then ten times happy me.
556HOw can my Mu
se want
subie
ct to inuent
557While thou do
st breath that poor'
st into my ver
se,
558Thine owne
sweet argument,
to excellent,
559For euery vulgar paper to rehear
se:
560Oh giue thy
selfe the thankes if ought in me,
561Worthy peru
sal
stand again
st thy
sight,
562For who's
so dumbe that cannot write to thee,
563When thou thy
selfe do
st giue inuention light?
564Be thou the tenth Mu
se,
ten times more in worth
565Then tho
se old nine which rimers inuocate,
566And he that calls on thee,
let him bring forth
567Eternal numbers to out-liue long date.
568 If my
slight Mu
se doe plea
se the
se curious daies,
569The paine be mine,
but thine
shal be the prai
se.
571OH how thy worth with manners may I
singe,
572When thou art all the better part of me?
573What can mine owne prai
se to mine owne
selfe bring;
574And what is't but mine owne when I prai
se thee,
575Euen for this,
let vs deuided liue,
576And our deare loue loo
se name of
single one,
577That by this
seperation I may giue:
578That due to thee which thou de
seru'
st alone:
579Oh ab
sence what a torment would
st thou proue,
580Were it not thy
soure lei
sure gaue
sweet leaue,
581To entertaine the time with thoughts of loue,
582Which time and thoughts
so
sweetly do
st deceiue.
583 And that thou teache
st how to make one twaine,
584By prai
sing him here who doth hence remaine.