946WHen I haue seene by times fell hand defaced

947The rich proud cost of outworne buried age,

948When sometime loftie towers I see downe rased,

949And brasse eternall slaue to mortall rage.

950When I haue seene the hungry Ocean gaine

951Aduantage on the Kingdome of the shoare,

952And the firme soile win of the watry maine,

953Increasing store with losse, and losse with store.

954When I haue seene such interchange of state,

955Or state it selfe confounded, to decay,

956Ruine hath taught me thus to ruminate

957That Time will come and take my loue away.

958 This thought is as a death which cannot choose

959But weepe to haue, that which it feares to loose.

961SInce brasse, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundlesse sea,

962But sad mortallity ore-swaies their power,

963How with this rage shall beautie hold a plea,

964Whose action is no stronger then a flower?

965O how shall summers hunny breath hold out,

966Against the wrackfull siedge of battring dayes,

967When rocks impregnable are not so stoute ,

968Nor gates of steele so strong but time decayes?

969O fearefull meditation, where alack,

970Shall times best Iewell from times chest lie hid?

971Or what strong hand can hold his swift foote back,

972Or who his spoile or beautie can forbid?

973 O none, vnlesse this miracle haue might,

974That in black inck my loue may still shine bright.

976TYr'd with all these for restfull death I cry,

977As to behold desert a begger borne,

978And needie Nothing trimd in iollitie,

979And purest faith vnhappily forsworne,

980And gilded honor shamefully misplast,

981And maiden vertue rudely strumpeted,

982And right perfection wrongfully disgrac'd,

983And strength by limping sway disabled ,

984And arte made tung-tide by authoritie,

985And Folly (Doctor-like) controuling skill,

986And simple-Truth miscalde Simplicitie,

987And captiue-good attending Captaine ill.

988 Tyr'd with all these, from these would I be gone,

989Saue that to dye, I leaue my loue alone.