946WHen I haue
seene by times fell hand defaced
947The rich proud co
st of outworne buried age,
948When
sometime loftie towers I
see downe ra
sed,
949And bra
sse 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,
953Increa
sing
store with lo
sse,
and lo
sse 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 choo
se
959But weepe to haue,
that which it feares to loo
se.
961SInce bra
sse,
nor
stone,
nor earth,
nor boundle
sse
sea,
962But
sad mortallity ore-
swaies their power,
963How with this rage
shall beautie hold a plea,
964Who
se a
ction is no
stronger then a
flower
? 965O how
shall
summers hunny breath hold out,
966Again
st 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 be
st Iewell from times che
st lie hid?
971Or what
strong hand can hold his
swift foote back,
972Or who his
spoile or beautie can forbid?
973 O none,
vnle
sse this miracle haue might,
974That in black inck my loue may
still
shine bright.
976TYr'd with all the
se for re
stfull death I cry,
977As to behold de
sert a begger borne,
978And needie Nothing trimd in iollitie,
979And pure
st faith vnhappily for
sworne,
980And gilded honor
shamefully mi
spla
st,
981And maiden vertue rudely
strumpeted,
982And right perfe
ction wrongfully di
sgrac'd,
983And
strength by limping
sway di
sabled ,
984And arte made tung-tide by authoritie,
985And Folly (Do
ctor-like
) controuling skill,
986And
simple-Truth mi
scalde Simplicitie,
987And captiue-good attending Captaine ill.
988 Tyr'd with all the
se,
from the
se would I be gone,
989Saue that to dye,
I leaue my loue alone.