But, O my sweet, what labour is 't to leave The thing we have not, mast'ring what not strives,

240

Playing the place which did no form receive,
Playing patient sports in unconstrained gyves?
She that her fame so to herself contrives,
The scars of battle scapeth by the flight,
And makes her absence valiant, not her
might.

"O, pardon me, in that my boast is true.
The accident which brought me to her eye
Upon the moment did her force subdue,
And now she would the caged cloister fly.
Religious love put out Religion's eye.
Not to be tempted, would she be immur'd,
And now, to tempt, all liberty procur'd.

256

"When thou impressest, what are precepts worth

Of stale example? When thou wilt inflame,
How coldly those impediments stand forth
Of wealth, of filial fear, law, kindred, fame! 270
Love's arms are peace, 'gainst rule, 'gainst
sense, 'gainst shame,

And sweetens, in the suff'ring pangs it bears,
The aloes of all forces, shocks, and fears.

"Now all these hearts that do on mine depend,

Feeling it break, with bleeding groans they pine;

275

And supplicant their sighs to you extend,
To leave the battery that you make 'gainst
mine,

Lending soft audience to my sweet design,
And credent soul to that strong-bonded oath
That shall prefer and undertake my troth.' 280

"This said, his watery eyes he did dismount,
Whose sights till then were levell'd on my face;
Each cheek a river running from a fount
With brinish current downward flowed apace.
O, how the channel to the stream gave grace! 285
Who glaz'd with crystal gate the glowing roses
That flame through water which their hue
encloses.

tle;

Softer than wax, and yet, as iron, rusty:

A lily pale, with damask dye to grace her, None fairer, nor none falser to deface her. 90

Her lips to mine how often hath she joined, Between each kiss her oaths of true love swearing!

How many tales to please me hath she coined, Dreading my love, the loss thereof still fearing!

Yet in the midst of all her pure protestings, 95 Her faith, her oaths, her tears, and all were jestings.

She burn'd with love, as straw with fire flameth;

She burn'd out love, as soon as straw outburneth;

Crabbed age and youth cannot live together: Youth is full of pleasance, age is full of care; Youth like summer morn, age like winter weather;

Youth like summer brave, age like winter bare. Youth is full of sport, age's breath is short; 161 Youth is nimble, age is lame;

Youth is hot and bold, age is weak and cold; Youth is wild, and age is tame.

Age, I do abhor thee; youth, I do adore thee; 165 O, my love, my love is young!

Age, I do defy thee: O, sweet shepherd, hie thee,

For methinks thou stay'st too long.

Yet at my parting sweetly did she smile, In scorn or friendship, nill I construe whether. 'T may be, she joy'd to jest at my exile, 'T may be, again to make me wander thither: 190 "Wander," a word for shadows like myself, As take the pain but cannot pluck the pelf.

Lord, how mine eyes throw gazes to the east! My heart doth charge the watch; the morning rise

Doth cite each moving sense from idle rest. 155 Not daring trust the office of mine eyes,

While Philomela sits and sings, I sit and

mark,

And wish her lays were tuned like the lark:

200

For she doth welcome daylight with her ditty,
And drives away dark dreaming night.
The night so pack'd, I post unto my pretty;
Heart hath his hope, and eyes their wished
sight;

Sorrow chang'd to solace, and solace mix'd with sorrow;

For why, she sigh'd and bade me come to

morrow.

Were I with her, the night would post too

But now are minutes added to the hours;
To spite me now, each minute seems a moon;
Yet not for me, shine sun to succour flowers!
Pack night, peep day; good day, of night
now borrow:

Short, night, to-night, and length thyself to