Page:Golden Treasury of English Songs and Lyrics.djvu/25

 

Just to the time, not with the time exchanged.
So that myself bring water for my stain.

Never believe, though in my nature reign’d
All frailties that besiege all kinds of blood,
That it could so preposterously be stain’d
To leave for nothing all thy sum of good:

For nothing this wide universe I call,
Save thou, my rose: in it thou art my all.
W. Shakespeare

xiv

To me, fair Friend, you never can be old,
For as you were when first your eye I eyed
Such seems your beauty still. Three winters cold
Have from the forests shook three summers’ pride;

Three beauteous springs to yellow autumn turn’d
In process of the season have I seen,
Three April perfumes in three hot Junes burn’d,
Since first I saw you fresh which yet are green.

Ah! yet doth beauty, like a dial hand,
Steal from his figure, and no pace perceived;
So your sweet hue, which methinks still doth stand.
Hath motion, and mine eye may be deceived:

For fear of which, hear this, thou age unbred,—
Ere you were born, was beauty’s summer dead.
W. Shakespeare

xv

DIAPHENIA

Diaphenia like the daffadowndilly.
White as the sun, fair as the lily,
Heigh ho, how I do love thee!
I do love thee as my lambs
Are belovéd of their dams;
How blest were I if thou would’st prove me.