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| THE RETCHLESSE 1 race of youth’s inconstant course, | |
| Which weeping age with sorrowing teares behoulds; | |
| Their wretched will, their wofull sorrows’ source; | |
| Their wanton wits, their errors manifoldes, | |
| Hath reard my muse, whose springs wan care had dried, | 5 |
| To warne them flie the dangers I haue tried. | |
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| From cradle’s rock when childish I had crept, | |
| And, May-like young, of pleasure ’gan to taste, | |
| Seeing my fatall course, my reason wepte: | |
| Toyes were my triumphes, will my woorth did waste, | 10 |
| And in the seas of pleasure whilst I sayld, | |
| Small were my fruites, and yet my youth was quailde. | |
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| And now ’gan man-like vigor fill myne arme; | |
| My harte was warmde with courage fit for loue: | |
| Like wanton bird, exempt from fowler’s charme, | 15 |
| I soard aloft; but looking from aboue, | |
| I saw on earth a fowler heauenly faire, | |
| That made hir nets the trammels of hir haire. | |
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| Then, loe! my pompous plannes were layd apart; | |
| Hir eyes were loadstars in this worldlie way; | 20 |
| My thoughts hir thraule, her prisoner was my heart: | |
| But for my paines what payment but delay? | |
| A lingring life I liude, to sorrow soulde, | |
| A foe to wit, through follies waxing oulde. | |
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| When chillie age had seasure of this earth, | 25 |
| I felt a wound of sorrow in my brest; | |
| I saw how iudgement quite was spoiled by death; | |
| How vertue’s seedes by errors was supprest. | |
| I cast the count, and see what I haue gotten: | |
| Time lost; wits wast; and limmes with surfets rotten. | 30 |
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| Now see I well that trauell is mispent, | |
| Except in vertue it be well imployed: | |
| What I in loue, had I in learning spent, | |
| Oh what a ioy had wearie age enioyed! | |
| Had I forseene the wastfull course of time, | 35 |
| I then had made my haruest in my prime. | |
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| But now, when feeble footsteps are allied | |
| Vnto the graue, this sinfull bodie’s hould; | |
| I cannot practise, though I haue espyed | |
| The way of worth, the grace exceeding gould. | 40 |
| What only rests sweete young men that shall follow, | |
| I know the sourse, and now will teach the shallow. | |
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| Preuent the time, the dayes are full of danger; | |
| Whilst youthfull vigor yeelds you furtherance, | |
| Make reason guide; let follie be a straunger; | 45 |
| Vertue is perfected by art and vsance: | |
| Enritch your mindes with skill; for why? they must | |
| Remaine eterne, when boddie is but dust. | |
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| Let not your eyes infeebled be by sinne; | |
| Cut short presumption, for it will aspire; | 50 |
| Who takes aduice, amendment dooth begin: | |
| Subdue your wils, and maister your desire. | |
| A modest coat, chaste thoughts, and studious artes, | |
| Adorne the boddie, minde, and inward partes. | |
