 | John Harington of Stepney |  |
101
II A 14
[Lyke as the rage of rayne]
Lyke as the rage of rayne
Fills ryvers with excesse;
And as the drowght agayne
Doth draw them lesse and lesse;
So I both fall and clyme,
With no and yea somtyme.
Fills ryvers with excesse;
And as the drowght agayne
Doth draw them lesse and lesse;
So I both fall and clyme,
With no and yea somtyme.
As they ryse hye and hye,
So doth encreace my state;
As they fall drye and drye,
So doth my wealth abate:
As yea ys matcht with no,
My wealth ys myxt with wo.
So doth encreace my state;
As they fall drye and drye,
So doth my wealth abate:
As yea ys matcht with no,
My wealth ys myxt with wo.
As nothing can endure,
That lyves and lacks relief;
So no state may stand sure,
Where chaunge doth rayne as Chief:
Wherefore I must entend
To bow, when others bend.
That lyves and lacks relief;
So no state may stand sure,
Where chaunge doth rayne as Chief:
Wherefore I must entend
To bow, when others bend.
And, when they laugh, to smyle,
And, when they weepe, to wayle;
And, when they crafte, begyle,
And, when they fight, assayle:
And thynck there ys no chaunge
Can make them seeme to straunge.
And, when they weepe, to wayle;
And, when they crafte, begyle,
And, when they fight, assayle:
And thynck there ys no chaunge
Can make them seeme to straunge.
102
Oh! moste unhappie state,
What wight may kepe such coorsse,
To love that he shuld hate,
Or ells to doe moche worsse:
Theise be rewardes for suche
As lyve and love to moche.
What wight may kepe such coorsse,
To love that he shuld hate,
Or ells to doe moche worsse:
Theise be rewardes for suche
As lyve and love to moche.
| John Harington of Stepney | |