University of Virginia Library

When youth had led me

Descripcion of the restlesse state of a louer.

When youth had led me halfe the race,
That Cupides scourge me causde to ronne,
I loked back to mete the place,
From whence my wery course begonne.
And then I sawe how my desire
Misguiding me had led the way:
Mine eyen to gredy of their hire,
Had made me lose a better pray.
For when in sighes I spent the day,
And could not cloke my griefe with game,
The boiling smoke did still bewray
The persaunt heate of secrete flame.
And when salt teares doe bayne my brest,
Where loue his pleasant traines hath sowen
Her bewty hath the fruites opprest,
Ere that the buds were spronge and blowen.
And when myne eyen dyd styll pursue
The flying chace that was their quest,
Their gredy lokes dyd oft renewe.
the hidden wound within my brest.
When euery loke these chekes might staine,
From deadly pale to glowing red:
By outwarde signes appered plaine,
The woe wherin my hart was fed.
But all to late loue learneth me,
To painte all kinde of colours new,
To blinde their eyes that els shoulde see,
My specled chekes with Cupides hewe.
And no we

[_]

nowe

the couert brest I claime,
That worshipt Cupide secretely:
And norished his sacred flame,
From whence no blasing sparkes doe flye.