THE

ME.

THE

OF TIME.

fide the fhore
bee,

ne ftood of yore,

aines no memorie,

ent to fee,

availer, that fares that way,

us fhe, may warned be to say.

10

ere, on the other fide, I did behold A Woman fitting forrowfullie wailing, Rending her yellow locks, like wyrie gold About her fhoulders careleflie downe trailing, And streames of teares from her faire eyes forth railing:

Ver. 1. on day] The adjective on for one is frequent in Chaucer. See Tyrwhitt's Gloffary: "They were at on," Cant. T. 4195. And many other inftances. The fame fpelling is found in the works of various writers contemporary with and fubfequent to Spenfer. See Mr. Malone's curious note on the following paffage in Shakspeare's King John: "Sound one unto the drowsy race of night;" one, in the old copies, being written on. TODD.

Ver. 3. Nigh where the goodly Verlame food of yore, &c.] See Selden's note on Drayton's Polyolbion, Song xvi. edition 1621. p. 253. "Thou faw'it when Verlam once her head aloft did beare." TODD.

tied to him, as alfo bound unto that noble House, (of which the chiefe hope then refted in him,) have fought to revive them by upbraiding me, for that I have not fhewed anie thankefull remembrance towards him or any of them; but suffer their names to fleep in filence and forgetfulneffe. Whome chieflie to fatisfie, or els to avoide that fowle blot of unthankefulneffe, I have conceived this small Poeme, intituled by a generall name of The Worlds Ruines: yet fpeciallie intended to the renowming of that noble Race, from which both you and he fprong, and to the eternizing of fome of the chiefe of them late deceafed. The which I dedicate unto your La. as whome it most specially concerneth; and to whome I acknowledge my felfe bounden by many fingular favours and great graces. I pray for your Honourable happineffe: and fo humbly kiffe

your

hands.

Your Ladiships ever humblie at commaund,

1

E. S.

THE

RUINES OF TIME.

IT chaunced me on day beside the shore
Of filver-streaming Thamefis to bee,
Nigh where the goodly Verlame ftood of yore,
Of which there now remaines no memorie,
Nor anie little moniment to fee,

By which the travailer, that fares that way,
This once was fhe, may warned be to say.

5

10

There, on the other fide, I did behold
A Woman fitting forrowfullie wailing,
Rending her yellow locks, like wyrie gold
About her shoulders careleflie downe trailing,
And ftreames of teares from her faire
eyes forth

railing:

Ver. 1. on day] The adjective on for one is frequent in Chaucer. See Tyrwhitt's Gloffary: "They were at on," Cant. T. 4195. And many other instances. The fame fpelling is found in the works of various writers contemporary with and fubfequent to Spenfer. See Mr. Malone's curious note on the following paffage in Shakspeare's King John: "Sound one unto the drowsy race of night;" one, in the old copies, being written on. TODD.

Ver. 3. Nigh where the goodly Verlame food of yore, &c.] See Selden's note on Drayton's Polyolbion, Song xvi. edition 1621. p. 253. “Thou faw'it when Verlam once her head aloft did beare." TODD.

In her right hand a broken rod she held, Which towards heaven fhee feemd on high to weld.

Whether fhe were one of that Rivers Nymphes, 15 Which did the loffe of fome dere Love lament, I doubt; or one of those three fatall Impes, Which draw the dayes of men forth in extent; Or th' auncient Genius of that Citie brent: But, feeing her fo piteouflie perplexed,

I (to her calling) afkt what her fo vexed.

20

"Ah! what delight (quoth (he) in earthlie thing, Or comfort can I, wretched creature, have? Whofe happines the heavens envying,

From highest staire to lowest step me drave, 25 And have in mine owne bowels made my

grave,

That of all nations now I am forlorne,
The worlds fad fpectacle, and fortunes fcorne.”

30

Much was I mooved at her piteous plaint,
And felt my heart nigh riven in my breft
With tender ruth to fee her fore constraint;
That, fhedding teares a while, I still did reft,
And, after, did her name of her request.
"Name have I none (quoth she) nor any being,
Bereft of both by Fates uniuft decreeing.

35

"I was that Citie, which the garland wore
Of Britaines pride, delivered unto me
By Romane Victors, which it wonne of yore;
Though nought at all but ruines now I bee,
And lye in mine owne afhes, as ye fee:
Verlame I was; what bootes it that I was,
Sith now I am but weedes and wastefull gras

40

?

O vaine worlds glorie, and unftedfast state Of all that lives on face of finfull earth! Which, from their firft untill their utmost date, 45 Taste no one houre of happines or merth; But like as at the ingate of their berth They crying creep out of their mothers woomb, So wailing back, go to their wofull toomb.

766

Why then dooth flesh, a bubble-glas of breath, Hunt after honour and advauncement vaine, 51 And reare a trophee for devouring death, With fo great labour and long lafting paine, As if his daies for ever fhould remaine? Sith all, that in this world is great or gaie, 55 Doth as a vapour vanish, and decaie.

"Looke backe, who lift, unto the former ages, And call to count, what is of them become: Where be thofe learned wits and antique fages, Ver. 47. ingate] Entrance, as in F. Q. iv. x. 12. "The ingate of the yeare." TODD.