Laurel · Edmund Spenser · Amoretti and Epithalamion, and Other Poems

The Ruines of Time

Edmund Spenser (c. 1552–1599) · 1595

iambic pentameter · 490 lines · from Amoretti and Epithalamion, and Other Poems

It chaunced me on day beside the shoreOf silver streaming Thamesis to bee,Nigh where the goodly Verlame stood of yore,Of which there now remaines no memorie,Nor anie little moniment to see,By which the travailer that fares that wayThis once was she may warned be to say.

There, on the other side, I did beholdA Woman sitting sorrowfullie wailing,Rending her yeolow locks, like wyrie goldeAbout her shoulders careleslie downe trailing,And streames of teares from her faire eyes forth railing:In her right hand a broken rod she held,Which towards heaven shee seemd on high to weld,

Whether she were one of that rivers nymphes,Which did the losse of some dere Love lament,I doubt; or one of those three fatall impesWhich draw the dayes of men forth in extent;Or th’auncient genius of that citie brent;But, seeing her so piteouslie perplexed,I, to her calling, askt what her so vexed.

“Ah! what delight,” quoth she, “in earthlie thing,Or comfort can I, wretched creature, have?Whose happines the heavens envying,From highest staire to lowest step me drave,And have in mine owne bowels made my grave,That of all nations now I am forlorne,The worlds sad spectacle, and Fortunes scorne.”

Much was I mooved at her piteous plaint,And felt my heart nigh riven in my brestWith tender ruth to see her sore constraint;That, shedding teares, a while I still did rest,And after did her name of her request.“Name have I none,” quoth she, “nor anie being,Bereft of both by Fates uniust decreeing.

“I was that citie which the garland woreOf Britaines pride, delivered unto meBy Romane victors which it wonne of yore;Though nought at all but ruines now I bee,And lye in mine owne ashes, as ye see,VERLAME I was; what bootes it that I was,Sith now I am but weedes and wastfull gras?

“O vaine worlds glorie, and unstedfast stateOf all that lives on face of sinfull earth!Which, from their first untill their utmost date,Tast no one hower of happines or merth;But like as at the ingate of their berthThey crying creep out of their mothers woomb,So wailing backe go to their wofull toomb.

“Why then dooth flesh, a bubble-glas of breath,Hunt after honour and advauncement vaine,And reare a trophee for devouring deathWith so great labour and long-lasting paine,As if his daies for ever should remaine?Sith all that in this world is great or gaieDoth as a vapour vanish and decaie.

“Looke backe, who list, unto the former ages,And call to count what is of them become.Where be those learned wits and antique sages,Which of all wisedome knew the perfect somme?Where those great warriors, which did overcomeThe world with conquest of their might and maine,And made one meare of th’earth and of their raine?

“What nowe is of th’Assyrian Lyonesse,Of whome no footing now on earth appeares?What of the Persian Beares outragiousnesse,Whose memorie is quite worne out with yeares?Who of the Grecian Libbard now ought heares,That over-ran the East with greedie powre,And left his whelps their kingdomes to devoure?

“And where is that same great seven-headded beast,That made all nations vassals of her pride,To fall before her feete at her beheast,And in the necke of all the world did ride?Where doth she all that wondrous welth nowe hide?With her own weight downe pressed now shee lies,And by her heaps her hugenesse testifies.

“O Rome, thy ruine I lament and rue,And in thy fall my fatall overthrowe,That whilom was, whilst heavens with equall veweDeignd to behold me and their gifts bestowe,The picture of thy pride in pompous shew:And of the whole world as thou wast the empresse,So I of this small Northerne world was princesse.

“To tell the beawtie of my buildings fayre,Adornd with purest golde and precious stone,To tell my riches and endowments rare,That by my foes are now all spent and gone,To tell my forces, matchable to none,Were but lost labour that few would beleeve,And with rehearsing would me more agreeve.

“High towers, faire temples, goodly theaters,Strong walls, rich porches, princelie pallaces,Large streetes, brave houses, sacred sepulchers,Sure gates, sweete gardens, stately galleriesWrought with faire pillours and fine imageries,—All those, O pitie! now are turnd to dust,And overgrowen with blacke oblivions rust.

“Theretoo, for warlike power and peoples storeIn Britannie was none to match with mee,That manie often did abie full sore:Ne Troynovant, though elder sister shee,With my great forces might compared bee;That stout Pendragon to his perill felt,Who in a siege seaven yeres about me dwelt.

“But long ere this, Bunduca, Britonnesse,Her mightie hoast against my bulwarkes brought;Bunduca! that victorious conqueresse,That, lifting up her brave heroick thoughtBove womens weaknes, with the Romanes fought,Fought, and in field against them thrice prevailed:Yet was she foyld, when as she me assailed.

“And though at last by force I conquered wereOf hardie Saxons, and became their thrall,Yet was I with much bloodshed bought full deere,And prizde with slaughter of their generall,The moniment of whose sad funerall,For wonder of the world, long in me lasted,But now to nought, through spoyle of time, is wasted.

“Wasted it is, as if it never were;And all the rest that me so honord made,And of the world admired ev’rie where,Is turnd to smoake that doth to nothing fade;And of that brightnes now appeares no shade,But greislie shades, such as doo haunt in hellWith fearfull fiends that in deep darknes dwell.

“Where my high steeples whilom usde to stand,On which the lordly faulcon wont to towre,There now is but an heap of lyme and sandFor the shriche-owle to build her balefull bowre:And where the nightingale wont forth to powreHer restles plaints, to comfort wakefull lovers,There now haunt yelling mewes and whining plovers.

“And where the christall Thamis wont to slideIn silver channell downe along the lee,About whose flowrie bankes on either sideA thousand nymphes, with mirthfull iollitee,Were wont to play, from all annoyance free,There now no rivers course is to be seene,But moorish fennes, and marshes ever greene.

“Seemes that that gentle river, for great griefeOf my mishaps which oft I to him plained,Or for to shunne the horrible mischiefeWith which he saw my cruell foes me pained,And his pure streames with guiltles blood oft stained,From my unhappie neighborhood farre fled,And his sweete waters away with him led.

“There also where the winged ships were seeneIn liquid waves to cut their fomie waie,And thousand fishers numbred to have been,In that wide lake looking for plenteous praieOf fish, which they with baits usde to betraie,Is now no lake, nor anie fishers store,Nor ever ship shall saile there anie more.

“They all are gone, and all with them is gone!Ne ought to me remaines, but to lamentMy long decay, which no man els doth mone,And mourne my fall with dolefull dreriment:Yet it is comfort in great languishment,To be bemoned with compassion kinde,And mitigates the anguish of the minde.

“But me no man bewaileth, but in gameNe sheddeth teares from lamentable eie;Nor anie lives that mentioneth my nameTo be remembred of posteritie,Save one, that maugre Fortunes iniurie,And Times decay, and Envies cruell tort,Hath writ my record in true-seeming sort.

“CAMBDEN! the nourice of antiquitie,And lanterne unto late succeding ageTo see the light of simple veritieBuried in ruines, through the great outrageOf her owne people led with warlike rage,CAMBDEN! though Time all moniments obscure,Yet thy iust labours ever shall endure.

“But whie, unhappie wight! doo I thus crie,And grieve that my remembrance quite is racedOut of the knowledge of posteritie,And all my antique moniments defaced?Sith I doo dailie see things highest placed,So soone as Fates their vitall thred have shorne,Forgotten quite as they were never borne

“It is not long, since these two eyes beheldA mightie Prince, of most renowmed race,Whom England high in count of honour held,And greatest ones did sue to game his grace;Of greatest ones he, greatest in his place,Sate in the bosom of his Soveraine,And Right and Loyall** did his word maintaine.

“I saw him die, I saw him die as oneOf the meane people, and brought foorth on beare;I saw him die, and no man left to moneHis dolefull fate that late him loved deare;Scarse anie left to close his eylids neare;Scarse anie left upon his lips to laieThe sacred sod, or requiem to saie.

“O trustlesse state of miserable men,That builde your blis on hope of earthly thing,And vainly thinke your selves halfe happie then,When painted faces with smooth flatteringDoo fawne on you, and your wide praises sing;And, when the courting masker louteth lowe,Him true in heart and trustie to you trow!

“All is but fained, and with oaker dide,That everie shower will wash and wipe away;All things doo change that under heaven abide,And after death all friendship doth decaie.Therefore, what ever man bearst worldlie sway,Living, on God and on thy selfe relie;For, when thou diest, all shall with thee die.

“He now is dead, and all is with him dead,Save what in heavens storehouse he uplaid:His hope is faild, and come to passe his dread,And evill men (now dead) his deeds upbraid:Spite bites the dead, that living never baid.He now is gone, the whiles the foxe is creptInto the hole the which the badger swept.

“He now is dead, and all his glorie gone,And all his greatnes vapoured to nought,That as a glasse upon the water shone,Which vanisht quite so soone as it was sought.His name is worne alreadie out of thought,Ne anie poet seekes him to revive;Yet manie poets honourd him alive.

“Ne doth his Colin, carelesse Colin Cloute,Care now his idle bagpipe up to raise,Ne tell his sorrow to the listning routOf shepherd groomes, which wont his songs to praise:Praise who so list, yet I will him dispraise,Untill he quite him of this guiltie blame.Wake, shepheards boy, at length awake for shame!

“And who so els did goodnes by him game,And who so els his bounteous minde did trie,Whether he shepheard be, or shepheards swaine,(For manie did, which doo it now denie,)Awake, and to his song a part applie:And I, the whilest you mourne for his decease,Will with my mourning plaints your plaint increase.

“He dyde, and after him his brother dyde,His brother prince, his brother noble peere,That whilste he lived was of none envyde,And dead is now, as living, counted deare;Deare unto all that true affection beare,But unto thee most deare, O dearest Dame,His noble spouse and paragon of fame.

“He, whilest he lived, happie was through thee,And, being dead, is happie now much more;Living, that lincked chaunst with thee to bee,And dead, because him dead thou dost adoreAs living, and thy lost deare love deplore.So whilst that thou, faire flower of chastitie,Dost live, by thee thy lord shall never die.

“Thy lord shall never die, the whiles this verseShall live, and surely it shall live for ever:For ever it shall live, and shall rehearseHis worthie praise, and vertues dying never,Though death his soule doo from his bodie sever:And thou thy selfe herein shalt also live;Such grace the heavens doo to my verses give.

“Ne shall his sister, ne thy father, die;Thy father, that good earle of rare renowne,And noble patrone of weake povertie;Whose great good deeds, in countrey and in towne.Have purchast him in heaven an happie crowne:Where he now liveth in eternall blis,And left his sonne t’ensue those steps of his.

“He, noble bud, his grandsires livelie hayre,Under the shadow of thy countenaunceNow ginnes to shoote up fast, and flourish fayreIn learned artes, and goodlie governaunce,That him to highest honour shall advaunce.Brave impe of Bedford, grow apace in bountie,And count of wisedome more than of thy countie!

“Ne may I let thy husbands sister die,That goodly ladie, sith she eke did springOut of this stocke and famous familieWhose praises I to future age doo sing;And foorth out of her happie womb did bringThe sacred brood of learning and all honour;In whom the heavens powrde all their gifts upon her.

“Most gentle spirite breathed from above,Out of the bosome of the Makers blis,In whom all bountie and all vertuous loveAppeared in their native propertis,And did enrich that noble breast of hisWith treasure passing all this worldës worth,Worthie of heaven it selfe, which brought it forth:

“His blessed spirite, full of power divineAnd influence of all celestiall grace,Loathing this sinfull earth and earthlie slime,Fled backe too soonc unto his native place;Too soone for all that did his love embrace,Too soone for all this wretched world, whom heRobd of all right and true nobilitie.

“Yet, ere his happie soule to heaven wentOut of this fleshlie goale, he did deviseUnto his heavenlie Maker to presentHis bodie, as a spotles sacrifise,And chose that guiltie hands of enemiesShould powre forth th’offring of his guiltles blood:So life exchanging for his countries good.

“O noble spirite, live there ever blessed,The worlds late wonder, and the heavens new ioy;Live ever there, and leave me here distressedWith mortall cares and cumbrous worlds anoy!But, where thou dost that happines enioy,Bid me, O bid me quicklie come to thee,That happie there I maie thee alwaies see!

“Yet, whilest the Fates affoord me vitall breath,I will it spend in speaking of thy praise,And sing to thee, untill that timelie deathBy heavens doome doo ende my earthlie daies:Thereto doo thou my humble spirite raise,And into me that sacred breath inspire,Which thou there breathest perfect and entire.

“Then will I sing; but who can better singThan thine owne sister, peerles ladie bright,Which to thee sings with deep harts sorrowing,Sorrowing tempered with deare delight,That her to heare I feele my feeble sprightRobbed of sense, and ravished with ioy;O sad ioy, made of mourning and anoy!

“Yet will I sing; but who can better singThan thou thyselfe thine owne selfes valiance,That, whilest thou livedst, madest the forrests ring,And fields resownd, and flockes to leap and daunce,And shepheards leave their lambs unto mischaunce,To runne thy shrill Arcadian pipe to heare:O happie were those dayes, thrice happie were!

“But now more happie thou, and wretched wee,Which want the wonted sweetnes of thy voice,Whiles thou now in Elisian fields so free,With Orpheus, and with Linus, and the choiceOf all that ever did in rimes reioyce,Conversest, and doost heare their heavenlie layes,And they heare thine, and thine doo better praise.

“So there thou livest, singing evermore,And here thou livest, being ever songOf us, which living loved thee afore,And now thee worship mongst that blessed throngOf heavenlie poets and heroës strong.So thou both here and there immortall art,And everie where through excellent desart.

“But such as neither of themselves can sing,Nor yet are sung of others for reward,Die in obscure oblivion, as the thingWhich never was; ne ever with regardTheir names shall of the later age be heard,But shall in rustic darknes ever lie,Unles they mentiond be with infamie.

“What booteth it to have been rich alive?What to be great? what to be gracious?When after death no token doth surviveOf former being in this mortall hous,But sleepes in dust dead and inglorious,Like beast, whose breath but in his nostrels is,And hath no hope of happinesse or blis.

“How manie great ones may remembred be,Which in their daies most famouslie did florish,Of whome no word we heare, nor signe now see,But as things wipt out with a sponge to perishe,Because they living cared not to cherisheNo gentle wits, through pride or covetize,Which might their names for ever memorize!

“Provide therefore, ye Princes, whilst ye live,That of the Muses ye may friended bee,Which unto men eternitie do give;For they be daughters of Dame MemorieAnd love, the father of Eternitie,And do those men in golden thrones repose,Whose merits they to glorifie do chose.

“The seven-fold yron gates of grislie Hell,And horrid house of sad Proserpina,They able are with power of mightie spellTo breake, and thence the soules to bring awaieOut of dread darkenesse to eternall day,And them immortall make which els would dieIn foule forgetfulnesse, and nameles lie.

“So whilome raised they the puissant broodOf golden-girt Alcmena, for great merite,Out of the dust to which the Oetaean woodHad him consum’d, and spent his vitall spirite,To highest heaven, where now he doth inheriteAll happinesse in Hebes silver bowre,Chosen to be her dearest paramoure.

“So raisde they eke faire Ledaes warlick twinnes.And interchanged life unto them lent,That, when th’one diës, th’other then beginnesTo shew in heaven his brightnes orient;And they, for pittie of the sad wayment,Which Orpheus for Eurydice did make,Her back againe to life sent for his sake.

“So happie are they, and so fortunate,Whom the Pierian sacred sisters love,That freed from bands of impacable** fate,And power of death, they live for aye above,Where mortall wreakes their blis may not remove:But with the gods, for former verities meede,On nectar and ambrosia do feede.

“For deeds doe die, how ever noblie donne,And thoughts of men do as themselves decay;But wise wordes taught in numbers for to runne,Recorded by the Muses, live for ay;Ne may with storming showers be washt away,Ne bitter-breathing windes with harmfull blast,Nor age, nor envie, shall them ever wast.

“In vaine doo earthly princes then, in vaine,Seeke with pyramides to heaven aspired,Or huge colosses built with costlie paine,Or brasen pillours never to be fired,Or shrines made of the mettall most desired,To make their memories for ever live:For how can mortall immortalitie give?

“Such one Mausolus made, the worlds great wonder,But now no remnant doth thereof remaine:Such one Marcellus, but was torne with thunder:Such one Lisippus, but is worne with raine:Such one King Edmond, but was rent for gaine.All such vaine moniments of earthlie masse,Devour’d of Time, in time to nought doo passe.

“But Fame with golden wings aloft doth flie,Above the reach of ruinous decay,And with brave plumes doth beate the azure skie,Admir’d of base-borne men from farre away:Then who so will with vertuous deeds assayTo mount to heaven, on Pegasus must ride,And with sweete Poets verse be glorifide.

“For not to have been dipt in Lethe lake,Could save the sonne of Thetis from to die;But that blinde bard did him immortall makeWith verses dipt in deaw of Castalie:Which made the Easterne conquerour to crie,O fortunate yong man! whose vertue foundSo brave a trompe thy noble acts to sound.

“Therefore in this halfe happie I doo readGood Melibae, that hath a poet gotTo sing his living praises being dead,Deserving never here to be forgot,In spight of envie, that his deeds would spot:Since whose decease, learning lies unregarded,And men of armes doo wander unrewarded.

“Those two be those two great calamities,That long agoe did grieve the noble sprightOf Salomon with great indignities,Who whilome was alive the wisest wight:But now his wisedome is disprooved quite,For he that now welds all things at his willScorns th’one and th’other in his deeper skill.

“O griefe of griefes! O gall of all good heartes!To see that vertue should dispised beeOf him that first was raisde for vertuous parts,And now, broad spreading like an aged tree,Lets none shoot up that nigh him planted bee.O let the man of whom the Muse is scorned,Nor alive nor dead, be of the Muse adorned!

“O vile worlds trust! that with such vaine illusionHath so wise men bewitcht and overkest,That they see not the way of their confusion:O vainesse to be added to the restThat do my soule with inward griefe infest!Let them behold the piteous fall of mee,And in my case their owne ensample see.

“And who so els that sits in highest seateOf this worlds glorie, worshipped of all,Ne feareth change of time, nor fortunes threats,Let him behold the horror of my fall,And his owne end unto remembrance call;That of like ruine he may warned bee,And in himselfe be moov’d to pittie mee.”

Thus having ended all her piteous plaint,With dolefull shrikes shee vanished away,That I, through inward sorrowe wexen faint,And all astonished with deepe dismayFor her departure, had no word to say;But sate long time in sencelesse sad affright,Looking still, if I might of her have sight.

Which when I missed, having looked long,My thought returned greeved home againe,Renewing her complaint with passion strong,For ruth of that same womans piteous paine;Whose wordes recording in my troubled braine,I felt such anguish wound my feeble heart,That frosen horror ran through everie part.

So inlie greeving in my groning brest,And deepelie muzing at her doubtfull speach,Whose meaning much I labored foorth to wreste,Being above my slender reasons reach,At length, by demonstration me to teach,Before mine eies strange sights presented were,Like tragicke pageants seeming to appeare.

Words in this poem 111

streaming a.: Sending forth streams.
goodly a.: Pleasant; agreeable; desirable. [OE. godlich, AS. g. See Good, and Like.]
yore adv.: In time long past; in old time; long since. [OE. , yare, , AS. geára;akin to geár a year, E. year. Year.]
moniment n.: Something to preserve memory; a reminder; a monument; hence, a mark; an image; a superscription; a record. [L. monimentum, monumentum. See Monument.]
golde n.: An old English name of some yellow flower, -- the marigold (Calendula), according to Dr. Prior, but in Chaucer perhaps the turnsole.
losse n.: Praise. See Loos.
dere v. t.: To hurt; to harm; to injure. [AS. derian to hurt.]
fatall a.: Proceeding from, or appointed by, fate or destiny; necessary; inevitable. [L. fatalis, fr. fatum: cf. F. fatal. See Fate.]
brent n.: A brant. See Brant. [Cf. Brant.]
quoth v. t.: Said; spoke; uttered; -- used only in the first and third persons in the past tenses, and always followed by its nominative, the word or words said being the object; as, quoth I. quoth he. [AS.cweedhan, imp cwæedh, pl. cwædon; akin to OS. queedhan, OHG. quethan, quedan, Icel. kveedha, Goth. qiþan. sq. root22. Cf. Bequeath.]
drave: , old imp. of Drive.
plaint n.: Audible expression of sorrow; lamentation; complaint; hence, a mournful song; a lament. Chaucer."The Psalmist's mournful plaint." [OE. plainte, pleynte, F. plainte, fr. L. plangere, planctum (plancta, fem. p.p.), to beat, beat the breast, lament. Cf. Complain, Plague, Plangent.]
ruth n.: Sorrow for the misery of another; pity; tenderness. [From Rue, v.: cf. Icel. hryggedh, hrygedh.]
wonne v. i.: To dwell or abide. [See 1st Wone.]
sith prep.: Since; afterwards; seeing that. [See Since.]
sinfull a.: Tainted with, or full of, sin; wicked; iniquitous; criminal; unholy; as, sinful men; sinful thoughts. Piers Plowman. [AAS. synfull.]
untill prep.: To; unto; towards; -- used of material objects. [OE. until, ontil; un- (as in unto) + til till; cf. Dan. indtil, Sw. intill. See Unto, and Till, prep.]
ingate n.: Entrance; ingress.
berth v. t.: To give an anchorage to, or a place to lie at; to place in a berth; as, she was berthed stem to stern with the Adelaide.
wofull a.: Full of woe; sorrowful; distressed with grief or calamity; afflicted; wretched; unhappy; sad.
honour n.: Esteem due or paid to worth; high estimation; respect; consideration; reverence; veneration; manifestation of respect or reverence. [OE. honor, honour, onour, onur, OF. honor, onor, honur, onur, honour, onour, F. honneur, fr. L. honor, honos.]
vapour n.: Any substance in the gaseous, or aëriform, state, the condition of which is ordinarily that of a liquid or solid. [OE. vapour, OF. vapour, vapor, vapeur, F. vapeur, L. vapor; probably for cvapor, and akin to Gr. kvepti to breathe, smell, Russ. kopote fine soot. Cf. Vapid.]
libbard n.: A leopard. Spenser. Keats. [See Leopard.]
ought p. p.: Was or were under obligation to pay; owed. [Orig. the preterit of the verb to owe. OE. oughte, aughte, ahte, AS. ahte. sq. root110. See Owe.]
wondrous adv.: In a wonderful or surprising manner or degree; wonderfully. [OE. wonders, adv. (later also adj.). See Wonder, n., and cf. -wards.]
whilom adv.: Formerly; once; of old; erewhile; at times. [AS. hwilum, properly, at times, dative pl. of hwil; akin to G. weiland formerly, OHG. hwilm, See While, n.]
shew n.: Show. [Obs. except in shewbread.]
wast: The second person singular of the verb be, in the indicative mood, imperfect tense; -- now used only in solemn or poetical style.
princesse a.: A term applied to a lady's long, close-fitting dress made with waist and skirt in one. [F., a princess.]
matchable a.: Capable of being matched; comparable on equal conditions; adapted to being joined together; correspondent.
manie n.: Mania; insanity. [F. See Mania.]
pendragon n.: A chief leader or a king; a head; a dictator; -- a title assumed by the ancient British chiefs when called to lead other chiefs.
perill v. i.: To be in danger.
generall a.: Relating to a genus or kind; pertaining to a whole class or order; as, a general law of animal or vegetable economy. [F. général, fr. L. generalis. See Genus.]
admired a.: Regarded with wonder and delight; highly prized; as, an admired poem.
fearfull a.: Full of fera, apprehension, or alarm; afraid; frightened.
dwell v. i.: To delay; to linger. [OE. dwellen, dwelien, to err, linger, AS. dwellan to deceive, hinder, delay, dwelian to err; akin to Icel. dvelja to delay, tarry, Sw. dväljas to dwell, Dan. dv]
towre v. i.: To rise and overtop other objects; to be lofty or very high; hence, to soar.
balefull a.: Full of deadly or pernicious influence; destructive. [AS. bealoful. See Bale misery.]
bowre n.: A young hawk, when it begins to leave the nest. [From Bough, cf. Brancher.]
wakefull a.: Not sleeping; indisposed to sleep; watchful; vigilant.
channell n.: The hollow bed where a stream of water runs or may run. [OE. chanel, canel, OF. chanel, F. chenel, fr. L. canalis. See Canal.]
mirthfull a.: Full of mirth or merriment; merry; as, mirthful children.
shunne v. t.: To avoid; to keep clear of; to get out of the way of; to escape from; to eschew; as, to shun rocks, shoals, vice. [OE. shunien, schunien, schonien, AS. scunian, sceonian; cf. D. schuinen to slepe, schuin oblique, sloping, Icel. skunda, skynda, to hasten. Cf. Schooner, Scound]
cruell a.: Disposed to give pain to others; willing or pleased to hurt, torment, or afflict; destitute of sympathetic kindness and pity; savage; inhuman; hard-hearted; merciless. [F. cruel, fr. L. crudelis, fr. crudus. See Crude.]
farre n.: A young pig, or a litter of pigs. [See Farrow.]
shall v. i.: To owe; to be under obligation for. [OE. shal, schal, imp. sholde, scholde, AS. scal, sceal, I am obliged, imp. scolde, sceolde, inf. sculan; akin to OS. skulan, pres. skal, imp. skolda, D. zullen,]
mourne n.: The armed or feruled end of a staff; in a sheephook, the end of the staff to which the hook is attached. Sir P. Sidney. [See 2d Morne.]
dolefull a.: Full of dole or grief; expressing or exciting sorrow; sorrowful; sad; dismal.
languishment n.: The state of languishing.
maugre v. t.: To defy. J. Webster.
tort n.: Mischief; injury; calamity. [F., from LL. tortum, fr. L. tortus twisted, crooked, p. p. of torqure to twist, bend. See Torture.]
wight n.: A whit; a bit; a jot. [OE. wight, wiht, a wight, a whit, AS. wiht, wuht, a creature, a thing; skin to D. wicht a child, OS. & OHG. wiht a creature, thing, G. wicht a creature, Icel. v]
vitall a.: Belonging or relating to life, either animal or vegetable; as, vital energies; vital functions; vital actions. [F., fr. L. vitalis, fr. vita life; akin to vivere to live. See Vivid.]
sate v. t.: To satisfy the desire or appetite of; to satiate; to glut; to surfeit. [Probably shortened fr. satiate: cf. L. satus full. See Satiate.]
loyall a.: Faithful to law; upholding the lawful authority; faithful and true to the lawful government; faithful to the prince or sovereign to whom one is subject; unswerving in allegiance. [F. loyal, OF. loial, leial, L. legalis, fr. lex, legis, law. See Legal, and cf. Leal.]
deare: variant of Dere, v. t. & n.
requiem n.: A mass said or sung for the repose of a departed soul. [Acc. of L. requies rest, the first words of the Mass being "Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine," give eternal rest to them, O lord; pref. re- re + quies quiet. S]
masker v. t.: To confuse; to stupefy. Holland.
trow v. i.: To believe; to trust; to think or suppose. [OE. trowen, AS.treówan to trust, believe, fr. treów trust, treówe true, faithful. See True.]
passe a.: Past; gone by; hence, past one's prime; worn; faded; as, a passée belle. Ld. Lytton. [F.]
upbraid n.: The act of reproaching; contumely.
whiles conj.: During the time that; while. Chaucer. Fuller.
vapoured a.: Wet with vapors; moist.
colin n.: The American quail or bobwhite. The name is also applied to other related species. See Bobwhite. [F. colin; prop. a dim. of Colas, contr. fr. Nicolas Nicholas.]
dispraise v. t.: To withdraw praise from; to notice with disapprobation or some degree of censure; to disparage; to blame. [OE. dispreisen, OF. desprisier, despreisier, F. dépriser; pref. des- (L. dis-) + prisier, F. priser, to prize, praise. See Praise, and cf. Disprize, Depreciate.]
bounteous a.: Liberal in charity; disposed to give freely; generously liberal; munificent; beneficent; free in bestowing gifts; as, bounteous production. [OE. bountevous, fr. bounte bounty.]
dame n.: A mistress of a family, who is a lady; a womam in authority; especially, a lady. [F. dame, LL. domna, fr. L. domina mistress, lady, fem. of dominus master, ruler, lord; akin to domare to tame, subdue. See Tame, and cf. Dam mother, Dan, Danger]
spouse v. t.: To wed; to espouse. [See Espouse, and Spouse, n.]
paragon n.: A companion; a match; an equal.
adore v. t.: To worship with profound reverence; to pay divine honors to; to honor as deity or as divine. [OE. aouren, anouren, adoren, OF. aorer, adorer, F. adorer, fr. L. adorare; ad + orare to speak, pray, os, oris, mouth. In OE. confused with honor, the French pr]
deplore v. t.: To feel or to express deep and poignant grief for; to bewail; to lament; to mourn; to sorrow over. [L. deplorare; de- + plorare to cry out, wail, lament; prob. akin to pluere to rain, and to E. flow: cf. F. déplorer. Cf. Flow.]
shalt: 2d per. sing. of Shall.
eternall a.: Without beginning or end of existence; always existing. [F. éternel, L. aeternalis, fr. aeternus. See Etern.]
sonne n.: A male child; the male issue, or offspring, of a parent, father or mother. [OE. sone, sune, AS. sunu; akin to D. zoon, OS., OFries., & OHG. sunu, G. sohn, Icel. sonr, Sw. son, Dan. sön, Goth. sunus, Lith. sunus, Russ. suin', Skr. sunu (]
ensue v. t.: To follow; to pursue; to follow and overtake. [OF. ensevre, OF. & F. ensuivre, fr. L. insequi; in + sequi to pursue. See Sue.]
apace adv.: With a quick pace; quick; fast; speedily. [Pref. a- + pace. OE. a pas at a walk, in which a is the article. See Pace.]
womb n.: The belly; the abdomen. [OE. wombe, wambe, AS. wamb, womb; akin to D. wam belly, OS. & OHG. wamba, G. wamme, wampe, Icel. vömb, Sw. v&mb, Dan. vom, Goth. wamba.]
vertuous a.: Virtuous; powerful.
celestiall a.: Belonging to the aërial regions, or visible heavens. [OF. celestial, celestied, fr. L. caelestic, fr. caelum heaved. See Cell.]
went n.: Course; way; path; journey; direction.
mortall a.: Subject to death; destined to die; as, man is mortal. [F. mortel, L. mortalis, from mors, mortis, death, fr. moriri 8die; akin to E. murder. See Murder, and cf. Filemot, Mere a lake, Mortgage.]
cumbrous a.: Rendering action or motion difficult or toilsome; serving to obstruct or hinder; burdensome; clogging.
spright n.: Spirit; mind; soul; state of mind; mood. [See Sprite.]
valiance n.: The quality or state of being valiant; bravery; valor. [Cf. F. vaillance. See Valiant.]
arcadian a.: Of or pertaining to Arcadia; pastoral; ideally rural; as, Arcadian simplicity or scenery. [L. Arcadius, Arcadicus, fr. Arcadia: cf. F. Arcadien, Arcadique.]
wonted a.: Accustomed; customary; usual.
orpheus n.: The famous mythic Thracian poet, son of the Muse Calliope, and husband of Eurydice. He is reputed to have had power to entrance beasts and inanimate objects by the music of his lyre.
evermore adv.: During eternity; always; forever; for an indefinite period; at all times; -- often used substantively with for.
afore prep.: Before (in all its senses).
immortall a.: Not mortal; exempt from liability to die; undying; imperishable; lasting forever; having unlimited, or eternal, existance. [L. immortalis; pref. im- not + mortalis mortal: cf. F. immortel. See Mortal, and cf. Immortelle.]
oblivion n.: The act of forgetting, or the state of being forgotten; cessation of remembrance; forgetfulness. [L. oblivio, akin to oblivisci to forget: cf. OF. oblivion.]
inglorious a.: Not glorious; not bringing honor or glory; not accompanied with fame, honor, or celebrity; obscure; humble; as, an inglorious life of ease. [L. inglorious; pref. in- not + gloria glory, fame: cf. F. inglorieux. See Glory.]
memorize v. t.: To cause to be remembered ; hence, to record. [See Memory.]
friended a.: Having friends;
horrid a.: Rough; rugged; bristling. [L. horridus. See Horror, and cf. Ordure.]
puissant a.: Powerful; strong; mighty; forcible; as, a puissant prince or empire. [F., originally, a p. pr. formed fr. L. posse to be able: cf. L. potens powerful. See Potent.]
girt v. t.: To gird; to encircle; to invest by means of a girdle; to measure the girth of; as, to girt a tree. [From Girt, n., cf. Girth, v.]
wayment v. i.: To lament; to grieve; to wail. [OE. waymenten, OF. waimenter, gaimenter, guaimenter, from wai, guai, woe! (of Teutonic origin; see Woe) and L. lamentari to lament. See Lament.]
pierian a.: Of or pertaining to Pierides or Muses. [L. Pierius, from Mount Pierus, in Thessaly, sacred to the Muses.]
impacable a.: Not to be appeased or quieted. [L. pref. im- not + pacare to quiet. See Pacate.]
storming a.: from Storm, v. Storming party (Mil.), a party assigned to the duty of making the first assault in storming a fortress.
harmfull a.: Full of harm; injurious; hurtful; mischievous.
envie v. i.: To vie; to emulate; to strive. [See Vie.]
masse n.: A stroke made with the cue held vertically.
lethe n.: A river of Hades whose waters when drunk caused forgetfulness of the past.
conquerour n.: One who conquers. The Conqueror (Eng. Hist.). William the Norman (1027-1067) who invaded England, defeated Harold in the battle of Hastings, and was crowned king, in 1066. [OF. conquereor, fr. conquerre,]
trompe n.: A trumpet; a trump. [See Trump a trumpet.]
spight n.: A woodpecker. See Speight.
ensample n.: An example; a pattern or model for imitation. Tyndale. [OF. ensample, essample, F. exemple. See Example.]
departure n.: Division; separation; putting away. [From Depart.]

Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.

About this text

The Ruines of Time is in the public domain. This text is taken from The Poetical Works of Edmund Spenser, Volume 5, Project Gutenberg ebook #10602; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.

Cite as: Edmund Spenser, The Ruines of Time, in Amoretti and Epithalamion, and Other Poems (1595), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #10602, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/spenser-amoretti/the-ruines-of-time.html, id L23736.

Form and metre

The Ruines of Time is 490 lines in 70 stanzas of 7 lines each. The commonest rhyme scheme is ABABBCC, in 30 of the 70 stanzas; the rest vary or could not be confirmed. The metre is iambic pentameter, measured from the stress the words themselves fix (confidence 85%). Rhymes that have moved apart since the poem was written: are / care, fall / funerall, compassing / morning, skies / uprise, passe / was and 106 more.

See other poems in iambic pentameter.

Measured by Laurel's pipeline, not copied from a handbook: how stress and metre are counted, how rhyme is lettered, how a drifted rhyme is found. Where the dictionary cannot confirm a rhyme the letter is withheld, not guessed.

Rhyme words, stanza by stanza

The word that ends each line, lettered by the rhyme it makes; a dash is a line whose rhyme the dictionary could not confirm.

1 ABA-BCC shore^A · bee^B · yore^A · memorie · see^B · way^C · say^C
2 ABABBCC behold^A · wailing^B · golde^A · trailing^B · railing^B · held^C · weld^C
3 -A-AABB nymphes · lament^A · impes · extent^A · brent^A · perplexed^B · vexed^B
4 ABABBCC thing^A · have^B · envying^A · drave^B · grave^B · forlorne^C · scorne^C
5 ABABBCC plaint^A · brest^B · constraint^A · rest^B · request^B · being^C · decreeing^C
6 ABABB-- wore^A · me^B · yore^A · bee^B · see^B · was · gras
7 ABABBCC state^A · earth^B · date^A · merth^B · berth^B · woomb^C · toomb^C
8 ABABBCC breath^A · vaine^B · death^A · paine^B · remaine^B · gaie^C · decaie^C
9 ABA-BCC ages^A · become^B · sages^A · somme · overcome^B · maine^C · raine^C
10 ABABB-- lyonesse^A · appeares^B · outragiousnesse^A · yeares^B · heares^B · powre · devoure
11 ABABBCC beast^A · pride^B · beheast^A · ride^B · hide^B · lies^C · testifies^C
12 ABABACC rue^A · overthrowe^B · vewe^A · bestowe^B · shew^A · empresse^C · princesse^C
13 A-A--BB fayre^A · stone · rare^A · gone · none · beleeve^B · agreeve^B
14 A-A--BB theaters^A · pallaces · sepulchers^A · galleries · imageries · dust^B · rust^B
15 ABABBCC store^A · mee^B · sore^A · shee^B · bee^B · felt^C · dwelt^C
16 ABABBCC britonnesse^A · brought^B · conqueresse^A · thought^B · fought^B · prevailed^C · assailed^C
17 -A-AA-- were · thrall^A · deere · generall^A · funerall^A · lasted · wasted
18 -A-AABB were · made^A · where · fade^A · shade^A · hell^B · dwell^B
19 ABABBCC stand^A · towre^B · sand^A · bowre^B · powre^B · lovers^C · plovers^C
20 ABA-BCC slide^A · lee^B · side^A · iollitee · free^B · seene^C · greene^C
21 ABABBCC griefe^A · plained^B · mischiefe^A · pained^B · stained^B · fled^C · led^C
22 ABABBCC seene^A · waie^B · been^A · praie^B · betraie^B · store^C · more^C
23 -A-AABB gone · lament^A · mone · dreriment^A · languishment^A · kinde^B · minde^B
24 A-ABBCC game^A · eie · name^A · posteritie^B · iniurie^B · tort^C · sort^C
25 ABABBCC antiquitie^A · age^B · veritie^A · outrage^B · rage^B · obscure^C · endure^C
26 ABABBCC crie^A · raced^B · posteritie^A · defaced^B · placed^B · shorne^C · borne^C
27 ABABBCC beheld^A · race^B · held^A · grace^B · place^B · soveraine^C · maintaine^C
28 -A-AABB one · beare^A · mone · deare^A · neare^A · laie^B · saie^B
29 ABABBCC men^A · thing^B · then^A · flattering^B · sing^B · lowe^C · trow^C
30 ABA-B-- dide^A · away^B · abide^A · decaie · sway^B · relie · die
31 ABABBCC dead^A · uplaid^B · dread^A · upbraid^B · baid^B · crept^C · swept^C
32 -A-AABB gone · nought^A · shone · sought^A · thought^A · revive^B · alive^B
33 ABABBCC cloute^A · raise^B · rout^A · praise^B · dispraise^B · blame^C · shame^C
34 ---AABB game · trie · swaine · denie^A · applie^A · decease^B · increase^B
35 ABABBCC dyde^A · peere^B · envyde^A · deare^B · beare^B · dame^C · fame^C
36 ABABB-A thee^A · more^B · bee^A · adore^B · deplore^B · chastitie · die^A
37 ABABBCC verse^A · ever^B · rehearse^A · never^B · sever^B · live^C · give^C
38 -A-AA-- die · renowne^A · povertie · towne^A · crowne^A · blis · his
39 ABABBCC hayre^A · countenaunce^B · fayre^A · governaunce^B · advaunce^B · bountie^C · countie^C
40 -A-AA-- die · spring^A · familie · sing^A · bring^A · honour · her
41 ABAB--- above^A · blis^B · love^A · propertis^B · his · worth · forth
42 -A-AA-- divine · grace^A · slime · place^A · embrace^A · he · nobilitie
43 ABABBCC went^A · devise^B · present^A · sacrifise^B · enemies^B · blood^C · good^C
44 ABA-BCC blessed^A · ioy^B · distressed^A · anoy · enioy^B · thee^C · see^C
45 ABABB-- breath^A · praise^B · death^A · daies^B · raise^B · inspire · entire
46 ABABB-- sing^A · bright^B · sorrowing^A · delight^B · spright^B · ioy · anoy
47 A-ABB-- sing^A · valiance · ring^A · daunce^B · mischaunce^B · heare · were
48 ABABBCC wee^A · voice^B · free^A · choice^B · reioyce^B · layes^C · praise^C
49 -A-AABB evermore · song^A · afore · throng^A · strong^A · art^B · desart^B
50 A-A---- sing^A · reward · thing^A · regard · heard · lie · infamie
51 A-A---- alive^A · gracious · survive^A · hous · inglorious · is · blis
52 ABABBCC be^A · florish^B · see^A · perishe^B · cherishe^B · covetize^C · memorize^C
53 A-ABBCC live^A · bee · give^A · memorie^B · eternitie^B · repose^C · chose^C
54 A-A--BB hell^A · proserpina · spell^A · awaie · day · die^B · lie^B
55 -A-AA-- brood · merite^A · wood · spirite^A · inherite^A · bowre · paramoure
56 ABABBCC twinnes^A · lent^B · beginnes^A · orient^B · wayment^B · make^C · sake^C
57 ABABBCC fortunate^A · love^B · fate^A · above^B · remove^B · meede^C · feede^C
58 ABABBCC donne^A · decay^B · runne^A · ay^B · away^B · blast^C · wast^C
59 A-ABBCC vaine^A · aspired · paine^A · fired^B · desired^B · live^C · give^C
60 ABABB-- wonder^A · remaine^B · thunder^A · raine^B · gaine^B · masse · passe
61 ABAB-CC flie^A · decay^B · skie^A · away^B · assay · ride^C · glorifide^C
62 A-ABBCC lake^A · die · make^A · castalie^B · crie^B · found^C · sound^C
63 ABABBCC read^A · got^B · dead^A · forgot^B · spot^B · unregarded^C · unrewarded^C
64 -A-AABB calamities · spright^A · indignities · wight^A · quite^A · will^B · skill^B
65 -A-AABB heartes · bee^A · parts · tree^A · bee^A · scorned^B · adorned^B
66 ABABBCC illusion^A · overkest^B · confusion^A · rest^B · infest^B · mee^C · see^C
67 -A-AABB seate · all^A · threats · fall^A · call^A · bee^B · mee^B
68 ABABBCC plaint^A · away^B · faint^A · dismay^B · say^B · affright^C · sight^C
69 ABABBCC long^A · againe^B · strong^A · paine^B · braine^B · heart^C · part^C
70 ABABB-- brest^A · speach^B · wreste^A · reach^B · teach^B · were · appeare

Scansion, line by line

Each line with its syllable count and the stresses the words themselves fix: / stressed, ˘ unstressed, · a syllable the word leaves free and the metre decides. Read against iambic pentameter. How this is done.

Line	Syl.	Stress
It chaunced me on day beside the shore	10	··˘···˘/··
Of silver streaming Thamesis to bee,	10	·/˘/˘·····
Nigh where the goodly Verlame stood of yore,	10	···/˘·····
Of which there now remaines no memorie,	10	····˘/····
Nor anie little moniment to see,	10	···/˘/˘˘··
By which the travailer that fares that way	10	··········
This once was she may warned be to say.	10	······˘···
There, on the other side, I did behold	10	···/˘···˘/
A Woman sitting sorrowfullie wailing,	11	·/˘/˘····/˘
Rending her yeolow locks, like wyrie golde	10	/˘········
About her shoulders careleslie downe trailing,	12	···/˘·····/˘
And streames of teares from her faire eyes forth railing:	11	·········/˘
In her right hand a broken rod she held,	10	·····/˘···
Which towards heaven shee seemd on high to weld,	10	··/˘······
Whether she were one of that rivers nymphes,	10	·······/˘·
Which did the losse of some dere Love lament,	10	········˘/
I doubt; or one of those three fatall impes	10	·······/˘·
Which draw the dayes of men forth in extent;	10	········˘/
Or th’auncient genius of that citie brent;	10	···/˘·····
But, seeing her so piteouslie perplexed,	10	·/˘·····˘/
I, to her calling, askt what her so vexed.	10	···/˘·····
“Ah! what delight,” quoth she, “in earthlie thing,	10	··˘/······
Or comfort can I, wretched creature, have?	10	·/˘··/˘/˘·
Whose happines the heavens envying,	10	·····/˘/˘˘
From highest staire to lowest step me drave,	10	·/˘··/˘···
And have in mine owne bowels made my grave,	10	·····/˘···
That of all nations now I am forlorne,	10	···/˘·····
The worlds sad spectacle, and Fortunes scorne.”	10	···/˘˘·/˘·
Much was I mooved at her piteous plaint,	10	······/˘˘·
And felt my heart nigh riven in my brest	10	·····/˘···
With tender ruth to see her sore constraint;	10	·/˘·····˘/
That, shedding teares, a while I still did rest,	10	·/˘·······
And after did her name of her request.	10	········˘/
“Name have I none,” quoth she, “nor anie being,	11	·········/˘
Bereft of both by Fates uniust decreeing.	11	˘/······˘/˘
“I was that citie which the garland wore	10	·······/˘·
Of Britaines pride, delivered unto me	10	·/˘·˘/˘···
By Romane victors which it wonne of yore;	10	···/˘·····
Though nought at all but ruines now I bee,	10	·····/˘···
And lye in mine owne ashes, as ye see,	10	·····/˘···
VERLAME I was; what bootes it that I was,	10	··········
Sith now I am but weedes and wastfull gras?	10	··········
“O vaine worlds glorie, and unstedfast state	10	··········
Of all that lives on face of sinfull earth!	10	·······/˘·
Which, from their first untill their utmost date,	10	····˘/·/··
Tast no one hower of happines or merth;	10	···/······
But like as at the ingate of their berth	10	·····/˘···
They crying creep out of their mothers woomb,	10	·/˘····/˘·
So wailing backe go to their wofull toomb.	10	·/˘·······
“Why then dooth flesh, a bubble-glas of breath,	10	·····/˘···
Hunt after honour and advauncement vaine,	11	···/˘······
And reare a trophee for devouring death	10	······˘/˘·
With so great labour and long-lasting paine,	10	···/···/˘·
As if his daies for ever should remaine?	10	·····/˘···
Sith all that in this world is great or gaie	10	··········
Doth as a vapour vanish and decaie.	10	···/˘/˘···
“Looke backe, who list, unto the former ages,	11	·······/˘/˘
And call to count what is of them become.	10	········˘/
Where be those learned wits and antique sages,	10	······˘//˘
Which of all wisedome knew the perfect somme?	11	········˘/·
Where those great warriors, which did overcome	10	···/˘··/˘·
The world with conquest of their might and maine,	10	···/˘·····
And made one meare of th’earth and of their raine?	10	··········
“What nowe is of th’Assyrian Lyonesse,	9	·········
Of whome no footing now on earth appeares?	10	···/˘···˘/
What of the Persian Beares outragiousnesse,	10	···/˘·····
Whose memorie is quite worne out with yeares?	10	··········
Who of the Grecian Libbard now ought heares,	10	···/˘/˘···
That over-ran the East with greedie powre,	11	·········/˘
And left his whelps their kingdomes to devoure?	10	·····/˘···
“And where is that same great seven-headded beast,	10	······//˘·
That made all nations vassals of her pride,	10	···/˘/˘···
To fall before her feete at her beheast,	10	··········
And in the necke of all the world did ride?	10	··········
Where doth she all that wondrous welth nowe hide?	10	·····/˘···
With her own weight downe pressed now shee lies,	10	······˘···
And by her heaps her hugenesse testifies.	11	········/˘·
“O Rome, thy ruine I lament and rue,	10	······˘/··
And in thy fall my fatall overthrowe,	10	·····/˘···
That whilom was, whilst heavens with equall vewe	11	·/˘··/˘·/˘·
Deignd to behold me and their gifts bestowe,	10	··˘/······
The picture of thy pride in pompous shew:	10	·/˘····/˘·
And of the whole world as thou wast the empresse,	11	···········
So I of this small Northerne world was princesse.	11	·········/˘
“To tell the beawtie of my buildings fayre,	10	·······/˘·
Adornd with purest golde and precious stone,	10	···/˘··/˘·
To tell my riches and endowments rare,	10	···/˘·˘/˘·
That by my foes are now all spent and gone,	10	··········
To tell my forces, matchable to none,	10	···/˘/˘˘··
Were but lost labour that few would beleeve,	10	···/······
And with rehearsing would me more agreeve.	10	··˘/˘·····
“High towers, faire temples, goodly theaters,	11	·/˘·/˘/˘/˘˘
Strong walls, rich porches, princelie pallaces,	11	···/˘······
Large streetes, brave houses, sacred sepulchers,	10	···/˘/˘···
Sure gates, sweete gardens, stately galleries	10	···/˘/˘/˘˘
Wrought with faire pillours and fine imageries,—	10	·······/˘˘
All those, O pitie! now are turnd to dust,	10	··········
And overgrowen with blacke oblivions rust.	11	·······˘/˘·
“Theretoo, for warlike power and peoples store	11	····/·/·/˘·
In Britannie was none to match with mee,	10	··········
That manie often did abie full sore:	10	···/˘·/˘··
Ne Troynovant, though elder sister shee,	10	·····/˘/˘·
With my great forces might compared bee;	10	···/˘·˘/˘·
That stout Pendragon to his perill felt,	10	··/˘˘··/˘·
Who in a siege seaven yeres about me dwelt.	11	···········
“But long ere this, Bunduca, Britonnesse,	10	··········
Her mightie hoast against my bulwarkes brought;	10	·······/˘·
Bunduca! that victorious conqueresse,	10	····˘/˘···
That, lifting up her brave heroick thought	9	·/˘······
Bove womens weaknes, with the Romanes fought,	9	·/˘···/˘·
Fought, and in field against them thrice prevailed:	10	········˘/
Yet was she foyld, when as she me assailed.	10	········˘/
“And though at last by force I conquered were	10	·······/˘·
Of hardie Saxons, and became their thrall,	10	·/˘/˘·˘/··
Yet was I with much bloodshed bought full deere,	10	·····/····
And prizde with slaughter of their generall,	10	···/˘··/˘˘
The moniment of whose sad funerall,	10	·/˘˘···/˘˘
For wonder of the world, long in me lasted,	11	·/˘······/˘
But now to nought, through spoyle of time, is wasted.	12	··········/˘
“Wasted it is, as if it never were;	10	/˘·····/˘·
And all the rest that me so honord made,	10	··········
And of the world admired ev’rie where,	10	····˘/˘···
Is turnd to smoake that doth to nothing fade;	10	·······/˘·
And of that brightnes now appeares no shade,	9	·····˘/··
But greislie shades, such as doo haunt in hell	10	··········
With fearfull fiends that in deep darknes dwell.	10	·/˘·······
“Where my high steeples whilom usde to stand,	10	···/˘/˘···
On which the lordly faulcon wont to towre,	11	···/˘/˘··/˘
There now is but an heap of lyme and sand	10	··········
For the shriche-owle to build her balefull bowre:	11	········/˘/
And where the nightingale wont forth to powre	11	···/˘˘···/˘
Her restles plaints, to comfort wakefull lovers,	11	····/˘···/˘
There now haunt yelling mewes and whining plovers.	11	···/˘··/˘/˘
“And where the christall Thamis wont to slide	10	···/˘·····
In silver channell downe along the lee,	10	·/˘/˘·˘/··
About whose flowrie bankes on either side	10	·······/˘·
A thousand nymphes, with mirthfull iollitee,	10	·/˘·······
Were wont to play, from all annoyance free,	10	······˘/˘·
There now no rivers course is to be seene,	10	···/˘·····
But moorish fennes, and marshes ever greene.	10	·/˘··/˘/˘·
“Seemes that that gentle river, for great griefe	10	···/˘/˘···
Of my mishaps which oft I to him plained,	10	··/·······
Or for to shunne the horrible mischiefe	10	·····/˘˘··
With which he saw my cruell foes me pained,	10	·····/˘···
And his pure streames with guiltles blood oft stained,	10	·········˘
From my unhappie neighborhood farre fled,	10	·····/˘···
And his sweete waters away with him led.	10	···/˘˘/···
“There also where the winged ships were seene	10	·/˘···˘···
In liquid waves to cut their fomie waie,	10	·/˘·······
And thousand fishers numbred to have been,	10	·/˘/˘/˘···
In that wide lake looking for plenteous praie	11	····/˘·/˘˘·
Of fish, which they with baits usde to betraie,	10	··········
Is now no lake, nor anie fishers store,	10	·······/˘·
Nor ever ship shall saile there anie more.	10	·/········
“They all are gone, and all with them is gone!	10	··········
Ne ought to me remaines, but to lament	10	····˘/··˘/
My long decay, which no man els doth mone,	10	··˘/······
And mourne my fall with dolefull dreriment:	10	·····/˘···
Yet it is comfort in great languishment,	10	···/˘··/˘˘
To be bemoned with compassion kinde,	10	····˘·˘/˘·
And mitigates the anguish of the minde.	10	·/˘··/˘···
“But me no man bewaileth, but in game	10	··········
Ne sheddeth teares from lamentable eie;	10	·/˘··˘/˘˘·
Nor anie lives that mentioneth my name	10	·····/˘˘··
To be remembred of posteritie,	10	··˘/˘·····
Save one, that maugre Fortunes iniurie,	10	···/˘/˘···
And Times decay, and Envies cruell tort,	10	··˘/·/˘/˘·
Hath writ my record in true-seeming sort.	10	···/˘··/˘·
“CAMBDEN! the nourice of antiquitie,	10	···/˘·····
And lanterne unto late succeding age	10	··········
To see the light of simple veritie	10	·····/˘···
Buried in ruines, through the great outrage	10	/˘·/˘···/·
Of her owne people led with warlike rage,	10	···/˘··/··
CAMBDEN! though Time all moniments obscure,	10	········˘/
Yet thy iust labours ever shall endure.	10	···/˘/˘·˘/
“But whie, unhappie wight! doo I thus crie,	10	··········
And grieve that my remembrance quite is raced	10	····˘/˘···
Out of the knowledge of posteritie,	10	···/˘·····
And all my antique moniments defaced?	10	···˘/···˘/
Sith I doo dailie see things highest placed,	10	·······/˘·
So soone as Fates their vitall thred have shorne,	10	·····/˘···
Forgotten quite as they were never borne	10	˘/˘····/˘·
“It is not long, since these two eyes beheld	10	········˘/
A mightie Prince, of most renowmed race,	10	······˘/˘·
Whom England high in count of honour held,	10	·/˘····/˘·
And greatest ones did sue to game his grace;	10	·/˘·······
Of greatest ones he, greatest in his place,	10	·/˘··/˘···
Sate in the bosom of his Soveraine,	10	···/˘·····
And Right and Loyall** did his word maintaine.	10	···/˘·····
“I saw him die, I saw him die as one	10	··········
Of the meane people, and brought foorth on beare;	10	···/˘·····
I saw him die, and no man left to mone	10	··········
His dolefull fate that late him loved deare;	10	·/˘·····˘·
Scarse anie left to close his eylids neare;	10	··········
Scarse anie left upon his lips to laie	10	··········
The sacred sod, or requiem to saie.	10	·/˘··/˘˘··
“O trustlesse state of miserable men,	10	·····/˘˘˘·
That builde your blis on hope of earthly thing,	10	·······/˘·
And vainly thinke your selves halfe happie then,	10	·/˘·······
When painted faces with smooth flattering	10	·/˘/˘··/˘˘
Doo fawne on you, and your wide praises sing;	10	·······/˘·
And, when the courting masker louteth lowe,	10	···/˘/˘/˘·
Him true in heart and trustie to you trow!	10	··········
“All is but fained, and with oaker dide,	10	····˘··/˘·
That everie shower will wash and wipe away;	11	····/····˘/
All things doo change that under heaven abide,	10	·······/˘/
And after death all friendship doth decaie.	10	·····/˘···
Therefore, what ever man bearst worldlie sway,	10	···/˘·····
Living, on God and on thy selfe relie;	10	/˘········
For, when thou diest, all shall with thee die.	9	·········
“He now is dead, and all is with him dead,	10	··········
Save what in heavens storehouse he uplaid:	10	···/˘/····
His hope is faild, and come to passe his dread,	11	········/··
And evill men (now dead) his deeds upbraid:	10	·/˘·····/·
Spite bites the dead, that living never baid.	10	·····/˘/˘·
He now is gone, the whiles the foxe is crept	10	··········
Into the hole the which the badger swept.	10	·······/˘·
“He now is dead, and all his glorie gone,	10	··········
And all his greatnes vapoured to nought,	9	····/˘˘··
That as a glasse upon the water shone,	10	·······/˘·
Which vanisht quite so soone as it was sought.	10	··········
His name is worne alreadie out of thought,	10	··········
Ne anie poet seekes him to revive;	10	···/˘···˘/
Yet manie poets honourd him alive.	10	···/˘···˘/
“Ne doth his Colin, carelesse Colin Cloute,	11	···/˘···/˘·
Care now his idle bagpipe up to raise,	10	···/˘/····
Ne tell his sorrow to the listning rout	10	···/˘·····
Of shepherd groomes, which wont his songs to praise:	10	·/˘·······
Praise who so list, yet I will him dispraise,	10	········˘/
Untill he quite him of this guiltie blame.	10	˘/········
Wake, shepheards boy, at length awake for shame!	10	·/˘···˘/··
“And who so els did goodnes by him game,	9	·········
And who so els his bounteous minde did trie,	11	·····/˘˘···
Whether he shepheard be, or shepheards swaine,	10	···/˘··/˘·
(For manie did, which doo it now denie,)	10	··········
Awake, and to his song a part applie:	10	˘/········
And I, the whilest you mourne for his decease,	11	···/˘····˘/
Will with my mourning plaints your plaint increase.	10	···/˘···˘/
“He dyde, and after him his brother dyde,	10	·······/˘·
His brother prince, his brother noble peere,	10	·/˘··/˘/˘·
That whilste he lived was of none envyde,	10	····˘·····
And dead is now, as living, counted deare;	10	·····/˘/˘·
Deare unto all that true affection beare,	10	······˘/˘·
But unto thee most deare, O dearest Dame,	10	·······/˘·
His noble spouse and paragon of fame.	10	·/˘··/˘···
“He, whilest he lived, happie was through thee,	10	·/˘·······
And, being dead, is happie now much more;	10	·/˘·······
Living, that lincked chaunst with thee to bee,	10	/˘··˘·····
And dead, because him dead thou dost adore	10	········˘/
As living, and thy lost deare love deplore.	10	·/˘·····˘/
So whilst that thou, faire flower of chastitie,	10	·····/····
Dost live, by thee thy lord shall never die.	10	·······/˘·
“Thy lord shall never die, the whiles this verse	10	···/˘·····
Shall live, and surely it shall live for ever:	11	···/˘····/˘
For ever it shall live, and shall rehearse	10	·/˘·····˘/
His worthie praise, and vertues dying never,	10	······/˘/˘
Though death his soule doo from his bodie sever:	11	·······/˘/˘
And thou thy selfe herein shalt also live;	10	····˘/·/˘·
Such grace the heavens doo to my verses give.	11	···/˘···/˘·
“Ne shall his sister, ne thy father, die;	10	···/˘··/˘·
Thy father, that good earle of rare renowne,	10	·/˘·······
And noble patrone of weake povertie;	11	·/˘˘/˘·····
Whose great good deeds, in countrey and in towne.	10	··········
Have purchast him in heaven an happie crowne:	10	·····/····
Where he now liveth in eternall blis,	10	······˘/˘·
And left his sonne t’ensue those steps of his.	9	·········
“He, noble bud, his grandsires livelie hayre,	12	·/˘·······/˘
Under the shadow of thy countenaunce	10	···/······
Now ginnes to shoote up fast, and flourish fayre	10	·······/˘·
In learned artes, and goodlie governaunce,	10	··/˘······
That him to highest honour shall advaunce.	10	···/˘/˘···
Brave impe of Bedford, grow apace in bountie,	11	···/˘·˘/···
And count of wisedome more than of thy countie!	12	············
“Ne may I let thy husbands sister die,	10	·····/˘/˘·
That goodly ladie, sith she eke did spring	10	·/˘·······
Out of this stocke and famous familie	10	·····/˘···
Whose praises I to future age doo sing;	10	·/˘··/˘···
And foorth out of her happie womb did bring	10	··········
The sacred brood of learning and all honour;	11	·/˘··/˘··/˘
In whom the heavens powrde all their gifts upon her.	12	···/˘·······
“Most gentle spirite breathed from above,	10	·/˘···˘···
Out of the bosome of the Makers blis,	10	·······/˘·
In whom all bountie and all vertuous love	11	·······/˘˘·
Appeared in their native propertis,	10	˘/˘··/˘···
And did enrich that noble breast of his	10	··˘/·/˘···
With treasure passing all this worldës worth,	9	·/˘/˘····
Worthie of heaven it selfe, which brought it forth:	10	···/······
“His blessed spirite, full of power divine	10	······/˘˘/
And influence of all celestiall grace,	10	·/˘˘··˘/˘·
Loathing this sinfull earth and earthlie slime,	10	/˘·/˘·····
Fled backe too soonc unto his native place;	10	·······/˘·
Too soone for all that did his love embrace,	10	········˘/
Too soone for all this wretched world, whom he	10	·····/˘···
Robd of all right and true nobilitie.	10	··········
“Yet, ere his happie soule to heaven went	10	·······/˘·
Out of this fleshlie goale, he did devise	11	·········˘/
Unto his heavenlie Maker to present	11	······/˘·˘/
His bodie, as a spotles sacrifise,	9	·/˘······
And chose that guiltie hands of enemies	10	·······/˘˘
Should powre forth th’offring of his guiltles blood:	10	·/˘·······
So life exchanging for his countries good.	10	··˘/˘··/˘·
“O noble spirite, live there ever blessed,	10	·/˘····/˘·
The worlds late wonder, and the heavens new ioy;	11	···/˘··/˘··
Live ever there, and leave me here distressed	10	·/˘·····˘/
With mortall cares and cumbrous worlds anoy!	10	·/˘··/˘···
But, where thou dost that happines enioy,	10	··········
Bid me, O bid me quicklie come to thee,	10	··········
That happie there I maie thee alwaies see!	9	·········
“Yet, whilest the Fates affoord me vitall breath,	11	·/˘·····/˘·
I will it spend in speaking of thy praise,	10	·····/˘···
And sing to thee, untill that timelie death	11	····˘/·····
By heavens doome doo ende my earthlie daies:	10	·/˘·······
Thereto doo thou my humble spirite raise,	10	˘/···/˘···
And into me that sacred breath inspire,	10	·····/˘·˘/
Which thou there breathest perfect and entire.	11	···/˘/··˘/˘
“Then will I sing; but who can better sing	10	·······/˘·
Than thine owne sister, peerles ladie bright,	9	···/˘····
Which to thee sings with deep harts sorrowing,	10	·······/˘˘
Sorrowing tempered with deare delight,	10	/˘˘/˘˘··˘/
That her to heare I feele my feeble spright	11	········/˘·
Robbed of sense, and ravished with ioy;	10	·˘·····˘··
O sad ioy, made of mourning and anoy!	10	·····/˘···
“Yet will I sing; but who can better sing	10	·······/˘·
Than thou thyselfe thine owne selfes valiance,	9	·········
That, whilest thou livedst, madest the forrests ring,	12	·/˘······/˘·
And fields resownd, and flockes to leap and daunce,	10	··········
And shepheards leave their lambs unto mischaunce,	10	·/˘·······
To runne thy shrill Arcadian pipe to heare:	10	·····/˘···
O happie were those dayes, thrice happie were!	10	··········
“But now more happie thou, and wretched wee,	10	·······/˘·
Which want the wonted sweetnes of thy voice,	9	···/˘····
Whiles thou now in Elisian fields so free,	10	··········
With Orpheus, and with Linus, and the choice	10	·/˘··/˘···
Of all that ever did in rimes reioyce,	9	···/˘····
Conversest, and doost heare their heavenlie layes,	10	/˘········
And they heare thine, and thine doo better praise.	10	·······/˘·
“So there thou livest, singing evermore,	10	·····/˘/˘·
And here thou livest, being ever song	10	·····/˘/˘·
Of us, which living loved thee afore,	10	···/˘·˘·˘/
And now thee worship mongst that blessed throng	10	···/˘···˘·
Of heavenlie poets and heroës strong.	10	····/˘·/˘·
So thou both here and there immortall art,	10	······˘/˘·
And everie where through excellent desart.	10	······/˘··
“But such as neither of themselves can sing,	10	···/˘·˘/··
Nor yet are sung of others for reward,	10	·····/˘·˘/
Die in obscure oblivion, as the thing	10	··˘/˘/˘···
Which never was; ne ever with regard	10	·/˘··/˘·˘/
Their names shall of the later age be heard,	10	·····/˘···
But shall in rustic darknes ever lie,	10	···/˘··/˘·
Unles they mentiond be with infamie.	9	·········
“What booteth it to have been rich alive?	10	·/˘·····˘/
What to be great? what to be gracious?	9	·······/˘
When after death no token doth survive	10	·····/˘·˘/
Of former being in this mortall hous,	10	·/˘/˘··/˘·
But sleepes in dust dead and inglorious,	10	······˘/˘˘
Like beast, whose breath but in his nostrels is,	10	··········
And hath no hope of happinesse or blis.	10	··········
“How manie great ones may remembred be,	10	······˘/˘·
Which in their daies most famouslie did florish,	11	···········
Of whome no word we heare, nor signe now see,	10	··········
But as things wipt out with a sponge to perishe,	11	···········
Because they living cared not to cherishe	10	···/˘·····
No gentle wits, through pride or covetize,	10	·/˘·······
Which might their names for ever memorize!	10	·····/˘/˘·
“Provide therefore, ye Princes, whilst ye live,	10	˘/···/˘···
That of the Muses ye may friended bee,	10	···/˘··/˘·
Which unto men eternitie do give;	10	··········
For they be daughters of Dame Memorie	10	···/˘·····
And love, the father of Eternitie,	10	···/˘·····
And do those men in golden thrones repose,	10	·····/˘·˘/
Whose merits they to glorifie do chose.	10	·/˘·······
“The seven-fold yron gates of grislie Hell,	10	·/········
And horrid house of sad Proserpina,	10	·/˘···˘/˘˘
They able are with power of mightie spell	10	·/˘··/····
To breake, and thence the soules to bring awaie	10	··········
Out of dread darkenesse to eternall day,	11	·······˘/˘·
And them immortall make which els would die	10	··˘/˘·····
In foule forgetfulnesse, and nameles lie.	11	·/˘········
“So whilome raised they the puissant brood	10	······/˘˘·
Of golden-girt Alcmena, for great merite,	11	·/˘········
Out of the dust to which the Oetaean wood	10	··········
Had him consum’d, and spent his vitall spirite,	11	··˘/···/˘··
To highest heaven, where now he doth inherite	11	·/˘/·······
All happinesse in Hebes silver bowre,	10	······/˘/˘
Chosen to be her dearest paramoure.	10	/˘···/˘···
“So raisde they eke faire Ledaes warlick twinnes.	10	·····/˘/˘·
And interchanged life unto them lent,	10	··˘/˘·····
That, when th’one diës, th’other then beginnes	9	·······˘/
To shew in heaven his brightnes orient;	10	···/˘··/˘·
And they, for pittie of the sad wayment,	10	········/˘
Which Orpheus for Eurydice did make,	10	·/˘˘······
Her back againe to life sent for his sake.	10	··········
“So happie are they, and so fortunate,	10	·······/˘˘
Whom the Pierian sacred sisters love,	11	··˘/˘˘/˘/˘·
That freed from bands of impacable** fate,	10	·····˘/˘˘·
And power of death, they live for aye above,	10	·/········
Where mortall wreakes their blis may not remove:	10	·/˘·····˘/
But with the gods, for former verities meede,	10	·····/˘/˘·
On nectar and ambrosia do feede.	9	·/˘·˘/˘··
“For deeds doe die, how ever noblie donne,	10	·····/˘···

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More by Edmund Spenser

The Faerie Queene, Book I Amoretti and Epithalamion, and Other Poems