To them shee gave the first and fairest beame The purest pearles, that wept her evening death; By often kissing them. And now begun Glad Time to ripen Expectation: The timorous maiden-blossomes on each bough 20 25 Those rare fruits dangled, whence the golden Yeare His crowne expected: when, (O Fate! O Time! That seldome lett'st a blushing youthfull prime 30 Hide his hot beames in shade of silver age, So rare is hoary Vertue) the dire rage Of a mad storme these bloomy joyes all tore, Ravisht the maiden blossoms, and downe bore The trunke. Yet in this ground his pretious root 35 Dance in an endlesse round, again shall rise The faire son of an ever-youthfull Spring, To be a shade for angels while they sing; Meane while who e're thou art that passest here, 40 |