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| PREPARE a place aboue the skies, | |
| Where angels rest in ioy; | |
| Out of all mundane thoughts arise, | |
| Which workes the soule’s annoy. | |
| Of Time watch well the stealing steps; | 5 |
| Take heed of youth that age forgets. | |
| All thinges haue time by power deuine, | |
| And Time consumeth all. | |
| She hath cut off the mightiest kinges, | |
| And so the rest she shall. | 10 |
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| Emporour, king, and kaisar, she | |
| Doth mount vpon the stage; | |
| And all that shall aduaunced be | |
| Time raiseth in ech age. | |
| So Time dismountes them all againe, | 15 |
| Some from great ioy to shame and paine. | |
| Thus rich and poore she euermore | |
| Cuts off, both great and small: | |
| The captaine stout, and all his rout, | |
| She spoyles, and euer shall. | 20 |
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| Therefore watch well this hastie dame, | |
| That makes thys mortall speede: | |
| As all our parents felt the same, | |
| With vs she will proceede. | |
| Time flies apace; she tarries not; | 25 |
| She grantes no grace if men forgot. | |
| At first she is as sugar sweete, | |
| But ends like bitter gall. | |
| Let worldlinges watch that be asleepe, | |
| For time no doubt they shall. | 30 |
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| Remember Tyme built cities great, | |
| Which now is wildernes; | |
| With many a costly and stately seat | |
| That now consumed is. | |
| And Tyme these dayes builds many bours | 35 |
| Which shall in Time be none of ours: | |
| For as the seas doth ebbe and floe, | |
| So Tyme doth with vs all. | |
| Now chuse who thinks of Tyme or noe; | |
| All thinges consume she shall. * * * * * * * | 40 |
| Of this beware, and marke it well, | |
| For Tyme is now at hand; | |
| That Tyme all pleasure shall expell | |
| As well by sea as land. | |
| Not one, but all, shall tast of woe, | 45 |
| Of very force it must be soe: | |
| Els sinne would sincke, and vice would drinke, | |
| The workes of vertue all: | |
| So Tyme consumes those that presumes— | |
| Loe! thus she doth and shall. | 50 |
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| Such is the force of Tyme, ye see; | |
| Such is the ende of all: | |
| Here may we see that vanitie | |
| Doth worke our mortal thrall. | |
| Quite now yourselues from worldly mucke, | 55 |
| Lest Tyme vnlookt your liues do plucke. | |
| Undoubtedly in Tyme foresee | |
| To win the way to rest; | |
| And help the poore, which is the store | |
| For which God thinkes you blest. | 60 |
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| If Tyme cut of all liuing thinges, | |
| And stil bringes all to nought; | |
| And shall to iudgement bring the kinges, | |
| As well for deede as thought; | |
| Then let the meaner stats take heed | 65 |
| To watch and pray with present speed: | |
| Els in the shares of Tyme vnwares | |
| We must to iudgment all. | |
| Remember this; great neede it is, | |
| For Tyme consume vs shall. | 70 |
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