Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Edward Farr, ed. Select Poetry of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth. 1845.

Time Fleeting

LVIII. Richard Robinson

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;

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.

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,

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.

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;

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.

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

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.

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,

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.

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,

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.

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

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.