Mirror for Magistrates Author:William Baldwin Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: 'r" 'yh boast of strength, me thought the loftie oake Would teach him that his strerigttrmnst vade, when Tge Begins la 'yoke His youthfull necke, ... more »euen by it selfe, his leauie lockes being shed, And branched armes shrunke vp with frost, as if they had been dead: The louely lillie, that faire flower for beantie past compare, Whom winter's cold keenc breath had kill'd, and blasted all her faire, Might teach the fairest vnder heau'n, that beautie's freshest greene When spring of youth is spent, will vade, as it had neuer been; The barren fields, which whilome flower'd as they would neuer fade, Inricht with summer's golden gifts, which now been all decay'd, Did shew in state there was no trust, in wealth no ccrtaine stay, One stormie blast of frowning chance could blow them all away; Out of the yeares alternate course this lesson 1 did con, In things on earth of most auaile assurance there was none: But fancie feeding on these thoughts, as I alone did wend, The clocke did strike, whose chime did tell the day was at an end; The golden sunne, daies guide, was gone, and in his purple bed Had laid him downe, the heau'ns about their azure curtaines spread, And all the tapers lighted were, as t'vvere the watch to keepe, Lest past her houre night should vsurpe, while he secure did slecpe i Then clad in cloake of mistie foggesthe darke night vp did come, And with grim grislie looko did seeme to bid me get me home; Home was I led, not as before with solace from the field, The wofull waste of summer past had all my pleasure spill'd: When home I came, nipt with sharpe cold of Boreas bitter aire, After repast to my warme bed forthwith I made repaire, Where, for the nights were tedious growen, and 1 disturb'd in mind With thoughts of that daies obiect seene, not vnto sleepe in...« less