LOVE NEVER FAILETH 



The substance is not chaunged nor altered, 



But th' only forme and outward fashion; 



For every substance is conditioned 



To chaunge her hew, and sondry formes to don, 



Meet for her temper and complexion: 



For formes are variable and decay 



By course of kinde and by occasion ; 



And that faire flowre of beautie fades away, 



As doth the lily fresh before the sunny ray. 



Great enimy to it, and to all the rest 

 That in the Gardin of Adonis springs, 

 Is wicked Tyme: who with his scythe addrest 

 Does mow the flowring herbes and goodly things, 

 And all their glory to the ground downe flings, 

 Where they do wither, and are fowly mard : 

 He flyes about, and with his flaggy winges 

 Beates downe both leaves and buds without 



regard, 

 Ne ever pitty may relent his malice hard. 



Yet pitty often did the gods relent, 

 To see so faire thinges mard and spoiled quight; 

 And their great mother Venus did lament 

 The losse of her deare brood, her deare delight: 

 Her hart was pierst with pitty at the sight, 



[73] 



