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FROM THE GREATER TESTAMENT (XXII, XXIII, AND XXVI), by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: I doe bemoan my youthful sinne
Last Line: My heart comes nigh to break in two.
Alternate Author Name(s): Montcorbier, Francois De
Subject(s): Old Age; Youth


I DOE bemoan my youthful sinne
And the steep road I hurried bye
Until I met old Age therin
That hid youth's going from myne eye.
Nought of his footsteps I descrye
Nor palfrey's hoof-prints. How went he?
As sudden as a bird doth flye,
And left me nought but beggarye.

He is fled awaye and I am left
Who little knowe nor understand,
Less ripe than rotten, all bereft
Of mirth and money, house and land.
I bear upon me the harsh brand
Of mine own kind who from the fold
Doe drive me with unkindlye hand
Because I have but little gold.

Ah! Godde, hadde I in my wild youth
But studied well and walked arighte,
I mighte have hadde an house in sooth
And lain between warm sheets o' nighte.
But, naye! from school I took my flighte
As anye naughtye ladde will doe.
Nowe when these woeful words I write
My heart comes nigh to break in two.





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