by Samuel Daniel (1562 - 1619)
Time, cruel Time, canst thou subdue that...
Language: English
Time, cruel Time, canst thou subdue that brow That conquers all but thee, and thee too stays, As if she were exempt from scythe or bow, From love and years, unsubject to decays? Or art thou grown in league with those fair eyes, That they might aid thee to consume our days? Or doest thou love her for her cruelties, Being merciless like thee that no man weighs? Then do so still, although she makes so 'steem Of days nor years, but lets them run in vain. Hold still thy swift-winged hours, that wond'ring seem To gaze on her, even to turn back again; And do so still, although she nothing cares. Do as I do, love her although unkind. Hold still. Yet, O I fear, at unawares Thou wilt beguile her though thou seem'st so kind.
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Text Authorship:
- by Samuel Daniel (1562 - 1619), "Sonnet 23", appears in Delia. Contayning certayne sonnets: with the complaint of Rosamond, first published 1592 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by John Danyel (1564 - 1626), "Time, cruel Time", published 1606, from Songs for the Lute, Viol and Voice [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 137