poem 11
I lothe that I did love,
In youth that I thought sweet:
As time requires for my behove
Me thinks they are not meet.
My lusts they do me leave,
My fancies all be fled:
And tract of time begin to weave
Gray hairs upon my head.
..........
For reason me denies
This youthly idle rhyme:
And day by day to me she cries,
Leave off these toys in time,
....
Thus must I youth give up
Whose badge I long did wear:
To them I yield the wanton cup
That better may it bear.
....
My keepers knit the knot
That youth did laugh to scorn:
Of me that clean shall be forgot
As I had not been born.
(Too gloomy for the New Year? A few disconnected verses from "The Lover renounceth love" by Lord Thomas Vaux (1510-1556), who only contributes two poems to Tottel's Miscellany ; see item 7 in this section. Other miscellanies of that time had delightful titles, such as, 'The Paradise of Dainty Devices', 'A Handful of Pleasant Delights', 'The Gorgeous Gallery of Gallant Inventions'; but Tottel's was the first.
After hearing some wonderful music by William Mundy, I looked him up in Groves Dictionary and noticed that his son, John, (died 1630) had composed a 4-part setting of Chidiock's poem.. see item 2 in this section. So somewhere there must exist the notes which go with those haunting words.
PS I have just been sent the four-part setting of the Chidiock poem. If anyone wants to borrow it, get in touch)