"In youth, when I did love, did love, <br>
methought it was very sweet,<br>
to contract, O, the time, for, ah, my behove,<br>
O, methought, there was nothing meet.<br>
<br>
"But age, with his stealing steps,<br>
hath claw'd me in his clutch,<br>
and hath shipped me intil the land,<br>
as if I had never been such.<br>
<br>
"A pick-axe, and a spade, a spade,<br>
for and a shrouding sheet:<br>
O, a pit of clay for to be made<br>
for such a guest is meet."