II. The Aged Lover Renounceth Love. ......................................................................
The grave-digger's song inHamlet, act v. is taken from three stanzas of the
following poem, though greatly altered and disguised, as the same were corrupted by
the ballad-singers of Shakspeare's time; or perhaps so designed by the poet himself,
the better to suit the character of an illiterate clown. The original is preserved among
Surrey's Poems, and is attributed to Lord Vaux, by George Gascoigne, who tells us, it
"was thought by some to be made on his death-bed;" a popular error which he laughs
at. (See hisEpist. to Yong Gent. prefixed to hisPosies, 1575, 4to.) It is also ascribed
to Lord Vaux in a manuscript copy preserved in the British Museum.[1] This lord was
remarkable for his skill in drawing feigned manners, &c. for so I understand an
ancient writer. "The Lord Vaux his commendation lyeth chiefly in the facilitie of his
meetre, and the aptnesse of his descriptions such as he taketh upon him to make,
namely in sundry of his songs, wherein he showeth thecounterfait actionvery lively
and pleasantly."--Arte of Eng. Poesie,1589, p. 51. See another song by this poet in
Book iv. no. viii
I LOTHE that I did love,
In youth that I thought swete,
As time requires: for my behove
Me thinkes they are not mete.
My lustes they do me leave,
My fansies all are fled;
And tract of time begins to weave
Gray heares upon my hed.
For Age with steling steps
Hath clawde me with his crowch,
And lusty Youthe awaye he leapes,
As there had bene none such.
My muse doth not delight
Me, as she did before:
My hand and pen are not in plight,
As they have bene of yore.
For Reason me denies,
All youthly idle rime;
And day by day to me she cries,
Leave off these toyes in tyme.
The wrinkles in my brow,
The furrowes in my face,
Say, Limping age will lodge him now,
Where youth must geve him place.
The harbenger of death,
To me I se him ride,
The cough, the cold, the gasping breath,
Doth bid me to provide
A pikeax and a spade,
And eke a shrowding shete,