Classic Poem

First shal the raging flouds
against their course runne:
By day the moone shal lend her light,
by night the golden sunne
First fickle fortune shall
stand at a stedy stay:
And in the sea the shining starres
shal moue and keepe their way.
First Fish amid the ayre,
shal wander to and fro:
The cloudes be cleere, in beuty eke
the cole exceede the snowe.
First kinde shal alter all
and change her wonted state:
The blind shal see, the deafe shal heare,
the dumbe shal freely prate
Before that any chaunce,
or let that may arise,
Shalbe of force to wrest my loue,
or quench in any wife
The flame of my good will,
and faithful fancies fire
Saue cruel death shal nothing daunt,
or coole my hote desire.
Desire that guides my life,
and yeldes my hart his foode:
Wherefore to be in presence stil,
with thee, would doe me good.
Which presence I presume
thou neuer wilt deny:
But as occasion serues,
so thou to frendship wilt apply.
Til when I giue thee vp
to good and happy chaunce,
In hope that time to our delights
will seeke vs to aduance.
Adue (deere frend) to thee,
that art my only ioy:
More faire to me then Helen was
to Priams sonne of Troy:
And constant more in loue,
then was Vlisses make,
Of whose assured life and zeale,
so much the Poets spake
Lesse light than Lucrece eke,
whom Tarquins lust defilde:
As courteous as the Carthage Queene,
that fowly was beguilde
To quite all which good parts,
this vow I make to thee:
I will be thine as long as I
haue power mine owne to be.