381   The tyme, that may not soiourne,
382   But goth, and may never retourne,
383   As watir that doun renneth Ay,
384   But never drope retourne may;
385   Ther may no thing as tyme endure,
386   Metall, nor erthely creature;
387   ffor all thing it frette and shall:
388   The tyme eke, that chaungith All,
389   And all doth waxe and fostred be,
390   And al thing distroieth he:
391   The tyme, that eldith our
392   And eldith kynges and emperours,
393   And that us alle shal overcomen
394   Er that deth us shal have nomen:
395   The tyme, that hath al in welde
396   To elden folk, had maad hir elde
397   So ynly, that, to my witing,
398   She myght helpe hir silf no thing,
399   But turned ageyn unto childhede;
400   She had no thing hir silf to lede,
401   Ne witte ne pithe in hir holde
402   More than a child of two yeer olde.
403   But natheles, I trowe that she
404   Was faire sumtyme, and fresh to se,