O, RETIRED by cruel passions that oppress me,
With heart nigh broken, time no hope would give me,
Upon my bed I laid me down to rest me,
And gentle sleep I wooed to relieve me.
But an, alas! I found, that on the morrow
My sleeping joys brought on my waking sorrow.

For, lo, a dream I had so full of pleasure,
That to possess what to embrace I seemed
Could not affect my joy in higher measure
Than now it grieves me, that I have but dreamed,
O, let my dreams be sighs and tears hereafter,
So I, that sleeping weep, may wake in laughter!

Fain would I tell how much that shadow pleased me,
But tongue and pen want words and art in telling:
Yet this I'll say, to show what horror seized me
When I was robbed of bliss so much excelling,
Might all my dreams be such, O let me never
Awake again, but sleep and dream for ever!

For when I waking saw myself deceived,
And what an inward hell it had procured
To find myself of all my hopes bereaved,
It brought on passions not to be endured;
And knew I next night had such dreams in keeping,
I'd make my eyes forswear for ever sleeping.