Page:Shakespeare's Sonnets (1923) Yale.djvu/65

Shakespeare's Sonnets 

O, never say that I was false of heart,

Though absence seem'd my flame to qualify.

As easy might I from myself depart

As from my soul, which in thy breast doth lie:

That is my home of love: if I have rang'd,

Like him that travels, I return again;

Just to the time, not with the time exchang'd,

So that myself bring water for my stain.

Never believe, though in my nature reign'd

All frailties that besiege all kinds of blood,

That it could so preposterously be stain'd,

To leave for nothing all thy sum of good;

For nothing this wide universe I call,

Save thou, my rose; in it thou art my all.

 

Alas! 'tis true I have gone here and there,

And made myself a motley to the view,

Gor'd mine own thoughts, sold cheap what is most dear,

Made old offences of affections new;

Most true it is that I have look'd on truth

Askance and strangely; but, by all above,

These blenches gave my heart another youth,

And worse essays prov'd thee my best of love.

Now all is done, have what shall have no end:

Mine appetite I never more will grind

On newer proof, to try an older friend,

A god in love, to whom I am confin'd.

Then give me welcome, next my heaven the best,

Even to thy pure and most most loving breast.

 2 qualify: moderate

5 That: thy breast

7 Just to the time: punctually

exchang'd: changed

8 myself bring stain: justify my fault (of absence)

10 blood: temperament

11 preposterously: unnaturally  1, 2 Cf. n.

2 motley: jester

3 Gor'd: wounded

4 Made old new: offended in forsaking old friends for new

7 blenches: inconstancies

gave youth: brought me back to youthful love

8 worse essays: trials of the worse

9 have what end: take my unending love

10 grind: whet 