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About this text

  • Title: Shake-speares Sonnets (Quarto 1, 1609)
  • Editors: Hardy M. Cook, Ian Lancashire

  • Copyright Hardy M. Cook and Ian Lancashire. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editors: Hardy M. Cook, Ian Lancashire
    Peer Reviewed

    Shake-speares Sonnets (Quarto 1, 1609)

    I33
    BEshrew that heart that makes my heart to groane
    For that deepe wound it giues my friend and me;
    I'st not ynough to torture me alone,
    1985But slaue to slauery my sweet'st friend must be.
    Me from my selfe thy cruell eye hath taken,
    And my next selfe thou harder hast ingrossed,
    Of him, my selfe, and thee I am forsaken,
    A torment thrice three-fold thus to be crossed :
    1990Prison my heart in thy steele bosomes warde,
    But then my friends heart let my poore heart bale,
    Who ere keepes me, let my heart be his garde,
    Thou canst not then vse rigor in my Iaile.
    And yet thou wilt, for I being pent in thee,
    1995Perforce am thine and all that is in me.
    I34
    SO now I haue confest that he is thine,
    And I my selfe am morgag'd to thy will,
    My selfe Ile forfeit, so that other mine,
    2000Thou wilt restore to be my comfort still:
    But thou wilt not, nor he will not be free,
    For thou art couetous, and he is kinde,
    He learnd but suretie-like to write for me,
    Vnder that bond that him as fast doth binde.
    2005The statute of thy beauty thou wilt take,
    Thou vsurer that put'st forth all to vse,
    And sue a friend, came debter for my sake,
    So him I loose through my vnkinde abuse.
    Him haue I lost, thou hast both him and me,
    2010He paies the whole, and yet am I not free.
    I35
    WHo euer hath her wish, thou hast thy Will,
    And Will too boote, and Will in ouer-plus,
    More then enough am I that vexe thee still,
    2015To thy sweete will making addition thus.
    Wilt thou whose will is large and spatious,
    Not once vouchsafe to hide my will in thine,
    Shall will in others seeme right gracious,
    And in my will no faire acceptance shine:
    2020The sea all water, yet receiues raine still,
    And in aboundance addeth to his store,
    So thou beeing rich in Will adde to thy Will,
    One will of mine to make thy large Will more.
    Let no vnkinde, no faire beseechers kill,
    2025Thinke all but one, and me in that one Will.