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  • Title: The Passionate Pilgrim (Octavo, 1599)
  • Editor: Hardy M. Cook

    • ISBN: 978-1-55058-411-0

    Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Hardy M. Cook
    Not Peer Reviewed

    The Passionate Pilgrim (Octavo, 1599)

    1WHen my Loue sweares that she is made of truth,
    I doe beleeue her (though I know she lies)
    That she might thinke me some vntutor'd youth,
    Vnskilfull in the worlds false forgeries.
    5Thus vainly thinking that she thinkes me young,
    Although I know my yeares be past the best:
    I smiling, credite her false speaking toung,
    Outfacing faults in Loue, with loues ill rest.
    But wherefore sayes my Loue that she is young?
    10And wherefore say not I, that I am old?
    O, Loues best habite is a soothing toung,
    And Age (in Loue) loues not to haue yeares told.
    Therfore Ile lye with Loue, and Loue with me,
    Since that our faults in Loue thus smother'd be.
    A 3
    15TWo Loues I haue, of Comfort, and Despaire,
    That like two Spirits, do suggest me still:
    My better Angell is a Man (right faire)
    My worser spirite a Woman (colour'd ill.)
    To winne me soone to hell, my Female euill
    20Tempteth my better Angell from my side,
    And would corrupt my Saint to be a Diuell,
    Wooing his purity with her faire pride.
    And whether that my Angell be turnde feend,
    Suspect I may (yet not directly tell:
    25For being both to me: both, to each friend,
    I ghesse one Angell in anothers hell:
    The truth I shall not know, but liue in doubt,
    Till my bad Angell fire my good one out.
    A 4
    DId not the heauenly Rhetorike of thine eie,
    30Gainst whom the world could not hold argumēt,
    Perswade my hart to this false periurie:
    Vowes for thee broke deserue not punishment.
    A woman I forswore: but I will proue
    Thou being a Goddesse, I forswore not thee:
    35My vow was earthly, thou a heauenly loue,
    Thy grace being gainde, cures all disgrace in me.
    My vow was breath, and breath a vapor is,
    Then thou faire Sun, that on this earth doth shine,
    Exhale this vapor vow, in thee it is:
    40If broken, then it is no fault of mine.
    If by me broke, what foole is not so wise
    To breake an Oath, to win a Paradise?
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