109
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: 4
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. 8
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; 12
For nothing this wide universe I call,
Save thou, my rose; in it thou art my all.
110
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; 4
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. 8
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. 12
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
