Who hateth thee that I do call my friend? Those that can see thou lovest, and I am blind. CL. O, from what power hast thou this powerful might With insufficiency my heart to sway? Whence hast thou this becoming of things ill, There is such strength and warrantize of skill That, in my mind, thy worst all best exceeds ? Who taught thee how to make me love thee more The more I hear and see just cause of hate? CLI. Love is too young to know what conscience is; No want of conscience hold it that I call Cupid laid by his brand, and fell asleep : Against strange maladies a sovereign cure. But at my mistress' eye Love's brand new. fired, The boy for trial needs would touch my breast; I, sick withal, the help of bath desired, But found no cure: the bath for my help lies Where Cupid got new fire-my mistress' eyes. A LOVER'S COMPLAINT. INTRODUCTION. As already mentioned in the Introduction to the Sonnets this poem first appeared in the quarto containing the Sonnets published in 1609. In a letter to the Editor of the " Leopold Shakespeare," Professor Delius says: "A Lover's Complaint may belong to the end of Shakespeare's second period, or to the third and latest period; so you may place it with Othello," in the chronological order. 20 Oft did she heave her napkin to her eyne, Hanging her pale and pined cheek beside; Though slackly braided in loose negligence. These often bathed she in her fluxive eyes, 50 And often kiss'd, and often 'gan to tear: Cried O false blood, thou register of lies, What unapproved witness dost thou bear! Ink would have seem'd more black and damned here!' This said, in top of rage the lines she rents, A reverend man that grazed his cattle nigh— So slides he down upon his grained bat, 70 Father,' she says, though in me you behold The injury of many a blasting hour, Let it not tell your judgment I am old; Not age, but sorrow, over me hath power: 'But, woe is me! too early I attended A youthful suit-it was to gain my grace— And when in his fair parts she did abide, Yet show'd his visage by that cost more dear; And nice affections wavering stood in doubt If best were as it was, or best without. 'His qualities were beauteous as his form, 99 His rudeness so with his authorized youth 'Well could he ride, and often men would say And controversy hence a question takes, 110 Whether the horse by him became his deed, Or he his manage by the well-doing steed. So many have, that never touch'd his hand, Sweetly supposed them mistress of his heart. My woeful self, that did in freedom stand, And was my own fee-simple, not in part, What with his art in youth, and youth in art, Threw my affections in his charmed power, Reserved the stalk and gave him all my flower. 'Yet did I not, as some my equals did, Demand of him, nor being desired yielded; Finding myself in honor so forbid, With safest distance I mine honor shielded : Experience for me many bulwarks builded Of proofs new-bleeding, which remain'd the foil Of this false jewel, and his amorous spoil 150 6.66 'O, pardon me, in that my boast is true: The accident which brought me to her eye Upon the moment did her force subdue, And now she would the caged cloister fly: Religious love put out Religion's eye: 250 Not to be tempted, would she be immured, And now, to tempt, all liberty procured. ""How mighty then you are, O, hear me tell' I strong o'er them, and you o'er me being strong, Must for your victory us all congest, As compound love to physic your cold breast. "My parts had power to charm a sacred Who, disciplined, ay, dieted in grace, Of stale example? When thou wilt inflame, sense, 'gainst shame, And sweetens, in the suffering pangs it bears, The aloes of all forces, shocks, and fears. ""Now all these hearts that do on mine depend, Feeling it break, with bleeding groans they pine; And supplicant their sighs to you extend, Or swooning paleness; and he takes and leaves, In either's aptness, as it best deceives, To blush at speeches rank to weep at woes, Or to turn white and swoon at tragic shows: 'That not a heart which in his level came Could 'scape the hail of his all-hurting aim, Showing fair nature is both kind and tame ; And, veil'd in them, did win whom he would maim : [claim; Against the thing he sought he would exWhen he most burn'd in heart-wish'd luxury, He preach'd pure maid, and praised cold chastity. Thus merely with the garment of a Grace The naked and concealed fiend he cover'd ; That th' unexperient gave the tempter place, Which like a cherubin above them hover'd. Who, young and simple, would not be so lover'd? Ay me! I fell; and yet do question make 320 |