Farewell Love and all thy Laws for ever

Farewell Love and all thy Laws for ever

Original Text
British Library Egerton MS. 2711, fol. 13; cf. Richard Harrier, Canon (1975): 114.
3Senec and Plato call me from thy lore
6Thy sharp repulse, that pricketh aye so sore,
7Hath taught me to set in trifles no store
9Therefore farewell; go trouble younger hearts
10And in me claim no more authority.
12And thereon spend thy many brittle darts,
13For hitherto though I have lost all my time,

Notes

1] Tottel's title: "A renouncing of loue." Back to Line
2] Senec: Lucius Annaeus Seneca (ca. 4 BC-AD 65): Roman stoic philosopher, rhetorician, and tragedian. Back to Line
4] wealth: well-being in mind (not in money) Back to Line
5] Love is traditionally blind and shoots arrows at or "pricketh" its victims (cf. 12). Back to Line
8] lever: dearer, more lief or loved. Back to Line
11] use thy property: "be yourself"; exhibit your distinguishing quality. Back to Line
14] Me lusteth: I want.
lenger: Middle English comparative of "long."
rotten boughs to climb: proverbial (Tilley B557). Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1557
RPO poem Editors
F. D. Hoeniger; Ian Lancashire
RPO Edition
RP 1963: I.3; RPO 1994.
Form