Shakespeare's Sonnets: But be contented when that fell arrest

Shakespeare's Sonnets: But be contented when that fell arrest

Sonnet 74

Original Text
SHAKE-SPEARES SONNETS (London: G. Eld for T. T. and sold by William Aspley, 1609): e4r-e4v.
1But be contented when that fell arrest
2Without all bail shall carry me away.
3My life hath in this line some interest,
4Which for memor'al still with thee shall stay.
5When thou reviewest this, thou dost review
6The very part was consecrate to thee.
7The earth can have but earth, which is his due,
8My spirit is thine, the better part of me,
9So then thou hast but lost the dregs of life,
10The prey of worms, my body being dead,
11The coward conquest of a wretch's knife,
12Too base of thee to be remembèred.
13    The worth of that is that which it contains,
14    And that is this, and this with thee remains.

Notes

1] fell] terrible. Back to Line
2] all] any. bail] payment to secure one's release from custody. Back to Line
4] memor'al] memoriall Q. Back to Line
6] was] that was. Back to Line
8] spirit] pronounced as a single syllable (cf. OED, "sprite"). Back to Line
11] wretch] age (see 63.10). Back to Line
12] remembèred] remembred Q. Back to Line
13] of that] of my body (line 10). Back to Line
14] is this] is the poem (line 5). Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1609
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire
RPO Edition
2008
Rhyme
ababcdcdefefgg
Form
sonnet