Shakespeare's Sonnets: In loving thee thou know'st I am forsworn
Shakespeare's Sonnets: In loving thee thou know'st I am forsworn
Sonnet 152
Original Text
SHAKE-SPEARES SONNETS (London: G. Eld for T. T. and sold by William Aspley, 1609): i4v.
4In vowing new hate after new love bearing.
5But why of two oaths' breach do I accuse thee
6When I break twenty? I am perjur'd most,
7For all my vows are oaths but to misuse thee,
8And all my honest faith in thee is lost;
9For I have sworn deep oaths of thy deep kindness,
10Oaths of thy love, thy truth, thy constancy,
12Or made them swear against the thing they see.
Notes
1] I am forsworn] to his wife. Back to Line
2] Extrametrical, with line 4. Back to Line
3] bed-vow] promise to be sexually faithful to one bed (i.e., person). new faith] suggesting that the dark lady was recently affianced or wed. Back to Line
11] gave eyes to blindness] willfully refused to see what was apparent. Back to Line
13] eye] possibly a pun on "I." Back to Line
14] so: fo Q. Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1609
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire
RPO Edition
2008
Rhyme
Form