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Some glory in their birth, some in their skill,
Some in their wealth, some in their body's force;
Some in their garments, though new-fangled ill;
Some in their hawks and hounds, some in their horse; 4
And every humour hath his adjunct pleasure,
Wherein it finds a joy above the rest:
But these particulars are not my measure;
All these I better in one general best. 8
Thy love is better than high birth to me,
Richer than wealth, prouder than garments' cost,
Of more delight than hawks or horses be;
And having thee, of all men's pride I boast: 12
Wretched in this alone, that thou mayst take
All this away, and me most wretched make.
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But do thy worst to steal thyself away,
For term of life thou art assured mine;
And life no longer than thy love will stay,
For it depends upon that love of thine. 4
Then need I not to fear the worst of wrongs,
When in the least of them my life hath end.
I see a better state to me belongs
Than that which on thy humour doth depend: 8
Thou canst not vex me with inconstant mind,
Since that my life on thy revolt doth lie.
O ! what a happy title do I find,
Happy to have thy love, happy to die: 12
But what's so blessed-fair that fears no blot?
Thou mayst be false, and yet I know it not.
3 new-fangled ill: fashionably ugly
5 humour: disposition
adjunct: connected
7 measure: limit (of joy)
8 humour: mood
10 Since that . . . lie: since my life would end if you betrayed me
