SONNET 26 Lord of my love, to whom in vassalage
Thy merit hath my duty stronglyknit,
To thee I send this written embassage,
To witness duty, not to show my wit:
Duty so great, which wit so poor as mine
May make seem bare, in wanting words to show it,
But that I hope some good conceit of thine
In thy soul's thought, all naked, will bestow it:
Till whatsoever star that guides my moving,
Points on me graciously with fair aspect,
And puts apparel on my tottered loving,
To show me worthy of thy sweet respect:
Then may I dare to boast how I do love thee;
Till then, not show my head where thou mayst prove me. This sonnet has been seen by some as valedictory of 20-25, oreven of 1 - 25. Perhaps it may be construed as an envoi to a history of courtly love, such as istypified in the first addresses tothe youth. Perhaps its numericalposition does have some significance, as it is placed exactly 100 before the sequence devoted to to the youth comes to an end. At any rate it begins in dramatic fashion, with echoes of biblical dimensions (I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt), and it continues with the vocabulary of the submissive vassal in frontof his liege lord. The varied rhetorical tropes and figures actas a sort of undersong to the plea of inadequacy, undermining by their very existence the success of the plea. This facet or hidden side of the sonnet one cannot but see as intentional, and it adds a pleasant 'tongue in cheek' sense to the relationship.
'Perhaps all is not as it seems. Perhaps you are not so lordly and I am not as unworthy as my poor wit pretends. Perhaps my loving is not as tattered as I make it out to be, and my reticence in boasting of it is a witness to my merit. Perhaps I have just that right to prove you(put you to the test) as you haveto prove me'. Unstable dream, according to the place, Be steadfast once, or else at least be true. By tasted sweetness make me not to rue The sudden loss of thy false feigned grace. By good respect, in such a dangerous case, Thou broughtest not her into this tossing mew, But madest my sprite live my care to renew, My body in tempest her succour to embrace. The body dead, the sprite had his desire Painless was th'one : th'other in delight; Why then alas, did it not keep it right, Returning to leap into the fire? And where it was at wish it could not remain, Such mocks of dreams they turn to deadly pain. Unstable dreme, according to the place, Be stedfast ons : or els at leist be true : By tasted swetenes make menot to rew The sudden losse of thy fals fayned grace. By goode respect, in such a daungerous case, Thou broughtes not her into this tossing mew ; But madest my sprite lyve mycare to renew, My body in tempest her succor to embrace. The body ded, the spryt had his desir Paynles was thon) : thothr in delight ; Why then alas, did it not keep it right, Retorning to lepe into the fire? And where it was at wysshe it could not remain, Such mockes of dremes they torne to dedly pain. NOTES according to the place = fitting your appearance to the place in which I am dreaming ??rue = regret.By good respect = with good intentions??In such a dangerous case - i.e. To me, who am in great danger of being misled by you (the dream).mew = cage. Perhaps his body tossing and turning as in a nightmare.sprite = spirit, soul.my care to renew = in order to renew my sorrow.My body etc. = and my body etc.And where it was at wish etc. = and where it wished to be, i.e. with the beloved.Such mocks of dreams etc = dreams are such mockery, they turn to etc.
