CXXXVIII (Sonnet 138)
As published by William Shakespeare in The Passionate Pilgrim, 1599.
- When my Loue sweares that she is made of truth,
- I do beleeue her (though I know she lies)
- That she might thinke me some vntutor'd youth,
- Vnskilful in the worlds false forgeries.
- Thus vainly thinking that she thinkes me young,
- Although I know my yeares be past the best:
- I smiling, credite her false speaking toung,
- Outfacing faults in loue, with loues ill rest.
- But wherefore sayes my loue that she is young?
- And wherefore say not I, that I am old:
- O, Loues best habit's in a soothing toung,
- And Age in Loue, loues not to haue yeares told.
- Therfore I'le lye with Loue, and loue with me,
- Since that our faultes in loue thus smother'd be.
The 1609 edition from A Casebook on Shakespeare's
Sonnets, ed. Gerald Willen and Victor B. Reed, published by Crowell, New York, 1964.
- When my love sweares that she is made of truth,
- I do beleeve her, though I know she lyes,
- That she might thinke me some untuterd youth,
- Unlearned in the worlds false subtilties.
- Thus vainley thinking that she thinkes me young,
- Although she knowes my dayes are past the best,
- Simply I credit her false speaking tongue,
- On both sides thus is simple truth supprest:
- But wherefore sayes she not she is unjust?
- And wherefore say not I that I am old?
- O loves best habit is in seeming trust,
- And age in love, loves not t'have yeares told.
- Therefore I lye with her, and she with me,
- And in our faults by lyes we flattered be.
- --oOo-- -