1. What's in the brain that Ink may character,

2. Which hath not figured to thee my true spirit,

3. What's new to speak, what now to register,

4. That may express my love, or thy dear merit?

5. Nothing sweet boy, but yet like prayers divine,

6. I must, each day say ore the very same,

7. Counting no old thing old, thou mine, I thine,

8. Even as when first I hallowed thy fair name.

9. So that eternal love in love's fresh case,

10. Weighs not the dust and injury of age,

11. Nor gives to necessary wrinkles place,

12. But makes antiquity for aye his page,

13. Finding the first conceit of love there bred,

14. Where time and outward form would show it dead,

Sweet Boy

Dedication: To Henry

Writing to a still very young Henry who can't probably speak yet or interact with his father. Thus he comments on Henry's mental growth and proficiencies with the line "What's new to speak, new to register". Reflecting on how he must repeat himself to this young boy. Telling him "though mine, I thine". Finishing with a reflection on how the truth of Henry appears in essence to be non existent.

1^st Quatrain: (1-4)

Another to Henry, telling him he can’t express his love or more importantly Henry’s worth in mere writing.

2^nd Quatrain: (5-8)

That he must nevertheless repeat it like a prayer and it can never grow old. (He must do this for others.) I can’t speculate when the poet first “hallow’d” his name in line 8 but I can say from my dating that it was not the publication of Venus and Adonis which didn’t happen till 1593 and this poem I believe was much earlier than that.

3rd Quatrain: (9-12)

He does this so that history becomes his servant. I believe what he is trying to say is that by arguing for him continuously he’ll achieve the goal of making Henry King. Line 4 tells of the merit of the subject which of course is not generally known and thus the reason for the mention.

couplet (13-14),

Line 13 Henry is the “first conceit of love there bred”. And again in Line 14 from all appearances Henry were effectively dead.

Commentary:

As sonnets to Henry are relatively few, roughly 1/6^th of the whole, and this is only the third sonnet to him it is a very important sonnet. Speaking to the child that I’ve attempted to show has been the impetus and reason for this story, and demonstrating it is in fact he who shall be the one that provides the permanence and continuance the poet alludes to.

The first was 126 as already mentioned and of course are thought to mark the section of “Fair Youth” sonnets of course moving in the other direction. Both are also extremely informative in different ways but fabulously corroborating of the story I’ve outlined. While sonnet 126 reveals that Henry is to be rendered by “Nature” (Elizabeth) in 108 we learn that Henry’s merit is in question and as well that his nature’s outward form would suggest he is not alive. With allusions to the difference between Henry’s true state and his hidden character. I also offer that the poet reveals the father son relationship in line 7.

I believe as well that time's arrow is displayed in the child's development into the "sweet boy”. This is the 2^nd and last reference to Henry as a boy which of course is meant to refer to him as the young child he is. The couplet is but a veiled reference to Henry the “conceit of love there bred” being metaphorically dead in the sense that he has been robbed of the form of his identity as prince.

In addition to a reference 'Wriothesley", I would offer that line 8 is a datable element to placement as a Southampton and thus post late 1573. However it is not clear when he "hallowed" that name prior to 1593. Though it might only be a reference to "Henry".

While Vendler comments on the aural pun on wrinkles and ink what she apparently doesn't realize is that this poem is actually written to a child. A sweet boy whose brain and character are not yet fully formed (figured) and who the poet is claiming as his. A odd form of possessiveness when attempting to frame in the strange relationship of a gentry class poet and a noble young man. The wrinkles however do exist and are a reference to the aging queen and mother but Vendler sees them as those of the poet. She also comments that the boy wants novelty from the poet. When in actuality the poet is merely expressing that there aren't new ways to convey either his love of his son’s merit, which as alluded to, is unrecognized. She gets even odder in her analysis when she deviates from the normally accepted meaning of page in Q3 as subservience to reading it as the written page. But most importantly she fails completely to offer any clue as to the meaning of the couplet, which of course deals with the nature of the boy’s secret.

Note:

While I am personally unsatisfied with not being able to better explain line 8. I would also offer that very likely there is a great deal from this time that we are not privy to. I've already pointed out that it is likely in spite of authorities that we have the Sonnets. While I don't think that they were necessarily preserved for posterity. I do believe that people went out of their way to preserve them for their importance and their own personal appreciation of their significance But in regard to their having been a concerted effort to erase most vestiges recording the proceedings of this time, along with this mysterious reference to "hallowing thy name", I offer that we know almost nothing of what Edward de Vere was doing with respect to Fisher's Folly (FF). Much less this previous time. And I would even offer that this reference may not have been to a written work but a speech made during some ceremonial event or pageant.

However in regard to FF there appears to be some confusion concerning almost all aspects. Though Fisher's Folly was a particularly "sumptuous mansion" named not for Oxford's folly but that of the goldsmith who built it. But de Vere apparently acquired in around 1580 and had for 8 years. During this time it was notorious for its association with the affectedly and courtly literary style known as Euphuism, and the most associated writer of that was de Vere's secretary John Lyly. And named after the chief character of his work, Euphues, the Anatomy of Wit and Euphues and his England.

However it was apparently notorious as a secret publishing venture associated with plays, poems and pamphlets, and not too coincidentally associated with all the same individuals collectively known as the University Wits. And further there appears to be much confusion as well with regard to Beaumont, Fletcher and Middleton and their own association with both the house and the activities and references to. And to further confusion about the activities of Jesuits and recusants in general associated with this period of what I would merely suggest was mostly political opposition. And carried on into the 1620's with particular participation of Oxford's son Southampton.

One thing I should mention is around this time Oxford was compared to Alexander the Great (presumably for his cultural diffusion). The seemingly immodest claim of the author to Appelles the painter was presumably because Appelles once produced a portrait of Alexander the Great.

There was also a great many mysterious and lost works from this time but I would suggest that things such as the song "When Cupid scaled first the fort" attributed to William Vaux, or Rosalynde; or, Euphues' golden legacy are closely associated with this episode. And seemingly enigmatic works such as Greene's Arcadia Or Menaphon should be seen as rich allusions to this struggle to solicit political support for the secret Tudor prince. Further in general I would suggest the general willingness to dismiss our ability to understand these works reflects the lack of seriousness and competence of academics and their "scholarship".

Lastly this reference might conceivably have been to actually refer to him as Henry Tudor, in which case it would be unsurprising that we do not have any record of it. But I think it is worth noting that Shakespeare never mentions the Tudors even in Henry VIII. But perhaps more interest is Cranmer's speech in the very last scene of Henry VIII in regard to the newborn Elizabeth:

Let me speak, sir,

For heaven now bids me; and the words I utter

Let none think flattery, for they'll find 'em truth.

This royal infant--heaven still move about her!--

Though in her cradle, yet now promises

Upon this land a thousand thousand blessings,

Which time shall bring to ripeness: she shall be--

But few now living can behold that goodness--

A pattern to all princes living with her,

And all that shall succeed: Saba was never

More covetous of wisdom and fair virtue

Than this pure soul shall be: all princely graces,

That mould up such a mighty piece as this is,

With all the virtues that attend the good,

Shall still be doubled on her: truth shall nurse her,

Holy and heavenly thoughts still counsel her:

She shall be loved and fear'd: her own shall bless her;

Her foes shake like a field of beaten corn,

And hang their heads with sorrow: good grows with her:

In her days every man shall eat in safety,

Under his own vine, what he plants; and sing

The merry songs of peace to all his neighbours:

God shall be truly known; and those about her

From her shall read the perfect ways of honour,

And by those claim their greatness, not by blood.

Nor shall this peace sleep with her: but as when

The bird of wonder dies, the maiden phoenix,

Her ashes new create another heir,

As great in admiration as herself;

So shall she leave her blessedness to one,

When heaven shall call her from this cloud of darkness,

Who from the sacred ashes of her honour

Shall star-like rise, as great in fame as she was,

And so stand fix'd: peace, plenty, love, truth, terror,

That were the servants to this chosen infant,

Shall then be his, and like a vine grow to him:

Wherever the bright sun of heaven shall shine,

His honour and the greatness of his name

Shall be, and make new nations: he shall flourish,

And, like a mountain cedar, reach his branches

To all the plains about him: our children's children

Shall see this, and bless heaven.

Highlighted in blue above I would suggest that this is highly suggestive of reference to not Elizabeth but her own offspring here now the subject of these poems. And not to mention again this should also be thought of in light of the Phoenix and the Turtle.