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Against that time (if ever that time come)
When I shall see thee frowne on my defects,
When as thy love hath cast his utmost summe,
Cauld to that audite by advis'd respects;
Against that time when thou shalt strnagely passe,
And scarcely greete me with that sunne thine eye,
When love converted from the thing it was
Shall reasons finde of setled gravite;
Against that time do I insconce me here
Within the knowledge of mine owne desart,
And this my hand, against my selfe upreare,
To guard the lawfull reasons on thy part;
To leave poore me, thou hast the strength of lawes,
Since why to love, I can alledge no cause.
Commentary
Commentary
Address to an absent beloved
Address to an absent beloved
Changes to the original text: end of line 4, comma changed to semicolon; end of line 8, full stop changed to semi-colon; end of line 12, comma changed to semi-colon.
In the first quatrain, the poet imagines the time when the beloved disapproves of his (the poet's) faults (frownes on my defects), when his better judgement (advis'd respects) calls him to reckon up the limits of his (the beloved's) love.
In the second quatrain, the poet projects further into that time when the beloved will become a stranger to him (the poet), and the love that was shall be replaced by serious thoughts (setled gravite).
In the third quatrain, the poet assures the beloved that he will raise his own hand against himself, knowing his own lack of desert.
In the final couplet, the poet admits that the beloved has every reason to leave him as he (the poet) can find no reason to suggest why he (the beloved) should love him.
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