Sonnet 91

Some glory in their birth, some in their skill,

Some in their wealth, some in their bodies force,

Some in their garments though new-fangled ill:

Some in their Hawkes and Hounds, some in their Horse.

And every humor hath his adjunct pleasure,

Wherein it findes a joy above the rest,

But these perticulers are not my measure,

All these I better in one generall best.

Thy love is better then high birth to me,

Richer then wealth, prouder then garments cost,

Of more delight then Hawkes or Horses bee:

And having thee, of all mens pride I boast,

Wretched in this alone, that thou maist take

All this away, and me most wretched make.

Commentary

Address to his beloved

Changes to the original text: line 9, 'bitter' changed to 'better'; end of line 13, comma taken out.

In the first quatrain, the poet mentions those things that interest various people: their birth, their skill, their wealth, their strength, their clothes, their hounds, their horses.

In the second quatrain, the poet maintains that his interest is better, that is, the love of his beloved.

In the third quatrain, the poet continues to assert the advantage of his interest (in love) over those of others.

In the final couplet, the poet mentions the one downside of his interest: that the beloved may take everything away should he so decide.

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