O call not me to justify the wrong,
That unkindness lays upon my heart,
Wound me not with eye but with tongue,
Use power with power, and slay me not by art,
Tell me lov’st elsewhere; but in my sight,
Dear heart forbear to glance eye aside,
What need’st wound with cunning when might
Is more than my o’erpressed defence can bide?
Let me excuse , ah my love well knows,
Her pretty looks have been mine enemies,
And therefore from my face she turns my foes,
That they elsewhere might dart their injuries:
Yet do not so, but since I am near slain,
Kill me outright with looks, and rid my pain.
Sonnet 139
123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263646566676869707172737475767778798081828384858687888990919293949596979899100101102103104105106107108109110111112113114115116117118119120121122123124125126127128129130131132133134135136137138139140141142143144145146147148149150151152153154
Modern spelling for reading. The edition is public domain in the United States. Edition source.