Were I a king I might command content;
Were I obscure unknown would be my cares,
And were I dead no thoughts should me torment,
Nor words, nor wrongs, nor love, nor hate, nor fears;
A doubtful choice of these things which to crave,
A kingdom or a cottage or a grave.
– Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford, written before 1586 – the year of the death of Philip Sidney, who had “replied” to Oxford; unsigned in Song and Psalms, 1594, published by John Mundy … six lines, ten beats per line (ababcc)
Had I no eyes but ears, my ears would love
That inward beauty and invisible.
Or were I deaf, thy outward parts would move
Each part in me that were but sensible.
Though neither eyes, nor ears, to hear nor see,
Yet should I be in love by touching thee.
– William Shakespeare, Venus and Adonis, 1593, lines 433-438; published by Richard Field … six lines, ten beats per line (ababcc)
So who copied whom?
///
WERE I a king I might command content;
Were I obscure unknown would be my cares,
AND WERE I DEAD, no thoughts should me torment,
NOR words, NOR wrongs, NOR love, NOR hate, NOR fears;
A doubtful choice of these things which to crave,
A kingdom or a cottage or a grave.
– Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford, by 1586
HAD I no eyes but ears, my ears would love
That inward beauty and invisible.
OR WERE I DEAF, thy outward parts would move
Each part in me that were but sensible.
Though NEITHER eyes, NOR ears, to hear NOR see,
Yet should I be in love by touching thee.
– William Shakespeare, 1593
///
Of course both were by Oxford, who probably wrote the first version of Venus and Adonis in the 1570s or early 1580s ….
