Within the gentle closure of My breast,

From whence at pleasure Thou mayst come and part;
And even thence, Thou wilt be stolen, I fear,

For truth proves thievish for a prize so dear.

Before leaving his lodgings he was careful to secure all trace of his work under lock and key, "truest bars of trust," where no hand could mar or eye see it while he was absent. Meanwhile Thou (Truth) in whom he took "most worthy comfort" (most delight), and who was also "My greatest grief" (his greatest anxiety), "Thou, best of dearest" (best of all his friends), and his "only care," was "left the prey of every vulgar thief" (was free, and exposed to criminal abuse). Thee (Thought) was not "locked up," but the poet carried with him a realizing sense of his presence, feeling that he was with Thou (Truth) "within the gentle closure of his breast," whence he feared, as "truth proves thievish for a prize so dear," he might be influenced by his love for his works to betray their origin himself.

SONNET 49.

Against that time, if ever that time come,
When I shall see Thee frown on My defects,
Whenas Thy love hath cast his utmost sum,
Call'd to that audit by advis'd respects;

Against that time when Thou shalt strangely pass,
And scarcely greet Me with that sun, Thine eye,
When Love, converted from the thing it was,
Shall reasons find of settled gravity, —

Against that time do I ensconce Me here
Within the knowledge of Mine own desert,
And this My hand against Myself uprear,
To guard the lawful reasons on Thy part:

To leave poor Me Thou hast the strength of laws,
Since why to love, I can allege no cause.

In this stanza he tells in substance the binding force of his obligation to secrecy, as given to Shakespeare. "When I shall see Thee frown on my defects" (if you become dissatisfied with the dramas), "whenas Thy love hath cast his utmost sum" (and decline to share longer with him in the proceeds), "call'd to that audit by advis'd respects" (after a fair trial of their business merits); "when Thou (Truth) shall strangely pass and scarcely greet Me" (when we will, moved by these considerations, abandon the work of composition), "when Love, converted from the thing it was, shall reasons find of settled gravity" (when all intercourse between them is terminated).

"Against that time do I ensconce Me here
Within the knowledge of Mine own desert,
And this My hand against Myself uprear,
To guard the lawful reasons on Thy part."

(He will, proudly conscious of the works and of the injustice awarded them, still protect Shakespeare in all lawful ways from exposure.) Thou (Truth) will have the "strength of laws" to protect him, as there will then be "no cause" for him to remain.

The understanding between Bacon and Shakespeare was doubtless experimental at first. Both probably feared for the success of the drama in theatrical representation. In case of failure, as Shakespeare was to be the avowed author; it was the duty of Bacon to resist any suspicion of the real authorship. It seems from this stanza that Bacon gave a broader meaning to their agreement, and determined in any event, during his own life, to deny all knowledge of the dramas.

SONNET 50.

How heavy do I journey on the way,
When what I seek, My weary travel's end,
Doth teach that ease and that repose to say,

"Thus far the miles are measur'd from Thy Friend!"
The beast that bears Me, tired with My woe,

Plods dully on, to bear that weight in Me,

As if by some instinct the wretch did know

His rider lov'd not speed, being made from Thee:
The bloody spur cannot provoke him on
That sometimes anger thrusts into his hide;
Which heavily he answers with a groan,

More sharp to Me than spurring to his side;

For that same groan doth put this in My mind, -
My grief lies onward and My joy behind.

In this stanza, as well as in one or more preceding it, an apparent desire is manifested by both Bacon and Shakespeare, that the drama he is engaged in writing should be completed with all possible despatch. It is probably for this reason that in a former stanza he regrets that he cannot

employ the day as well as the night upon it. The daily demand upon his time is peremptory, and the distance from his lodgings so far as to require a horse for conveyance. This daily journey is "heavy" (tedious and irritating) to him, when he thinks of "what I seek, My weary travel's end" (the work still to be done, before the drama is completed). His daily occupation is one of "ease and repose," from which it may be inferred that he was in daily attendance upon the queen, with little to do, and on the lookout for office. He is constantly worried about the play while absent, and measures the time by the miles of travel he could perform while it continues. "Thus far the miles are measured from Thy Friend" (he is deprived of so much time that he might give to Shakespeare, or in other words, to the drama). His horse, as it seems to him, travels slowly, as if he knew by instinct of his master's wish to remain. He answers the spur with a groan, which reminds the rider that he has a day of dulness and inaction. "My grief lies onward" (which could be so pleasantly and profitably occupied if he could remain at home), "and my joy behind."

SONNET 51.

Thus can My Love excuse the slow offence
Of My dull bearer when from Thee I speed:

From where Thou art why should I haste me thence?
Till I return, of posting is no need.

O, what excuse will My poor beast then find,
When swift extremity can seem but slow?
Then should I spur, though mounted on the wind;
In winged speed no motion shall I know:
Then can no horse with My desire keep pace;
Therefore desire, of perfect'st love being made,
Shall neigh-no dull flesh-in his fiery race;
But Love, for Love, thus shall excuse My jade:
Since from Thee going he went wilful-slow,

Towards Thee I'll run, and give him leave to go.

The return from his day's absence is described in this stanza. He apologizes to "My Love" (the drama) for the laziness of his horse when going away from her and Thou. "For where Thou art why should I haste me thence?" as if he had said it would be strange indeed if he left "Thou” and "My Love," his two dearest friends, except he was compelled. "Till I return, of posting is no need" (until the day's occupation was over, he need be in no hurry). But when that hour arrives, he will have no excuse to offer for a tardy return. "When swift extremity can seem but slow" (when the extremest speed will not equal that of his eagerness to complete the journey). If he was mounted on the wind he would spur it into "winged speed," and experience "no motion" in the transit if he obeyed his desire. No horse could pace with his desire. But as his desire is made of perfect love, and not "dull flesh," it shall answer to "My Love," as a horse would reply with a "neigh" to his mate. This will be sufficient explanation for his dulness when away, and the speed of his return.