Sonnet 48

INNOCENT paper, whom too cruell hand,

Did make the matter to avenge her yre,

And ere she could thy cause wel understand,

Did sacrifize unto the greedy fyre:

Well worthy thou to have found better hyre1,

Then so bad end, for heretick s ordayned:

Yet heresy nor treason didst conspire,

But plead thy maisters cause, unjustly payned2:

Whom she, all carelesse3 of his griefe, constrayned

To utter forth the anguish of his hart:

And would not heare, when he to her complayned,

The piteous passion4 of his dying smart.

Yet live for ever, though against her will,

And speake her good5, though she requite it ill.

注释：1.hyre：报偿；补偿；赔偿。

2.payned：刑讯逼供。

3.carelesse：不予关注的。

4.passion：痛苦，苦恼，苦难.

5.good：夸她。