Sonnet 74

MOST happy letters1! Framed by skilfull trade,

With which that happy name was first defynd,

The which three times thrise happy2 hath me made,

With guifts of body, fortune, and of mind.

The first my being to me gaue by kind,

From mothers womb derived by dew descent3:

The second is my sovereigne Queene most kind4,

That honor and large richesse to me lent:

The third, my love, my lives last ornament,

By whom my spirit out of dust was raysed;

To speake her prayse and glory excellent,

Of all alive most worthy to be praysed.

Ye three Elizabeths, for ever live,

That three such graces did unto me give.

注释：1.letters：这里指的是构成Elizabeth这个名字的一串字母。

2.three times thrise happy：Elizabeth这个名字总共由九个字母组成，而在斯宾塞生命中又恰巧有三位扮演过至关重要角色，名字都叫伊丽莎白的女士。

3.descent：斯宾塞相信自己是英国东北部开夏郡一个古老的斯宾塞家族的后人。

4.kind：天性，本性，性格；脾性；特质，特征。斯宾塞是伊丽莎白女王麾下的御用文人。受女王赏赐颇丰。