Sonnet 70

That thou art blam'd shall not be thy defect,For slander's mark was ever yet the fair;The ornament of beauty is suspect,A crow that flies in heaven's sweetest air. 4So thou be good, slander doth but approveThy worth the greater, being woo'd of time;For canker vice the sweetest buds doth love,And thou present'st a pure unstained prime. 8Thou hast pass'd by the ambush of young days,Either not assail'd, or victor being charg'd;Yet this thy praise cannot be so thy praise,To tie up envy evermore enlarg'd: 12If some suspect of ill mask'd not thy show,Then thou alone kingdoms of hearts shouldst owe.

1–14 Cf. n.3 ornament: identifying badgesuspect: suspicion, distrust5 approve: prove6 woo'd of time: wooed by the world8 prime: spring, youth10 charg'd: attacked11 so thy praise: so much thy praise12 To tie up: that it will tie upenlarg'd: at liberty13 mask'd not thy show: did not disfigure your beauty14 owe: own