Welcome to Lesson Eleven of the Elizabethan English course. Today we examine have, one of the most essential verbs in Early Modern English, functioning both as a main verb denoting possession and as the primary auxiliary for perfect aspect constructions. The Elizabethan forms hath (third person singular) and hast (second person singular with “thou”) distinguish this era’s usage from modern practice.
In Shakespeare’s day, have carried weight both practical and philosophical. To “have” something meant more than mere ownership—it implied a relationship between possessor and possessed, often with moral or spiritual dimensions. The perfect tense constructions (”I have loved,” “she hath spoken”) created a bridge between past action and present relevance that playwrights exploited for dramatic effect.
The pronunciation of Elizabethan English differed markedly from our own. The Great Vowel Shift remained incomplete for many speakers, /r/ sounded in all positions, and suffixes like “-tion” retained their syllabic character as /ti.on/ or /si.on/ rather than collapsing to modern /ʃən/. Throughout this lesson, IPA transcriptions reflect these period norms.
Course Index:
https://latinum.substack.com/p/index
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “have” mean in Elizabethan English?
The verb “have” in Elizabethan English means to possess, hold, or own (as main verb), or to form perfect aspect constructions indicating completed action with present relevance (as auxiliary). The forms vary by person: “have” (I, we, you plural, they), “hast” (thou), and “hath” (he, she, it).
Key Takeaways -
Hath serves as the third-person singular form, appearing constantly in period texts -
Hast pairs exclusively with the familiar pronoun “thou” -
Perfect constructions with “have/hath” link past action to present state -
The verb functions identically as main verb (possession) and auxiliary (perfect aspect) -
Elizabethan pronunciation preserves /r/ in all positions and maintains syllabic integrity in suffixes
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1.1a I have a book of verses here.
1.1b I /aɪ/ I have /hav/ possess a /a/ a book /buːk/ book of /ɔv/ of verses /ˈvɛr.sɪz/ poems here /hiːr/ here
1.2a Thou hast the key to my heart.
1.2b Thou /ðaʊ/ you-familiar hast /hast/ have the /ðə/ the key /keɪ/ key to /tuː/ to my /maɪ/ my heart /hart/ heart
1.3a She hath great beauty and wit.
1.3b She /ʃiː/ she hath /haθ/ has great /grɛːt/ great beauty /ˈbjuː.ti/ beauty and /and/ and wit /wɪt/ intelligence
1.4a We have need of thy counsel.
1.4b We /wiː/ we have /hav/ have need /niːd/ need of /ɔv/ of thy /ðaɪ/ your-familiar counsel /ˈkaʊn.sɛl/ advice
1.5a The King hath spoken his mind.
1.5b The /ðə/ the King /kɪŋ/ king hath /haθ/ has spoken /ˈspoː.kən/ spoken his /hɪz/ his mind /maɪnd/ mind
1.6a They have marched through the night without cessation.
1.6b They /ðeɪ/ they have /hav/ have marched /martʃt/ marched through /θruː/ through the /ðə/ the night /nɪçt/ night without /wɪðˈaʊt/ without cessation /sɛsˈeɪ.ti.on/ stopping
1.7a What hast thou done with the letters?
1.7b What /ʍat/ what hast /hast/ have thou /ðaʊ/ you-familiar done /dʊn/ done with /wɪð/ with the /ðə/ the letters /ˈlɛ.tərz/ letters
1.8a Fortune hath smiled upon our endeavours.
1.8b Fortune /ˈfor.tʃuːn/ fortune hath /haθ/ has smiled /smaɪld/ smiled upon /əˈpon/ upon our /aʊr/ our endeavours /ɛnˈdɛ.vərz/ efforts
1.9a I have seen wonders in my travels to the East.
1.9b I /aɪ/ I have /hav/ have seen /siːn/ seen wonders /ˈwʊn.dərz/ wonders in /ɪn/ in my /maɪ/ my travels /ˈtra.vəlz/ travels to /tuː/ to the /ðə/ the East /iːst/ east
1.10a The physician hath prescribed a remedy for his affliction.
1.10b The /ðə/ the physician /fɪˈzɪ.si.an/ doctor hath /haθ/ has prescribed /prɪˈskraɪbd/ prescribed a /a/ a remedy /ˈrɛ.mɛ.di/ remedy for /for/ for his /hɪz/ his affliction /aˈflɪk.ti.on/ illness
1.11a Thou hast broken thy solemn oath before God and these witnesses.
1.11b Thou /ðaʊ/ you-familiar hast /hast/ have broken /ˈbroː.kən/ broken thy /ðaɪ/ your-familiar solemn /ˈsɔ.ləm/ solemn oath /oːθ/ oath before /bɪˈfor/ before God /gɔd/ God and /and/ and these /ðiːz/ these witnesses /ˈwɪt.nɛ.sɪz/ witnesses
1.12a We have endured much tribulation in this enterprise.
1.12b We /wiː/ we have /hav/ have endured /ɛnˈdjuːrd/ endured much /mʊtʃ/ much tribulation /trɪ.bjuˈleɪ.ti.on/ suffering in /ɪn/ in this /ðɪs/ this enterprise /ˈɛn.tər.praɪz/ venture
1.13a The Queen hath granted audience to the ambassador from Spain.
1.13b The /ðə/ the Queen /kwiːn/ queen hath /haθ/ has granted /ˈgran.tɪd/ granted audience /ˈaʊ.di.ɛns/ audience to /tuː/ to the /ðə/ the ambassador /amˈba.sa.dor/ ambassador from /frɔm/ from Spain /speɪn/ Spain
1.14a Hast thou considered the implications of this dangerous action?
1.14b Hast /hast/ have thou /ðaʊ/ you-familiar considered /kənˈsɪ.dərd/ considered the /ðə/ the implications /ɪm.plɪˈkeɪ.ti.onz/ implications of /ɔv/ of this /ðɪs/ this dangerous /ˈdeɪn.dʒər.əs/ dangerous action /ˈak.ti.on/ action
1.15a The nation hath never witnessed such a spectacle of devotion and patriotic celebration.
1.15b The /ðə/ the nation /ˈneɪ.ti.on/ nation hath /haθ/ has never /ˈnɛ.vər/ never witnessed /ˈwɪt.nɛst/ witnessed such /sʊtʃ/ such a /a/ a spectacle /ˈspɛk.ta.kəl/ spectacle of /ɔv/ of devotion /dɪˈvoː.ti.on/ devotion and /and/ and patriotic /pa.triˈɔ.tɪk/ patriotic celebration /sɛ.ləˈbreɪ.ti.on/ celebration
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1.1 I have a book of verses here. I possess a volume of poetry in this place.
1.2 Thou hast the key to my heart. You hold the means to unlock my affections.
1.3 She hath great beauty and wit. She possesses remarkable comeliness and intelligence.
1.4 We have need of thy counsel. We require your wise advice.
1.5 The King hath spoken his mind. The monarch has declared his thoughts.
1.6 They have marched through the night without cessation. The soldiers have walked continuously through the dark hours.
1.7 What hast thou done with the letters? What action have you taken regarding the correspondence?
1.8 Fortune hath smiled upon our endeavours. Luck has favoured our undertakings.
1.9 I have seen wonders in my travels to the East. I have witnessed marvels during my journeys eastward.
1.10 The physician hath prescribed a remedy for his affliction. The doctor has ordered a treatment for his ailment.
1.11 Thou hast broken thy solemn oath before God and these witnesses. You have violated your sacred promise in the presence of the divine and these observers.
1.12 We have endured much tribulation in this enterprise. We have suffered considerable hardship in this venture.
1.13 The Queen hath granted audience to the ambassador from Spain. Her Majesty has agreed to meet with the Spanish diplomatic representative.
1.14 Hast thou considered the implications of this dangerous action? Have you thought upon the consequences of this perilous deed?
1.15 The nation hath never witnessed such a spectacle of devotion and patriotic celebration. The realm has never before seen such a display of loyalty and national festivity.
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1.1 I have a book of verses here.
1.2 Thou hast the key to my heart.
1.3 She hath great beauty and wit.
1.4 We have need of thy counsel.
1.5 The King hath spoken his mind.
1.6 They have marched through the night without cessation.
1.7 What hast thou done with the letters?
1.8 Fortune hath smiled upon our endeavours.
1.9 I have seen wonders in my travels to the East.
1.10 The physician hath prescribed a remedy for his affliction.
1.11 Thou hast broken thy solemn oath before God and these witnesses.
1.12 We have endured much tribulation in this enterprise.
1.13 The Queen hath granted audience to the ambassador from Spain.
1.14 Hast thou considered the implications of this dangerous action?
1.15 The nation hath never witnessed such a spectacle of devotion and patriotic celebration.
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Have stands among the most frequently employed verbs in Early Modern English, serving dual functions as both lexical verb (denoting possession) and auxiliary verb (forming perfect aspect constructions).
Conjugation in the Present Tense
The Elizabethan paradigm distinguishes itself from modern usage primarily in the second person singular and third person singular forms: -
First person singular: I have /aɪ hav/ -
Second person singular (familiar): Thou hast /ðaʊ hast/ -
Third person singular: He/She/It hath /hiː/ʃiː/ɪt haθ/ -
First person plural: We have /wiː hav/ -
Second person plural: You have /juː hav/ -
Third person plural: They have /ðeɪ hav/
The Distinction Between “Hast” and “Hath”
The form hast appears exclusively with the second person singular familiar pronoun thou. This intimate or informal address might occur between close friends, from superior to inferior, between lovers, or when speaking to the divine in prayer. The form hath serves the third person singular function, equivalent to modern “has.”
Have as Auxiliary: The Perfect Aspect
When have/hast/hath combines with a past participle, it creates the perfect aspect, indicating action completed before the present moment but with continuing relevance: -
“I have written” — the writing occurred previously, but the result persists -
“She hath departed” — her leaving happened in the past, yet affects the present -
“Thou hast spoken truly” — your words, though uttered before, still hold significance
Pronunciation Notes for Period Accuracy
The IPA transcriptions throughout this lesson reflect Elizabethan pronunciation norms: -
The suffix -tion retained its syllabic quality as /ti.on/ or /si.on/, not the modern /ʃən/. Thus “nation” sounded as /ˈneɪ.ti.on/, “action” as /ˈak.ti.on/, and “celebration” as /sɛ.ləˈbreɪ.ti.on/. -
The consonant /r/ sounded in all positions, including after vowels where modern Received Pronunciation would drop it. “Heart” pronounced as /hart/, “here” as /hiːr/. -
The digraph wh maintained its aspirated quality /ʍ/ in words like “what,” distinct from simple /w/. -
Long vowels in words like “great” /grɛːt/ had not yet completed their shift to modern values.
Negative and Interrogative Constructions
Questions with have typically inverted subject and verb without requiring the modern auxiliary “do”: -
“Hast thou seen him?” (not “Do you have seen him?”) -
“What hath she done?” (not “What has she done?” — though this form also existed)
Negation could attach directly: “I have not” or use the contracted form “I ha’n’t.”
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The verb “have” in Shakespeare’s era carried philosophical weight beyond mere ownership. The Elizabethan worldview, shaped by medieval scholasticism and newly encountered humanist thought, conceived of possession as a relationship between beings rather than simply a legal or material state.
To “have” virtue meant not to own it as property but to participate in it, to embody it. When Shakespeare’s characters speak of having honour, courage, or love, they describe states of being as much as states of possession. The line between “having” and “being” blurred in ways modern English has largely lost.
Playwrights exploited the perfect tense formed with “have” for dramatic effect. The construction links past action to present consequence, perfect for moments of revelation or reckoning:
“Thou hast murdered sleep!” — Macbeth’s deed in the past haunts his present “I have done the deed” — action completed, consequences beginning
The rhythmic weight of “hath” and “hast” also served metrical purposes. “He hath” provides a strong iamb; “he has” sits less comfortably in the pentameter line.
The choice between “thou hast” and “you have” communicated social information as clearly as vocabulary choice. “Thou” and its associated verb forms marked intimacy, contempt, or condescension depending on context. A character switching from “you have” to “thou hast” mid-scene signals a dramatic shift in relationship—perhaps from formal acquaintance to passionate address, or from respect to insult.
Literary Citation
From Shakespeare’s Hamlet (Act I, Scene 2), Hamlet addresses his mother:
“Seems, madam? Nay, it is. I know not ‘seems.’ ‘Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother, Nor customary suits of solemn black, Nor windy suspiration of forced breath, No, nor the fruitful river in the eye, Nor the dejected haviour of the visage, Together with all forms, moods, shows of grief, That can denote me truly. These indeed ‘seem,’ For they are actions that a man might play; But I have that within which passes show— These but the trappings and the suits of woe.”
Here “I have” asserts possession of an interior truth that outward signs cannot capture. The auxiliary construction “which passes show” subordinates external appearance to internal reality—Hamlet has something that transcends mere seeming.
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The following fifteen sentences form a connected soliloquy in the Shakespearean mode, exploring a character’s reflection on what fortune has granted and taken away.
1.16a What gifts hath Fortune given me in this strange and mutable world?
1.16b What /ʍat/ what gifts /gɪfts/ gifts hath /haθ/ has Fortune /ˈfor.tʃuːn/ Fortune given /ˈgɪ.vən/ given me /miː/ me in /ɪn/ in this /ðɪs/ this strange /streɪndʒ/ strange and /and/ and mutable /ˈmjuː.ta.bəl/ changeable world /wɔrld/ world
1.17a I have had youth and strength, and both have fled like morning mist.
1.17b I /aɪ/ I have /hav/ have had /had/ had youth /juːθ/ youth and /and/ and strength /strɛŋkθ/ strength and /and/ and both /boːθ/ both have /hav/ have fled /flɛd/ fled like /laɪk/ like morning /ˈmor.nɪŋ/ morning mist /mɪst/ mist
1.18a Thou hast given me love, and I have squandered it upon unworthy vessels.
1.18b Thou /ðaʊ/ you-familiar hast /hast/ have given /ˈgɪ.vən/ given me /miː/ me love /lʊv/ love and /and/ and I /aɪ/ I have /hav/ have squandered /ˈskwɔn.dərd/ squandered it /ɪt/ it upon /əˈpon/ upon unworthy /ʊnˈwɔr.ði/ unworthy vessels /ˈvɛ.səlz/ vessels
1.19a The realm hath suffered wars and pestilence beyond all reckoning.
1.19b The /ðə/ the realm /rɛlm/ kingdom hath /haθ/ has suffered /ˈsʊ.fərd/ suffered wars /wɔrz/ wars and /and/ and pestilence /ˈpɛs.tɪ.ləns/ plague beyond /bɪˈjɔnd/ beyond all /ɔːl/ all reckoning /ˈrɛ.kə.nɪŋ/ counting
1.20a Yet have I not the wit to learn from such calamities?
1.20b Yet /jɛt/ yet have /hav/ have I /aɪ/ I not /nɔt/ not the /ðə/ the wit /wɪt/ wit to /tuː/ to learn /lɛrn/ learn from /frɔm/ from such /sʊtʃ/ such calamities /kaˈla.mɪ.tiz/ disasters
1.21a My father hath bequeathed me lands and titles of ancient foundation.
1.21b My /maɪ/ my father /ˈfaː.ðər/ father hath /haθ/ has bequeathed /bɪˈkwiːðd/ bequeathed me /miː/ me lands /landz/ lands and /and/ and titles /ˈtaɪ.təlz/ titles of /ɔv/ of ancient /ˈeɪn.ti.ənt/ ancient foundation /faʊnˈdeɪ.ti.on/ foundation
1.22a Thou hast entrusted me with honour, and I have kept it bright.
1.22b Thou /ðaʊ/ you-familiar hast /hast/ have entrusted /ɛnˈtrʊs.tɪd/ entrusted me /miː/ me with /wɪð/ with honour /ˈɔ.nər/ honour and /and/ and I /aɪ/ I have /hav/ have kept /kɛpt/ kept it /ɪt/ it bright /braɪt/ bright
1.23a They have whispered poison in the corridors of contemplation and ambition.
1.23b They /ðeɪ/ they have /hav/ have whispered /ˈʍɪs.pərd/ whispered poison /ˈpɔɪ.zən/ poison in /ɪn/ in the /ðə/ the corridors /ˈkɔ.rɪ.dərz/ corridors of /ɔv/ of contemplation /kɔn.tɛmˈpleɪ.ti.on/ contemplation and /and/ and ambition /amˈbɪ.ti.on/ ambition
1.24a She hath sworn eternal devotion, yet her eyes speak hesitation.
1.24b She /ʃiː/ she hath /haθ/ has sworn /swɔrn/ sworn eternal /ɪˈtɛr.nal/ eternal devotion /dɪˈvoː.ti.on/ devotion yet /jɛt/ yet her /hɛr/ her eyes /aɪz/ eyes speak /spiːk/ speak hesitation /hɛ.zɪˈteɪ.ti.on/ hesitation
1.25a We have built our hopes upon foundations of sand and supposition.
1.25b We /wiː/ we have /hav/ have built /bɪlt/ built our /aʊr/ our hopes /hoːps/ hopes upon /əˈpon/ upon foundations /faʊnˈdeɪ.ti.onz/ foundations of /ɔv/ of sand /sand/ sand and /and/ and supposition /sʊ.pəˈzɪ.ti.on/ supposition
1.26a The court hath witnessed transformations beyond all expectation.
1.26b The /ðə/ the court /kɔrt/ court hath /haθ/ has witnessed /ˈwɪt.nɛst/ witnessed transformations /trans.forˈmeɪ.ti.onz/ transformations beyond /bɪˈjɔnd/ beyond all /ɔːl/ all expectation /ɛk.spɛkˈteɪ.ti.on/ expectation
1.27a Hast thou the courage to face what we have wrought together?
1.27b Hast /hast/ have thou /ðaʊ/ you-familiar the /ðə/ the courage /ˈkʊ.rɪdʒ/ courage to /tuː/ to face /feɪs/ face what /ʍat/ what we /wiː/ we have /hav/ have wrought /rɔːt/ made together /tuˈgɛ.ðər/ together
1.28a I have walked through shadows and emerged into uncertain illumination.
1.28b I /aɪ/ I have /hav/ have walked /wɔːkt/ walked through /θruː/ through shadows /ˈʃa.doːz/ shadows and /and/ and emerged /ɪˈmɛrdʒd/ emerged into /ˈɪn.tuː/ into uncertain /ʊnˈsɛr.tən/ uncertain illumination /ɪ.luː.mɪˈneɪ.ti.on/ illumination
1.29a Heaven hath inscribed our fates in stars we have not skill to read.
1.29b Heaven /ˈhɛ.vən/ heaven hath /haθ/ has inscribed /ɪnˈskraɪbd/ inscribed our /aʊr/ our fates /feɪts/ fates in /ɪn/ in stars /starz/ stars we /wiː/ we have /hav/ have not /nɔt/ not skill /skɪl/ skill to /tuː/ to read /riːd/ read
1.30a And so I have arrived at this conclusion: that to have lived, even in sorrow, exceeds the cold perfection of the unborn.
1.30b And /and/ and so /soː/ so I /aɪ/ I have /hav/ have arrived /aˈraɪvd/ arrived at /at/ at this /ðɪs/ this conclusion /kənˈkluː.ti.on/ conclusion that /ðat/ that to /tuː/ to have /hav/ have lived /lɪvd/ lived even /ˈiː.vən/ even in /ɪn/ in sorrow /ˈsɔ.roː/ sorrow exceeds /ɪkˈsiːdz/ exceeds the /ðə/ the cold /koːld/ cold perfection /pərˈfɛk.ti.on/ perfection of /ɔv/ of the /ðə/ the unborn /ʊnˈbɔrn/ unborn
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This Elizabethan English course follows the Latinum Institute methodology, using frequency-based vocabulary instruction and interlinear construed text for autodidactic learners. Each lesson presents a single high-frequency word from the thousand-word curriculum, examined through graduated examples, grammatical analysis, cultural context, and genre-specific application.
The pronunciation guidance throughout reflects Early Modern English norms, particularly the retention of syllabic “-tion” suffixes as /ti.on/ rather than modern /ʃən/, the sounding of /r/ in all positions, and the aspirated quality of /ʍ/ in “wh-” words.
Course Index:
https://latinum.substack.com/p/index
Reviews: https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/latinum.org.uk
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