Collected poems of Sir Thomas Wyatt :: :: University of Virginia Library

Yf I myght hau at myne owne wyll
Suche fflud of tearis wherwith to drowne
Or ffyer so hott as Ætna hyll
With fervent ffyere that I myght burne,
Then shulde I ende this carffull paygne
That fforce perforce I do sustayne.

Or yf the syghis of woffull hart
Could cause my selffe a sonder brake,
Then by that means I shulde departe
My mornynge dayes, and so to wreake
My weryede lyfe and carffull payne
That fors perforce I do sustayne.

Or yf my hand suche happe myght ffinde,
With sword or knyfe to ese my woo,
Then shulde I ease my paynffull mynd;
But syns my hap cannote hap soo,
I must Abyd this carffull payne
That fforce perforce I do sustayne.

Or yf I myght haue at my wyshe
The hevyn to ffall to short my lyfe,
So by suche chaunce I coulde not myse
But I shuld ende this carfull stryfe

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That dothe increase the woffull payne
That ffors perforce I do sustayne.

Or yf the yerthe at my request
Had powere to opyne, as in my wyll,
I know Ryght well my weryed breast
Shuld ned no more to syghe his ffyll,
For then shulde end this carffull payne
That fforce perforce I do sustayne.