Collected poems of Sir Thomas Wyatt Edited by Kenneth Muir and Patricia Thomson |
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 | I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. | VIII Poems from Tottel's Songes and Sonettes
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| CCXLVII. |
| CCXLVIII. |
| CCXLIX. |
| CCL. |
| CCLI. |
| CCLII. |
| CCLIII. |
| CCLIV. |
| CCLV. |
| CCLVI. |
| CCLVII. |
| CCLVIII. |
| CCLIX. |
| CCLX. |
| CCLXI. |
| IX. |
 | Collected poems of Sir Thomas Wyatt |  |
245
VIII
Poems from Tottel's Songes and Sonettes
CCXLVII
[Within my brest I neuer thought it gain]
Within my brest I neuer thought it gain,Of gentle mindes the fredom for to lose.
Nor in my hart sanck neuer such disdain,
To be a forger, faultes for to disclose.
Nor I can not endure the truth to glose,
To set a glosse vpon an earnest pain.
Nor I am not in nomber one of those,
That list to blow retrete to euery train.
CCXLVIII
[For want of will, in wo I playne]
For want of will, in wo I playne
Vnder colour of sobernesse,
Renewyng with my sute my payne,
My wanhope with your stedfastnesse.
Awake therfore of gentlenesse.
Regard at length, I you require,
The sweltyng paynes of my desire.
Vnder colour of sobernesse,
Renewyng with my sute my payne,
My wanhope with your stedfastnesse.
Awake therfore of gentlenesse.
Regard at length, I you require,
The sweltyng paynes of my desire.
Betimes who geueth willingly,
Redoubled thankes aye doth deserue.
And I that sue vnfaynedly,
In frutelesse hope (alas) do sterue.
How great my cause is for to swerue!
And yet how stedfast is my sute
Lo, here ye see: where is the frute?
Redoubled thankes aye doth deserue.
And I that sue vnfaynedly,
In frutelesse hope (alas) do sterue.
How great my cause is for to swerue!
And yet how stedfast is my sute
Lo, here ye see: where is the frute?
246
As hounde that hath his keper lost,
Seke I your presence to obtayne:
In which my hart deliteth most,
And shall delight though I be slayne.
You may release my band of payne.
Lose then the care that makes me crye
For want of helpe, or els I dye.
Seke I your presence to obtayne:
In which my hart deliteth most,
And shall delight though I be slayne.
You may release my band of payne.
Lose then the care that makes me crye
For want of helpe, or els I dye.
I dye, though not incontinent,
By processe yet consumingly
As waste of fire, which doth relent,
If you as wilfull wyll denye.
Wherfore cease of such crueltye:
And take me wholy in your grace:
Which lacketh will to change his place.
By processe yet consumingly
As waste of fire, which doth relent,
If you as wilfull wyll denye.
Wherfore cease of such crueltye:
And take me wholy in your grace:
Which lacketh will to change his place.
CCXLIX
[If euer man might him auaunt]
If euer man might him auaunt
Of fortunes frendly chere,
It was my selfe I must it graunt,
For I haue bought it dere.
And derely haue I helde also
The glory of her name:
In yelding her such tribute, lo,
As did set forth her fame.
Of fortunes frendly chere,
It was my selfe I must it graunt,
For I haue bought it dere.
And derely haue I helde also
The glory of her name:
In yelding her such tribute, lo,
As did set forth her fame.
Some tyme I stode so in her grace:
That as I would require,
Ech ioy I thought did me imbrace,
That furdered my desire.
And all those pleasures (lo) had I,
That fansy might support:
And nothing she did me denye,
That was to my comfort.
That as I would require,
Ech ioy I thought did me imbrace,
That furdered my desire.
And all those pleasures (lo) had I,
That fansy might support:
And nothing she did me denye,
That was to my comfort.
I had (what would you more perdee?)
Ech grace that I did craue.
Thus fortunes will was vnto me
All thing that I would haue.
But all to rathe alas the while,
She built on such a ground:
In little space, to great a guyle
In her now haue I found.
Ech grace that I did craue.
Thus fortunes will was vnto me
All thing that I would haue.
But all to rathe alas the while,
247
In little space, to great a guyle
In her now haue I found.
For she hath turned so her whele:
That I vnhappy man
May waile the time that I did fele
Wherwith she fedde me than.
For broken now are her behestes,
And pleasant lokes she gaue:
And therfore now all my requestes
From perill can not saue.
That I vnhappy man
May waile the time that I did fele
Wherwith she fedde me than.
For broken now are her behestes,
And pleasant lokes she gaue:
And therfore now all my requestes
From perill can not saue.
Yet would I well it might appere
To her my chiefe regard:
Though my desertes haue ben to dere
To merite such reward.
Sith fortunes will is now so bent
To plage me thus, pore man,
I must my selfe therwith content:
And beare it as I can.
To her my chiefe regard:
Though my desertes haue ben to dere
To merite such reward.
Sith fortunes will is now so bent
To plage me thus, pore man,
I must my selfe therwith content:
And beare it as I can.
CCL
[Such is the course, that natures kinde hath wrought]
Such is the course, that natures kinde hath wrought,That snakes haue time to cast away their stynges.
Ainst chainde prisoners what nede defence be sought?
The fierce lyon will hurt no yelden thinges.
Why shoulde such spite be nursed then in thy thought?
Sith all these powers are prest vnder thy winges:
And eke thou seest, and reason thee hath taught
What mischief malice many waies it bringes.
Consider eke, that spight auaileth naught,
Therfore this song thy fault to thee it singes:
Displease thee not, for saiyng thus my thought
Nor hate thou him from whom no hate forth springes,
For furies, that in hell be execrable,
For that they hate, are made most miserable.
248
CCLI
[Suffised not (madame) that you did teare]
Suffised not (madame) that you did teareMy wofull hart, but thus also to rent
The weping paper that to you I sent,
Wherof eche letter was written with a teare.
Could not my present paines, alas, suffise
Your gredy hart? and that my hart doth fele
Tormentes that prick more sharper then the stele,
But new and new must to my lot arise?
Vse then my death. So shall your cruelty,
Spite of your spite, rid me from all my smart,
And I no more such tormentes of the hart
Fele as I do. This shalt thou gain thereby.
CCLII
[When first mine eyes did view, and marke]
When first mine eyes did view, and marke,
Thy faire beawtie to beholde:
And when mine eares listned to hark
The pleasant wordes, that thou me tolde:
I would as then, I had been free
From eares to heare, and eyes to see.
Thy faire beawtie to beholde:
And when mine eares listned to hark
The pleasant wordes, that thou me tolde:
I would as then, I had been free
From eares to heare, and eyes to see.
And when my lips gan first to moue,
Wherby my hart to thee was knowne;
And when my tong did talk of loue,
To thee that hast true loue down throwne:
I would my lips, and tong also,
Had then bene dum, no deale to go.
Wherby my hart to thee was knowne;
And when my tong did talk of loue,
To thee that hast true loue down throwne:
I would my lips, and tong also,
Had then bene dum, no deale to go.
And when my handes haue handled ought,
That thee hath kept in memorie:
And when my fete haue gone and sought
To finde and geat thy company:
I would eche hand a foote had bene,
And I eche foote a hand had sene.
That thee hath kept in memorie:
And when my fete haue gone and sought
To finde and geat thy company:
I would eche hand a foote had bene,
And I eche foote a hand had sene.
And when in mynde I did consent
To folow this my fansies will:
And when my hart did first relent,
To tast such bayt, my life to spyll:
I would my hart had bene as thyne:
Or els thy hart had bene as mine.
To folow this my fansies will:
And when my hart did first relent,
249
I would my hart had bene as thyne:
Or els thy hart had bene as mine.
CCLIII
[Synce loue wyll nedes that I shall loue]
Synce loue wyll nedes that I shall loue,
Of very force I must agree;
And since no chance may it remoue,
In welth, and in aduersitie,
I shall alway my self apply
To serue, and suffer paciently.
Of very force I must agree;
And since no chance may it remoue,
In welth, and in aduersitie,
I shall alway my self apply
To serue, and suffer paciently.
Though for good will I finde but hate,
And cruelty my life to wast;
And though that still a wretched state
Should pine my dayes vnto the last:
Yet I professe it willingly
To serue, and suffer paciently.
And cruelty my life to wast;
And though that still a wretched state
Should pine my dayes vnto the last:
Yet I professe it willingly
To serue, and suffer paciently.
For since my hart is bound to serue,
And I not ruler of mine owne,
What so befall, tyll that I sterue,
By proofe full well it shall be knowne:
That I shall still my selfe apply
To serue and suffer paciently.
And I not ruler of mine owne,
What so befall, tyll that I sterue,
By proofe full well it shall be knowne:
That I shall still my selfe apply
To serue and suffer paciently.
Yea though my grief finde no redresse,
But still increase before mine eyes:
Though my reward be cruelnesse,
With all the harme happe can deuise:
Yet I professe it willingly
To serue, and suffer paciently.
But still increase before mine eyes:
Though my reward be cruelnesse,
With all the harme happe can deuise:
Yet I professe it willingly
To serue, and suffer paciently.
Yea, though fortune her pleasant face,
Should shew, to set me vp a loft:
And streight, my wealth for to deface,
Should writhe away, as she doth oft:
Yet would I styll my self apply
To serue and suffer paciently.
Should shew, to set me vp a loft:
And streight, my wealth for to deface,
Should writhe away, as she doth oft:
Yet would I styll my self apply
To serue and suffer paciently.
250
There is no grief, no smart, no wo,
That yet I fele, or after shall,
That from this mynde may make me go;
And whatsoeuer me befall,
I do professe it willingly,
To serue and suffer paciently.
That yet I fele, or after shall,
That from this mynde may make me go;
And whatsoeuer me befall,
I do professe it willingly,
To serue and suffer paciently.
CCLIV
[Mystrustfull mindes be moued]
Mystrustfull mindes be moued
To haue me in suspect.
The troth it shalbe proued,
Which time shall once detect.
To haue me in suspect.
The troth it shalbe proued,
Which time shall once detect.
Though falshed go about
Of crime me to accuse,
At length I do not doute
But truth shall me excuse.
Of crime me to accuse,
At length I do not doute
But truth shall me excuse.
Such sawce, as they haue serued
To me without desart,
Euen as they haue deserued,
Therof god send them part.
To me without desart,
Euen as they haue deserued,
Therof god send them part.
CCLV
[It burneth yet, alas, my hartes desire. ]
Louer.It burneth yet, alas, my hartes desire.
Lady.
What is the thing that hath inflamde thy hert?
Louer.
A certain point, as feruent as the fyre.
Lady.
The heate shall cease, if that thou wilt conuert.
Louer.
I cannot stoppe the feruent raging yre.
Lady.
What may I do, if thy self cause thy smart?
Louer.
Heare my request, and rew my weeping chere.
Lady.
With right good wyll, say on: lo, I thee here.
Louer.
That thing would I, that maketh two content.
Lady.
Thou sekest, perchance, of me, that I may not.
Louer.
Would god thou wouldst, as thou maist, well assent.
Lady.
That I may not, thy grief is mine, God wot.
Louer.
But I it fele, what so thy wordes haue ment.
251
Suspect me not: my wordes be not forgot.
Louer.
Then say, alas, shall I haue help, or no?
Lady.
I see no time to answer yea, but no.
Louer.
Say ye, dere hert, and stand no more in dout.
Lady.
I may not grant a thing that is so dere.
Louer.
Lo, with delayes thou drieues me still about.
Lady.
Thou wouldest my death: it plainly doth appere.
Louer.
First may my hart his bloode and life blede out.
Lady.
Then for my sake, alas, thy will forbere.
Louer.
From day to day, thus wastes my life away.
Lady.
Yet, for the best, suffer some small delay.
Louer.
Now good, say yea: do once so good a dede.
Lady.
If I sayd yea, what should therof ensue?
Louer.
An hart in pain of succour so should spede;
Twist yea and nay, my doute shall styll renew.
My swete, say yea and do away this drede.
Lady.
Thou wilt nedes so; be it so; but then be trew.
Louer.
Nought would I els, nor other treasure none.
Thus hartes be wonne by loue, request, and mone.
CCLVI
[I see that chance hath chosen me]
I see that chance hath chosen me
That secretely to liue in paine;
And to an other geuen the fee
Of all my losse, to haue the gayn.
By chance assinde, thus do I serue:
And other haue, that I deserue.
That secretely to liue in paine;
And to an other geuen the fee
Of all my losse, to haue the gayn.
By chance assinde, thus do I serue:
And other haue, that I deserue.
Vnto my self sometime alone
I do lament my wofull case.
But what auaileth me to mone?
Since troth and pitie hath no place
In them, to whom I sue and serue:
And other haue, that I deserue.
I do lament my wofull case.
But what auaileth me to mone?
Since troth and pitie hath no place
In them, to whom I sue and serue:
And other haue, that I deserue.
To seke by meane to change this minde,
Alas, I proue it will not be;
For in my hart I cannot finde
Once to refrain, but still agree
As bounde by force, alway to serue:
And other haue, that I deserue.
Alas, I proue it will not be;
For in my hart I cannot finde
252
As bounde by force, alway to serue:
And other haue, that I deserue.
Such is the fortune that I haue,
To loue them most that loue me lest;
And to my pain to seke and craue
The thing that other haue possest.
So thus in vain alway I serue:
And other haue, that I deserue.
To loue them most that loue me lest;
And to my pain to seke and craue
The thing that other haue possest.
So thus in vain alway I serue:
And other haue, that I deserue.
And till I may apease the heate,
If that my happe will happe so well,
To waile my wo my hart shall freate,
Whose pensif pain my tong can tell.
Yet thus vnhappy must I serue:
And other haue, that I deserue.
If that my happe will happe so well,
To waile my wo my hart shall freate,
Whose pensif pain my tong can tell.
Yet thus vnhappy must I serue:
And other haue, that I deserue.
CCLVII
[For shamefast harm of great and hatefull nede]
For shamefast harm of great and hatefull nede,In depe despayre, as did a wretch go
With ready corde out of his life to spede,
His stumbling foote did finde an hoorde, lo,
Of golde, I say, where he preparde this dede:
And, in eschange, he left the corde tho.
He that had hidde the golde and founde it not,
Of that he founde he shapte his neck a knot.
CCLVIII
[Through out the world, if it wer sought]
Through out the world, if it wer sought,Faire wordes ynough a man shall finde:
They be good chepe, they cost right nought;
Their substance is but onely winde:
But well to say and so to mene,
That swete acord is seldom sene.
CCLIX
[In court to serue decked with freshe aray]
In court to serue decked with freshe aray,Of sugred meates felyng the swete repast,
The life in bankets, and sundry kindes of play
253
Hath with it ioynde oft times such bitter taste,
That who so ioyes such kinde of life to holde,
In prison ioyes, fettred with cheines of gold.
CCLX
[Speake thou and spede where will or power ought helpthe]
Speake thou and spede where will or power ought helpthe,Where power dothe want will must be wonne by welth.
For nede will spede, where will workes not his kinde,
And gayne, thy foes, thy frendes, shall cause thee finde.
For sute and golde, what do not they obtaine:
Of good and bad the triers are these twaine.
CCLXI
[If thou wilt mighty be, flee from the rage]
If thou wilt mighty be, flee from the rage
Of cruell wyll, and see thou kepe thee free
From the foule yoke of sensuall bondage,
For though thy empyre stretche to Indian sea,
And for thy feare trembleth the fardest Thylee,
If thy desire haue ouer thee the power,
Subiect then art thou and no gouernour.
Of cruell wyll, and see thou kepe thee free
From the foule yoke of sensuall bondage,
For though thy empyre stretche to Indian sea,
And for thy feare trembleth the fardest Thylee,
If thy desire haue ouer thee the power,
Subiect then art thou and no gouernour.
If to be noble and high thy minde be meued
Consider well thy grounde and thy beginnyng,
For he that hath eche starre in heauen fixed,
And geues the Moone her hornes and her eclipsyng:
Alike hath made the noble in his workyng,
So that wretched no way thou may bee
Except foule lust and vice do conquere thee.
Consider well thy grounde and thy beginnyng,
For he that hath eche starre in heauen fixed,
And geues the Moone her hornes and her eclipsyng:
Alike hath made the noble in his workyng,
So that wretched no way thou may bee
Except foule lust and vice do conquere thee.
All were it so thou had a flood of golde,
Vnto thy thirst yet should it not suffice.
And though with Indian stones a thousande folde,
More precious then can thy selfe deuise,
Ycharged were thy backe: thy couitise
And busye bytyng yet should neuer let
Thy wretchid life, ne do thy death profet.
Vnto thy thirst yet should it not suffice.
And though with Indian stones a thousande folde,
More precious then can thy selfe deuise,
Ycharged were thy backe: thy couitise
And busye bytyng yet should neuer let
Thy wretchid life, ne do thy death profet.
| Collected poems of Sir Thomas Wyatt | |