The Devonshire Manuscript/In faythe methynkes yt ys no Ryght
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| ←Who wold haue euer thowght | The knot which fyrst my hart dyd strayn→ |
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f. [21v]
1 3 In faythe methynkes{es} yt ys no Ryght
2 to hate me thus ffor lovyng ye
3 so fayre a face so full off spyght
4 who wold have thowght suche crueltye
5 But syns there ys no Remedye
6 that by no meanes{es} ye can me love
7 I shall you leve & other prove
8 Ffor yff I have for my good wyll
9 no reward eles{es} but cruelltye
10 in faythe thereoff I can no skyll
11 sythe that{{th}+t+} I lovyd ye honestlye
12 But take hede I wyll tyll I dye
13 or that I love so well Aogayn
14 Syns women vse so muche to fayn
f. [22r]
15 And sure I thynke yt ys best way
16 to love for love Alyke Agayn
17 & not to make ernest off play
18 as I to love & she to ffayn
19 ffor syns fansy so muche dothe rayn
20 the suryst way nedes{es} take I must
21 as fyrst to preve and after trust1
22 By trustyng I was Dysceavyd
23 for when I thowght myself most sure
24 another had me Begylyd
25 & shortly made her to hys lure
26 but now that{{th}+t+} she ys past Recure
27 & thus fro me hathe tane her flyght
28 Best let her go & take hytt lyght
29 Shuld I take thowght when she ys glad
30 or shuld I wake when she dothe slepe
31 yet may I say that ons I had
32 & nother sobbe nor syghe nor wepe
33 nor for her love on knee to crepe
34 ffor surely thys ryght well I wott
35 happyest ys he that hathe her nott
ffynys quod{q+d+}A. I.s
Notes & Glosses
[edit | edit source] 1. This phrase resonates; see "ys yt possyble" (14r), for example.
Commentary
[edit | edit source]The attribution to "A.I" in the text may refer to Anthony Lee (who was often called the Earl of Idledom). H2, the poem's scribe, maintains his consistency in the presentation of the poem with his previous entries; specifically, he keeps equal spacing and organization of stanzas on the recto and verso pages. The poem's speaker laments the cruelty he receives in return for his service to the lady.