The Devonshire Manuscript/Lo how I seke & sew to haue

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The Devonshire Manuscript facsimile 52v

 f. [52v] 

1    Lo how I seke & sew to haue
2    that no man hathe & maye be had
3    there ys more but synk or saue
4    & bryng thys doute to good or bad
5    to lyue in sorows allways sad
6    I lyke not so to lynger{g'} fforthe
7    hap evyll or good I shallbe glad
8    to take that comes as well in worthe

9    Shold I sustayne{n'} thys gret dystres
10    styll wandryng forthe thus to & froo
11    in dredfull hope to hold my pese
12    & fede my sellf with{w+t+} secret woo
13    nay nay cer{c'}tayn I wyll not soo
14    but sure I shall my self aply
15    to put in profe thys doute to knoo
16    & Rydd thys daunger{g'} Redely

17    I shall assay by secret sute
18    to show the mynd of myn entent
19    {es}{p+} & my deportes¹ shall gyue suche frute
20   {es}{w+t+}  as with my hart my wordes be ment
21    so by the pro{p2}fe of thys consent
22    send owt of doute I shall be sure
23    for to reIoyce or to Repent
24    in Ioye or payn for to endure

ffinis

Notes & Glosses

     1. For the expansion of "por," see Cappelli.

Commentary

Attributed to Sir Thomas Wyatt, this poem was entered by H6 and is unique to the manuscript. The speaker hopes for a quick answer to his doubts about the lady’s regard for him, though it might bring him pain instead of joy.