The Devonshire Manuscript/Myght I as well within my songe

←to cowntarffete a mery mode

The pleasaunt beayt of swet Delyte Dothe blynd→

The Devonshire Manuscript facsimile 66r

 f. [66r]

1 [Myght I as well with{w+t+}in my songe]
2 [belay the thinge I wolde]
3 >[as in my harte]

Commentary

Attributed to Sir Thomas Wyatt, this poem was possibly entered by H7. Margaret Douglas enters another excerpt of the poem, "Myght I as well within my song be lay" on 65v. Both versions in the manuscript are only excerpts of Wyatt’s twenty-five line poem, which Rebholz compiled in his edition of Wyatt's poetry. Similar to other poems in the manuscript, this poem discusses the need for concealment and duplicity. For other poems portraying the theme of concealment, see: “Sum summ say I love sum say I moke” (58v); “In places Wher that I company” (62v); “I ame not she be prowess off syt” (65r); “To cowntarffete a mery mode” (65v); “Ceaser whan the traytor of egipte” (70r); and “Whan that I call vnto my mynde” (82v-83r).

The page appears heavily smudged and each line drops one syllable.

Textual Notes

Texts Collated

LDev103, DBLa12

Collation

1 Myght I as well within my songe] myght I as well within my song be lay LDev103 Myght I as well within my songe dbelaye DBla12
2 belay the thinge I wolde] the thyng I mene as in my hart I may LDev103 the thing I wolde as in my hart I maye DBla12
3 > as in my harte] repentence showld dra ffrom thovs yes LDev103 repentens shulde Drawe frome those eyes DBla12
4 ] salt teres with cryes remors and growges LDev103 Salt tearis with cryes, remorce and grudge of hart DBla12
5 ] causles as cause that I haue ssuffred smart DBla12
6 ] O yf myght I ellis enclose my paynfull breast DBla12
7 ] that that myght be in syght my great vnrest DBla12
8 ] ther shulde ye see tormentes remayngne DBla12
9 ] as hell of payne to move your crewell hart DBla12
10 ] causles by cause that I haue suffred smart DBla12
11 ] Or myght Ther ys in hell no suche a feruent fyere DBla12
12 ] as secret hete of inward hotte desyere DBla12
13 ] that wyll not let the flame appayre DBla12
14 ] that I haue here within my wastyd hart DBla12
15 ] causles by cause that I haue suffred smart DBla12
16 ] Yet you cause yt and ye may cause my welthe DBla12
17 ] ons cause yt then retorne vnto my helthe DBla12
18 ] and of all mene releve that man DBla12
19 ] that no thing can but crye releve this hart DBla12
20 ] causles by cause that I haue souf smart DBla12
21 ] Redres ye owght that harme that ye haue donne DBla12
22 ] yt ys no game that ye nowe haue bygonne DBla12
23 ] but worthye blame ye shall remayne DBla12
24 ] to do hym payne that knowythe not thought of DBla12
25 ] causles by cause that I haue suffred smart DBla12