The Devonshire Manuscript/What thyng shold cawse me to be sad
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Introduction | Contributors | Textual Introduction |
| ←Wyth sorowful syghes and wondes smart | Alas that men be so vngent→ |
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f. [27r]
1 What thyng shold cawse me to be sad
2 as longe ye reyoyce wyth hart
3 my part yt ys for to be glad
4 syns yow haue takyn me to yowr part
5 ye do relese my pene and smart
6 wych wold me uery sore Insue
7 but that for yow my trust so trew
8 yff I shuld wryte and make report
9 what faythfulnes in yow I fynd
10 the terme of lyfe yt were to short
11 wyth penne yn letters yt to bynd
12 wherefor wher as as ye be so kynd
13 as for my part yt ys but dewe
14 lyke case to yow to be as true
15 My loue truly shall not decay
16 for thretnyng nor for punysment
17 for let them thynke and let them say
18 toward yow alone I am full bent
19 therfore I wyl be dylygent
20 owr faythful loue for to renew
21 and styll to kepe me trusty & trw
22 Thus fare ye well my worldly tresor
23 desyryng god that off hys grace
24 to send no tyme hys wyll and plesor
25 and shortly to get hus owt off thys place
26 then shal I be yn as good case
27 as a hawke that getes{es} owt off hys mue
28 and strayt doth seke hys trust so trwe
fynis
Commentary
[edit | edit source]Attributed to Lord Thomas Howard,[1] this poem was entered into the manuscript by TH2. In the poem, the speaker professes his steadfastness in love despite the possibility of experiencing pain and punishment. Typical of courtly love poetry in the early Tudor court, this sentiment also appears elsewhere in the Devonshire Manuscript, such as in “Alas that men be so vngent” (27v) and “Who hath more cawse for to complayne” (28r).