The Devonshire Manuscript/my hart ys set not remove
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Introduction | Contributors | Textual Introduction |
| ←Sum summ say I love sum say I moke | wan I be thyng my wontyd was→ |
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f. [58v]
1 my hart ys set not remove
2 ffor wher as I love ffathfully
3 I know he wyll not slak hys love
4 nor never chang hes ffantesy
5 I hawe delyt hym ffor to plese
6 yn all that tocheth onesty
7 hou felyth gref so yt hym ese
8 plesyth doth well my ffantesy
f. [59r]
9 and tho that I be banest hym fro
10 hes spech hes syght and company
11 yt wyll I yn spyt of hes ffo
12 hym love and kep my fantesy
13 do what they wyll and do ther warst worest
14 ffor all they do ys wanety vanity
15 ffor a sunder my hart shall borst
16 soworer then change my ffantesy
Commentary
[edit | edit source]Written in pencil in Margaret Douglas's hand, this poem remains unattributed. The speaker asserts that despite the adversity found in loving her beloved, nothing will change her feelings for him. Due to its emphasis on truthfulness, this poem may be a response to the poem immediately preceeding it, “Sum summ say I love sum say I moke” (58v), which speaks of deceit. Douglas also enters another shorter version of the poem on 65r, "my hart ys set nat to remowe".
Most standard witness indexes indicate only the three-stanza version of "my hart ys set nat to remowe" (65r). The additional stanza found on "wan I be thyng my wontyd was" (59r) is particularly subversive when viewed in light of Douglas' and Thomas Howard's plight. Notably, “Do what they wyll and do ther warst” appears to be a cry of defiance to the powers that have separated the lovers.
Textual Notes
[edit | edit source]Texts Collated
[edit | edit source]Collation
[edit | edit source]1 nat to] not LDev087 remowe] remove LDev087
2 lowe] love LDev087 ffaythffully] ffathfully LDev087
3 welnot] wyll not LDev087 slake] slak LDev087 hes] hys LDev087 lowe] love LDev087
4 ffantecy] ffantesy LDev087
6 in hal] yn LDev087 hall] all LDev087 tovchet] tocheth LDev087 honesty] onesty LDev087
7 who ffeleth greve] hou felyth gref LDev087 hes] ese LDev087
8 plesyt] plesyth LDev087
9 banysht] banest LDev087 ffro] fro LDev087
10 hys speket] hes spech LDev087 compayny] company LDev087
11 yet] yt LDev087 in] yn LDev087 off] of LDev087
12 lowe] love LDev087 ffantasy] fantesy LDev087
13 ] do what they wyll and do ther warst worest LDev087
14 ] ffor all they do ys wanetyvanity LDev087
15 ] ffor a sunder my hart shall borst LDev087
16 ] soworer then change my ffantesy LDev087