Complete Works of Sir Thomas Wyatt

by Thomas Wyatt

  Then could ye ask no more;

  Then should ye ease my sore, 30

  And the excess

  Of my distress;

  And you should evermore

  Defamed be therefore,

  For to repent your cruelness. 35

  OF THE CONTRARY AFFECTIONS OF THE LOVER

  SUCH hap as I am happed in,

  Had never man of truth I ween;

  At me Fortune list to begin,

  To shew that never hath been seen,

  A new kind of unhappiness; 5

  Nor I cannot the thing I mean

  Myself express.

  Myself express my deadly pain,

  That can I well, if that might serve;

  But when I have not help again, 10

  That know I not, unless I sterve,

  For hunger still amiddes my food

  [Lacking the thing] that I deserve

  To do me good.

  To do me good what may prevail, 15

  For I deserve, and not desire,

  And still of cold I me bewail,

  And raked am in burning fire;

  For though I have, such is my lot,

  In hand to help that I require, 20

  It helpeth not.

  It helpeth not but to increase

  That, that by proof can be no more;

  That is, the heat that cannot cease;

  And that I have, to crave so sore. 25

  What wonder is this greedy lust!

  To ask and have, and yet therefore

  Refrain I must.

  Refrain I must; what is the cause?

  Sure as they say, ‘So hawks be taught.’ 30

  But in my case layeth no such clause;

  For with such craft I am not caught;

  Wherefore I say, and good cause why,

  With hapless hand no man hath raught

  Such hap as I. 35

  THAT RIGHT CANNOT GOVERN FANCY

  I HAVE sought long with steadfastness

  To have had some ease of my great smart:

  But nought availeth faithfulness

  To grave within your stony heart.

  But hap, and hit, or else hit not, 5

  As uncertain as is the wind;

  Right so it fareth by the shot

  Of Love, alas! that is so blind.

  Therefore I play’d the fool in vain,

  With pity when I first began 10

  Your cruel heart for to constrain,

  Since love regardeth no doubtful man.

  But of your goodness, all your mind

  Is that I should complain in vain;

  This is the favour that I find; 15

  Ye list to hear how I can plain!

  But tho’ I plain to please your heart,

  Trust me I trust to temper it so,

  Not for to care which do revert;

  All shall be one, or wealth, or woe. 20

  For fancy ruleth, though Right say nay,

  Even as the good man kist his cow;

  None other reason can ye lay,

  But as who sayeth; ‘I reck not how.’

  THAT TRUE LOVE AVAILETH NOT WHEN FORTUNE LIST TO FROWN

  TO wish, and want, and not obtain;

  To seek and sue ease of my pain,

  Since all that ever I do is vain,

  What may it avail me!

  Although I strive both day and hour 5

  Against the stream, with all my power,

  If Fortune list yet for to lower,

  What may it avail me!

  If willingly I suffer woe;

  If from the fire me list not go; 10

  If then I burn to plain me so,

  What may it avail me!

  And if the harm that I suffer,

  Be run too far out of measure,

  To seek for help any further, 15

  What may it avail me!

  What tho’ each heart that heareth me plain,

  Pitieth and plaineth for my pain;

  If I no less in grief remain,

  What may it avail me! 20

  Yea! though the want of my relief

  Displease the causer of my grief;

  Since I remain still in mischief,

  What may it avail me!

  Such cruel chance doth so me threat 25

  Continually inward to freat,

  Then of release for to treat;

  What may it avail me!

  Fortune is deaf unto my call;

  My torment moveth her not at all; 30

  And though she turn as doth a ball,

  What may it avail me!

  For in despair there is no rede;

  To want of ear, speech is no speed;

  To linger still alive as dead, 35

  What may it avail me!

  THE DECEIVED LOVER SUETH ONLY FOR LIBERTY

  IF chance assign’d,

  Were to my mind,

  By very kind

  Of destiny;

  Yet would I crave 5

  Nought else to have,

  But life and liberty.

  Then were I sure,

  I might endure

  The displeasure 10

  Of cruelty;

  Where now I plain,

  Alas! in vain,

  Lacking my life, for liberty.

  For without th’ one, 15

  Th’ other is gone,

  And there can none

  It remedy;

  If th’ one be past,

  Th’ other doth waste, 20

  And all for lack of liberty.

  And so I drive,

  As yet alive,

  Although I strive

  With misery; 25

  Drawing my breath,

  Looking for death,

  And loss of life for liberty.

  But thou that still,

  Mayst at thy will, 30

  Turn all this ill

  Adversity;

  For the repair,

  Of my welfare,

  Grant me but life and liberty. 35

  And if not so,

  Then let all go

  To wretched woe,

  And let me die;

  For th’ one or th’ other, 40

  There is none other;

  My death, or life with liberty.

  THE LOVER CALLETH ON HIS LUTE TO HELP HIM BEMOAN HIS HAPLESS FATE

  AT most mischief

  I suffer grief;

  For of relief

  Since I have none,

  My Lute and I 5

  Continually

  Shall us apply

  To sigh and moan.

  Nought may prevail

  To weep or wail; 10

  Pity doeth fail

  In you, alas!

  Mourning or moan,

  Complaint or none,

  It is all one, 15

  As in this case.

  For cruelty,

  That most can be,

  Hath sovereignty

  Within your heart; 20

  Which maketh bare,

  All my welfare:

  Nought do ye care

  How sore I smart.

  No tiger’s heart 25

  Is so pervert,

  Without desert

  To wreak his ire;

  And you me kill

  For my good will: 30

  Lo! how I spill

  For my desire!

  There is no love

  That can ye move,

  And I can prove 35

  None other way;

  Therefore I must

  Restrain my lust,

  Banish my trust,

  And wealth away. 40

  Thus in mischief

  I suffer grief,

  For of relief

  Since I have none;

  My lute and I 45

  Continually

  Shall us apply

  To sigh and moan.

  THAT THE POWER OF LOVE IS SUCH HE WORKETH IMPOSSIBILITIES

  TO cause accord, or to agree
/>
  Two contraries in one degree,

  And in one point, as seemeth me

  To all man’s wit it cannot be;

  It is impossible! 5

  Of heat and cold when I complain,

  And say that heat doth cause my pain,

  When cold doth shake me every vein,

  And both at once! I say again,

  It is impossible! 10

  That man that hath his heart away,

  If life liveth there, as men do say,

  That he heartless should last one day

  Alive, and not to turn to clay,

  It is impossible! 15

  ‘Twixt life and death, say what who saith,

  There liveth no life that draweth breath;

  They join so near, and eke I’ faith,

  To seek for life by wish of death,

  It is impossible! 20

  Yet Love, that all thing doth subdue,

  Whose power there may no life eschew,

  Hath wrought in me that I may rue

  These miracles to be so true,

  That are impossible. 25

  THAT THE LIFE OF THE UNREGARDED LOVER IS WORSE THAN DEATH

  WHAT death is worse than this!

  When my delight,

  My weal, my joy, my bliss,

  Is from my sight

  Both day and night, 5

  My life, alas! I miss.

  For though I seem alive,

  My heart is hence;

  Thus bootless for to strive

  Out of presence 10

  Of my defence

  Toward my death I drive.

  Heartless, alas! what man

  May long endure!

  Alas! how live I then; 15

  Since no recure

  May me assure

  My life I may well ban.

  Thus doth my torment grow

  In deadly dread 20

  Alas! who might live so;

  Alive, as dead:

  Alive, to lead

  A deadly life in woe.

  THE LOVER WHO CANNOT PREVAIL MUST NEEDS HAVE PATIENCE

  PATIENCE for my device;

  Impatience for your part!

  Of contraries the guise

  Must needs be overthwart.

  Patience! for I am true; 5

  The contrary for you.

  Patience! a good cause why!

  You have no cause at all;

  Trust me, that stands awry

  Perchance may sometime fall. 10

  Patience then say, and sup

  A taste of Patience cup.

  Patience! no force for that

  Yet brush your gown again.

  Patience! spurn not there at; 15

  Lest folk perceive your pain.

  Patience at my pleasure,

  When yours hath no measure.

  The other was for me,

  This Patience is for you, 20

  Change when ye list let see,

  For I have ta’en a new.

  Patience with a good will

  Is easy to fulfil.

  WHEN FORTUNE SMILES NOT, ONLY PATIENCE COMFORTETH

  PATIENCE! though I have not

  The thing that I require;

  I must, of force, God wot,

  Forbear my most desire,

  For no ways can I find 5

  To sail against the wind.

  Patience! do what they will

  To work me woe or spite;

  I shall content me still

  To think both day and night; 10

  To think, and hold my peace,

  Since there is no redress.

  Patience! withouten blame,

  For I offended nought;

  I know they know the same, 15

  Though they have changed their thought.

  Was ever thought so moved,

  To hate that it hath loved?

  Patience of all my harm,

  For Fortune is my foe; 20

  Patience must be the charm

  To heal me of my woe.

  Patience without offence

  Is a painful Patience.

  THAT PATIENCE ALONE CAN HEAL THE WOUND INFLICTED BY ADVERSITY

  PATIENCE of all my smart!

  For Fortune is turned awry:

  Patience must ease my heart,

  That mourns continually.

  Patience to suffer wrong 5

  Is a Patience too long.

  Patience to have a nay,

  Of that I most desire;

  Patience to have alway,

  And ever burn like fire. 10

  Patience without desart

  Is grounder of my smart.

  Who can with merry heart

  Set forth some pleasant song,

  That always feels but smart, 15

  And never hath but wrong?

  Yet patience evermore

  Must heal the wound and sore.

  Patience! to be content,

  With froward Fortune’s train! 20

  Patience, to the intent

  Somewhat to slake my pain:

  I see no remedy,

  But suffer patiently.

  To plain where is none ear 25

  My chance is chanced so;

  For it doth well appear

  My Friend is turn’d my foe:

  But since there is no defence,

  I must take Patience. 30

  THE LOVER, HOPELESS OF GREATER HAPPINESS, CONTENTETH HIMSELF WITH ONLY PITY

  THO’ I cannot your cruelty constrain,

  For my good will to favour me again;

  Though my true and faithful love

  Have no power your heart to move,

  Yet rue upon my pain! 5

  Tho’ I your thrall must evermore remain,

  And for your sake my liberty restrain;

  The greatest grace that I do crave

  Is that ye would vouchsave

  To rue upon my pain! 10

  Though I have not deserved to obtain

  So high reward, but thus to serve in vain,

  Though I shall have no redress,

  Yet of right ye can no less,

  But rue upon my pain! 15

  But I see well, that your high disdain

  Will no wise grant that I shall more attain;

  Yet ye must grant at the last

  This my poor, and small request;

  Rejoice not at my pain! 20

  THAT TIME, HUMBLENESS, AND PRAYER, CAN SOFTEN EVERY THING SAVE HIS LADY’S HEART

  PROCESS of time worketh such wonder,

  That water which is of kind so soft,

  Doth pierce the marble stone asunder,

  By little drops falling from aloft.

  And yet a heart that seems so tender, 5

  Receiveth no drop of the stilling tears

  That alway still cause me to render,

  The vain plaint that sounds not in her ears.

  So cruel, alas! is nought alive,

  So fierce, so froward, so out of frame, 10

  But some way, some time may so contrive

  By means the wild to temper and tame.

  And I that always have sought, and seek

  Each place, each time for some lucky day,

  This fierce tiger, less I find her meek, 15

  And more denied the longer I pray.

  The lion in his raging furour

  Forbears that sueth, meekness for his [boot];

  And thou, alas! in extreme dolour,

  The heart so low thou treads under thy foot. 20

  Each fierce thing, lo! how thou dost exceed,

  And hides it under so humble a face!

  And yet the humble to help at need

  Nought helpeth time, humbleness, nor place.

  THAT UNKINDNESS HATH SLAIN HIS POOR TRUE HEART

  IF in the world there be more woe

  Than I have in my heart;

  Whereso it is, it doth come fro’,

  And in my breast there doth it grow,

 
; For to increase my smart. 5

  Alas! I am receipt of every care;

  And of my life each sorrow claims his part.

  Who list to live in quietness

  By me let him beware.

  For I by high disdain 10

  Am made without redress;

  And unkindness, alas! hath slain

  My poor true heart, all comfortless.

  THE DYING LOVER COMPLAINETH THAT HIS MISTRESS REGARDETH NOT HIS SUFFERINGS

  LIKE as the swan towards her death

  Doth strain her voice with doleful note;

  Right so sing I with waste of breath,

  I die! I die! and you regard it not.

  I shall enforce my fainting breath, 5

  That all that hears this deadly note,

  Shall know that you dost cause my death,

  I die! I die! and you regard it not.

  Your unkindness hath sworn my death,

  And changed hath my pleasant note 10

  To painful sighs that stop my breath.

  I die! I die! and you regard it not.

  Consumeth my life, faileth my breath,

  Your fault is forger of this note;

  Melting in tears a cruel death. 15

  I die! I die! and you regard it not.

  My faith with me after my death

  Buried shall be, and to this note

  I do bequeath my weary breath

  To cry, I die! and you regard it not. 20

  THE CAREFUL LOVER COMPLAINETH, AND THE HAPPY LOVER COUNSELLETH

  AH! Robin!

  Joly Robin!

  Tell me how thy Leman doth?

  And thou shalt know of mine.

  ‘My Lady is unkind, perdie!’ 5

  Alack, why is she so!

  ‘She loveth an other better than me,

  And yet she will say, no.’

  RESPONSE.

  I find no such doubleness;

  I find women true. 10

  My lady loveth me doubtless,

  And will change for no new.

  LE PLAINTIF.

  Thou art happy while that doth last,

  But I say as I find;

  That woman’s love is but a blast, 15

  And turneth like the wind.

  RESPONSE.

  But if thou wilt avoid thy harm,

  Learn this lesson of me;

  At others fires thyself to warm,

  And let them warm with thee. 20

  LE PLAINTIF.

  Such folks shall take no harm by love,

  That can abide their turn;

  But I, alas, can no way prove

  In love, but lack, and mourn.