by Thomas Wyatt
To work my woe thus cruelly; 10
For my good will to be object,
Therefore accept it lovingly.
Pain, or travail; to run, or ride,
I undertake it pleasantly;
Bid ye me go and straight I glide, 15
At your commandment humbly.
Pain or pleasure now may you plant,
Even which it please you steadfastly;
Do which you list, I shall not want
To be your servant secretly. 20
And since so much I do desire,
To be your own assuredly;
For all my service, and my hire
Reward your servant liberally.
OF THE PAINS AND SORROWS CAUSED BY LOVE
WHAT meaneth this! when I lie alone
I toss, I turn, I sigh, I groan;
My bed me seems as hard as stone:
What means this?
I sigh, I plain continually; 5
The clothes that on my bed do lie,
Always me think they lie awry;
What means this?
In slumbers oft for fear I quake;
For heat and cold I burn and shake; 10
For lack of sleep my head doth ake;
What means this?
A mornings then when I do rise,
I turn unto my wonted guise,
All day after muse and devise; 15
What means this?
And if perchance by me there pass,
She, unto whom I sue for grace,
The cold blood forsaketh my face;
What means this? 20
But if I sit near her by,
With loud voice my heart doth cry,
And yet my mouth is dumb and dry;
What means this?
To ask for help no heart I have; 25
My tongue doth fail what I should crave;
Yet inwardly I rage and rave;
What means this?
Thus have I passed many a year,
And many a day, though nought appear, 30
But most of that that most I fear;
What means this?
THE LOVER RECOUNTETH THE VARIABLE FANCY OF HIS FICKLE MISTRESS
IS it possible?
That so high debate,
So sharp, so sore, and of such rate,
Should end so soon, and was begun so late.
Is it possible? 5
Is it possible?
So cruel intent,
So hasty heat, and so soon spent,
From love to hate, and thence for to relent,
Is it possible? 10
Is it possible?
That any may find,
Within one heart so diverse mind,
To change or turn as weather and wind,
Is it possible? 15
Is it possible?
To spy it in an eye,
That turns as oft as chance or die,
The truth whereof can any try;
Is it possible? 20
It is possible,
For to turn so oft;
To bring that low’st that was most aloft;
And to fall highest, yet to light soft;
It is possible! 25
All is possible!
Whoso list believe,
Trust therefore first and after preve;
As men wed ladies by license and leave;
All is possible! 30
THE ABUSED LOVER BEWAILS THE TIME THAT EVER HIS EYE BEHELD HER TO WHOM HE HAD GIVEN HIS FAITHFUL HEART
ALAS! poor man, what hap have I,
That must forbear that I love best!
I trow, it be my destiny,
Never to live in quiet rest.
No wonder is though I complain; 5
Not without cause ye may be sure;
I seek for that I cannot attain,
Which is my mortal displeasure.
Alas! poor heart, as in this case
With pensive plaint thou art opprest; 10
Unwise thou were to desire place
Whereas another is possest.
Do what I can to ease thy smart,
Thou wilt not let to love her still;
Hers, and not mine I see thou art; 15
Let her do by thee as she will.
A careful carcass full of pain
Now hast thou left to mourn for thee,
The heart once gone, the body is slain,
That ever I saw her woe is me; 20
Mine eye, alas! was cause of this,
Which her to see had never his fill;
To me that sight full bitter is,
In recompense of my good will.
She that I serve all other above 25
Hath paid my hire, as ye may see;
I was unhappy, and that I prove,
To love above my poor degree.
AN EARNEST SUIT TO HIS UNKIND MISTRESS NOT TO FORSAKE HIM
AND wilt thou leave me thus?
Say nay! say nay! for shame!
To save thee from the blame
Of all my grief and grame.
And wilt thou leave me thus? 5
Say nay! say nay!
And wilt thou leave me thus?
That hath lov’d thee so long?
In wealth and woe among:
And is thy heart so strong 10
As for to leave me thus?
Say nay! say nay!
And wilt thou leave me thus?
That hath given thee my heart
Never for to depart; 15
Neither for pain nor smart:
And wilt thou leave me thus?
Say nay! say nay!
And wilt thou leave me thus,
And have no more pity, 20
Of him that loveth thee?
Alas! thy cruelty!
And wilt thou leave me thus?
Say nay! say nay!
HE REMEMBERETH THE PROMISE HIS LADY ONCE GAVE HIM OF AFFECTION, AND COMFORTETH HIMSELF WITH HOPE
THAT time that mirth did steer my ship,
Which now is fraught with heaviness
And Fortune beat not then the lip,
But was defence of my distress,
Then in my book wrote my mistress; 5
‘I am yours, you may well be sure;
And shall be while my life doth dure.’
But she herself which then wrote that
Is now mine extreme enemy;
Above all men she doth me hate, 10
Rejoicing of my misery.
But though that for her sake I die,
I shall be hers, she may be sure,
As long as my life doth endure.
It is not time that can wear out 15
With me that once is firmly set;
While Nature keeps her course about
My love from her no man can let.
Though never so sore they me threat,
Yet am I hers, she may be sure; 20
And shall be while that life doth dure.
And once I trust to see that day,
Renewer of my joy and wealth,
That she to me these words shall say;
‘In faith! welcome to me myself! 25
Welcome my joy! welcome my health,
For I am thine, thou mayst be sure,
And shall be while that life doth dure.’
Aye me! alas! what words were these!
Incontinent I might find them so! 30
I reck not what smart or disease
I suffered, so that I might know
[After my passed pain and woe]
That she were mine; and might be sure
She should be while that life doth dure. 35
THAT ALL HIS JOY DEPENDETH ON HIS LADY’S FAVOUR
AS power and wit will me assist,
My will shall will even as ye list.
For as ye list my will is bent
In every thing to be content,
To serve in love ‘till life be spent; 5
So you reward my love thus meant,
Even as ye list.
To feign, or fable is not my mind,
Nor to refuse such as I find;
But as a lamb of humble kind, 10
Or bird in cage to be assign’d,
Even as ye list.
When all the flock is come and gone
Mine eye and heart agree’th in one,
Hath chosen you, only, alone, 15
To be my joy, or else my moan,
Even as ye list.
Joy, if pity appear in place;
Moan, if disdain do shew his face,
Yet crave I not as in this case, 20
But as ye lead to follow the trace,
Even as ye list.
Some in words much love can feign;
And some for words give words again:
Thus words for words in words remain, 25
And yet at last words do obtain
Even as ye list.
To crave in words I will eschew,
And love in deed I will ensue;
It is my mind both whole and true, 30
And for my truth I pray you rue
Even as ye list.
Dear heart! I bid your heart farewell,
With better heart than tongue can tell;
Yet take this tale, as true as gospel, 35
Ye may my life save or expel
Even as ye list.
HE PROMISETH TO REMAIN FAITHFUL WHATEVER FORTUNE BETIDE
SOMETIME I sigh, sometime I sing;
Sometime I laugh, sometime mourning
As one in doubt, this is my saying;
Have I displeas’d you in any thing?
Alack! what aileth you to be griev’d? 5
Right sorry am I that ye be moved.
I am your own, if truth be prov’d;
And by your displeasure as one mischiev’d.
When ye be merry then am I glad;
When ye be sorry then am I sad; 10
Such grace or fortune I would I had
You for to please howe’er I were bestad.
When ye be merry why should I care?
Ye are my joy, and my welfare,
I will you love, I will not spare 15
Into your presence, as far as I dare.
All my poor heart, and my love true,
While life doth last I give it you;
And you to serve with service due,
And never to change you for no new. 20
THE FAITHFUL LOVER WISHETH ALL EVIL MAY BEFALL HIM IF HE FORSAKE HIS LADY
THE KNOT which first my heart did strain,
When that your servant I became,
Doth bind me still for to remain,
Always your own as now I am;
And if you find that I do feign, 5
With just judgment myself I damn,
To have disdain.
If other thought in me do grow
But still to love you steadfastly;
If that the proof do not well shew 10
That I am yours assuredly;
Let ev’ry wealth turn me to woe,
And you to be continually
My chiefest foe.
If other love, or new request, 15
Do seize my heart, but only this;
Or if within my wearied breast
Be hid one thought that means amiss,
I do desire that mine unrest
May still increase, and I to miss 20
That I love best.
If in my love there be one spot
Of false deceit or doubleness;
Or if I mind to slip this knot
By want of faith or steadfastness; 25
Let all my service be forgot,
And when I would have chief redress,
Esteem me not.
But if that I consume in pain
Of burning sighs and fervent love; 30
And daily seek none other gain,
But with my deed these words to prove;
Me think of right I should obtain
That ye would mind for to remove
Your great disdain. 35
And for the end of this my song,
Unto your hands I do submit
My deadly grief, and pains so strong
Which in my heart be firmly shut,
And when ye list, redress my wrong: 40
Since well ye know this painful fit
Hath last too long.
OF FORTUNE, LOVE, AND FANTASY
IT was my choice; it was no chance
That brought my heart in other’s hold;
Whereby it hath had sufferance
Longer, perdie, than reason would.
Since I it bound where it was free 5
Methinks, y-wis, of right it should
Accepted be.
Accepted be without refuse;
Unless that Fortune have the power
All right of love for to abuse. 10
For as they say one happy hour
May more prevail than right or might;
If Fortune then list for to lower,
What ‘vaileth right?
What ‘vaileth right if this be true! 15
Then trust to chance, and go by guess;
Then who so loveth may well go sue
Uncertain hope for his redress.
Yet some would say assuredly
Thou mayst appeal for thy release 20
To Fantasy.
To Fantasy pertains to choose.
All this I know: for Fantasy
First unto love did me induce;
But yet I know as steadfastly, 25
That if love have no faster knot,
So nice a choice slips suddenly;
It lasteth not.
It lasteth not, that stands by change;
Fancy doth change; Fortune is frail; 30
Both these to please the way is strange.
Therefore methinks best to prevail,
There is no way that is so just
As truth to lead; the other fail,
And thereto trust. 35
DESERTED BY HIS MISTRESS, HE RENOUNCETH ALL JOY FOR EVER
HEART oppress’d with desperate thought,
Is forced ever to lament;
Which now in me so far hath wrought,
That needs to it I must consent:
Wherefore all joy I do refuse, 5
And cruel will thereof accuse.
If cruel will had not been guide,
Despair in me had [found] no place;
For my true meaning she well espied;
Yet for all that would give no grace; 10
Wherefore all joy I do refuse,
And cruel will thereof accuse.
She might well see, and yet would not:
And may daily, if that she will;
How painful is my hapless lot; 15
Joined with despair me for to spill;
Wherefore all joy I do refuse,
And cruel will thereof accuse.
THAT NO WORDS MAY EXPRESS THE CRAFTY TRAINS OF LOVE
FULL well it may be seen
To such as understand,
How some there be that ween
They have their wealth at hand:
Through love’s abused band 5
But little do they see
The abuse wherein they be.
Of love there is a kind
Which kindleth by abuse;
As in a feeble mind 10
Whom fancy may induce
By love’s deceitful use,
To follow the fond lust
And proof of a vain trust.
As I myself may say, 15
By trial of the same;
No wight can well bewray
That falsehood love can frame;
I say, ‘twixt grief and game,
There is no living man 20
That knows the craft love can.
For love so well can feign
To favour for the while;
That such as seeks the gain
And some can this concile
To give the simple leave
Themselves for to deceive.
What thing may more declare
Of love the crafty kind, 30
Than see the wise so ware,
In love to be so blind;
If so it be assign’d;
Let them enjoy the gain,
That thinks it worth the pain. 35
THAT THE POWER OF LOVE EXCUSETH THE FOLLY OF LOVING
SINCE love is such as that ye wot
Cannot always be wisely used;
I say therefore then blame me not,
Though I therein have been abused.
For as with cause I am accused, 5
Guilty I grant such was my lot;
And though it cannot be excused,
Yet let such folly be forgot.
For in my years of reckless youth
Methought the power of love so great; 10
That to his laws I bound my truth,
And to my will there was no let.
Me list no more so far to fet;
Such fruit! lo! as of love ensu’th;
The gain was small that was to get, 15
And of the loss the less the ruth.
And few there is but first or last,
A time in love once shall they have;
And glad I am my time is past,
Henceforth my freedom to withsave. 20
Now in my heart there shall I grave
The granted grace that now I taste;
Thanked be fortune that me gave
So fair a gift, so sure and fast.
Now such as have me seen ere this, 25
When youth in me set forth his kind;
And folly framed my thought amiss,
The fault whereof now well I find;
Lo! since that so it is assign’d,
That unto each a time there is, 30
Then blame the lot that led my mind,
Some time to live in love’s bliss.
But from henceforth I do protest,
By proof of that that I have past,
Shall never cease within my breast 35
The power of Love so late outcast:
The knot thereof is knit full fast,
And I thereto so sure profess’d
For evermore with me to last
The power wherein I am possess’d. 40
THE DOUBTFUL LOVER RESOLVETH TO BE ASSURED WHETHER HE IS TO LIVE IN JOY OR WOE
LO! how I seek and sue to have
That no man hath, and may be had;
There is [no] more but sink or save,
And bring this doubt to good or bad.