by Thomas Wyatt
THE DECEIVED LOVER SUETH ONLY FOR LIBERTY
THE DESERTED LOVER CONSOLETH HIMSELF WITH REMEMBRANCE THAT ALL WOMEN ARE BY NATURE FICKLE
THE DESERTED LOVER WISHETH THAT HIS RIVAL MIGHT EXPERIENCE THE SAME FORTUNE HE HIMSELF HAD TASTED
THE DISDAINFUL LADY REFUSING TO HEAR HER LOVER’S SUIT, HE RESOLVETH TO FORSAKE HER
THE DOUBTFUL LOVER RESOLVETH TO BE ASSURED WHETHER HE IS TO LIVE IN JOY OR WOE
THE DYING LOVER COMPLAINETH THAT HIS MISTRESS REGARDETH NOT HIS SUFFERINGS
THE FAITHFUL LOVER GIVETH TO HIS MISTRESS HIS HEART AS HIS BEST AND ONLY TREASURE
THE FAITHFUL LOVER WISHETH ALL EVIL MAY BEFALL HIM IF HE FORSAKE HIS LADY
THE FORSAKEN LOVER CONSOLETH HIMSELF WITH REMEMBRANCE OF PAST HAPPINESS
THE LADY TO ANSWER DIRECTLY WITH YEA OR NAY
THE LOVER ABUSED RENOUNCETH LOVE
THE LOVER BEMOANETH HIS UNHAPPINESS THAT HE CANNOT OBTAIN GRACE, YET CANNOT CEASE LOVING
THE LOVER BESEECHETH HIS MISTRESS NOT TO FORGET HIS STEADFAST FAITH AND TRUE INTENT
THE LOVER BLAMETH HIS INSTANT DESIRE
THE LOVER BLAMETH HIS LOVE FOR RENTING OF THE LETTER HE SENT HER
THE LOVER CALLETH ON HIS LUTE TO HELP HIM BEMOAN HIS HAPLESS FATE
THE LOVER COMPARETH HIS HEART TO THE OVERCHARGED GUN
THE LOVER COMPARETH HIS STATE TO A SHIP IN PERILOUS STORM TOSSED ON THE SEA
THE LOVER COMPLAINETH AND HIS LADY COMFORTETH
THE LOVER COMPLAINETH HIMSELF FORSAKEN
THE LOVER COMPLAINETH HIS ESTATE
THE LOVER COMPLAINETH THAT DEADLY SICKNESS CANNOT HELP HIS AFFECTION
THE LOVER COMPLAINETH THAT FAITH MAY NOT AVAIL WITHOUT THE FAVOUR OF FANTASY
THE LOVER COMPLAINETH THAT HIS FAITHFUL HEART AND TRUE MEANING HAD NEVER MET WITH JUST REWARD
THE LOVER COMPLAINETH THAT HIS LOVE DOTH NOT PITY HIM
THE LOVER COMPLAINETH THE UNKINDNESS OF HIS LOVE
THE LOVER CONFESSETH HIM IN LOVE WITH PHYLLIS
THE LOVER CURSETH THE TIME WHEN FIRST HE FELL IN LOVE
THE LOVER DESCRIBETH HIS BEING STRICKEN WITH SIGHT OF HIS LOVE
THE LOVER DESCRIBETH HIS BEING TAKEN WITH SIGHT OF HIS LOVE
THE LOVER DESCRIBETH HIS RESTLESS STATE
THE LOVER DESPAIRING TO ATTAIN UNTO HIS LADY’S GRACE RELINQUISHETH THE PURSUIT
THE LOVER DETERMINETH TO SERVE FAITHFULLY
THE LOVER EXCUSETH HIM OF WORDS, WHEREWITH HE WAS UNJUSTLY CHARGED
THE LOVER FORSAKETH HIS UNKIND LOVE
THE LOVER FOR SHAMEFASTNESS HIDETH HIS DESIRE WITHIN HIS FAITHFUL HEART
THE LOVER HAVING BROKEN HIS BONDAGE, VOWETH NEVER MORE TO BE ENTHRALLED
THE LOVER HAVING DREAMED ENJOYING OF HIS LOVE, COMPLAINETH THAT THE DREAM IS NOT EITHER LONGER OR TRUER
THE LOVER HOPETH OF BETTER CHANCE
THE LOVER LAMENTETH HIS ESTATE WITH SUIT FOR GRACE
THE LOVER LAMENTS THE DEATH OF HIS LOVE
THE LOVER PRAISETH THE BEAUTY OF HIS LADY’S HAND
THE LOVER PRAYETH HIS OFFERED HEART TO BE RECEIVED
THE LOVER PRAYETH NOT TO BE DISDAINED, REFUSED, MISTRUSTED, NOR FORSAKEN
THE LOVER PRAYETH THAT HIS LADY’S HEART MIGHT BE INFLAMED WITH EQUAL AFFECTION
THE LOVER PRAYETH THAT HIS LONG SUFFERINGS MAY AT LENGTH FIND RECOMPENSE
THE LOVER PRAYETH VENUS TO CONDUCT HIM TO THE DESIRED HAVEN
THE LOVER PROFESSETH HIMSELF CONSTANT
THE LOVER RECOUNTETH THE VARIABLE FANCY OF HIS FICKLE MISTRESS
THE LOVER REJOICETH AGAINST FORTUNE THAT BY HINDERING HIS SUIT HAD HAPPILY MADE HIM FORSAKE HIS FOLLY
THE LOVER REJOICETH THE ENJOYING OF HIS LOVE
THE LOVER RENOUNCES HIS CRUEL LOVE FOR EVER
THE LOVER SEEKING FOR HIS LOST HEART PRAYETH THAT IT MAY BE KINDLY ENTREATED BY WHOMSOEVER FOUND
THE LOVER SENDETH HIS COMPLAINTS AND TEARS TO SUE FOR GRACE
THE LOVER SENDETH SIGHS TO MOVE HIS SUIT
THE LOVER SHEWETH HOW HE IS FORSAKEN OF SUCH AS HE SOMETIME ENJOYED
THE LOVER SUETH THAT HIS SERVICE MAY BE ACCEPTED
THE LOVER SUSPECTED BLAMETH ILL TONGUES
THE LOVER SUSPECTED OF CHANGE PRAYETH THAT IT BE NOT BELIEVED AGAINST HIM
THE LOVER TAUGHT, MISTRUSTETH ALLUREMENTS
THE LOVER THAT FLED LOVE NOW FOLLOWS IT WITH HIS HARM
THE LOVER TO HIS BED, WITH DESCRIBING OF HIS UNQUIET STATE
THE LOVER UNHAPPY BIDDETH HAPPY LOVERS REJOICE IN MAY, WHILE HE WAILETH THAT MONTH TO HIM MOST UNLUCKY
THE LOVER WAILETH HIS CHANGED JOYS
THE LOVER WAXETH WISER, AND WILL NOT DIE FOR AFFECTION
THE LOVER WHO CANNOT PREVAIL MUST NEEDS HAVE PATIENCE
THE LOVER, HOPELESS OF GREATER HAPPINESS, CONTENTETH HIMSELF WITH ONLY PITY
THE LOVER’S CASE CANNOT BE HIDDEN HOWEVER HE DISSEMBLE
THE LOVER’S LIFE COMPARED TO THE ALPS
THE LOVER’S LUTE CANNOT BE BLAMED THOUGH IT SING OF HIS LADY’S UNKINDNESS
THE LOVER’S SORROWFUL STATE MAKETH HIM WRITE SORROWFUL SONGS, BUT SUCH HIS LOVE MAY CHANGE THE SAME
THE MOURNFUL LOVER TO HIS HEART WITH COMPLAINT THAT IT WILL NOT BREAK
THE NEGLECTED LOVER CALLETH ON HIS PEN TO RECORD THE UNGENTLE BEHAVIOUR OF HIS UNKIND MISTRESS
THE NEGLECTED LOVER CALLETH ON HIS STONY HEARTED MISTRESS TO HEAR HIM COMPLAIN ERE THAT HE DIE
THE PROLOGUE OF THE AUTHOR
THE RECURED LOVER EXULTETH IN HIS FREEDOM, AND VOWETH TO REMAIN FREE UNTIL DEATH
THE RECURED LOVER RENOUNCETH HIS FICKLE MISTRESS FOR HER NEWFANGLENESS
THE SONG OF IOPAS, UNFINISHED
THE WAVERING LOVER WILLETH, AND DREADETH, TO MOVE HIS DESIRE
TO HIS LADY, CRUEL OVER HER YIELDING LOVER
TO HIS LOVE FROM WHOM HE HAD HER GLOVES
TO HIS LOVE THAT HATH GIVEN HIM ANSWER OF REFUSAL
TO HIS LOVE WHOM HE HAD KISSED AGAINST HER WILL
TO HIS LOVER TO LOOK UPON HIM
TO HIS UNKIND LOVE
WHEN FORTUNE SMILES NOT, ONLY PATIENCE COMFORTETH
WHETHER LIBERTY BY LOSS OF LIFE, OR LIFE IN PRISON AND THRALDOM BE TO BE PREFERRED
WHY LOVE IS BLIND
WYATT BEING IN PRISON, TO BRYAN
WYATT’S COMPLAINT UPON LOVE TO REASON, WITH LOVE’S ANSWER
The Letters
In May 1536 Wyatt was imprisoned in the Tower of London for allegedly committing adultery with Anne Boleyn; however, he was released later that year.
THE LETTERS OF SIR THOMAS WYATT
CONTENTS
SIR THOMAS WYATT’S LETTERS TO HIS SON.
LETTER I. SIR THOMAS WYATT FROM OUT OF SPAIN, TO HIS SON WHEN FIFTEEN YEARS OLD.
LETTER II. AGAIN UNTO HIS SON OUT OF SPAIN ABOUT THE SAME TIME.
OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE OF SIR THOMAS WYATT.
LETTER I. INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN BY THE KING S HIGHNESS TO HIS TRUSTY AND WELL-BELOVED SERVANT THOMAS WYATT, ESQUIRE, WHOM HIS MAJESTY SENDETH AT THIS TIME TO THE EMPEROR TO RESIDE WITH HIM AS HIS GRACE’S AMBASSADOR.
LETTER II. CROMWELL, LORD PRIVV SEAL, TO SIR THOMAS WYATT.
LETTER III. CROMWELL, LORD PRIVV SEAL, TO SIR THOMAS WYATT.
LETTER IV. CROMWELL, LORD PRIVV SEAL, TO SIR THOMAS WYATT.
LETTER V. CROMWELL LORD PRIVV SEAL TO SIR THOMAS WYATT.
LETTER VI. CROMWELL, LORD PRIVV SEAL, TO SIR THOMAS WYATT.
LETTER VII. CROMWELL LORD PRIVV SEAL. TO SIR THOMAS WYATT.
LETTER VIII. CROMWELL, LORD PRIVV SEAL, TO SIR THOMAS WYATT.
LETTER IX. CROMWELL, LORD PRIVV SEAL, TO SIR THOMAS WYATT.
LETTER X. CROMWELL, LORD PRIVV SEAL, TO SIR THOMAS WYATT.
LETTER XI. SIR THOMAS WYATT TO THE EARL OF HERTFORD.
LETTER XII. CROMWELL, LORD PRIVV SEAL, TO SIR THOMAS WYATT.
LETTER XIII. CROMWELL, LORD PRIVV SEAL, TO SIR THOMAS WYATT.
LETTER XIV. CROMWELL LORD PRIVV SEAL TO SIR THOMAS WYATT.
LETT
ER XV. CROMWELL LORD PRIVV SEAL TO SIR THOMAS WYATT.
LETTER XVI. CROMWELL LORD PRIVV SEAL TO SIR THOMAS WYATT.
LETTER XVII. SIR THOMAS WYATT TO CROMWELL, LORD PRIVV SEAL.
LETTER XVIII. CROMWELL, LORD PRIVV SEAL, TO SIR THOMAS WYATT.
LETTER XIX. CROMWELL, LORD PRIVV SEAL, TO SIR THOMAS WYATT.
LETTER XX. CROMWELL, LORD PRIVV SEAL, TO SIR THOMAS WYATT.
LETTER XXI. SIR THOMAS WYATT TO THE EARL OF HERTFORD.
LETTER XXII. CROMWELL, LORD PRIVV SEAL, TO SIR THOMAS WYATT.
LETTER XXIII. CROMWELL, LORD PRIVV SEAL, TO SIR THOMAS WYATT.
LETTER XXIV. CROMWELL, LORD PRIVV SEAL, TO SIR THOMAS WYATT.
LETTER XXV. SIR THOMAS WYATT TO THE KING.
LETTER XXVI. SIR THOMAS WYATT TO THE KING.
LETTER XXVII. SIR THOMAS WYATT TO THE KING.
LETTER XXVIII. SIR THOMAS WYATT TO THE KING.
LETTER XXIX. SIR THOMAS WYATT TO CROMWELL, LORD PRIVV SEAL.
SIR THOMAS WYATT’S LETTERS TO HIS SON.
LETTER I. SIR THOMAS WYATT FROM OUT OF SPAIN, TO HIS SON WHEN FIFTEEN YEARS OLD.
IN as much as now ye are come to some years of understanding, and that you should gather within yourself some frame of honesty; I thought that I should not lese my labour wholly if now I did something advertise you to take the sure foundations, and stablished opinions that leadeth to Honesty.
And here, I call not Honesty that, men commonly call Honesty, as reputation for riches, for authority, or some like thing; but that Honesty, that I dare well say your Grandfather, (whose soul God pardon) had rather left to me than all the lands he did leave me; that was, Wisdom, Gentleness, Soberness, desire to do good, Friendliness to get the love of many, and Truth above all the rest.
A great part to have all these things, is to desire to have them. And although glory and honest name are not the very ends wherefore these things are to be followed, yet surely they must needs follow them as light followeth fire, though it were kindled for warmth.
Out of these things the chiefest and infallible ground is the dread and reverence of God, whereupon shall ensue the eschewing of the contraries of these said virtues; that is to say, ignorance, unkindness, rashness, desire of harm, unquiet enmity, hatred, many and crafty falsehood, the very root of all shame and dishonesty. I say, the only dread and reverence of God that seeth all things, is the defence of the creeping in of all these mischiefs into you. And for my part, although I do well say there is no man that would his son better than I, yet on my faith I had rather have you lifeless, than subject to these vices.
Think and imagine always that you are in presence of some honest man that you know; as Sir John Russel, your Father in law, your Uncle Parson, or some other such, and ye shall, if at any time you find a pleasure in naughty touches, remember what shame it were afore these men to do naughtily. And sure this imagination shall cause you remember, that the pleasure of a naughty deed is soon past, and the rebuke, shame, and the note thereof shall remain ever.
Then, if these things ye take for vain imaginations, yet remember that it is certain, and no imagination, that ye are alway in the presence, and sight of God: and though you see him not, so much is the reverence the more to be had for that He seeth, and is not seen.
Men punish with shame as greatest punishment on earth, yea! greater than death. But His punishment is; first, the withdrawing of his favour, and grace, and in leaving his hand to rule the stern to let the ship run without guide to its own destruction; and suffereth so the man that he forsaketh to run headlong as subject to all mishaps, and at last with shameful end to everlasting shame and death.
Ye may see continual examples both of the one sort, and of the other; and the better, if ye mark them well that yourself are come of; and consider well your good Grandfather, what things there were in him, and his end. And they that knew him noted him thus, first, and chiefly to have a great reverence of God and good opinion of godly things. Next that, there was no man more pitiful; no man more true of his word; no man faster to his friend; no man diligenter nor more circumspect, which thing, both the Kings his masters noted in him greatly. And if these things, and specially the grace of God that the fear of God alway kept with him, had not been, the chances of this troublesome world that he was in had long ago overwhelmed him. This preserved him in prison from the hands of the tyrant that ‘could find in his heart to see him racked; from two years and more prisonment in Scotland in irons and stocks; from the danger of sudden changes and commotions divers, till that well beloved of many, hated of none, in his fair age, and good reputation, godly and christianly he went to Him that loved him, for that he always had Him in reverence.
And of myself, I may be a near example unto you of my folly and unthriftness, that hath, as I well deserved, brought me into a thousand dangers and hazards, enmities, hatreds, prisonments, despites, and indignations; but that God hath of his goodness chastised me, and not cast me clean out of his favour; which thing I can impute to nothing but to the goodness of my good Father, that, I dare well say purchased with continual request of God his Grace towards me more than I regarded, or considered myself; and a little part to the small fear that I had of God in the most of my rage, and the little delight that I had in mischief: You therefore if ye be sure, and have God in your sleeve to call you to his Grace at last, venture hardily by mine example upon naughty unthriftiness, in trust of his goodness; and besides the shame, I dare lay ten to one ye shall perish in the adventure; for trust me, that my wish or desire of God for you shall not stand you in as much effect, as I think my Fathers did for me: we are not all accepted of Him.
Begin therefore betimes. Make God and goodness your foundations. Make your examples of wise and honest men: shoot at that mark: be no mocker: mocks follow them, that delight therein. He shall be sure of shame that feeleth no grief in other mens shames. Have your friends in a reverence; and think unkindness to be the greatest offence, and least punished amongst men; but so much the more to be dread; for God is justiser upon that alone.
Love well, and agree with your Wife; for where is noise and debate in the house there is unquiet dwelling; and much more, where it is in one bed. Frame well yourself to love and rule well and honestly your Wife as your fellow, and she shall love and reverence you as her head. Such as you are unto her, such shall she be unto you. Obey and reverence your Father-in-law, as you would me; and remember that long life followeth them that reverence their Fathers and elders; and the blessing of God, for good agreement between the wife and husband, is fruit of many children.
Read oft this my letter, and it shall be as though I had often written to you; and think that I have herein printed a fatherly affection to you. If I may see that I have not lost my pain, mine shall be the con tentation, and yours the profit. And, upon condition that you follow my advertisement, I send you God’s blessing and mine, and as well to come to honesty, as to increase of years.
LETTER II. AGAIN UNTO HIS SON OUT OF SPAIN ABOUT THE SAME TIME.
I DOUBT not but long ere this time my letters are come to you. I remember I wrote to you in them, that if you read them often it shall be as though I had written often to you. For all that, I cannot so content me but still to call upon you with my letters. I would not for all that, that if any thing be well warned in the other that you should leave to remember it because of this new. For it is not like with advertisements as it is with apparel that with long wearing a man casteth away, when he hath new. Honest teachings never wear; unless they wear out of his remembrance that should keep and follow them, to the shame and hurt of himself. Think not also that I have any new or change of advertisements to send you; but still it is one that I would. I have nothing to cry and call upon you for but Honesty, Honesty. It may be diversely named, but alway it tendeth to one end. And as I wrote to you last, I mean not that Honesty that the common sort calleth an honest man. Trust me, that honest man is as common a name as the name of a good fellow; that is to say, a drunkard, a tavern haunter, a rioter, a gamer, a
waster. So are among the common sort all men honest men that are not known for manifest naughty knaves.
Seek not I pray thee, my Son, that Honesty which appeared), and is not indeed. Be well assured it is no common thing, nor no common man’s judgment to judge well of Honesty; nor it is no common thing to come by; but so much it is the more goodly, for that it is so rare and strange.
Follow not therefore the common reputation of Honesty. If you will seem honest, be honest; or else seem as you are. Seek not the name without the thing; nor let not the name be the only mark you shoot at. That will follow though you regard it not; yea! and the more you regard it, the less. I mean not by regard it not, esteem it not; for well I wot honest name is goodly. But he that hunteth only for that, is like him that had rather seem warm than be warm, and edgeth a single coat about with a fur. Honest name is to be kept, preserved, and defended, and not to employ all a man’s wit about the study of it; for that smelleth of a glorious and ambitious fool. I say, as I wrote unto you in my last letters, get the thing, and the other must of necessity follow; as the shadow followeth the thing that it is of. And even so much is the very Honesty better than the name, as the thing is better than the shadow.
The coming to this point that I would so fain have you have, is to consider a man’s own self what he is, and wherefore he is. And herein let him think verily that so goodly a work as man is, for whom all other things were wrought, was not wrought but for goodly things.
After a man hath gotten a will and desire to them, is first to avoid evil, and learn that point alone: “Never to do that, that within yourself you find a certain grudging againstNo doubt in any thing you do, if you ask yourself, or examine the thing in yourself afore you do it, you shall find, if it be evil, a repining against it. My Son! for our Lord’s love keep well that repining; suffer it not to be darked and corrupted by naughty example, as tho’ any thing were to you excuseable because other men do the same. That same repining, if it did punish as he doth judge, there were no such justicer: And of truth, so doth it punish; but not so apparently. Here however it is no small grief, of a conscience that condemneth itself; but be well assured, after this life it is a continual gnawing.