The Devonshire Manuscript/Bownd am I now & shall be styll

f. [8v]

1    3# Bownd am I now &amp; shall be styll 2    euer my lyff contynually 3    she shall be sure off my good wyll 4    so shall none els but she onlye 5    enduryng payne In hope of pyttye

6    Trusty &amp; true she shall me fynd 7    in worde &amp; dede neuer to offend 8    alas accepte myn Inward mynd 9    altho my power do not extend 10    I wyll be trew to my lyves end

11    Oh what payn yt ys to me 12    yf chawnce I cum in her pre {p'} synce1 13    when I wold speke yt wyll not be 14    my hart ys there my wyttes {es} be thence 15    I am in fere with {w+t+} owt offence

16    Marvell yt ys to se the lyff 17    whyche I do lede from day to day 18    my wyttes {es} &amp; wyll allways in stryff 19    I know not what to do nor say 20    but yeld me to her gra {gA} race allway f. [9r]

21    A thowsand hartes {es} yff that I had 22    she shuld be sure of them all 23    ther were nothyng cold make me sad 24    yff in her favowre I myght fall 25    who hathe my hart &amp; euer shall

26    sso fervently I do her love 27    as hart can thynke or tong expresse 28    my paynes {es} they ar all other above 29    thus love putes {es} me to grett dystresse 30    &amp; noways can I fynd Relesse

31    How shuld I do my paynes {es} to cesse 32    alas whyche dare not me me com {_o} playn2 33    Ryght sore my sorows shall encrease 34    vnles I may her love optayn 35    I must endure allways in paynfynys

fynys

Notes & Glosses
1.   This is an unusual form of abbreviation.

2.   This is an older form of macron although still in use in the late 15th century.

Commentary
Entered by H2, this poem remains unattributed and may be an original creation unique to this manuscript. Typical of late medieval and Tudor courtly love poetry, this poem depicts the speaker's longing at unrequited love: "my paynes{es} they ar all other above / thus love putes{es} me to grett dystresse" (28-9).

The capital letters that begin each stanza could be considered small size majuscules.