The Devonshire Manuscript/I am as I am and so wil I be

f. [85r]

1    I am as I am and so wil^I/be1 2    but how that I am none knoith trulie 3    be yt evill be yt well / be I bonde be I fre 4    I am as I am and so will I be

5    I lede my lif indifferentelye 6    I meane no thing but honestelie / 7    and thoughe folkis Iudge full dyverslye 8    I am as I am and so will I dye /

9    I do not reioyse nor yet com {_o} plaine 10    bothe mirthe and sadnes I doo refraine 11    ande vse the meane suche sins folkes {es} woll fayne 12    yet I am as I am be it plesure or payne /

13    Dyvers do Iudge as theye doo troo. 14    some of plesure / and some of woo. 15    yet for all that no thing the k ye knoo. 16    but am as I am where so ever I goo /

17    But sins Iudgers do thus dekaye 18    let everye man his Iudgemen {_e} t saye 19    I will yt take yn sporte and playe 20    for I am as I am who so ever saye naye /

21    Who Iudgithe well / well god him sende 22    who Iudgithe evill god theim amende 23    to Iudge the best therefore intende 24    for I am as I am there &amp; so will I ende /

25    Yet some there be that take delight 26    to Iudge folkes {es} thought / for envye &amp; spight 27    but whyther I heye Iude me wrong or right 28    I am as I am and so do I wright

29    prayeng you all that this doo rede 30    to truste yt as you doo yor crede 31    and not to think I chaunge my wede 32    for I am as I am howe ever I spede

33    But how that is I leve to you 34    Iudge as ye list false or true / 35    ye kno no more then afore ye knewe / 36    yet I am as I am whatever ensue /

37    And from {_o} this minde I will not fl y e 38    but to you all that misiuge me 39    I do proteste as ye maye see 40    that I am as I am and so will I bee /

fs

Notes & Glosses
1.   The word "wilbe" is uninterrupted; the caret is subscript and the addition is supralinear.

Commentary
Attributed to Sir Thomas Wyatt, this poem was entered by H8. This poem explores the concept of "self": the speaker investigates the difference between his internal state and the judgment of his state by others. “Deme as ye list vppon goode cause” (84v), located on the preceding page, expresses a similar theme. This poem is one of a several entries in the manuscript that speaks of counterfeiting feelings in public (for instance, see: “Sum summ say I love sum say I moke” (58v), “In places Wher that I company" (62v), “I am not she be prowess off syt” (65r), “Myght I as well within my song be lay” (65v), “To cowntarffete a mery mode” (65v), “Ceaser whan the traytor of egipte” (70r) and “Whan that I call vnto my mynde” (82v-83r)).

The scribe H8 marks each stanza by writing an initial capital letter and by indenting all the lines except the first of the stanza.

Texts Collated
DBLa07, Plat1, EBan.01

Collation
1     I am as I am and so wilI/be]  DBla07     am] ham Plat1     am and so wilI/be] ham &amp; so will I be. Plat1    wilI/be] will I be, EBan.01 2     but] Bot EBan.01     but how that I am none knoith trulie]  DBla07     how] howe Plat1     that]  Plat1     I am none knoith trulie] I. ham none knowithe truly Plat1    none] nane EBan.01     knoith] knawis EBan.01     trulie] trewlie; EBan.01 3     be yt evill be yt well / be I bonde be I fre]  DBla07 Plat1     be yt] Be it EBan.01     yt] it EBan.01     well /] weill, EBan.01     bonde] bund EBan.01     fre] fre, EBan.01 4     I am as I am and so will I be]  DBla07 Plat1     be] be. EBan.01 5     I lede my lif indifferentelye]  DBla07     lede] leid EBan.01     lif] lyfe EBan.01     lif indifferentelye] lyff in differntly. Plat1    indifferentelye] indifferently, EBan.01 6     I meane no thing but honestelie /]  DBla07     meane] mene EBan.01     no] na EBan.01     no thing] nothink Plat1     but honestelie /] bot honesty, EBan.01     honestelie /] honeste. Plat1 7     and thoughe folkis Iudge full dyverslye]  DBla07 And thocht men juge diuersly, EBan.01     and thoughe] Thoghe Plat1     folkis] folkes Plat1     Iudge] Iugge Plat1     full]  Plat1     dyverslye] diversly. Plat1 8     I] ytt I Plat1     I am as I am and so will I dye /]  DBla07     am] ham Plat1     am and] ham &amp; Plat1     dye /] be. EBan.01 be, Plat1 9     I do not reioyse nor yet complaine]  Plat1     do] doo DBla07     not reioyse nor yet complaine] nocht rew nor yit complane, EBan.01     reioyse] reIoyse DBla07     complaine] complayne DBla07 10     bothe] both DBla07 Baith EBan.01     bothe mirthe and sadnes I doo refraine]  Plat1     mirthe] myrth DBla07 mirth EBan.01     doo] do EBan.01     refraine] refrayne DBla07 refrane, EBan.01 11     ande] and DBla07 And EBan.01     ande vse the meane suche sins folkes woll fayne]  Plat1     meane] mene DBla07     meane suche sins folkes woll fayne] folkis that can nocht fane; EBan.01     suche sins] sens DBla07     folkes] folkys DBla07     woll] wyll DBla07 12     yet]  EBan.01     yet I am as I am be it plesure or payne /]  Plat1     it] hit DBla07     plesure] pleasure DBla07 plesour EBan.01     payne /] payne DBla07 pane. EBan.01 13     Dyvers] Diuerss EBan.01     Dyvers do] Men doo DBla07     Dyvers do Iudge as theye doo troo] Sum therebe that dothe mystrowe Plat1     Iudge] Iuge DBla07 juge EBan.01     theye] the DBla07     theye doo troo.] thay trow, EBan.01     troo.] trow DBla07 14     some] sum DBla07 Plat1 Sum EBan.01     plesure /] pleasure DBla07 Plat1 plesour EBan.01     and some] &amp; sum DBla07 Plat1     some] sum EBan.01     woo.] woo DBla07 wo, EBan.01 15     yet] Yit EBan.01     no]  DBla07     thing] nothing DBla07     thing thekye knoo.] thinke they knowe. Plat1    thekye] the DBla07     thekye knoo.] thay knaw; EBan.01     knoo.] know DBla07 16     but]  EBan.01 ffor Plat1     am] I am DBla07 EBan.01 I ham Plat1     am] ham Plat1     where so ever] whersoeuer DBla07 quhair evir EBan.01 wher euer Plat1     goo /] goo. DBla07 go. EBan.01 goo, Plat1 17     But sins Iudgers do thus dekaye]  Plat1     sins] sens DBla07     sins Iudgers do thus dekaye] sen that jugeris do tak that wey, EBan.01     Iudgers] that Iudggers DBla07     do thus dekaye] take that way DBla07 18     let] Lat EBan.01     let everye] Let euery DBla07     let everye man his Iudgement saye]  Plat1     everye] every EBan.01     Iudgement] jugement EBan.01     saye] say DBla07 say, EBan.01 19     I will yt take yn sporte and playe]  Plat1     will] wyll DBla07     yt] hit DBla07 it EBan.01     take] tak EBan.01     yn] in DBla07 EBan.01     sporte] sport DBla07 EBan.01     playe] play DBla07 pley, EBan.01 20     for] yet DBla07 For EBan.01     for I am as I am who so ever saye naye /]  Plat1     who so ever] woosoeuer DBla07     who so ever saye naye /] quha evir sa nay. EBan.01    saye] say DBla07     naye /] nay DBla07 21     Who] Quha EBan.01     Who Iudgithe well / well god him sende]  Plat1     Iudgithe] Iudggis DBla07 jugeis EBan.01     well /] well DBla07 weill, EBan.01     well god] god well DBla07 weill God EBan.01     him sende] them send DBla07 him send, EBan.01 22     who] whoo DBla07     who Iudgithe evill god] Quha jugeis evill, God EBan.01     who Iudgithe evill god theim amende]  Plat1     Iudgithe] Iudgith DBla07     evill] yll DBla07     theim] them DBla07 thame EBan.01     amende] amend, EBan.01 23     to Iudge] To juge EBan.01     to Iudge the best therefore intende]  Plat1     Iudge] Iuge DBla07     therefore] therfore DBla07 thairfoir EBan.01     intende] intend; EBan.01 24     for]  EBan.01     for I am as I am there &amp; so will I ende /]  Plat1     there &amp; so] and soo DBla07     there &amp;] and EBan.01     will] wyll DBla07     ende /] ende DBla07 end. EBan.01 25     Yet some there be that] yet sum the at DBla07     Yet some there] Yit sum thair EBan.01     Yet some there be that take delight] Sun therbe that dothe delyght. Plat1    take delight] takis delyt EBan.01     delight] delyght DBla07 26     to] To EBan.01     Iudge] juge EBan.01 Iugge Plat1     folkes] folkis EBan.01     thought /] thowght DBla07 thocht EBan.01  Plat1     for] by DBla07     envye] inwy EBan.01 envy Plat1     envye &amp; spight] outwarde sight DBla07 inwy and spyt, EBan.01 envy &amp; spythe. Plat1    &amp;] and EBan.01     spight] spyt, EBan.01 spythe. Plat1 27     but] But Plat1     but whyther Itheye Iude] Bot quhiddir thay juge EBan.01     whyther] whether DBla07 Plat1     Itheye] the DBla07 they Plat1     Iude] Iudge DBla07 Iuge Plat1     me]  DBla07 Plat1     wrong] wrang EBan.01 wronge Plat1     right] Ryght DBla07 ryt, EBan.01 ryght. Plat1 28     am] ham Plat1     am and so do] ham &amp; soo will Plat1     so do] soo doo DBla07     do] will EBan.01     wright] wryt. EBan.01 wryght Plat1 29     prayeng] Praying EBan.01     prayeng you] I pray ye DBla07     prayeng you all that this doo rede]  Plat1     you] yow EBan.01     doo rede] dois reid, EBan.01 30     to] To EBan.01     to truste yt as you doo yor crede]  Plat1     truste] trust DBla07 trest EBan.01     yt] hit DBla07 it EBan.01     you] ye DBla07     you doo] ye do EBan.01     yor] your DBla07 EBan.01     crede] cred DBla07 creid, EBan.01 31     and not] And nocht EBan.01     and not to think I chaunge my wede]  Plat1     not] thynck not DBla07     to think I] that I wyll DBla07     I] that I EBan.01     chaunge] change DBla07 chenge EBan.01     wede] weid, EBan.01 32     for]  EBan.01     for I am as I am howe ever I spede]  Plat1     howe] how DBla07 EBan.01     ever] sooeuer DBla07 evir EBan.01     spede] speid. EBan.01 33     But] Bot EBan.01     But how that is I leve to you]  Plat1     is] ys DBla07     leve] Leue DBla07 leif EBan.01     you] yow, EBan.01 34     Iudge] Juge EBan.01     Iudge as ye list false or true /]  Plat1     list] Lyst DBla07     false] fals EBan.01 owdir fals EBan.01     true /] trew DBla07 trew, EBan.01 35     ye kno no more] Ye knaw no moir EBan.01     ye kno no more then afore ye knewe /]  Plat1     kno] know DBla07     then] than EBan.01     afore] afoir EBan.01     knewe /] knew DBla07 knew; EBan.01 36     yet] but DBla07  EBan.01     yet I am as I am whatever ensue /]  Plat1     whatever ensue /] what soeuer insew DBla07 quhat evir eschew. EBan.01 37     And from this minde I will not flyee]  Plat1     from] frome DBla07 EBan.01     minde] mynd DBla07 EBan.01     will] wyll DBla07     not flyee] nocht fle, EBan.01     flyee] flye DBla07 38     but] Bot EBan.01     but to you all that misiuge me]  Plat1     you] yow EBan.01  DBla07     that] them that DBla07     misiuge] myseIudge DBla07 misiugeis EBan.01     me] me, EBan.01 39     I do proteste as ye maye see]  Plat1     proteste] protest DBla07 EBan.01     maye] may EBan.01     maye see] doo se DBla07     see] se, EBan.01 40     that] That EBan.01     that I am as I am and so will I bee /]  Plat1     so] soo DBla07     will] wyll DBla07     bee /] Dy DBla07 be. EBan.01