The Devonshire Manuscript/In faythe methynkes yt ys no Ryght

f. [21v]

1    3 In faythe methynkes {es} yt ys no Ryght 2    to hate me thus ffor lovyng ye 3    so fayre a face so full off spyght 4    who wold have thowght suche crueltye 5    But syns there ys no Remedye 6    that by no meanes {es} ye can me love 7    I shall you leve &amp; other prove

8    Ffor yff I have for my good wyll 9    no reward eles {es} but cruelltye 10    in faythe thereoff I can no skyll 11    sythe that {{th}+t+} I lovyd ye honestlye 12    But take hede I wyll tyll I dye 13    or that I love so well Aogayn 14    Syns women vse so muche to fayn

f. [22r]

15    And sure I thynke yt ys best way 16    to love for love Alyke Agayn 17    &amp; not to make ernest off play 18    as I to love &amp; she to ffayn 19    ffor syns fansy so muche dothe rayn 20    the suryst way nedes {es} take I must 21    as fyrst to preve and after trust1

22    By trustyng I was Dysceavyd 23    for when I thowght myself most sure 24    another had me Begylyd 25    &amp; shortly made her to hys lure 26    but now that {{th}+t+} she ys past Recure 27    &amp; thus fro me hathe tane her flyght 28    Best let her go &amp; take hytt lyght

29    Shuld I take thowght when she ys glad 30    or shuld I wake when she dothe slepe 31    yet may I say that ons I had 32    &amp; nother sobbe nor syghe nor wepe 33    nor for her love on knee to crepe 34    ffor surely thys ryght well I wott 35    happyest ys he that hathe her nott

ffynys quod {q+d+} A. I.s

Notes & Glosses
1.   This phrase resonates; see "ys yt possyble" (14r), for example.

Commentary
The attribution to "A.I" in the text may refer to Anthony Lee (who was often called the Earl of Idledom). H2, the poem's scribe, maintains his consistency in the presentation of the poem with his previous entries; specifically, he keeps equal spacing and organization of stanzas on the recto and verso pages. The poem's speaker laments the cruelty he receives in return for his service to the lady.