The Devonshire Manuscript/Lo how I seke & sew to haue

f. [52v]

1    Lo how I seke &amp; sew to haue 2    that no man hathe &amp; maye be had 3    there ys more but synk or saue 4    &amp; bryng thys doute to good or bad 5    to lyue in sorows allways sad 6    I lyke not so to lynger {g'} fforthe 7    hap evyll or good I shallbe glad 8    to take that comes as well in worthe

9    Shold I sustayne {n'} thys gret dystres 10    styll wandryng forthe thus to &amp; froo 11    in dredfull hope to hold my pese 12    &amp; fede my sellf with {w+t+} secret woo 13    nay nay cer {c'} tayn I wyll not soo 14    but sure I shall my self aply 15    to put in profe thys doute to knoo 16    &amp; Rydd thys daunger {g'} Redely

17    I shall assay by secret sute 18    to show the mynd of myn entent 19    {es} {p+} &amp; my deportes1 shall gyue suche frute 20    {es} {w+t+} as with my hart my wordes be ment 21    so by the pro {p2} fe of thys consent 22    send owt of doute I shall be sure 23    for to reIoyce or to Repent 24    in Ioye or payn for to endure

ffinis

Notes & Glosses
1.   For the expansion of "por," see Cappelli.

Commentary
Attributed to Sir Thomas Wyatt, this poem was entered by H6 and is unique to the manuscript. The speaker hopes for a quick answer to his doubts about the lady’s regard for him, though it might bring him pain instead of joy.