The Devonshire Manuscript/Now may I morne as one off late

f. [25v] f. [26r]

1    Now may I morne as one off late 2    Dryuen by force from y my delyte 3    and can not se my louely mate 4    th to whom for ever my hart ys plyte

5    Alas that euer pryson stronge 6    sholde such too louers seperate 7    yet thowgh ower bodys suffereth wronge 8    ower harts shalbe off one estate

9    I wyll not swerue I yow Insure 10    for gold nor yet for worldly fere 11    but lyke as yerne I wyll Indure 12    suche faythful loue to yow I bere

13    Thus fare ye well to me most dere 14    off all the world both most and lest 15    I pray yow be off ryght good chere 16    and thynke on me that louys yow best

17    and I wyll promyse yow agayne 18    to thynke off yow I wyll not lett1 19    for nothyng cowld relesse my payne 20    but to thynke on yow my louer swete

finis

Notes & Glosses
1.   This use of "let" is similar to that in Henry VIII's "Pastyme with good company."

Commentary
Attributed to Lord Thomas Howard, the poem was entered by TH2. Typical of courtly love literature, the speaker emphasizes the pain that occurs when lovers are separated from each other.