The Devonshire Manuscript/The Wandryng gadlyng in the somer tyde /

f. [35r] f. [35v]

1    The Wandryng gadlyng in the somer tyde / 2    {w+t+} {es} that fyndes the Adder with hys rechelesse fote / 3    stertes {es} not dysmayde / so sodenly A syde / 4    {r'} {{th}+er+} jealous As I Alous dyspyte dyd / tho there ware1 no bote / 5    When that he sawe me / syttyng by her syde / 6    that off my helth ys very croppe and rote / 7    ytt pleasyd me then to haue so fayer a grasse / 8    to stynge that hart / that wuld haue my place /

W2

Notes & Glosses
1.   This particular abbreviation, a connected apostrophe that follows a consonant, is not included in the Renaissance English Text codes, but indicates an omitted e.

2.   This initial may refer to Sir Thomas Wyatt.

Commentary
Attributed to Sir Thomas Wyatt by internal evidence and by R. A. Rebholz, this epigram was entered by H4. While epigrams are classical in origin, Wyatt bases his model on Serafino d'Aquilano's strambotti, which feature the eight-line stanza rhyming pattern abababcc (ottava rima). A. K. Foxwell notes that Wyatt may have written epigrams bcause they were in vogue at the French court between 1528-32. The poem overturns the classical image of a man who encounters a snake, which was commonplace iconography in the early Tudor court.

The poem also appears in Tottel's Miscellany as “Of the Ielous man that loued the same woman and espied this other sitting with her” (item 55).

Texts Collated
STC13860_29, L36529_05, LEge38

Collation
1     The] THe STC_13860_29     Wandryng] wandring L36529_05 STC_13860_29 wandering LEge38     gadlyng] gadling L36529_05 galdynggadlyng LEge38 gadling, STC_13860_29     somer] sommer LEge38 STC_13860_29     tyde /] tyde L36529_05 tyde, STC_13860_29 2     that] That STC_13860_29     fyndes] findes STC_13860_29     Adder] adder L36529_05 Adder / LEge38     hys] his L36529_05 LEge38 STC_13860_29     rechelesse] retchles L36529_05 recheles LEge38 rechlesse STC_13860_29     fote /] fote L36529_05 foote STC_13860_29 3     stertes] startes L36529_05 LEge38 Startes STC_13860_29     dysmayde /] dysmayde L36529_05 dismayde, LEge38 dismaid STC_13860_29     sodenly] soudenly LEge38 sodeinly STC_13860_29     A syde /] a syde L36529_05 a side / LEge38 aside, STC_13860_29 4     As] as L36529_05 LEge38     I AlousIalous dyspyte dyd /] did gelosy L36529_05 Ialous dispite did : LEge38 iealous despite did, STC_13860_29     tho] though STC_13860_29     there] ther L36529_05     ware] were L36529_05 STC_13860_29     bote /] boote L36529_05 boote, STC_13860_29 5     When] when L36529_05 LEge38     sawe] saw L36529_05 STC_13860_29     me /] me L36529_05 STC_13860_29 me : LEge38     syttyng] sitting L36529_05 LEge38 STC_13860_29     syde /] side L36529_05 LEge38 syde, STC_13860_29 6     that] That STC_13860_29     off] of L36529_05 LEge38 STC_13860_29     helth] health L36529_05 STC_13860_29 helth / LEge38     ys] is LEge38 STC_13860_29     croppe] cropp L36529_05 crop, STC_13860_29     and] &amp; LEge38     rote /] roote L36529_05 rote. LEge38 roote. STC_13860_29 7     ytt] yt L36529_05 it LEge38 It STC_13860_29     pleasyd] pleased L36529_05 LEge38 STC_13860_29     then]  L36529_05     haue] have L36529_05 LEge38     fayer] faire L36529_05 fair LEge38 fayre STC_13860_29     grasse /] grace L36529_05 grace / LEge38 grace, STC_13860_29 8     to] To STC_13860_29     stynge] styng L36529_05 LEge38 STC_13860_29     that] the L36529_05 STC_13860_29     hart /] wight L36529_05 hert LEge38 hart, STC_13860_29     wuld] wold L36529_05 would LEge38 STC_13860_29     haue my] have had my L36529_05 have my LEge38 haue had my STC_13860_29     place /] place. L36529_05 LEge38 STC_13860_29