The Devonshire Manuscript/What thyng shold cawse me to be sad

f. [27r]

1    What thyng shold cawse me to be sad 2    as longe ye reyoyce wyth hart 3    my part yt ys for to be glad 4    syns yow haue takyn me to yowr part 5    ye do relese my pene and smart 6    wych wold me uery sore Insue 7    but that for yow my trust so trew

8    yff I shuld wryte and make report 9    what faythfulnes in yow I fynd 10    the terme of lyfe yt were to short 11    wyth penne yn letters yt to bynd 12    wherefor wher as as ye be so kynd 13    as for my part yt ys but dewe 14    lyke case to yow to be as true

15    My loue truly shall not decay 16    for thretnyng nor for punysment 17    for let them thynke and let them say 18    toward yow alone I am full bent 19    therfore I wyl be dylygent 20    owr faythful loue for to renew 21    and styll to kepe me trusty &amp; trw

22    Thus fare ye well my worldly tresor 23    desyryng god that off hys grace 24    to send no tyme hys wyll and plesor 25    and shortly to get hus owt off thys place 26    then shal I be yn as good case 27    as a hawke that getes {es} owt off hys mue 28    and strayt doth seke hys trust so trwe

fynis

Commentary
Attributed to Lord Thomas Howard, this poem was entered into the manuscript by TH2. In the poem, the speaker professes his steadfastness in love despite the possibility of experiencing pain and punishment. Typical of courtly love poetry in the early Tudor court, this sentiment also appears elsewhere in the Devonshire Manuscript, such as in “Alas that men be so vngent” (27v) and “Who hath more cawse for to complayne” (28r).