The Devonshire Manuscript/ffor to love her for her lokes lovelye

f. [75r]

1    ffor to love her for her lokes {es} lovelye 2    my herte was sett in thought right furmlye 3    trusting bye toruthe trouthe to have had Relessed redresse / 4    but she hath made anodre promes 5    and hathe gyven me leve full honestelye 6    yet do I not refuse yt gretelye 7    for on my faith I lovid so surelye 8    but reson woll that I doo leese 9    for to love her. 10    sins that in love the paynes be dedelye 11    me thinckes {es} yt best that reddelye 12    I doo retorne to my furst addresse 13    for at this tyme to grete is the presse 14    and parells apere to abbundauntelye 15    for to love her.

Commentary
Attributed to Sir Thomas Wyatt, this poem was entered by H8. The speaker judges that the perils of loving the lady are too great; thus, he will reasonably return to a lighter, more courteous demeanor toward her (“my furst addresse”). This poem provides an interesting glimpse into the different manners and consequences of addressing a lady.

Texts Collated
LEge10

Collation
1     lovelye] lovely LEge10 2     herte] hert LEge10     sett] set LEge10     furmlye] fermely LEge10 3     bye toruthe] by LEge10     trouthe] trought LEge10     Relessed redresse /] redresse LEge10 4     anodre] an othee LEge10     promes] promese LEge10 5     hathe] hath LEge10     gyven] geven LEge10     love] leve LEge10     honestelye] honestly LEge10 6     refuse yt gretelye] reioyse it greately LEge10 7     lovid] loved LEge10     so] to LEge10     surelye] surely LEge10 8     reson] reason LEge10     woll] will LEge10     doo loosse] do sesse LEge10 9     her.] her&gt; LEge10 10     sins] Syns LEge10     be dedelye] ben dedly LEge10 11     thinckes] thincke LEge10     yt] it LEge10     riddelye] reddely LEge10 12     doo] do LEge10     retorne] retorn LEge10     furst] first LEge10     addresse] adresse LEge10 13     grete] great LEge10     presse] prese LEge10 14     parells] perilles LEge10     apere] appere LEge10     abbundauntelye] abundauntely LEge10 15     her.] her LEge10