The Devonshire Manuscript/Bownd am I now & shall be styll
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| ←Yowre ferefull hope cannot prevayle | Farewell all my wellfare→ |
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f. [8v]
1 3# Bownd am I now & shall be styll
2 euer my lyff contynually
3 she shall be sure off my good wyll
4 so shall none els but she onlye
5 enduryng payne In hope of pyttye
6 Trusty & true she shall me fynd
7 in worde & dede neuer to offend
8 alas accepte myn Inward mynd
9 altho my power do not extend
10 I wyll be trew to my lyves end
11 Oh what payn yt ys to me
12 yf chawnce I cum in her pre{p'}synce1
13 when I wold speke yt wyll not be
14 my hart ys there my wyttes{es} be thence
15 I am in fere with{w+t+}owt offence
16 Marvell yt ys to se the lyff
17 whyche I do lede from day to day
18 my wyttes{es} & wyll allways in stryff
19 I know not what to do nor say
20 but yeld me to her gra{gA}race allway
f. [9r]
21 A thowsand hartes{es} yff that I had
22 she shuld be sure of them all
23 ther were nothyng cold make me sad
24 yff in her favowre I myght fall
25 who hathe my hart & euer shall
26 sso fervently I do her love
27 as hart can thynke or tong expresse
28 my paynes{es} they ar all other above
29 thus love putes{es} me to grett dystresse
30 & noways can I fynd Relesse
31 How shuld I do my paynes{es} to cesse
32 alas whyche dare not me me com{_o}playn2
33 Ryght sore my sorows shall encrease
34 vnles I may her love optayn
35 I must endure allways in paynfynys
fynys
Notes & Glosses
edit 1. This is an unusual form of abbreviation.
2. This is an older form of macron although still in use in the late 15th century.[1]
Commentary
editEntered by H2, this poem remains unattributed and may be an original creation unique to this manuscript. Typical of late medieval and Tudor courtly love poetry, this poem depicts the speaker's longing at unrequited love: "my paynes{es} they ar all other above /
thus love putes{es} me to grett dystresse" (28-9).
The capital letters that begin each stanza could be considered small size majuscules.