The Devonshire Manuscript/Greting to you bothe yn hertye wyse

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The Devonshire Manuscript facsimile 79r

The Devonshire Manuscript facsimile 79v

 f. [79r] 

1    Greting to you bothe yn hertye wyse
2    as vnknowen I sende and this mye entente
3    as I do here / you to aduertyse
4    {es}{p+} lest that perchaunce yo^r deades you do repente
5    {es}{_a} the vnknowen mann dredes not to be shente
6    but sayes as he thinkes{es}. so fares yt bye me
7    that nother ffere nor hope in no degree

8    The bodye and the sowle to holde to giddre
9    yt is but right and reson well the same
10    and ffryndelie the on to love the other
11    yt incresith yo^r brute and also yo^r fame /
12    but marke well my wordes{es} for I fere no blame
13    truste well yo^r selves but ware ye trust no mo.
14    for suche as ye think yo^r frinde maye fortune be yo^r ffie

15    beware hardelye are ye have anye nede
16    {_o}{es} and to frindes reconsilide trust not greatelye
17    ffor theye that ons with{w+t+} hastie spede
18    {_o}{_e} exilid themselvis out of yo^r companye
19    though thye to^rne againe and speke swetelye
20    {es}{_e} fayning themselvis to be yo^r frindes faste
21    beware of them{_e} for theye will disscyeve you at laste

22    fayre woodes{es} words  makis ffoolys fayne
23    and bering in hande causithe moche woo
24    for tyme tryeth t^rothe therefore refrayne
25    and from{_o} suche as be redye to doo
26    none doo I name but this I kno
27    that bye this faute cause causith moche
28    therefore beware if yo do kno anye suche

29    {_a}{es} {es} To wise folkes fewe wordes is ann old saying
30    therefore at this tyme I will write nomore
31    but this short lesson take fore a warnin{_i}ge
32    bye soche light frindes{es} sett littill store
33    yf ye do othere wise ye will repent yt sore
34    and thus of this lettre making an ende
35    to the boddye and the sowle I me com{_o}mende

f. [79v] 

36    wrytin lyfles at the manner{n'} place
37    of him that hathe no chabre nore no were doth dwell
38    {_i}{_a} but wandering in the wilde wo^rlde wanting that he hast
39    and nother hopis nor ffearis heven nor hell.
40    but lyvith at adventure ye kno him full well
41    the twentie daye of mar{m'}che he wrote yt yn his house
42    and hathe him recom{_o}mendyd to the kat and the mowse /

fs

Commentary

Attributed to Sir Thomas Wyatt, this poem was entered by H8. Rebholz notes that this epistle addresses the human body and soul, and in fact the speaker may be a ghost warning lovers to beware of false friends. Numerous examples of the false-friend theme appear in the manuscript: “Pacyence of all my smart” (21r) discusses a friend-turned-foe theme; “What nedythe lyff when I requyer” (43r-44r) depicts friends and lovers becoming enemies; and “My nowne Iohn poyntz,” (85v-87r) describes the narrator who feels he must isolate himself in the country (away from the deceitful court).