The Devonshire Manuscript/Myght I as well within my songe

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The Devonshire Manuscript
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to cowntarffete a mery mode The pleasaunt beayt of swet Delyte Dothe blynd
The Devonshire Manuscript facsimile 66r

 f. [66r]

1 [Myght I as well with{w+t+}in my songe]
2 [belay the thinge I wolde]
3 >[as in my harte]

Commentary edit

Attributed to Sir Thomas Wyatt,[1] this poem was possibly entered by H7. Margaret Douglas enters another excerpt of the poem, "Myght I as well within my song be lay" on 65v. Both versions in the manuscript are only excerpts of Wyatt’s twenty-five line poem, which Rebholz compiled in his edition of Wyatt's poetry.[2] Similar to other poems in the manuscript, this poem discusses the need for concealment and duplicity. For other poems portraying the theme of concealment, see: “Sum summ say I love sum say I moke” (58v); “In places Wher that I company” (62v); “I ame not she be prowess off syt” (65r); “To cowntarffete a mery mode” (65v); “Ceaser whan the traytor of egipte” (70r); and “Whan that I call vnto my mynde” (82v-83r).

The page appears heavily smudged and each line drops one syllable.

Works Cited edit


Textual Notes edit

Texts Collated edit

LDev103, DBLa12

Collation edit

1 Myght I as well within my songe] myght I as well within my song be lay LDev103 Myght I as well within my songe dbelaye DBla12
2 belay the thinge I wolde] the thyng I mene as in my hart I may LDev103 the thing I wolde as in my hart I maye DBla12
3 > as in my harte] repentence showld dra ffrom thovs yes LDev103 repentens shulde Drawe frome those eyes DBla12
4 ] salt teres with cryes remors and growges LDev103 Salt tearis with cryes, remorce and grudge of hart DBla12
5 ] causles as cause that I haue ssuffred smart DBla12
6 ] O yf myght I ellis enclose my paynfull breast DBla12
7 ] that that myght be in syght my great vnrest DBla12
8 ] ther shulde ye see tormentes remayngne DBla12
9 ] as hell of payne to move your crewell hart DBla12
10 ] causles by cause that I haue suffred smart DBla12
11 ] Or myght Ther ys in hell no suche a feruent fyere DBla12
12 ] as secret hete of inward hotte desyere DBla12
13 ] that wyll not let the flame appayre DBla12
14 ] that I haue here within my wastyd hart DBla12
15 ] causles by cause that I haue suffred smart DBla12
16 ] Yet you cause yt and ye may cause my welthe DBla12
17 ] ons cause yt then retorne vnto my helthe DBla12
18 ] and of all mene releve that man DBla12
19 ] that no thing can but crye releve this hart DBla12
20 ] causles by cause that I haue souf smart DBla12
21 ] Redres ye owght that harme that ye haue donne DBla12
22 ] yt ys no game that ye nowe haue bygonne DBla12
23 ] but worthye blame ye shall remayne DBla12
24 ] to do hym payne that knowythe not thought of DBla12
25 ] causles by cause that I haue suffred smart DBla12