The Devonshire Manuscript/She sat and sewid that hathe done me the wronge

←Cruell desire my master and my foo

Who hathe harde of such tyrannye before→

The Devonshire Manuscript facsimile 73r

f. [73r]

1    {{th}+e+}{{th}+t+} She sat and sewid that hathe done me the wronge
2    whereof I plaine & have done many adaye
3    and while she harde my plaint in pituos song
4    wisshid my hert the sampler as yt laye
5    {{s}8}{m+r+} The blinde master¹ whom I have servid so long
6    grudging to here / that he ded here her saye
7    {g'}{w+t+} with hir owne wepon ded make her finger blede
8    to feale if pricking ware so good in dede

fs

Notes & Glosses

     1. See also a slightly different version of the abbrevation on line 1 of "Cruell desire my master and my foo" (73r). For the abbreviation, see Cappelli.

Commentary

Attributed to Sir Thomas Wyatt, this poem was entered by H8. H8 enters a companion poem below this one, “Who hathe harde of such tyrannye before” (73r), which expresses similar content and sentiment. The Lady sews a sampler as if she is sticking the needle into her lover’s heart, and she pricks her finger with her own “weapon.” R. A. Rebholz notes that John Skelton's poem Philip Sparrow may have inspired Wyatt's epigrams. In Skelton's poem the lady stitches an image of sparrow. The sparrow calls out when she stitches his head, causing her to prick her finger. The poem also appears in Tottel's Miscellany under the title “Of his loue that pricked her finger with a nedle” (item 67).

Textual Notes

Texts Collated

STC13860_23, AAH13, LEge31

Collation

1 She] SHe STC_13860_23 sat] satte AAH13 sat, STC_13860_23 sewid] Sowede AAH13 sowde / LEge31 sowed: STC_13860_23 hathe] hath AAH13 LEge31 STC_13860_23 wronge] wrong/ LEge31 wrong: STC_13860_23
2 whereof] wheareof AAH13 wherof LEge31 Wherof STC_13860_23 plaine] playne AAH13 plain : LEge31 plain, STC_13860_23 &] and AAH13 LEge31 STC_13860_23 have] haue STC_13860_23 many] manye AAH13 adaye] a daye. LEge31 a day: STC_13860_23
3 and while] And, whilst STC_13860_23 while] whylest AAH13 whilst LEge31 harde] herd AAH13 LEge31 STC_13860_23 plaint] playnt AAH13 plaint, STC_13860_23 in] in LEge31 pituos] pituous AAH13 pitious LEge31 piteous STC_13860_23 song] songe AAH13 song/ LEge31 song: STC_13860_23
4 wisshid] Wisshed AAH13 wisshed LEge31 She wisht STC_13860_23 hert] hart AAH13 harttheheart STC_13860_23 the] STC_13860_23 sampler] Sampler AAH13 samplar LEge31 samplar, STC_13860_23 as] that STC_13860_23 yt] it AAH13 LEge31 STC_13860_23 laye] lay AAH13 lay. LEge31 STC_13860_23
5 The] the AAH13 LEge31 blinde] blynde AAH13 blynd LEge31 master] maister / LEge31 maister, STC_13860_23 whom] whome LEge31 have] haue STC_13860_23 servid] serued LEge31 STC_13860_23 so long] solong AAH13 long] long/ LEge31 long: STC_13860_23
6 grudging] Grudging AAH13 Grudgyng STC_13860_23 here /] heare AAH13 here LEge31 heare, STC_13860_23 ded] did AAH13 LEge31 STC_13860_23 here] heare AAH13 STC_13860_23 her] herr AAH13 saye] saye/ LEge31 say: STC_13860_23
7 with hir] Made her AAH13 STC_13860_23 withmade her LEge31 wepon] weapon AAH13 STC_13860_23 ded make] doe AAH13 did makedo LEge31 do STC_13860_23 finger] fynger AAH13 LEge31 blede] bleede AAH13 blede/ LEge31 blede: STC_13860_23
8 to] To STC_13860_23 feale] feele AAH13 fele LEge31 fele, STC_13860_23 pricking] prickinge AAH13 ware] weare AAH13 were LEge31 wer STC_13860_23 dede] deede AAH13 dede. LEge31 STC_13860_23