The Devonshire Manuscript/To make an ende of all this strif
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Introduction | Contributors | Textual Introduction |
| ←whan that I call vnto my mynde | Wyll ye se / What Wonderous love hathe wrought→ |
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f. [83r]
1 To make an ende of all this strif
2 no lenger{g'} tyme for to sustaine
3 but now withe dethe to chaung the lif
4 of him that lyves alwaies in payne /
5 dispaire suche powre hathe yn his hande
6 that helpith most I kno certeyne /
7 may not with{w+t+}stonde /
f. [83v]
8 maye not with{w+t+}stande that is electe
9 bye fortunis most extremytie
10 but all in worthe to be excepte
11 with{w+t+}outen lawe or libretye
12 what vaylithe then vnto my thought
13 yf right can have no remedie
14 there vaylith nought
15 there vaylithe nought but all in vaine
16 the fawte thereof maye none amende
17 but onlie dethe for to constraine
18 this spightfull happ. to have an ende /
19 so grete disdaine dothe me pro{p3}voke
20 that drede of dethe cannot deffende
21 this dedelye stroke
22 this dedelie stroke wherebye shall seace
23 the harborid sighis with{w+t+}in my herte
24 and for the gifte of this relese
25 my hand in haste shall playe his parte
26 to doo this cure againste his kinde
27 {{s}8}{_o} {_o} forom ch for chaunge of lif from long deserte
28 . to place assignid
29 To place assignid forever more
30 nowe bye constrainte I do agre /
31 to loose the bonde of my restore
32 wherein is bounde my librte
33 dethe and dispaire doth vndre take
34 from{_o} all mishap full now hardilye
35 this ende to make
fs
Commentary
editAttributed to Sir Thomas Wyatt,[1] this poem was entered by H8. The speaker feels dispirited and sees only death as a remedy to his or her spiteful fortune. The speaker’s despair possibly stems from difficulties in love and in preferment.
Works Cited
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