The Devonshire Manuscript/lo in thy hat thow hast be gone

Introduction  |  Contributors  |  Textual Introduction
The Devonshire Manuscript
Bibliography A-M  |  Bibliography N-Z  |  Encoded Materials

wan I be thyng my wontyd was Wyly no dought ye be a wry
The Devonshire Manuscript facsimile 59r

f. [59r]

1    lo in thy hat hate  thow hast be gone
2    to rage and rayll and rekuer how
3    and in thy rayge fforrthwith{w+t+} to run
4    fforther then resen can alov
5    but let them leve that lest to bow
6    or with{w+t+} thy words may so be wone
7    ffor as ffor me I dare a woo
8    to do agen as I hawe done

Commentary edit

Written in the hand of Margaret Douglas, this poem remains unattributed. The poem may describe the topical issue of her love for Thomas Howard. Lines 7-8, for instance, assert her defiance: “ffor me I dare a woo/ to do agen as I hawe done.” Notably, "my hart ys sent not remove" (58v) and "wan I be thyng my wontyd was" (59r), also entered by Margaret Douglas, seem to relate to the plight of her relationship with Thomas Howard: either they show her defiance (e.g. “My hart ys set not remove” and “O myserable sorow withowten cure”) or they show support to the couple (e.g. “When I bethynk my wontet ways”).