The Devonshire Manuscript/to men that knows ye not

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The Devonshire Manuscript facsimile 60r

 f. [60r] 

1    to men that knows ye not
2    ye may aper to be
3    ffol cher and with{w+t+}owt spot  clear 
4    bot sewarly onto me
5    so ys yowar wontoed kynd
6    be proffe so sewarly knowen
7    that I wel not be blynd
8    my nys shal be my nowe nowen

9    I wel not wynke and se
10    I wel not pleas the so
11    I wel not ffawar the
12    I wel not be thy ffo
13    I wel not be that man
14    that so shal the deffawawar devour 
15    I wel not thow I kan
16    I wel not show my pore power 

17    bot I ham he that wel wel
18    se stel as I hawe sen
19    thy goodnes ffrom thy el ill 
20    my nyes shal stel be clere
21    ffrom mothys off blyndyd lowe
22    wche mowthy men somtym
23    to trust or the do proffe and ffal wan
24    and ffal wan the wold clym

Commentary

Attributed to Edmund Knyvett in the manuscript, this poem was entered by Mary Shelton. Although Mary transcribes the poem, the speaker is male. As such, the speaker's expression and denial of his power over a woman proves to be quite potent. For instance, the repetition of "I will not" in lines 9 and 16 display this denial of power; line 15, "I will not though I can," provides a chilling assertion of his will.

Textual Notes

Texts Collated

AAH19

Collation

1 to] To AAH19 knows] know AAH19 ye] you AAH19
2 ye] you AAH19 aper] appeare AAH19
3 ffol chercler] full cleare AAH19 withowt] without AAH19 spot] spott AAH19
4 bot sewarly] but truly AAH19 onto] vnto AAH19
5 so ys] Suche is AAH19 yowur] your AAH19 wontoed] wonted AAH19
6 be] by AAH19 proffe] profe AAH19 sewarly] surely AAH19
7 that] as AAH19 wel] will AAH19
8 my nys] myne eyes AAH19 shal] shall AAH19 my] myne AAH19 nowe nowen] owen AAH19
9 wel] will AAH19 wynke] wynk AAH19 se] see AAH19
10 wel] will AAH19 pleas] please AAH19 so] soe AAH19
11 wel] will AAH19 ffawar] favour AAH19
12 wel] will AAH19 thy] thye AAH19 ffo] foe AAH19
13 wel] will AAH19 be that man] though I can AAH19
14 that so shal the deffawawardevour] I will not shew my powre AAH19
15 wel not thow I kan] will be no suche man AAH19
16 wel] will AAH19 show my porepower] the devour AAH19
17 bot] But AAH19 ham] am AAH19 wel wel] will AAH19
18 se stel] See still AAH19 hawe] have AAH19 sen] seene AAH19
19 thy] your AAH19 ffrom] from AAH19 thy elill] your yll AAH19
20 my] myne AAH19 nyes] eyes AAH19 shal] shall AAH19 stel] still AAH19 clene] cleere AAH19
21 mothys off blyndyd] motes of blynding AAH19 lowe] love AAH19
22 wche mowthy] that leadeth AAH19 somtym] somtyme AAH19
23 the] they AAH19 proffe and ffal wan] prove AAH19
24 ffal wan] fall, when AAH19 the] they AAH19 wold] wolde AAH19 clym] clyme AAH19
25 ] I will not feele the fytt AAH19
26 ] of ioye that fooles do feele AAH19
27 ] when their chief ioye they hytt AAH19
28 ] whiche tourneth as the wheele AAH19
29 ] that lyftes them hye or low AAH19
30 ] whiche is now vpp now downe AAH19
31 ] as floodes do ebb and flow AAH19
32 ] good luck from towne to towne AAH19
33 ] Suche feavers hote and colde AAH19
34 ] suche panges of ioye and payne AAH19
35 ] suche fyttes as do them holde AAH19
36 ] and do by rages raigne AAH19
37 ] shall never sease my hart AAH19
38 ] my freedome shall excuse AAH19
39 ] that thraldom of suche smarte AAH19
40 ] synce I so well may chuse AAH19
41 ] And I indyfferent man AAH19
42 ] can see and holde my peace AAH19
43 ] by profe how well you can AAH19
44 ] begyn to love and ceace AAH19
45 ] and so by sight I shall AAH19
46 ] suffyse my self as well AAH19
47 ] as thowgh I feltt the fall AAH19
48 ] whiche they did feele that fell AAH19