The Devonshire Manuscript, To make an ende of all this strif

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The Devonshire Manuscript facsimile 83r (Image: DMSEG, CC BY-SA 3.0) |
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The Devonshire Manuscript facsimile 83v (Image: DMSEG, CC BY-SA 3.0) |
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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

Attributed 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

• ↑ R.A. Rebholz, ed. Sir Thomas Wyatt: The Complete Poems. London: Penguin, 1978. 246-47.

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