Poems of Thomas Wyatt
From Tottel's Miscellany (R.G. Siemens, Editor) and the Egerton and Devonshire Manuscripts
siemensr@mala.bc.ca

A Listing of the Poems (by incipit)

The Poems

The liuely sparkes
[The louer describeth his being striken with sight of his loue. (Tottel)]

THe liuely sparkes, that issue from those eyes,
Against the which there vaileth no defence,
Haue perst my hart, and done it none offence,
With quakyng pleasure, more then once or twise.
Was neuer man could any thing deuise, [5]
Sunne beames to turne with so great vehemence
To dase mans sight, as by their bright presence
Dased am I, much like vnto the gise
Of on striken with dint of lightenyng,
Blind with the stroke, and erryng here and there. [10]
So call I for helpe, I not when, nor where,
The payne of my fall paciently bearyng.
For streight after the blase (as is no wonder)
Of deadly noyse heare I the fearfull thunder.

Madame, withouten many wordes
[To a ladie to answere directly with yea or nay. (Tottel)]

MAdame, withouten many wordes:
Once I am sure, you will, or no.
And if you will: then leaue your boordes,
And vse your wit, and shew it so:
For with a beck you shall me call. [5]
And if of one, that burns alway,
Ye haue pity or ruth at all:
Answer hym fayer with yea, or nay.
If it be yea: I shall be faine.
Yf it be nay: frendes, as before. [10]
You shall another man obtayn:
And I mine owne, and yours no more.

Right true it is
[Of the fained frend. (Tottel)]

RIght true it is, and sayd full yore ago:
Take hede of him, that by the backe thee claweth.
For, none is worse, then is a frendly fo.
Thought he seme good, all thing that thee deliteth,
Yet know it well, that in thy bosome crepeth. [5]
For, many a man such fire oft times he kindleth:
That with the blase his berd him self he singeth.

Vvlcane begat me
[Discripcion of a gonne. (Tottel)]

Vulcane begat me: Minerua me taught:
Nature, my mother: Craft nourisht me yere by yere:
Three bodyes are my foode: my strength is in naught:
Angre, wrath, wast, and noyce are my children dere.
Gesse, frend, what I am: and how I am wraught: [5]
Monster of sea, or of land, or of els where.
Know me, and vse me: and I may thee defend:
And if I be thine enmy, I may thy life end.

A Robyn / Ioly Robyn (Egerton Ms)

A Robyn / Ioly Robyn
tell me how thy leman doeth
and thou shall knowe of myn

My lady is unkynd perde
alack whi is she so [5]
she loveth an othr better then me
and yet she wyll say no

Response
I fynde no such doublenes
I fynde women true [10]
my lady loveth me dowtles
and will chaunge for no newe

le plaintif
Thou art happy while that doeth last
but I say as I fynde [15]
that womens love is but a blast
and tornith like the wynde

Response
Suche folke shall take no harme by love
that can abide their torn [20]
but I alas can no way prove
in love but lake and morn

le plaintif
But if thou will avoyde thy harme
lerne this lessen of me [25]
at other fieres thy self to warme
and let them warme with the

Hey Robyn Ioly Robyn (Devonshire Ms, 2nd text)

Hey Robyn Ioly Robyn
tell me how thy lady dose
and thow shalt know of myn

My lady ys Vnkynd perdy
alas why is she soo [5]
she loves another better then I
and yett she wyll say noo

I fynd no shech doblenes
for I fynd women trew
my lady lovyth me dowtles [10]
and wyll chang for no new

Those art happy yf ytt doth last
bot I say as I fynd
that wommens lou ys but ablast
and tornyth as the wynd [15]

Yf that be trew yett as thou sayst
that wommen turn their hart
then spek better of them thou mayst
Iy hop to hau thy partt

The longe loue, that in my thought I harber
[The louer for shamefastnesse hideth his desire within his faith-full hart (Tottel)]

The longe loue, that in my thought I harber,
And in my hart doth kepe his residence,
Into my face preaseth with bold pretence,
And there campeth, displaying his banner.
She that me learns to loue, and to suffer, [5]
And willes that my trust, and lustes negligence
Be reined by reason, shame, and reuerence,
With his hardinesse takes displeasure.
Wherwith loue to the hartes forest he fleeth,
Leauyng his enterprise with paine and crye, [10]
And there him hideth and not appeareth.
What may I do? when my maister feareth,
But in the field with him to liue and dye,
For good is the life, endyng faithfully.

Somtime I fled the fire
[The louer that fled loue now folowes it with his harme (Tottel)]

Somtime I fled the fire, that me so brent,
By sea, by land, by water, and by wynde:
And now, the coales I folow, that be quent,
From Douer to Calais, with willing minde,
Lo, how desire is both furth sprong, and spent: [5]
And he may see, that whilom was so blinde:
And all his labour, laughes he now to scorne,
Meashed in the breers, that erst was onely torne.

Cesar, when that the traytour of Egypt
[Of others fained sorrow, and the louers fained mirth. (Tottel)]

Cesar, when that the traytour of Egypt
With thonorable hed did him present,
Coueryng his hartes gladnesse, did represent
Plaint with his teares outward, as it is writ.
Eke Hannibal, when fortune him outshyt [5]
Clene from his reigne, and from all his entent,
Laught to his folke, whom sorow did torment,
His cruel despite for to disgorge and quit.
So chanceth me, that euery passion
The minde hideth by colour contrary, [10]
With fayned visage, now sad, now mery.
Wherby, if that I laugh at any season:
It is because I haue none other way
To cloke my care, but vnder sport and play.

A spending hand
[How to vse the court and him selfe therin, written to syr Fraunces Bryan. (Tottel)]

A spendyng hand that alway powreth out,
Had nede to haue a bringer in as fast.
And on the stone that styll doth turne about,
There groweth no mosse. These prouerbes yet do last:
Reason hath set them in so sure a place: [5]
That length of yeres their force can neuer waste.
When I remember this, and eke the case,
Wherin thou standst: I thought forthwith to write
(Brian) to thee? who knowes how great a grace
In writyng is to counsaile man the right. [10]
To thee therfore that trottes still vp and downe:
And neuer restes, but runnyng day and night,
From realme to realme, from citye strete, and towne.
Why doest thou weare thy body to the bones?
And mightest at home slepe in thy bedde of downe: [15]
And drinke good ale so noppy for the nones:
Fede thy selfe fatte, and heape vp pounde by pounde.
Likest thou not this? No. Why? For swine so groines
In stye, and chaw dung moulded on the ground.
And driuell on pearles with head styll in the manger, [20]
So of the harpe the asse doth heare the sound.
So sackes of durt be filde. The neate courtier
So serues for lesse, then do these fatted swine.
Though I seme leane and drye, withouten moysture:
Yet will I serue my prince, my lord and thine. [25]
And let them liue to fede the paunch that lyst:
So I may liue to fede both me and myne.
By God well said. But what and if thou wist
How to bring in, as fast as thou doest spend.
That would I learne. And it shall not be mist, [30]
To tell thee how. Now harke what I intende.
Thou knowest well first, who so can seke to please,
Shall purchase frendes: where trouth, shall but offend.
Flee therefore truth, it is both welth and ease.
For though that trouth of euery man hath prayse: [35]
Full neare that winde goeth trouth in great misease.
Vse vertue, as it goeth now a dayes:
In worde alone to make thy language swete:
And of the dede, yet do not as thou saies.
Els be thou sure: thou shalt be farre vnmete [40]
To get thy bread, ech thing is now so skant.
Seke still thy profite vpon thy bare fete.
Lende in no wise: for feare that thou do want:
Vnlesse it be, as to a calfe a chese:
By which returne be sure to winne a cant [45]
Of halfe at least. It is not good to leese.
Learne at the ladde, that in a long white cote,
From vnder the stall, withouten landes or feese,
Hath lept into the shoppe: who knowes by rote
This rule that I haue told thee here before. [50]
Sometime also riche age beginnes to dote,
Se thou when there thy gaine may be the more.
Stay him by the arme, whele so he walke or go:
Be nere alway, and if he coughe to sore:
What he hath spit treade out, and please him so. [55]
A diligent knaue that pikes his masters purse,
May please him so, that he withouten mo
Executour is. And what is he the wurs?
But if so chance, thou get nought of the man:
The wydow may for all thy charge deburs. [60]
A riueld skynne, a stinkyng breath, what than?
A tothelesse mouth shall do thy lippes no harme.
The golde is good, and though she curse or banne:
Yet where thee list, thou mayest lye good and warme.
Let the olde mule bite vpon the bridle: [65]
Whilst there do lye a sweter in thine arme.
In this also se thou be not idle:
Thy nece, thy cosyn, thy sister, or thy daughter,
If she bee faire: if handsome be her middle:
If thy better hath her loue besought her: [70]
Auaunce his cause, and he shall helpe thy nede.
It is but loue, turne it to a laughter.
But ware I say, so gold thee helpe and spede:
That in this case thou be not so vnwise,
As Pandar was in such a like dede. [75]
For he the fole of conscience was so nice:
That he no gaine would haue for all his payne.
Be next thy selfe for frendshyp beares no price.
Laughest thou at me, why? do I speake in vaine?
No not at thee, but at thy thrifty iest. [80]
Wouldest thou, I should for any losse or gayne,
Change that for golde, that I haue tane for best
Next godly thinges: to haue an honest name?
Should I leaue that? then take me for a beast.
Nay then farewell, and if thou care for shame: [85]
Content thee then with honest pouertie:
With free tong, what thee mislikes, to blame.
And for thy trouth sometime aduersitie.
And therwithall this thing I shall thee giue,
In this world now litle prosperitie: [90]
And coyne to kepe, as water in a siue.

A lady gaue me a gift
[A riddle of a gift geuen by a Ladie. (Tottel)]

A Lady gaue me a gift she had not,
And I receyued her gift which I toke not,
She gaue it me willingly, and yet she would not,
and I receiued it, albeit, I could not,
If she giue it me, I force not, [5]
And if she take it againe she cares not.
Conster what this is and tell not,
For I am fast sworne I may not.

They flee from me
[The louer sheweth how he is forsaken of such as he somtime enioyed (Tottel)]

THey flee from me, that somtime did me seke
With naked fote stalkyng within my chamber.
Once haue I seen them gentle, tame, and meke,
That now are wild, and do not once remember
That sometyme they haue put them selues in danger, [5]
To take bread at my hand, and now they range,
Busily sekyng in continuall change.

Thanked be fortune, it hath bene otherwise
Twenty tymes better: but once especiall,
In thinne aray, after a pleasant gyse, [10]
When her loose gowne did from her shoulders fall,
And she me caught in her armes long and small,
And therwithall, so swetely did me kysse,
And softly sayd: deare hart, how like you this?

It was no dreame: for I lay broade awakyng. [15]
But all is turnde now through my gentlenesse.
Into a bitter fashion of forsakyng:
And I haue leaue to go of her goodnesse,
And she also to vse newfanglenesse.
But, sins that I vnkyndly so am serued: [20]
How like you this, what hath she now deserued?

Madame, withouten many wordes
[To a ladie to answere directly with yea or nay (Tottel)]

MAdame, withouten many wordes:
Once I am sure, you will, or no.
And if you will: then leaue your boordes,
And vse your wit, and shew it so:
For with a beck you shall me call. [5]
And if of one, that burns alway,
Ye haue pity or ruth at all:
Answer hym fayer with yea, or nay.
If it be yea: I shall be faine.
Yf it be nay: frendes, as before. [10]
You shall another man obtayn:
And I mine owne, and yours no more.

Farewell, Loue, and all thy lawes for euer
[A renouncing of loue (Tottel)]

FArewell, Loue, and all thy lawes for euer.
Thy bayted hokes shall tangle me no more.
Senec, and Plato call me from thy lore:
To parfit wealth my wit for to endeuer.
In blinde errour when I dyd parseuer: [5]
Thy sharp repulse, that pricketh aye so sore:
Taught me in trifles that I set no store:
But scape forth thence: since libertie is leuer.
Therfore, farewell: go trouble yonger hartes:
And in me claime no more auctoritie. [10]
With ydle youth go vse thy propartie:
And theron spend thy many brittle dartes.
For, hytherto though I haue lost my tyme:
Me lyst no lenger rotten bowes to clime.

My lute awake
[The louer complayneth the vnkindnes of his loue (Tottel)]

MY lute awake performe the last
Labour that thou and I shall waste:
And end that I haue now begonne:
And when this song is song and past:
My lute be styll for I haue done. [5]

As to be heard where eare is none:
As lead to graue in marble stone:
My song may pearse her hart as sone.
Should we then sigh? or singe, or mone?
No, no, my lute for I haue done. [10]

The rockes do not so cruelly
Repulse the waues continually,
As she my sute and affection:
So that I am past remedy,
Wherby my lute and I haue done. [15]

Proude of the spoile that thou hast gotte
Of simple hartes through loues shot:
By whom vnkinde thou hast them wonne,
Thinke not he hath his bow forgot,
Although my lute and I haue done. [20]

Vengeaunce shall fall on thy disdaine
That makest but game on earnest payne.
Thinke not alone vnder the sunne
Vnquit to cause thy louers plaine:
Although my lute and I haue done. [25]

May chance thee lie witherd and olde,
In winter nightes that are so colde,
Playning in vaine vnto the mone:
Thy wishes then dare not be tolde.
Care then who list, for I haue done. [30]

And then may chance thee to repent
The time that thou hast lost and spent
To cause thy louers sigh and swowne.
Then shalt thou know beauty but lent,
And wish and want as I haue done. [35]

Now cease my lute this is the last,
Labour that thou and I shall wast,
And ended is that we begonne.
Now is this song both song and past,
My lute be still for I haue done. [40]

In court to serue
[The courtiers life. (Tottel)]

IN court to serue decked with freshe aray,
Of sugred meates felyng the swete repast:
The life in bankets, and sundry kindes of play,
Amid the presse of lordly lokes to waste,
Hath with it ioynde oft times such bitter taste. [5]
That who so ioyes such kinde of life to holde,
In prison ioyes fettred with cheines of gold.

Speake thou and spede
[That speaking or profering bringes alway speding. (Tottel)]

SPeake thou and spede where will or power ought helpthe,
Where power dothe want will must be wonne by welth.
For nede will spede, where will workes not his kinde,
And gayne, thy foes thy frendes shall cause thee finde.
For sute and golde, what do not they obtaine, [5]
Of good and bad the triers are these twaine.

Myne owne Iohn Poyns
[Of the Courtiers life written to Iohn Poins. (Tottel)]

MYne owne Iohn Poyns: sins ye delite to know
The causes why that homeward I me draw,
And fle the prease of courtes, where so they go:
Rather then to liue thrall vnder the awe,
Of lordly lokes, wrapped within my cloke, [5]
To will and lust learnyng to set a law:
It is not, because I scorne or mocke
The power of them: whom fortune here hath lent
Charge ouer vs, of ryght to strike the stroke.
But true it is that I haue alwayes ment [10]
Lesse to esteme them, then the common sort
Of outward thinges: that iudge in their entent,
Without regard, what inward doth resort.
I graunt, sometime of glory that the fire
Doth touch my hart. Me list not to report [15]
Blame by honour, and honour to desire.
But how may I this honour now attaine?
That can not dye the colour blacke a lyer.
My Poyns, I can not frame my tune to fayne:
To cloke the truth, for prayse without desert, [20]
Of them that list all nice for to retaine.
I can not honour them, that set their part
With Venus, and Bacchus, all their life long:
Nor holde my peace of them, although I smart.
I can not crouch nor knele to such a wrong: [25]
To worship them like God on earth alone:
That are as wolues these sely lambes among.
I can not with my wordes complaine and mone,
And suffer nought: nor smart without complaynt:
Nor turne the worde that from my mouth is gone. [30]
I can not speake and loke like as a saynt:
Vse wiles for wit, and make disceyt a pleasure:
Call craft counsaile, for lucre still to paint.
I can not wrest the law to fill the coffer:
With innocent bloud to fede my selfe fatte: [35]
And do most hurt: where that most helpe I offer.
I am not he, that can alowe the state
Of hye Ceasar, and damne Cato to dye:
That with his death did scape out of the gate,
From Ceasars handes, if Liuye doth not lye: [40]
And would not liue, where libertie was lost,
So did his hart the common wealth apply.
I am not he, such eloquence to bost:
To make the crow in singyng, as the swanne:
Nor call the lyon of coward beastes the most. [45]
That can not take a mouse, as the cat can.
And he that dieth for honger of the golde,
Call him Alexander, and say that Pan
Passeth Appollo in musike manifold:
Praise syr Topas for a noble tale, [50]
And scorne the story that the knight tolde:
Prayse him for counsell, that is dronke of ale:
Grinne when he laughes, that beareth all the sway:
Frowne, when he frownes: and grone when he is pale:
On others lust to hang both night and day. [55]
None of these poyntes would euer frame in me.
My wit is nought, I can not learne the way.
And much the lesse of thinges that greater be,
That asken helpe of colours to deuise
To ioyne the meane with ech extremitie: [60]
With nearest vertue ay to cloke the vice.
And as to purpose likewise it shall fall:
To presse the vertue that it may not rise.
And as to purpose likewise it shall fall,
To presse the vertue that it may not rise. [65]
(Note: 2 lines repeated from previous page in Tottel)
As dronkennesse good felowship to call:
The frendly foe, with his faire double face,
Say he is gentle and curties therewithall.
Affirme that fauell hath a goodly grace,
In eloquence: And cruelty to name [70]
Zeale of Iustice: And change in time and place.
And he that suffreth offence withoutt blame:
Call him pitifull, and him true and plaine,
That rayleth rechlesse vnto ech mans shame.
Say he is rude, that can not lye and faine: [75]
The letcher a louer, and tyranny
To be the right of a Prynces rayghne.
I can not, I no, no, it will not be.
This is the cause that I could neuer yet
Hang on their sleues, that weygh (as thou mayst se) [80]
A chippe of chance more then a pounde of wit.
This maketh me at home to hunt and hauke:
And in fowle wether at my boke to sit:
In frost and snow, then with my bow to stalke.
No man doth marke where so I ride or go. [85]
In lusty leas at libertie I walke:
And of these newes I fele nor weale nor wo:
Saue that a clogge doth hang yet at my heele.
No force for that, for it is ordred so:
That I may leape both hedge and dike full wele, [90]
I am not now in Fraunce, to iudge the wine:
With savry sauce those delicates to fele.
Nor yet in Spaine where one must him incline,
Rather then to be, outwardly to seme.
I meddle not with wyttes that be so fine, [95]
Nor Flaunders chere lettes not my syght to deme
Of blacke and white, nor takes my wittes away
With beastlinesse: such do those beastes esteme.
Nor I am not, where truth is geuen in pray,
For money, poyson, and treason: of some [100]
A common practise, vsed nyght and day.
But I am here in kent and christendome:
Among the Muses, where I reade and ryme,
Where if thou list myne owne Iohn Poyns to come:
Thou shalt be iudge, how I do spende my time. [105]

My mothers maides
[Of the meane and sure estate written to Iohn Poins. (Tottel)]

MY mothers maides when they do sowe and spinne:
They sing a song made of the feldishe mouse:
That forbicause her liuelod was but thinne,
Would nedes go se her townish sisters house,
She thought, her selfe endured to greuous payne, [5]
The stormy blastes her caue so sore did sowse:
That when the furrowes swimmed with the rayne:
She must lie colde, and wet in sory plight.
And worse then that, bare meat there did remaine
To comfort her, when she her house had dight: [10]
Sometime a barly corne: sometime a beane:
For which she laboured hard both day and night,
In haruest tyme, while she might go and gleane.
And when her store was stroyed with the floode:
Then weleaway for she vndone was cleane. [15]
Then was she faine to take in stede of fode,
Slepe if she might, her honger to begyle.
My sister (quod she) hath a liuyng good:
And hence from me she dwelleth not a myle.
In colde and storme, she lieth warme and dry, [20]
In bed of downe: the durt doth not defile
Her tender fote, she labours not as I,
Richely she fedes, and at the richemans cost:
And for her meat she nedes not craue nor cry.
By sea, by land, of delicates the most [25]
Her cater sekes, and spareth for no perill:
She fedes on boyle meat, bake meat, and on rost:
And hath therfore no whit of charge nor trauell.
And when she list the licour of the grape
Doth glad her hart, till that her belly swell. [30]
And at this iourney makes she but a iape:
So forth she goes, trusting of all this wealth,
With her sister her part so for to shape:
That if she might there kepe her self in health:
To liue a Lady while her life doth last. [35]
And to the dore now is she come by stealth:
And with her fote anone she scrapes full fast.
Thother for fear, durst not well scarse appere:
Of euery noyse so was the wretch agast.
At last, she asked softly who was there. [40]
And in her language as well as she could,
Pepe (quod the other) sister I am here.
Peace (quod the towne mouse) why speakest thou so loude?
And by the hand she toke her fayre and well.
Welcome (quod she) my sister by the rode. [45]
She feasted her that ioye it was to tell
The fare they hadde, they dranke the wine so clere:
And as to purpose now and then it fell:
She chered her, with how sister what chere?
Amid this ioye be fell a sory chance: [50]
That (weleaway) the stranger bought full dere
The fare she had. For as she lookt a scance:
Vnder a stole she spied two stemyng eyes.
In a rounde head, with sharpe eares: in Fraunce
Was neuer mouse so ferde, for the vnwise [55]
Had not ysene such a beast before.
Yet had nature taught her after her gise,
To know her fo: and dread him euermore.
The townemouse fled: she knew whither to go:
The other had no shift, but wonders sore [60]
Ferde of her life, at home she wisht her tho:
And to the dore (alas) as she did skippe:
The heauen it would, lo: and eke her chance was so:
At the threshold her sely fote did trippe:
And ere she might recouer it agayne: [65]
The traytour cat had caught her by the hippe:
And made her there against hir will remayne:
That had forgot her power, surety and rest,
For semyng welth, wherin she thought to raine.
Alas (my Poyns) how men do seke the best, [70]
And finde the worst, by errour as they stray,
And no maruell, when sight is so opprest,
And blindes the guide, anone out of the way
Goeth guide and all in seking quiet life.
O wretched mindes, there is no golde that may [75]
Graunt that you seke, no warre, no peace, no strife.
No, no, although thy head were hoopt with golde,
Sergeant with mace, with hawbart, sword, nor knife,
Can not repulse the care that folow should.
Ech kinde of life hath with him his disease. [80]
Liue in delite, euen as thy lust would:
And thou shalt finde, when lust doth most thee please:
It irketh straight, and by it selfe doth fade.
A small thing is it, that may thy minde appease.
None of you al there is, that is so madde, [85]
To seke for grapes on brambles, or on bryers:
Nor none I trow that hath his witte so badde,
To set his haye for conies ouer riuers:
Nor ye set not a dragge net for an hare.
And yet the thing, that most is your desire, [90]
You do misseke, with more trauell and care.
Make plaine thine hart, that it be not knotted
With hope or dreade, and se thy will be bare
From all affectes, whom vice hath euer spotted.
Thy selfe content with that is thee assinde: [95]
And vse it well that is to thee alotted.
Then seke no more out of thy selfe to finde
The thing that thou hast sought so long before.
For thou shalt feele it stickyng in thy minde,
Madde if ye list to continue your sore. [100]
Let present passe, and gape on time to come:
And depe your selfe in trauell more and more.
Henceforth (my Poins) this shal be all and summe
These wretched foles shall haue nought els of me:
But, to the great God and to his dome, [105]
None other paine pray I for them to be:
But when the rage doth leade them from the right:
That lokyng backward, Vertue they may se,
Euen as she is, so goodly fayre and bright.
And whilst they claspe their lustes in armes a crosse: [110]
Graunt them good Lord, as thou maist of thy might,
To freate inward, for losyng such a losse.

© R.G. Siemens, 1996-.
Last updated 31 July 2001 .