Poems (From Tottel's Miscellany)
1
Sooner I would of death sustain the smart
Than break one word of that I promised you.
Accept therefore my service in good part:
None is alive that can ill tongues eschew. 8
Hold them as false, and let not us depart
Our friendship old, in hope of any new.
Put not thy trust in such as use to feign,
Except thou mind to put thy friend to pain. 12
Sooner I would of death sustayn the smart
Than break one word of that I promised you :
Accept therfore my service in good part ;
None is alyve that can yll tonges eschew ;
Hold them as false, and let not us depart
Our frendship olde, in hope of any new.
Put not thy trust in such as use to fayn,
Except thou mynde to put thy frend to payn.
NOTES
8. ill tongues eschew = escape from malicious gossip.
9. Hold them = consider them (the slanderers).
depart = depart from, abandon.
11. such as use = those who make a habit of.
2
Pass forth my wonted cries
Those cruel eares to pierce,
Which in most hateful wise
Do still my plaints reverse. 4
Do you my tears, also
So wet her barren heart,
That pity there may grow,
And cruelty depart. 8
For though hard rocks among
She seems to have been bred,
And of the Tiger long
Been nourished and fed; 12
Yet shall that nature change,
If pity once win place
When as unknown and strange,
She now away doth chase. 16
And as the water soft
Without forcing or strength,
Where that it falleth oft,
Hard stones doth perse at length. 20
So in her stony hart
My plaints at last shall grave,
And, rigour set apart,
Win grant of that I crave. 24
Wherefore my plaints, present
Still so to her my suit
As ye, through her assent
May bring to me some fruit. 28
And as she shall me prove,
So bid her me regard,
And render love for love,
Which is a just reward. 32
Passe forth my wonted cryes
Those cruell eares to pearce,
Which in most hateful wyse
Doe styll my plaintes reverse.
Doe you my teares, also
So wet her barrein hart,
That pitye there may grow,
And crueltie departe.
For though hard rockes among
She semes to have bene bred,
And of the Tigre long
Bene nourished and fed ;
Yet shall that nature change,
If pitie once win place
Whan as unknowen and strange,
She now away doth chase.
And as the water soft
Without forcyng or strength,
Where that it falleth oft,
Hard stones doeth perse at length :
So in her stony hart
My plaintes at last shall grave,
And rigour set apart,
Winne grant of that I crave.
Wherefore my plaintes, present
Styll so to her my sute
As ye, through her assent
May bring to me some frute.
And as she shall me prove,
So bid her me regarde,
And render love for love,
Which is a just reward.
NOTES
4. reverse = send back to me.
15. When as = when it, as (i.e. pity).
20. perse = pierce.
22. grave = engrave.
23. rigour set apart = (with her) harshness put to one side.
25. present - an imperative addressed to his complaints. 'Go forth, my complaints, and present persistently my suit to her'.
29. prove = find.
3
Your looks so often cast,
Your eyes so friendly rolled,
Your sight fixed so fast,
Always one to behold. 4
Though hide it fain ye would,
It plainly doth declare
Who hath your heart in hold,
And where good will ye bear. 8
Fain would ye find a cloak
Your burning fire to hide,
Yet both the flame and smoke
Breaks out on every side. 12
Ye cannot love so guide
That it to issue win -
Abroad needs must it glide
That burns so hot within. 16
For cause your self do wink
Ye judge all other blind.
And secret it you think
Which every man doth find. 20
In waste oft spend ye wind
Your self in love to quit;
For agues of that kind
Will show who hath the fit. 24
Your sighs you fet from far
And all to wry your woe;
Yet are ye ne'er the nar,
Men are not blinded so. 28
Deeply oft swear ye now,
But all those oaths are vain.
So well your eye doth show
Who puts your heart to pain. 32
Think not therefore to hide
That still it self betrays,
Nor seek means to provide
To dark the sunny days. 36
Forget those wonted ways,
Leave off such frowning cheer,
There will be found no stays
To stop a thing so clear. 40
Your lokes so often cast,
Your eyes so frendly rolde,
Your sight fixed so fast,
Alwayes one to behold :
Though hyde it fain ye would :
It plainly doth declare
Who hath your hart in hold,
And where good will ye bare.
Fayn would ye finde a cloke
Your brennyng fire to hyde :
Yet both the flame and smoke
Breakes out on every side :
Yee can not love so guide
That it to issue winne.
Abrode nedes must it glide,
That brens so hote within.
For cause your self do wink
Ye judge all other blinde :
And secret it you think
Which every man doth finde.
In wast oft spend ye winde
Your self in love to quit :
For agues of that kinde
Will show, who hath the fit.
Your sighes yow fet from farre
And all to wry your wo :
Yet are ye nere the narre,
Men are not blinded so.
Depely oft swere ye no :
But all those othes ar vaine.
So well your eye doth showe
Who puttes your hert to paine.
Thinke not therfore to hide
That still it selfe betrayes,
Nor seke meanes to provide
To darke the sunny daies ;
Forget those wonted waies :
Leave of such frowning chere :
There will be found no stayes
To stoppe a thing so clere.
NOTES
Tottel entitles the poem 'The lover's case cannot be hidden however he dissemble'.
1. cast = turned to one side.
4. Always one = always the same person.
10. Your burning fire - metaphorical. The flame of passion.
13. guide = control.
14. to issue win = finds a way out.
15. Abroad = into the open.
17. For cause = because. wink = shut your eyes.
21. In waste etc. = you chatter idly, you waste your breath.
25. fet from far = fetch from deep in your body.
26. wry = (?) to cover hide. However 'all to wry' could be equivalent to 'all awry' hence 'Your sorrows are all irrational, crude and disjointed'.
27. ne'er the nar = no nearer, i.e. no nearer success in hiding the cause of your behaviour.
34. That = that which.
4
Since love will needs that I shall love,
Of very force I must agree;
And since no chance may it remove
In wealth and in adversity, 4
I shall alway my self apply
To serve and suffer patiently. 6
Though for good will I find but hate,
And cruelty my life to waste,
And though that still a wretched state
Should pine my days unto the last, 10
Yet I profess it willingly
To serve and suffer patiently. 12
For since my heart is bound to serve,
And I not ruler of mine own,
What so befall, till that I starve,
By proof full well it shall be known, 16
That I shall still my self apply
To serve and suffer patiently. 18
Yea though my grief find no redress
But still increase before mine eyes,
Though my reward be cruelness
With all the harm hap can devise: 22
Yet I profess it willingly
To serve and suffer patiently. 24
Yea though fortune her pleasant face
Should show, to set me up aloft,
And straight my wealth, for to deface,
Should writhe away, as she doth oft: 28
Yet would I still myself apply
To serve and suffer patiently. 30
There is no grief, no smart, no woe
That yet I feel, or after shall,
That from this mind may make me go.
And whatsoever me befall, 34
I do profess it willingly
To serve and suffer patiently. 36
Synce love wyll nedes that I shall love,
Of very force I must agree :
And since no chance may it remove
In welth and in adversitie,
I shall alway my self apply
To serve and suffer paciently.
Though for good will I finde but hate,
And cruelty my life to wast,
And though that still a wretched state
Should pine my dayes unto the last :
Yet I professe it willingly
To serve and suffer paciently.
For since my hart is bound to serve,
And I not ruler of mine owne,
What so befall, till that I sterve,
By proofe full well it shall be knowne,
That I shall still my self apply
To serve and suffer paciently.
Yea though my grief finde no redresse
But still increase before mine eyes :
Though my reward be cruelnesse
With all the harme, happe can devise :
Yet I professe it willingly
To serve and suffer paciently.
Yea though fortune her pleasant face
Should shew, to set me up aloft :
And streight my wealth, for to deface ;
Should writhe away, as she doth oft :
Yet would I styll myself apply
To serve and suffer paciently.
There is no grief, no smart, no wo
That yet I fele, or after shall,
That from this mynde may make me go :
And whatsoever me befall,
I do professe it willingly
To serve and suffer pacientlty.
NOTES
Tottel entitles the poem 'The lover determineth to serve faithfully'.
1. love = Cupid, Venus.
10. pine = cause to pine, cause to waste away.
22. hap = (ill) fortune.
28. writhe away = (?) wrench away. These four lines 25-8 seem to describe the changing face of fortune and its tendency to enrich one followed by immediate impoverishment.
33. mind = intention, determination.
5
For want of will, in woe I plain,
Under colour of soberness,
Renewing with my suit my pain,
My wan hope with your steadfastness. 4
Awake therefore of gentleness,
Regard at length I you require
The sweltering pains of my desire. 7
Betimes who giveth willingly,
Redoubled thanks aye doth deserve;
And I that sue unfeignedly
In fruitless hope, alas, do starve; 11
How great my cause is for to swerve,
And yet how steadfast is my suit.
Lo here ye see, where is the fruit? 14
As hound that hath his keeper lost,
Seek I your presence to obtain,
In which my heart delighteth most,
And shall delight though I be slain. 18
You may release my band of pain.
Loose then the care that makes me cry
For want of help, or else I die. 21
I die, though not incontinent,
By process yet consumingly,
As waste of fire which doth relent,
If you as wilfull will deny. 25
Wherefore cease of such cruelty,
And take me wholly in your grace,
Which lacketh will to change his place. 28
For want of will, in wo I playne
Under colour of sobernesse :
Renewyng with my sute my payne,
My wanhope with your stedfastnesse.
Awake therfore of gentlenesse :
Regard at length I you require
The sweltyng paynes of my desire.
Betimes who geveth willingly,
Redoubled thankes aye doth deserve ;
And I that sue unfaynedly
In frutelesse hope, alas, do sterve ;
How great my cause is for to swerve :
And yet how stedfast is my sute
Lo here ye see, where is the frute ?
As hounde that hath his keper lost,
Seke I your presence to obtayne,
In which my hart deliteth most,
And shall delight though I be slayne.
You may release my band of payne.
Lose then the care that makes me crye
For want of helpe or els I dye.
I dye, though not incontinent,
By processe yet consumingly
As waste of fire which doth relent,
If you as wilfull wyll denye.
Wherefore cease of such crueltye,
And take me wholy in your grace,
Which lacketh will to change his place.
NOTES
Tottel entitles this poem 'The lover lamenteth his estate with suit for grace'.
1. will = determination, will power. plain = complain.
2. Under colour etc. = pretending restraint and sobriety.
3. suit = love suit, pleas for love and reciprocation.
4. wan hope = despair, distress. This line is governed by 'renewing' in the previous line.
5. of gentleness = through your kindness.
8. Betimes = in good time, early on.
12. swerve = turn away from (you) to another love.
19. band = bonds.
20. Loose = slacken, release.
22. incontinent = immediately.
25. as wilfull = being stubborn.
28. Which = who - the antecedent is 'me' of the previous line.
28. change his place = seek another love.
6
If ever man might him avaunt
Of fortune's friendly cheer,
It was my self, I must it grant
For I have bought it dear. 4
And dearly have I held also
The glory of her name,
In yielding her such tribute, lo,
As did set forth her fame. 8
Sometime I stood so in her grace,
That as I would require,
Each joy I thought did me embrace
That furthered my desire. 12
And all those pleasures lo had I,
That fancy might support;
And nothing she did me deny
That was to my comfort. 16
I had, what would you more perdy,
Each grace that I did crave:
Thus fortune's will was unto me
All thing that I would have. 20
But all too rathe, alas the while,
She built on such a ground
In little space - too great a guile
In her now have I found. 24
For she hath turned so her wheel
That I, unhappy man,
May wail the time that I did feel
Wherewith she fed me then. 28
For broken now are her behests,
And pleasant looks she gave;
And therefore now all my requests
From peril can not save. 32
Yet would I well it might appear
To her my chief regard:
Though my deserts have been too dear
To merit such reward. 36
Sith fortune's will is now so bent
To plague me thus, poor man,
I must myself therewith content
And bear it as I can. 40
If ever man might him avaunt
Of fortunes frendly chere,
It was my selfe I must it graunt
For I have bought it dere.
And derely have I helde also
The glory of her name,
In yelding her such tribute, lo,
As did set forth her fame.
Sometyme I stode so in her grace,
That as I would require,
Ech joy I thought did me imbrace
That furdered my desire.
And all those pleasures lo had I,
That fansy might support ;
And nothing she did me denye
That was to my comfort.
I had, what would you more perdee,
Ech grace that I did crave :
Thus fortunes will was unto me
All thing that I would have.
But all to rathe, alas the while,
She built on such a ground :
In little space, too great a guyle
In her now have I found.
For she hath turned so her whele
That I, unhappy man,
May waile the time that I did fele
Wherwith she fed me than.
For broken now are her behestes,
And pleasant lokes she gave;
And therefore now all my requestes
From peril can not save.
Yet would I well it might appere
To her my chiefe regard :
Though my desertes have ben to dere
To merite such reward.
Sith fortunes will is now so bent
To plage me thus pore man,
I must myself therwith content
And beare it as I can.
NOTES
Tottel entitles the poem 'The lover waileth his changed joys'. However it appears that the entire poem is addressed to the goddess Fortune, and the title is inapposite. Some of the delights mentioned in verses 2 and 3 that fortune has granted could be taken as being the consent of the beloved to accept him.
1. avaunt = boast, brag.
4. For = (?) even though.
9. Sometime = there was a time.
17. perdy = by God.
21. too rathe = too suddenly, too early.
22. She = Fortune.
23. In little space = in a short time.
28. Wherewith = with which.
32. can not save = cannot be saved.
34. To her = To fortune
33-36. Of uncertain meaning. 'I would that fortune would now accept that my chief concern is to praise her. Although the costly benefits she has bestowed on me in the past means that I deserve little more hereafter'.
7
When first mine eyes did view and mark
Thy fair beauty to behold,
And when mine ears listened to hark
The pleasant words that thou me told, 4
I would as then I had been free
From ears to hear, and eyes to see. 6
And when my lips gan first to move
Wherby my heart to thee was known,
And when my tongue did talk of love
To thee that hast true love down thrown, 10
I would my lips and tongue also
Had then been dumb, no deal to go. 12
And when my hands have handled ought
That thee hath kept in memory,
And when my feet have gone and sought
To find and get thy company, 16
I would each hand a foot had been
And I each foot a hand had seen. 18
And when in mind I did consent
To follow this my fancy's will,
And when my heart did first relent
To taste such bait my life to spill, 22
I would my heart had been as thine,
Or else thy heart had been as mine. 24
When first mine eyes did view and marke
Thy faire beawtie to beholde :
And when mine eares listned to hark
The pleasant wordes that thou me tolde :
I would, as then, I had been free
From eares to hear, and eyes to see.
And when my lips gan first to move
Wherby my hart to thee was knowne :
And when my tong did talk of love
To thee that hast true love down throwne :
I would my lips and tong also
Had then bene dum, no deale to go.
And when my handes have handled ought
That thee hath kept in memory :
And when my fete have gone and sought
To find and get thy company :
I would eche hand a fote had bene
And I eche foote a hand had sene.
And when in mynde I did consent
To folow this my fansies will :
And when my hart did first relent
To tast such bayt my life to spyll :
I would my hart had bene as thyne,
Orels thy hart had bene as mine.
NOTES
Tottel entitles the poem 'The lover curseth the time when he first fell in love'.
5. as then = (?) that then.
6. From ears etc. = that my ears had been deaf and my eyes blind.
7. gan = began.
12. no deal to go = unable to move at all.
17-18. He wishes that his hands had been feet, so that they could not have handled mementoes of his beloved, and that his feet had been hands, so that he could not have walked to see her.
21. relent = relax its guard.
22. such bait = the allurement of your beauty.
8
Mistrustful minds be moved
To have me in suspect,
The truth it shall be proved
Which time shall once detect. 4
Though falshood go about
Of crime me to accuse,
At length I do not doubt
But truth shall me excuse. 8
Such sauce as they have served
To me without desert,
Even as they have deserved
Thereof God send them part. 12
Mystrustfull mindes be moved
To have me in suspect,
The troth it shalbe proved
Which time shall once detect.
Though falshed go about
Of crime me to accuse,
At length I do not doute
But truth shall me excuse.
Such sawce as they have served
To me without desart,
Even as they have diserved
Therof God send them part.
NOTES
Tottel entitles this poem 'The lover suspected blameth ill tongues', but it is probably not a love poem, but one which cavils generally at the evils of malice and political enterprise.
2. suspect = suspicion.
4. once = at length, in the long term.
9. sauce = treatment; false descriptions of me.
12. send them part = pay them (according to their deserts).
9
I see that chance hath chosen me
Thus secretly to live in pain,
And to another given the fee
Of all my loss, to have the gain. 4
By chance assigned thus do I serve,
And other have that I deserve. 6
Unto myself sometime alone
I do lament my woeful case,
But what availeth me to moan?
Since troth and pity have no place 10
In them, to whom I sue and serve,
And other have that I deserve. 12
To seek by mean to change this mind
Alas, I prove it will not be;
For in my heart I cannot find
Once to refrain, but still agree, 16
As bound by force, alway to serve,
And other have that I deserve. 18
Such is the fortune that I have
To love them most that love me least,
And to my pain to seek and crave
The thing that other have possessed. 22
So thus in vain alway I serve,
And other have that I deserve. 24
And till I may appease the heat,
If that my hap will hap so well,
To wail my woe my heart shall fret,
Whose pensive pain my tongue can tell. 28
Yet thus unhappy must I serve,
And other have that I deserve. 30
I see that chance hath chosen me
Thus secretely to live in paine,
And to an other geven the fee
Of all my losse to have the gayn.
By chance assinde thus do I serve,
And other have that I deserve.
Unto myself sometime alone
I do lament my wofull case,
But what availeth me to mone ?
Since troth and pitie have no place
In them, to whom I sue and serve :
And other have that I deserve.
To seke by meane to change this minde
Alas, I prove it will not be ;
For in my hart I cannot finde
Once to refrain, but still agree
As bounde by force, alway to serve :
And other have that I deserve.
Suche is the fortune that I have
To love them most that love me lest :
And to my pain to seke and crave
The thing that other have possest.
So thus in vain alway I serve,
And other have that I deserve.
And till I may apease the heate,
If that my happe will happe so well,
To waile my wo my hart shall freate,
Whose pensiv pain my tong can tell.
Yet thus unhappy must I serve
And other have that I deserve.
NOTES
Tottel entitles the poem 'The lover complaineth his estate'.
3. fee = profit; wages; payments etc.
By chance assigned = having been given this fate by Fortune.
10. troth = truth, promises.
13. by mean = by some means.
16. once to refrain = at any time to refrain (from loving you).
25. appease the heat = cool down the heat of my passion.
26. If that my hap etc. = if Fortune would allow it.
28. Whose pensive pain = the melancholy sorrow of my heart.
10
Throughout the world if it were sought,
Fair words enough a man shall find,
They be good cheap, they cost right nought, 3
Their substance is but only wind,
But well to say, and so to mean,
That sweet accord is seldom seen. 6
Through out the world if it were sought,
Faire wordes enough a man shall finde ;
They be good chepe they cost right nought,
Their substance is but onely winde,
But well to say, and so to mene,
That swete accord is seldom sene.
NOTES
Tottel entitles this poem 'Of dissembling words'.
12
Sufficed not (Madame) that you did tear
My woeful heart, but thus also to rent
The weeping paper that to you I sent,
Whereof each letter was written with a tear. 4
Could not my present pains, alas, suffice
Your greedy heart? and that my heart doth feel
Torments that prick more sharper than the steel,
But new and new must to my lot arise? 8
Use then my death. So shall your cruelty
Spite of your spite rid me from all my smart,
And I no more such torments of the heart
Feel as I do. This shalt thou gain thereby. 12
Suffised not (Madame) that you did teare
My wofull hart, but thus also to rent
The weping paper that to you I sent,
Wherof eche letter was written with a teare.
Could not my present paines, alas, suffise
Your greedy hart ? and that my hart doth fele
Tormentes that prick more sharper than the stele,
But new and new must to my lot arise ?
Use then my death. So shal your cruelty
Spite of your spite rid me from all my smart,
And I no more such tormentes of the hart
Fele as I do. This shalt thou gain thereby.
NOTES
Tottel entitles this poem 'The lover blameth his love for renting of the letter he sent her'. It is probably an incomplete sonnet, with the final couplet missing.
8. new and new = ever new torments.
9. Use then my death = satisfy yourself then with my death.
13
Speak thou and speed where will or power
aught help'th
Where power doth want, will must be won by wealth.
For need will speed, where will works not his kind, 3
And gain thy foes thy friends shall cause thee find.
For suit and gold what do not they obtain,
Of good and bad the tryers are these twain. 6
Speke thou and spede where will or power
ought helpthe
Where power doth 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,
Of good and bad the triers are these twaine.
NOTES
Tottel entitles this poem 'That speaking or proffering brings always speeding'. A somewhat obscure poem the theme of which is a lamentation of the world's wickedness and venality.
1.-3. Uncertain meaning, depending on how one interprets 'will' in lines 1 and 2, and to whom one considers the poem to be addressed. I cannot offer a rational paraphrase.
4. Money will cause your foes to pretend they are your friends.
5. suit = (?) preferment.
6. tryers = that which puts to the test. these twain = 'suit and gold'.
14
If thou wilt mighty be, flee from the rage
Of cruel will, and see thou keep thee free
From the foul yoke of sensual bondage;
For though thy Empire stretch to Indian sea 4
And for thy fear trembleth the farthest Thule,
If thy desire have over thee the power,
Subject then art thou and no governor. 7
If to be noble and high thy mind be moved,
Consider well thy ground and thy beginning;
For he that hath each star in heaven fixed,
And gives the Moon her horns and her eclipsing, 11
Alike hath made thee noble in his working:
So that wretched no way thou may be,
Except foul lust and vice do conquer thee. 14
All were it so thou had a flood of gold
Unto thy thirst, yet should it not suffice;
And though with Indian stones, a thousandfold
More precious than can thy self devise 18
Ycharged were thy back: thy covetise
And busy biting yet should never let
Thy wretched life, ne do thy death profit. 21
If thou wilt mighty be, flee from the rage
Of cruell wyll, and see thou kepe thee free
From the foule yoke of sensuall bondage ;
For though thy Empyre stretche to Inlian sea
And for thy feare trembleth the fardest Thylee,
If thy desire have over thee the power,
Subject then art thou and no governour.
If to be noble and high thy mind be meved,
Consider well thy grounde and thy beginnyng ;
For he that hath eche starre in heaven fixed,
And gives the Moone her hornes and her eclipsyng,
Alike hath made thee noble in his working :
So that wretched no way thou may be,
Except foul lust and vice do conquer thee.
All were it so thou had a flood of gold
Unto thy thirst, yet should it not suffice ;
And though with Indian stones, a thousande folde
More precious then can thy self devise
Ycharged were thy backe : thy covitise
And busye bytyng yet should never let,
Thy wretched life ne do thy death profet.
NOTES
Tottel entitles this poem 'He ruleth not though he reign over realms that is subject to his own lusts '.
2. will = lust, desire.
4. Thule = Possibly Iceland or Greenland. To the ancient world 'ultima Thule' was a famed land as far North beyond the limits of civilisation as it was possible to travel.
7. You are a subject and not a ruler.
15. All were it so thou had = it would be as if you had.
19. Ycharged = laden, loaded.
20-21. (?) Your busy concerns with money and lust would never abandon (let) your wretched life, nor would your death profit you in any way.