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Works of Sir Thomas Wyatt


THE LOVER COMPLAINETH THE UNKIND-

NESS OF HIS LOVE.1


M Y lute awake, perform the last
   Labour, that thou and I shall waste,
   And end that I have now begun :
    And when this song is sung and past,
My lute ! be still, for I have done.
    As to be heard where ear is none ;
As lead to grave in marble stone ;
My song may pierce her heart as soon.
Should we then sigh, or sing, or moan ?
No, no, my lute !  for I have done.
    The rocks do not so cruelly
Repulse the waves continually,
As she my suit and affection :
So that I am past remedy ;
Whereby 2 my lute and I have done.
    Proud of the spoil that thou hast got
Of simple hearts through Love's shot,
By whom, unkind, thou hast them won :
Think not he hath his bow forgot,
Although my lute and I have done.
    Vengeance shall fall on thy disdain,
That makest but game on earnest pain ;
Think not alone under the sun
Unquit 3 to cause thy lovers plain ;
Although my lute and I have done.
    May chance thee 4 lie withered and old                
The winter nights, that are so cold,
Plaining in vain unto the moon ;
Thy wishes then dare not be told :
Care then who list, for I have done.
    And then may chance thee to repent
The time that thou hast lost and spent,
To cause thy lovers sigh and swoon :
Then shalt thou know beauty but lent,
And wish and want as I have done.
    Now cease, my lute !  this is the last
Labour, that thou and I shall waste ;
And ended is that we begun :
Now is this song both sung and past ;
My lute !  be still, for I have done.



  1  This charming Ode is ascribed to Lord Rochford in
Nugæ Antiquæ, ii.400, edit. Park ; but it is contained in
Sir Thomas Wyatt's own MS, and is signed with his name
in his own handwriting.—Nott's Wyatt, p.20.
  2  Wherefore.
  3  Unacquitted, free.
  4  It may chance you may, &c.



Manuscript image of the first page Wyatt's 'My lute awake' from the Egerton MS
Manuscript image of the second page Wyatt's 'My lute awake' from the Egerton MS
 
Manuscript images of
BL Egerton MS 2711, ff. 43v-44r.

Manuscript image of the first page Wyatt's 'My lute awake' from the Devonshire MS
Manuscript image of the second page Wyatt's 'My lute awake' from the Devonshire MS
 
Manuscript images of
BL Add MS 17492, ff. 14v-15r.


Source:
Yeowell, James, Ed. The Poetical Works of Sir Thomas Wyatt.
London: George Bell and Sons, 1904. 29-30.




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Created by Anniina Jokinen on August 6, 2000. Last updated December 22, 2018.

 



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