Sir Thomas Wyatt.

1503-1542

42   Forget not yet

The Lover Beseecheth his Mistress not to Forget
      his Steadfast Faith and True Intent

FORGET not yet the tried entent
Of such a truth as I have meant;
My great travail so gladly spent,
Forget not yet!

Forget not yet when first began
The weary life ye know, since whan
The suit, the service, none tell can;
Forget not yet!

Forget not yet the great assays,
The cruel wrong, the scornful ways,
The painful patience in denays,¹
Forget not yet!

Forget not, yet forget not this—
How long ago hath been, and is,
The mind that never meant amiss—
Forget not yet!

Forget not then thine own approved,
The which so long hath thee so loved,
Whose steadfast faith yet never moved:
Forget not this!

43   The Appeal

An Earnest Suit to his Unkind Mistress, not to
Forsake him

AND wilt thou leave me thus?
Say nay, say nay, for shame?
—To save thee from the blame
Of all my grief and grame.¹
And wilt thou leave me thus?
    Say nay! say nay!

And wilt thou leave me thus,
That hath loved thee so long
In wealth and woe among:
And is thy heart so strong
As for to leave me thus?
    Say nay! say nay!

And wilt thou leave me thus,
That hath given thee my heart
Never for to depart
Neither for pain nor smart:
And wilt thou leave me thus?
    Say nay! say nay!

And wilt thou leave me thus,
And have no more pity
Of him that loveth thee?
Alas, thy cruelty!
And wilt thou leave me thus?
    Say nay! say nay!

44   A Revocation

WHAT should I say?
   —Since Faith is dead,
And Truth away
   From you is fled?
   Should I be led
     With doubleness?
     Nay! nay! mistress.

I promised you,
   And you promised me,
To be as true
   As I would be.
   But since I see
     Your double heart,
     Farewell my part!

Thought for to take
   ’Tis not my mind;
But to forsake
   One so unkind;
   And as I find
     So will I trust.
     Farewell, unjust!

Can ye say nay
   But that you said
That I alway
   Should be obeyed?
   And—thus betrayed
     Or that I wist!
     Farewell, unkist!

45   Vixi Puellis Nuper Idoneus ...

THEY flee from me that sometime did me seek,
      With naked foot stalking in my chamber:
I have seen them gentle, tame, and meek,
    That now are wild, and do not once remember
    That sometime they have put themselves in danger
To take bread at my hand; and now they range,
Busily seeking with a continual change.
Thanked be fortune, it hath been otherwise
    Twenty times better; but once, in special,
In