The Devonshire Manuscript/I am as I am and so wil I be

←Deme as ye list vppon goode cause

My nowne Iohn poyntz . sins ye delight to know→

The Devonshire Manuscript facsimile 85r

 f. [85r] 

1    I am as I am and so wil^^I/be¹
2    but how that I am none knoith trulie
3    be yt evill be yt well / be I bonde be I fre
4    I am as I am and so will I be

5    I lede my lif indifferentelye
6    I meane no thing but honestelie /
7    and thoughe folkis Iudge full dyverslye
8    I am as I am and so will I dye /

9    I do not reioyse nor yet com{_o}plaine
10    bothe mirthe and sadnes I doo refraine
11    ande vse the meane suchesins folkes{es} woll fayne
12    yet I am as I am be it plesure or payne /

13    Dyvers do Iudge as theye doo troo.
14    some of plesure / and some of woo.
15    yet for all that no thing thekye knoo.
16    but am as I am where so ever I goo /

17    But sins Iudgers do thus dekaye
18    let everye man his Iudgemen{_e}t saye
19    I will yt take yn sporte and playe
20    for I am as I am who so ever saye naye /

21    Who Iudgithe well / well god him sende
22    who Iudgithe evill god theim amende
23    to Iudge the best therefore intende
24    for I am as I am there & so will I ende /

25    Yet some there be that take delight
26    to Iudge folkes{es} thought / for envye & spight
27    but whyther Iheye Iude me wrong or right
28    I am as I am and so do I wright

29    prayeng you all that this doo rede
30    to truste yt as you doo yo^r crede
31    and not to think I chaunge my wede
32    for I am as I am howe ever I spede

33    But how that is I leve to you
34    Iudge as ye list false or true /
35    ye kno no more then afore ye knewe /
36    yet I am as I am whatever ensue /

37    And from{_o} this minde I will not flye
38    but to you all that misiuge me
39    I do proteste as ye maye see
40    that I am as I am and so will I bee /

fs

Notes & Glosses

     1. The word "wilbe" is uninterrupted; the caret is subscript and the addition is supralinear.

Commentary

Attributed to Sir Thomas Wyatt, this poem was entered by H8. This poem explores the concept of "self": the speaker investigates the difference between his internal state and the judgment of his state by others. “Deme as ye list vppon goode cause” (84v), located on the preceding page, expresses a similar theme. This poem is one of a several entries in the manuscript that speaks of counterfeiting feelings in public (for instance, see: “Sum summ say I love sum say I moke” (58v), “In places Wher that I company" (62v), “I am not she be prowess off syt” (65r), “Myght I as well within my song be lay” (65v), “To cowntarffete a mery mode” (65v), “Ceaser whan the traytor of egipte” (70r) and “Whan that I call vnto my mynde” (82v-83r)).

The scribe H8 marks each stanza by writing an initial capital letter and by indenting all the lines except the first of the stanza.

Textual Notes

Texts Collated

DBLa07, Plat1, EBan.01

Collation

1 I am as I am and so wilI/be] DBla07 am] ham Plat1 am and so wilI/be] ham & so will I be. Plat1 wilI/be] will I be, EBan.01
2 but] Bot EBan.01 but how that I am none knoith trulie] DBla07 how] howe Plat1 that] Plat1 I am none knoith trulie] I . ham none knowithe truly Plat1 none] nane EBan.01 knoith] knawis EBan.01 trulie] trewlie; EBan.01
3 be yt evill be yt well / be I bonde be I fre] DBla07 Plat1 be yt] Be it EBan.01 yt] it EBan.01 well /] weill, EBan.01 bonde] bund EBan.01 fre] fre, EBan.01
4 I am as I am and so will I be] DBla07 Plat1 be] be. EBan.01
5 I lede my lif indifferentelye] DBla07 lede] leid EBan.01 lif] lyfe EBan.01 lif indifferentelye] lyff in differntly. Plat1 indifferentelye] indifferently, EBan.01
6 I meane no thing but honestelie /] DBla07 meane] mene EBan.01 no] na EBan.01 no thing] nothink Plat1 but honestelie /] bot honesty, EBan.01 honestelie /] honeste. Plat1
7 and thoughe folkis Iudge full dyverslye] DBla07 And thocht men juge diuersly, EBan.01 and thoughe] Thoghe Plat1 folkis] folkes Plat1 Iudge] Iugge Plat1 full] Plat1 dyverslye] diversly. Plat1
8 I] ytt I Plat1 I am as I am and so will I dye /] DBla07 am] ham Plat1 am and] ham & Plat1 dye /] be. EBan.01 be, Plat1
9 I do not reioyse nor yet complaine] Plat1 do] doo DBla07 not reioyse nor yet complaine] nocht rew nor yit complane, EBan.01 reioyse] reIoyse DBla07 complaine] complayne DBla07
10 bothe] both DBla07 Baith EBan.01 bothe mirthe and sadnes I doo refraine] Plat1 mirthe] myrth DBla07 mirth EBan.01 doo] do EBan.01 refraine] refrayne DBla07 refrane, EBan.01
11 ande] and DBla07 And EBan.01 ande vse the meane suche sins folkes woll fayne] Plat1 meane] mene DBla07 meane suche sins folkes woll fayne] folkis that can nocht fane; EBan.01 suche sins] sens DBla07 folkes] folkys DBla07 woll] wyll DBla07
12 yet] EBan.01 yet I am as I am be it plesure or payne /] Plat1 it] hit DBla07 plesure] pleasure DBla07 plesour EBan.01 payne /] payne DBla07 pane. EBan.01
13 Dyvers] Diuerss EBan.01 Dyvers do] Men doo DBla07 Dyvers do Iudge as theye doo troo] Sum therebe that dothe mystrowe Plat1 Iudge] Iuge DBla07 juge EBan.01 theye] the DBla07 theye doo troo.] thay trow, EBan.01 troo.] trow DBla07
14 some] sum DBla07 Plat1 Sum EBan.01 plesure /] pleasure DBla07 Plat1 plesour EBan.01 and some] & sum DBla07 Plat1 some] sum EBan.01 woo.] woo DBla07 wo, EBan.01
15 yet] Yit EBan.01 no] DBla07 thing] nothing DBla07 thing thekye knoo.] thinke they knowe. Plat1 thekye] the DBla07 thekye knoo.] thay knaw; EBan.01 knoo.] know DBla07
16 but] EBan.01 ffor Plat1 am] I am DBla07 EBan.01 I ham Plat1 am] ham Plat1 where so ever] whersoeuer DBla07 quhair evir EBan.01 wher euer Plat1 goo /] goo. DBla07 go. EBan.01 goo, Plat1
17 But sins Iudgers do thus dekaye] Plat1 sins] sens DBla07 sins Iudgers do thus dekaye] sen that jugeris do tak that wey, EBan.01 Iudgers] that Iudggers DBla07 do thus dekaye] take that way DBla07
18 let] Lat EBan.01 let everye] Let euery DBla07 let everye man his Iudgement saye] Plat1 everye] every EBan.01 Iudgement] jugement EBan.01 saye] say DBla07 say, EBan.01
19 I will yt take yn sporte and playe] Plat1 will] wyll DBla07 yt] hit DBla07 it EBan.01 take] tak EBan.01 yn] in DBla07 EBan.01 sporte] sport DBla07 EBan.01 playe] play DBla07 pley, EBan.01
20 for] yet DBla07 For EBan.01 for I am as I am who so ever saye naye /] Plat1 who so ever] woosoeuer DBla07 who so ever saye naye /] quha evir sa nay. EBan.01 saye] say DBla07 naye /] nay DBla07
21 Who] Quha EBan.01 Who Iudgithe well / well god him sende] Plat1 Iudgithe] Iudggis DBla07 jugeis EBan.01 well /] well DBla07 weill, EBan.01 well god] god well DBla07 weill God EBan.01 him sende] them send DBla07 him send, EBan.01
22 who] whoo DBla07 who Iudgithe evill god] Quha jugeis evill, God EBan.01 who Iudgithe evill god theim amende] Plat1 Iudgithe] Iudgith DBla07 evill] yll DBla07 theim] them DBla07 thame EBan.01 amende] amend, EBan.01
23 to Iudge] To juge EBan.01 to Iudge the best therefore intende] Plat1 Iudge] Iuge DBla07 therefore] therfore DBla07 thairfoir EBan.01 intende] intend; EBan.01
24 for] EBan.01 for I am as I am there & so will I ende /] Plat1 there & so] and soo DBla07 there &] and EBan.01 will] wyll DBla07 ende /] ende DBla07 end. EBan.01
25 Yet some there be that] yet sum the at DBla07 Yet some there] Yit sum thair EBan.01 Yet some there be that take delight] Sun therbe that dothe delyght. Plat1 take delight] takis delyt EBan.01 delight] delyght DBla07
26 to] To EBan.01 Iudge] juge EBan.01 Iugge Plat1 folkes] folkis EBan.01 thought /] thowght DBla07 thocht EBan.01 Plat1 for] by DBla07 envye] inwy EBan.01 envy Plat1 envye & spight] outwarde sight DBla07 inwy and spyt, EBan.01 envy & spythe. Plat1 &] and EBan.01 spight] spyt, EBan.01 spythe. Plat1
27 but] But Plat1 but whyther Itheye Iude] Bot quhiddir thay juge EBan.01 whyther] whether DBla07 Plat1 Itheye] the DBla07 they Plat1 Iude] Iudge DBla07 Iuge Plat1 me] DBla07 Plat1 wrong] wrang EBan.01 wronge Plat1 right] Ryght DBla07 ryt, EBan.01 ryght. Plat1
28 am] ham Plat1 am and so do] ham & soo will Plat1 so do] soo doo DBla07 do] will EBan.01 wright] wryt. EBan.01 wryght Plat1
29 prayeng] Praying EBan.01 prayeng you] I pray ye DBla07 prayeng you all that this doo rede] Plat1 you] yow EBan.01 doo rede] dois reid, EBan.01
30 to] To EBan.01 to truste yt as you doo yor crede] Plat1 truste] trust DBla07 trest EBan.01 yt] hit DBla07 it EBan.01 you] ye DBla07 you doo] ye do EBan.01 yor] your DBla07 EBan.01 crede] cred DBla07 creid, EBan.01
31 and not] And nocht EBan.01 and not to think I chaunge my wede] Plat1 not] thynck not DBla07 to think I] that I wyll DBla07 I] that I EBan.01 chaunge] change DBla07 chenge EBan.01 wede] weid, EBan.01
32 for] EBan.01 for I am as I am howe ever I spede] Plat1 howe] how DBla07 EBan.01 ever] sooeuer DBla07 evir EBan.01 spede] speid. EBan.01
33 But] Bot EBan.01 But how that is I leve to you] Plat1 is] ys DBla07 leve] Leue DBla07 leif EBan.01 you] yow, EBan.01
34 Iudge] Juge EBan.01 Iudge as ye list false or true /] Plat1 list] Lyst DBla07 false] fals EBan.01 owdir fals EBan.01 true /] trew DBla07 trew, EBan.01
35 ye kno no more] Ye knaw no moir EBan.01 ye kno no more then afore ye knewe /] Plat1 kno] know DBla07 then] than EBan.01 afore] afoir EBan.01 knewe /] knew DBla07 knew; EBan.01
36 yet] but DBla07 EBan.01 yet I am as I am whatever ensue /] Plat1 whatever ensue /] what soeuer insew DBla07 quhat evir eschew. EBan.01
37 And from this minde I will not flyee] Plat1 from] frome DBla07 EBan.01 minde] mynd DBla07 EBan.01 will] wyll DBla07 not flyee] nocht fle, EBan.01 flyee] flye DBla07
38 but] Bot EBan.01 but to you all that misiuge me] Plat1 you] yow EBan.01 DBla07 that] them that DBla07 misiuge] myseIudge DBla07 misiugeis EBan.01 me] me, EBan.01
39 I do proteste as ye maye see] Plat1 proteste] protest DBla07 EBan.01 maye] may EBan.01 maye see] doo se DBla07 see] se, EBan.01
40 that] That EBan.01 that I am as I am and so will I bee /] Plat1 so] soo DBla07 will] wyll DBla07 bee /] Dy DBla07 be. EBan.01