The Devonshire Manuscript/The knott whych ffyrst my hart dyd strayn /

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The Devonshire Manuscript facsimile 33r

The Devonshire Manuscript facsimile 33v

The Devonshire Manuscript facsimile 32v

f. [32v] 
f. [33r] 

1    The knott whych ffyrst my hart dyd strayn /
2   {{s}8}{{th}+t+}  Whan that yow^rservannt I be cam /
3    doth bynde me styll for to Remayne /
4    all was yow^r owne as nowe I am /
5    And yff ye fynde that{{th}+t+}I do ffayn /
6    with{w+t+} Iust Iudgement my selffe I dam /
7    to haue dysdayn /

8    Iff other thowght in me do growe /
9    butt styll to love yow stedefastly /
10    if that{{th}+t+} the profe do nott well showe /
11    that I am yowrs¹Assueredly /
12    lett euery welth turne me to woe
13    And yow to be contynually /
14    My chefest foo /

15    Iff other love or newe request /
16    do cesse my hart but only thys /
17    or yf with{w+t+}in my weryd brest /
18    be hyd one thowght that mene Amys /
19    I do desyer that myne vnrest /
20    may styll encrease and I to y mysse /
21    that I love best /

22    Yff in my love ther be one spott /
23    off false deceyte or doblenes /
24    or yff I mynd to slypp thys knott /
25 by want of fayth or stedefastnes /
26    lett All my sorowys be forgott /
27    And when I wuld haue cheefe redresse
28    Esteme me nott

29    But yff that{{th}+t+} I consume in payn /
30    with{w+t+} burnynge syghes & fervent love /
31    And daly seke non other gayn /
32    {es}{w+t+} but with my dede thes wurdes to prove
33    me thynke off Ryght I shuld optAyne
34    that ye wuld mynde for to remove
35    yow^r gret dysdayn s

f. [33v] 

36    And for the ende off thys my songe /
37    vnto yow^r handys I do submytt /
38    my dedly greff and payns so stronge /
39    whych in my harte be fermly shytt
40    And when ye lyst redresse my wronge
41    syns well ye knowe this{{th}+is+} paynfull fytt
42    Hath last to longe

Notes & Glosses

     1. The phrasing is resonant.

Commentary

Attributed to Sir Thomas Wyatt, this complete version of the poem was entered by H4 and describes the speaker's justification for his steadfastness in matters of love. Any sign of his wavering, unfaithfulness, or deceit would understandably deserve contempt from his beloved, yet the speaker's loyalty goes unrewarded. H3 also copies the complete poem on "The knot which fyrst my hart did strayn" (23r-23v) and an excerpt on "The knot which fyrst my hart dyd strayn" (22v).

Textual Notes

Texts Collated

DBLa21, LDev032, LDev037

Collation

1 The knott whych ffyrst] the that furst DBla21 knott] knot LDev037 LDev034 whych] which LDev037 LDev034 ffyrst] fyrst LDev037 LDev034 dyd] did LDev037 strayn /] strayn LDev037 LDev034 DBla21
2 Whan] whan LDev037 when DBla21 yowr] your LDev037 LDev034 thy DBla21 servannt] saruant LDev037 sarwant LDev034 servant DBla21 be cam /] becam LDev037 LDev034 DBla21
3 doth] Doth LDev037 bynde] bynd LDev037 LDev034 DBla21 Remayne /] remain LDev037 Remain LDev034 remayn DBla21
4 all was] always DBla21 was] wais LDev034 yowr] yor LDev037 yowr owne as nowe I am /] LDev034 owne] own DBla21 nowe] now LDev037 DBla21 am /] am LDev037 DBla21
5 And yff ye] and if you LDev037 And yff ye fynde that I do ffayn /] LDev034 And yff ye fynde] & yff ye fynd DBla21 fynde] fynd LDev037 ffayn /] fayne LDev037 fayn DBla21
6 with Iust Iudgement my selffe I dam /] LDev034 Iudgement] Iugement LDev037 judgment DBla21 selffe] self LDev037 DBla21 dam /] dam ene LDev037 dam DBla21
7 to] To LDev037 to haue dysdayn /] LDev034 dysdayn /] Dysdain LDev037 dysdy wyth desdayne DBla21
8 Iff] If LDev037 Iff other thowght in me do growe /] LDev034 Iff other thowght in] yf thowght In DBla21 thowght] thought LDev037 in] In LDev037 do] doo LDev037 growe /] groo DBla21 LDev037
9 butt] bot LDev037 but DBla21 butt styll to love yow stedefastly /] LDev034 styll] styl LDev037 to] too LDev037 love] lov LDev037 loue DBla21 yow stedefastly /] the you stedfastly DBla21 youe stedfastlye LDev037
10 if] yf LDev037 if that the profe do nott well showe /] LDev034 if that] yff DBla21 profe] proff LDev037 proffe DBla21 do] doo LDev037 nott] not LDev037 nott well showe /] no forth shoo DBla21 showe /] shoo LDev037
11 that I am yowrs Assueredly /] LDev034 yowrs] yours LDev037 Assueredly /] Asorydly LDev037 assuerydly DBla21
12 lett] let LDev037 lett euery welth turne me to woe] LDev034 euery] eure LDev037 welth] wellth LDev037 turne me to woe] all my yoy turne me all to woo DBla21 woe] woo LDev037
13 And yow] and yov LDev037 And yow to be contynually /] LDev034 to beontynually DBla21 contynually /] contunvally LDev037
14 My] my LDev037 DBla21 My chefest foo /] LDev034 chefest] chefyst DBla21 foo /] f DBla21 ffoo LDev037
15 Iff] If LDev037 Iff other love or newe request /] LDev034 Iff other love or] yff other thoht or DBla21 love] low LDev037 newe] new LDev037 DBla21 request /] request DBla21 Request LDev037
16 do] doo LDev037 do cesse my hart but only thys /] LDev034 cesse] cese LDev037 sese DBla21 thys /] thys DBla21 this LDev037
17 or yf within my weryd brest /] LDev034 or yf within] & yff wythIn DBla21 yf] if LDev037 brest /] brest LDev037 DBla21
18 be hyd one thowght that mene Amys /] LDev034 one] on LDev037 DBla21 thowght] thought LDev037 Amys /] amys LDev037 DBla21
19 I do desyer that myne vnrest /] LDev034 myne] myn LDev037 myne vnrest /] my nrest DBla21 myn vnrest LDev037
20 may] may LDev037 may styll encrease and I to y mysse /] LDev034 encrease] encrese LDev037 encrease and] Incres & DBla21 y mysse /] mys LDev037 DBla21
21 that I love best /] LDev034 love] lov LDev037 loue DBla21 best /] best LDev037 DBla21
22 Yff in my love] If In my low LDev037 Yff in my love ther be one spott /] LDev034 Yff in] yff DBla21 love] loue DBla21 ther] DBla21 one spott /] hyd on spoot DBla21 on spott LDev037
23 off] of LDev037 off false deceyte or doblenes /] LDev034 false] fals DBla21 deceyte] desaytt LDev037 decete DBla21 or] & DBla21 doblenes /] dobylnes LDev037 dublylnes DBla21
24 or yff I mynd to slypp thys knott /] LDev034 yff] if LDev037 slypp] slyp LDev037 DBla21 thys] the DBla21 knott /] knot LDev037 knoot DBla21
25 by] be LDev037 by want of fayth or stedefastnes /] LDev034 of] off DBla21 fayth] faithe LDev037 stedefastnes /] stedfastnes LDev037 DBla21
26 lett] let DBla21 Let LDev037 lett All my sorowys be forgott /] LDev034 All] all DBla21 LDev037 sorowys] servys DBla21 sarwyce LDev037 forgott /] for gott LDev037 forgoot DBla21
27 And] & DBla21 And when I wuld haue cheefe redresse] LDev034 wuld] wold LDev037 DBla21 cheefe] chefe LDev037 sefe DBla21 redresse] Redres LDev037 redres DBla21
28 Esteme] Estem LDev037 esteme DBla21 Esteme me nott] LDev034
29 But] but DBla21 But yff] What if LDev037 But yff that I consume in payn /] LDev034 in] In DBla21 in payn /] In paine LDev037 in payn DBla21
30 with] of LDev037 wyth DBla21 with burnynge syghes & fervent love /] LDev034 burnynge] burinngburning LDev037 do burnyng DBla21 &] and LDev037 fervent] farvent DBla21 love /] lowe LDev037 loue DBla21
31 And daly seke non other gayn /] LDev034 And daly] and dyly DBla21 non other] no nother LDev037 gayn /] gayne LDev037 gayn DBla21
32 but] bot LDev037 but with my dede thes wurdes to prove] LDev034 with] wyth DBla21 dede] ded LDev037 dedes DBla21 wurdes] wordes LDev037 DBla21 prove] prow LDev037 proue DBla21
33 me thynke] methink LDev037 e thynkes DBla21 me thynke off Ryght I shuld optAyne] LDev034 off] of LDev037 Ryght] ryght LDev037 yght DBla21 optAyne] optayn LDev037 obtayn DBla21
34 that ye wuld mynde for to remove] LDev034 wuld] wold LDev037 shuld DBla21 mynde] mynd LDev037 DBla21 remove] remoue DBla21
35 yowr] your LDev037 DBla21 yowr gret dysdayn] LDev034 dysdayn] desdayn LDev037
36 And] And LDev037 And for the ende off thys my songe /] LDev034 And for the ende] and nend DBla21 ende off] end of LDev037 songe /] song LDev037 DBla21
37 vnto] wnto LDev037 In to DBla21 vnto yowr handys I do submytt /] LDev034 yowr] your LDev037 handys] handes LDev037 DBla21 do] doo LDev037 submytt /] submit LDev037 submytt DBla21
38 my] the DBla21 my dedly greff and payns so stronge /] LDev034 greff] grefe DBla21 and] the DBla21 payns] payn DBla21 stronge /] strong LDev037 DBla21
39 whych] Whych LDev037 wych DBla21 whych in my harte be fermly shytt] LDev034 in] In DBla21 harte] hert LDev037 hart DBla21 fermly] fyrmly DBla21
40 And] and LDev037 DBla21 And when ye lyst redresse my wronge] LDev034 redresse] redres LDev037 DBla21 my] me LDev037 wronge] wrong LDev037 wrog DBla21
41 syns] sens LDev037 DBla21 syns well ye knowe this paynfull fytt] LDev034 knowe] know LDev037 knoo DBla21 this] thys DBla21 paynfull] paynfyll DBla21 fytt] syghteffytt LDev037
42 Hath] hath DBla21 Hath last to longe] LDev034 to] tto LDev037 longe] long LDev037 l DBla21