my hart ys set not remove

The Devonshire Manuscript · Wikibooks

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    Introduction  |  Contributors  |  Textual Introduction
    The Devonshire Manuscript
    Bibliography A-M  |  Bibliography N-Z  |  Encoded Materials

    ←Sum summ say I love sum say I moke wan I be thyng my wontyd was→
    Illustration
    The Devonshire Manuscript facsimile 58v
    Illustration
    The Devonshire Manuscript facsimile 59r

    f. [58v]

    1    my hart ys set not remove
    2    ffor wher as I love ffathfully
    3    I know he wyll not slak hys love
    4    nor never chang hes ffantesy

    5    I hawe delyt hym ffor to plese
    6    yn all that tocheth onesty
    7    hou felyth gref so yt hym ese
    8    plesyth doth well my ffantesy

    f. [59r] 

    9    and tho that I be banest hym fro
    10    hes spech hes syght and company
    11    yt wyll I yn spyt of hes ffo
    12    hym love and kep my fantesy

    13    do what they wyll and do ther warst worest
    14    ffor all they do ys wanety vanity 
    15    ffor a sunder my hart shall borst
    16    soworer then change my ffantesy

    Commentary

    Written in pencil in Margaret Douglas's hand, this poem remains unattributed. The speaker asserts that despite the adversity found in loving her beloved, nothing will change her feelings for him. Due to its emphasis on truthfulness, this poem may be a response to the poem immediately preceeding it, “Sum summ say I love sum say I moke” (58v), which speaks of deceit. Douglas also enters another shorter version of the poem on 65r, "my hart ys set nat to remowe".

    Most standard witness indexes indicate only the three-stanza version of "my hart ys set nat to remowe" (65r). The additional stanza found on "wan I be thyng my wontyd was" (59r) is particularly subversive when viewed in light of Douglas' and Thomas Howard's plight. Notably, “Do what they wyll and do ther warst” appears to be a cry of defiance to the powers that have separated the lovers.

    Textual Notes

    Texts Collated

    LDev087

    Collation

    1      nat to] not LDev087     remowe] remove LDev087 
    2      lowe] love LDev087     ffaythffully] ffathfully LDev087 
    3      welnot] wyll not LDev087     slake] slak LDev087     hes] hys LDev087     lowe] love LDev087 
    4      ffantecy] ffantesy LDev087 
    6      in hal] yn LDev087     hall] all LDev087     tovchet] tocheth LDev087     honesty] onesty LDev087 
    7      who ffeleth greve] hou felyth gref LDev087     hes] ese LDev087 
    8      plesyt] plesyth LDev087 
    9      banysht] banest LDev087     ffro] fro LDev087 
    10      hys speket] hes spech LDev087     compayny] company LDev087 
    11      yet] yt LDev087     in] yn LDev087     off] of LDev087 
    12      lowe] love LDev087     ffantasy] fantesy LDev087 
    13      ] do what they wyll and do ther warst worest LDev087 
    14      ] ffor all they do ys wanetyvanity LDev087 
    15      ] ffor a sunder my hart shall borst LDev087 
    16      ] soworer then change my ffantesy LDev087