| Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503–42). The Poetical Works. 1880. | | | | Odes | | The Lover calleth on his Lute to help him bemoan his hapless Fate |
| | | AT most mischief | |
| I suffer grief; | |
| For of relief | |
| Since I have none, | |
| My Lute and I | 5 |
| Continually | |
| Shall us apply | |
| To sigh and moan. | |
| Nought may prevail | |
| To weep or wail; | 10 |
| Pity doeth fail | |
| In you, alas! | |
| Mourning or moan, | |
| Complaint or none, | |
| It is all one, | 15 |
| As in this case. | |
| For cruelty, | |
| That most can be, | |
| Hath sovereignty | |
| Within your heart; | 20 |
| Which maketh bare, | |
| All my welfare: | |
| Nought do ye care | |
| How sore I smart. | |
| No tiger’s heart | 25 |
| Is so pervert, | |
| Without desert | |
| To wreak his ire; | |
| And you me kill | |
| For my good will: | 30 |
| Lo! how I spill | |
| For my desire! | |
| There is no love | |
| That can ye move, | |
| And I can prove | 35 |
| None other way; | |
| Therefore I must | |
| Restrain my lust, | |
| Banish my trust, | |
| And wealth away. | 40 |
| Thus in mischief | |
| I suffer grief, | |
| For of relief | |
| Since I have none; | |
| My lute and I | 45 |
| Continually | |
| Shall us apply | |
| To sigh and moan. | | | | |
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