15 Thomas Wyatt Quotes

Thomas Wyatt quotes

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

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

3. Behold love, thy power how she despiseth: My great pain, how little she regardeth The holy oath, whereof she taketh no cure Broken she hath : and yet she bideth sure Right at her ease, and little she dreadeth.

1. The longer the life the more the offense, the more the offense the more the pain, the more the pain the less the defense and the less the defense the less the gain.

2. Farewell, Love, and all thy laws for ever.

3. For like to like, the proverb saith.

4. For as saith a proverb notable, Each thing seeketh his semblable.

5. “The Lover Compareth his State to a Ship in Perilous Storm Tossed on the Sea My galley chargèd with forgetfulness Thorough sharp seas, in winter nights doth pass 'Tween rock and rock; and eke mine enemy, alas, That is my lord, steereth with cruelness; And every oar a thought in readiness As though that death were light in such a case. An endless wind doth tear the sail apace Of forcèd sighs and trusty fearfulness. A rain of tears, a cloud of dark disdain, Hath done the wearied cords great hindrance Wreathèd with error and eke with ignorance. The stars be hid that led me to this pain. Drownèd is reason that should me consort, And I remain despairing of the port.”

6. “The fructe of all the servise that I serve Dispaire doth repe, such haples hap have I ; But tho he have no powre to make me swarve, Yet by the fire for colde I fele I dye : In paradis for hunger still I sterve : And in the flowde for thurste to deth I drye ; So Tantalus ane I and yn worse payne, Amyds my helpe, and helples doth remayne.”

7. “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 remember That sometime they put themself in danger To take bread at my hand; and now they range, Busily seeking with a continual change.”

8. ...Wild to hold, though I seem tame.

9. “Noli me tangere, for Caesar's I am / And wild for to hold, though I seem tame.”

10. “Whoso list to hunt, I know where is an hind, But as for me, hélas, I may no more. The vain travail hath wearied me so sore, I am of them that farthest cometh behind. Yet may I by no means my wearied mind Draw from the deer, but as she fleeth afore Fainting I follow. I leave off therefore, Sithens in a net I seek to hold the wind. Who list her hunt, I put him out of doubt, As well as I may spend his time in vain. And graven with diamonds in letters plain There is written, her fair neck round about: Noli me tangere, for Caesar's I am, And wild for to hold, though I seem tame.”

11. “Stand whoso list upon the slipper top Of court's estates, and let me here rejoice And use me quiet without let or stop, Unknown in court, that hath such brackish joys. In hidden place so let my days forth pass That when my years be done withouten noise, I may die aged after the common trace. For him death grippeth right hard by the crop That is much known of other, and of himself, alas, Doth die unknown, dazed, with dreadful face.”

12. “These bloody days have broken my heart.”