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Home  »  The Poetical Works by Sir Thomas Wyatt  »  The Lover, hopeless of greater Happiness, contenteth himself with only Pity

Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503–42). The Poetical Works. 1880.

Odes

The Lover, hopeless of greater Happiness, contenteth himself with only Pity

THO’ I cannot your cruelty constrain,

For my good will to favour me again;

Though my true and faithful love

Have no power your heart to move,

Yet rue upon my pain!

Tho’ I your thrall must evermore remain,

And for your sake my liberty restrain;

The greatest grace that I do crave

Is that ye would vouchsave

To rue upon my pain!

Though I have not deserved to obtain

So high reward, but thus to serve in vain,

Though I shall have no redress,

Yet of right ye can no less,

But rue upon my pain!

But I see well, that your high disdain

Will no wise grant that I shall more attain;

Yet ye must grant at the last

This my poor, and small request;

Rejoice not at my pain!