Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503–42)

They fle from me that sometyme did me seke

With naked fote stalking in my chambre.

I have sene theim gentill, tame, and meke

That nowe are wyld and do not remembre

That sometyme they put theimself in daunger

To take bred at my hand; and nowe they raunge

Besely seking with a continuell chaunge.

Thancked be fortune it hath ben othrewise

Twenty tymes better, but ons in speciall,

In thyn arraye after a pleasaunt gyse,

When her lose gowne from her shoulders did fall,

And she me caught in her armes long and small,

Therewithall swetely did me kysse,

And softely said "dere hert, howe like you this?"

It was no dreme: I lay brode waking.

But all is torned thorough my gentilnes

Into a straunge fasshion of forsaking;

And I have leve to goo of her goodeness,

And she also to vse new fangilnes.

But syns that I so kyndely ame served,

I would fain knowe what she hath deserved.

They flee from me, that somtime did me seke

With naked fote stalkyng within my chamber.

Once haue I seen them gentle, tame, and meke,

That now are wild, and do not once remember

That sometyme they haue put them selues in danger,

To take bread at my hand, and now they range,

Busily sekyng in continuall change.

Thanked be fortune, it hath bene otherwise

Twenty tymes better: but once especiall,

In thinne aray, after a pleasant gyse,

When her loose gowne did from her shoulders fall,

And she me caught in her armes long and small,

And therwithall, so swetely did me kysse,

And softly sayd: deare hart, how like you this?

It was no dreame: for I lay broade awakyng.

But all is turnde now through my gentlenesse.

Into a bitter fashion of forsakyng:

And I haue leaue to go of her goodnesse,

And she also to vse newfanglenesse.

But, sins that I vnkyndly so am serued:

How like you this, what hath she now deserued?