The Lover having broken his Bondage, voweth never more to be enthralled. Odes. Sir Thomas Wyatt. 1880. The Poetical Works

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

Odes

The Lover having broken his Bondage, voweth never more to be enthralled


IN æternum I was once determed,
For to have loved and my mind affirmed,
That with my heart it should be confirmed,
In æternum.
Forthwith I found the thing that I might like,	5
And sought with love to warm her heart alike,
For as me thought I should not see the like,
In æternum.
To trace this dance I put myself in press,
Vain Hope did lead, and bade I should not cesse,	10
To serve to suffer, and still to hold my peace
In æternum.
With this first rule I furtherd me a pace,
That as me thought my truth had taken place,
With full assurance to stand in her grace,	15
In æternum.
It was not long ere I by proof had found
That feeble building is on feeble ground,
For in her heart this word did never sound
In æternum.	20
In æternum then from my heart I cest
That, I had first determined for the best,
Now in the place another thought doth rest,
In æternum.