Sir Thomas Wyatt the Elder (1503-1542)

THE LOVER'S LUTE CANNOT BE BLAMED

THOUGH IT SING OF HIS LADY'S UNKINDNESS.

  1   Blame not my Lute! for he must sound
  2   Of this or that as liketh me;
3. wit: intelligence.
  3   For lack of wit the Lute is bound
  4   To give such tunes as pleaseth me ;
5. my songs be somewhat strange: —A normal love song would praise the lady and express the singer's longing for her.
6. thy change: i.e., your cheating on me.
  5   Though my songs be somewhat strange,
  6   And speak such words as touch thy change,
  7                       Blame not my Lute!

  8   My Lute! alas! doth not offend,
  9   Though that perforce he must agree
 10   To sound such tunes as I intend,
 11   To sing to them that heareth me;
 12   Then though my songs be somewhat plain,
13. some that use to feign: those who are habitual deceivers; i.e., her.
 13   And toucheth some that use to feign,
 14                       Blame not my Lute!

 15   My Lute and strings may not deny
 16   But as I strike they must obey;
 17   Break not them then so wrongfully,
18. wreak: revenge.
 18   But wreak thyself some other way ;
19. indite: write.
20. quit: requite; take revenge on.
 19   And though the songs which I indite
 20   Do quit thy change with rightful spite,
 21                       Blame not my Lute!

22. asketh: asks for, as in "Take that! You asked for it!"
 22   Spite asketh spite, and changing change,
 23   And falsèd faith must needs be known ;
 24   The fault so great, the case so strange ;
 25   Of right it must abroad be blown :
26. desart: deserving.
 26   Then since that by thine own desart
 27   My songs do tell how true thou art,
 28                       Blame not my Lute!

 29   Blame but thyself that hast misdone,
 30   And well deservèd to have blame ;
 31   Change thou thy way, so evil begone,
 32   And then my Lute shall sound that same ;
 33   But if 'till then my fingers play,
34. By thy desert their wonted way: because of what you have deserved, the way that they are accustomed to.
 34   By thy desert their wonted way,
 35                       Blame not my Lute!

 36   Farewell, unknown, for though thou break
 37   My strings in spite with great disdain,
 38   Yet have I found out for thy sake,
 39   Strings for to string my Lute again :
40. sely: silly, innocent.
 40   And if, perchance, this sely rhyme
 41   Do make thee blush, at any time,
 42                       Blame not my Lute!