Thomas Wyati(I503–1542)
Blame Not My Lute
Blame not my lute, for he must sound
Of this or that as liketh me;
For lack of wit the lute is bound
To give such tunes as pleaseth me;
Though my songs be somewhat strange
And speaks such words as touch thy change,
Blame Not My Lute
My lute, alas, doth not offend,
Though that perforce he must agree
To sound such tunes as I intend
To sing to them that heareth me;
Then though my songs be somewhat plain,
And toucheth some that use to fain,
Blame Not My Lute
My lute and strings may not deny
But as I strike they must obey;
Break not them then so wrongfully,
But wreak thyself some wiser way;avenge
And though the songs which I enditecompose
Do quite thy change with rightful spite,answer
Blame Not My Lute
Spite asketh spite and changing change,
And falsed faith must needs be known,betrayed
The fault so great, the case so strange,
Of right it must abroad be blown:
Then since that by thine own desert
My songs do tell how true thou art,
Blame Not My Lute
Blame but thy self that hast misdone
And well deserved to have blame;
Change thou thy way so evil begun
And then my lute shall sound that same;
But if till then my fingers play
By thy desart their wonted way,usual
Blame Not My Lute
Farewell, unknown, for though thou break
My strings in spite with great disdain
Yet have I found out for thy sake
Strings for to string my lute again;
And if perchance this foolish rhyme
Do make thee blush at any time
Blame Not My Lute