Whoso List to Hunt · Thomas Wyati

Whoso list to hunt, I know where is an hind,female deer

But as for me, alas, I may no more:

The vain travail hath wearied me so sore.

"Though Wyatt apparently meant to publish a col- Whenever possible, we have used this manuscript's

lection of his poems, only a few of the poems were versions of Wyatt's poems. We also print poems

printed before his death (several appeared in The from the Devonshire manuscript (D. MS.) and sev-

Court of Venus, a collection published between eral others in which some ofWyatt's texts are pre-

and 1540). Most of his works circulated in served. Where modernization may obscure puns or

manuscript among aristocratic readers. After his affect Wyatt's meter, we give original spellings in

death, however, the printer Richard Tottel pub-the notes.

I am of them that farthest cometh behind;

Yet may I by no means my wearied mind

Draw from the deer: but as she fleeth afore,

Fainting I follow. I leave off therefore,

Since in a net I seek to hold the wind.

Who list her hunt, I put him out of doubt,

As well as I may spend his time in vain:

And, graven with diamonds, in letters plain

There is written her fair neck round about:

Noli me tangere. for Caesar's I am;

And wild for to hold, though I seem tame.