The works of Sir Thomas Wyatt

Sir Thomas Wyatt
1503-1542



He was brought up a Roman Catholic. However, Wyatt is said to have been turned into an enemy of the Spaniards by witnessing the activities of the Spanish Inquisition while accompanying his father on a mission to Spain. On his father's death in 1542, he inherited Allington Castle and Boxley Abbey. He served in the war against France, and was knighted in 1547. During the reign of King Edward VI, he was arrested for breaking windows while drunk. He was tried before the Privy Council and imprisoned in the Tower of London.

On his release, he went to fight for the Habsburg emperor (who was also king of Spain), Charles V in Flanders, obtaining further valuable military experience. In 1543 he took part in the siege of Landrecies, and in the following year was at the siege of Boulogne.

Returning to Allington, Wyatt lived quietly until the uprising by the Duke of Northumberland, to put Lady Jane Grey on the throne. Escaping punishment by Queen Mary, he took no further part in politics until Mary's plans to marry Philip the prince of Spain, later Philip II of Spain, became known. In 1554 he joined with the conspirators who combined to prevent the marriage. A general movement was planned; but Wyatts fellow-conspirators were timid and inept, the rising was serious only in Kent, and Wyatt became a formidable rebel mostly by accident. On January 22, 1554 he summoned a meeting of his friends at his castle of Allington, and January 25 was fixed for the rising.

Wyatt was brought to trial onMarch 15, and could make no defence. Execution was for a time delayed, no doubt in the hope that in order to save his life he would say enough to compromise the queen's sister Elizabeth, afterwardsQueen Elizabeth, in whose interests the rising was supposed to have been made. But he would not confess enough to render her liable to a trial fortreason. It was only through Elizabeth's dignity and composure that she managed to escape from the scandal unharmed, although she was spied upon and placed under house arrest for the rest of her sister's reign.

Wyatt was executed onApril 11, and on the scaffold expressly cleared the princess of all complicity in the rising. After he was beheaded, his body was quartered.

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Forget not yet

Forget not yet the tried intent
Of such a truth as I have meant;
My great travail so gladly spent,
Forget not yet!

Forget not yet when first began
The weary life ye know, since whan
The suit, the service, none tell can;
Forget not yet!

Forget not yet the great assays,
The cruel wrong, the scornful ways,
The painful patience in delays,
Forget not yet!

Forget not! O, forget not this!--
How long ago hath been, and is,
The mind that never meant amiss--
Forget not yet!

Forget not then thine own approved,
The which so long hath thee so loved,
Whose steadfast faith yet never moved:
Forget not this!

The Appeal

And wilt thou leave me thus!
Say nay, say nay, for shame!
— To save thee from the blame
Of all my grief and grame.
And wilt thou leave me thus?
Say nay! say nay!

And wilt thou leave me thus,
That hath loved thee so long
In wealth and woe among:
And is thy heart so strong
As for to leave me thus?
Say nay! say nay!

And wilt thou leave me thus,
That hath given thee my heart
Never for to depart
Neither for pain nor smart:
And wilt thou leave me thus?
Say nay! say nay!

And wilt thou leave me thus,
And have no more pitye
Of him that loveth thee?
Alas, thy cruelty!
And wilt thou leave me thus?
Say nay! say nay!

A Revocation

What should I say?
— Since Faith is dead,
And Truth away
From you is fled?
Should I be led
With doubleness?
Nay! nay! mistress.

I promised you,
And you promised me,
To be as true
As I would be.
But since I see
Your double heart,
Farewell my part!

Thought for to take
'Tis not my mind;
But to forsake
One so unkind;
And as I find
So will I trust.
Farewell, unjust!

Can ye say nay
But that you said
That I alway
Should be obeyed?
And — thus betrayed
Or that I wist!
Farewell, unkist!

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