I ame not she be prowess off syt

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Thursday, July 18th, 2013

¶ 1 Leave a comment on paragraph 1 0 65r

¶ 2 Leave a comment on paragraph 2 0 f. [65r]

¶ 3 Leave a comment on paragraph 3 0 1    [My]I ame not she be prowess off syt
2    kan make a yogy {joy}  off al my woo
3    nor yn swche thyngs I do delyt
4    bot as the be so most the show
5    my nowen meshape hath hapt [] so ryt
that than I wold yt lake I myt ¹
6    thys off my ffrynd to make my ffo
7    that than I wold yt laken I myt
8    to cloke my greffe wer yt doth grow

Notes & Glosses

¶ 4 Leave a comment on paragraph 4 0 1. Apparently, the scribe realized that one line had been omitted.

Commentary

¶ 5 Leave a comment on paragraph 5 0 Written in Mary Shelton’s hand, this poem remains unattributed. This poem is one of a several entries in the manuscript that speaks of counterfeiting feelings in public (see the Commentaryon “In places Wher that I company” (62v)). The poem may be related to “My hart ys set not remove” (64v) entered above since both poems have a similar rhyme scheme, metre, and sentiment. This poem sequence could present another instance of Margaret Douglas and Mary Shelton playing at one another’s texts (see the Commentaryon “when I bethynk my wontet ways” (58r)).