> > 50/50 iambic pentameter lines and four-stress lines. Difficult to know
> > quite what to do with something like that.)
>
> Read it aloud, dear boy, read it aloud.
>
> joanna

Would that it were so simple. That works with the Egerton version, which is
a great poem, but the Devonshire version is simply a mess.

I'll include the three versions (there's also what Tottel/Grimald does to
it), see what people think. The Devonshire version is one that can be
difficult to find. The text below is taken from Raymond Southall's PhD
transcript of the Devonshire MS.

(Joanna, I seem to remember asking you if you wanted to see what I'd done on
this -- are you still interested? If so, I'll fire it off to you as an
email Attachment.)

Robin

                          DEVONSHIRE VERSION

        Nowe fare well love \\ and thy lawes for ever .
        thye baytid hookis shall tangle me no more
        to sore a profe hathe called me from thy lore
        to surer welthe \\ my wyttis to endevour
        In blynde errour whylist I dede perseuer 5
        thye sharpe repulse \\ that pryckith so sore
        hathe taught me to sett \\ in tryfflis no store \
        but skape forthe . for libretye is lever .
        therefore farewell go truble yonger hertes
        and in me clayme no more autorytye 10
        with Idle youth goo vse thye propretye
        And therevpon go spende thy brittle dartes
        for hidreto \\ I have loste mye tyme
        me liste no lengre rottyn bowes to clyme \

                           EGERTON VERSION

        ffarewell Love and all thy lawes for ever
           thy bayted hookes shall tangill me no more
           Senec and Plato call me from thy lore
           to perfaict welth my wit for to endever
        In blynde errour when I did perseuer 5
           thy sherpe repulce that pricketh ay so sore
           hath taught me to sett // in tryfels no store
           and scape fourth syns libertie is lever
        Therefore farewell goo trouble yonger hertes
           and in me clayme no more authoritie 10
           with idill yeuth goo vse thy propertie
           And theron spend thy many brittill dertes
           for hetherto though I have lost all my tyme
           me lusteth no lenger rotten boughes to clyme

TOTTEL VERSION

           A renouncing of loue.

        Farewell, Loue, and all thy lawes for euer.
        Thy bayted hokes shall tangle me no more.
        Senec, and Plato call me from thy lore:
        To parfit wealth my wit for to endeuer.
        In blinde errour when I dyd perseuer:
        Thy sharp repulse, that pricketh aye so sore:
        Taught me in trifles that I set no store:
        But scape forth thence: since libertie is leuer.
        Therefore, farewell: go trouble yonger hartes:
        And in me claime no more auctoritie.
        With ydle youth go vse thy propartie:
        And theron spend thy many brittle dartes.
        For, hytherto though I haue lost my tyme:
        Me lyst no lenger rotten bowes to clime.