Death & Dying

A Third Tribute to Wyatt

by Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey 1517–1547

From Poems (ed. Padelford, 1920)

Death & Dying

W. resteth here, that quick could neuer rest;
Whose heauenly giftes encreased by disdain,
And vertue sank the deper in his brest:
Such profit he by enuy could obtain.

A hed, where wisdom misteries did frame;
Whose hammers bet styll in that liuely brayn
As on a stithe, where that some work of fame
Was dayly wrought, to turne to Britaines gayn.

A visage, stern and myld; where bothe did grow,
Vice to contemne, in vertue to reioyce;
Amid great stormes, whom grace assured so,
To lyue vpright, and smile at fortunes choyce.

A hand, that taught what might be sayd in ryme;
That reft Chaucer the glory of his wit;
A mark, the which — vnparfited, for time —
Some may approche, but neuer none shall hit.

A toung, that serued in forein realmes his king;
Whose courteous talke to vertue did enflame
Eche noble hart; a worthy guide to bring
Our English youth, by trauail, vnto fame.

An eye, whose iudgement none affect could blinde.
Frendes to allure, and foes to reconcile;
Whose persing loke did represent a mynde
With vertue fraught, reposed, voyd of gyle.

A hart, where drede was neuer so imprest
To hyde the thought that might the trouth auance;
In neyther fortune lost, nor yet represt,
To swell in wealth, or veld vnto mischance.

A valiant corps, where force and beawty met,
Happy, alas! to happy, but for foes,
Lieud, and ran the race that nature set;
Of manhodes shape, where she the molde did lose.

But to the heauens that simple soule is fled;
Which left with such, as couet Christ to know,
Witnesse of faith that neuer shall be ded;
Sent for our helth, but not receiued so.

Thus, for our gilte, this iewel haue we lost;
The earth his bones, the heavens possesse his gost.

MLA

Howard, Henry, Earl of Surrey. “A Third Tribute to Wyatt.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/surrey/45/.

Chicago

Howard, Henry, Earl of Surrey. “A Third Tribute to Wyatt.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/surrey/45/.

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