These bloody days have broken my
heart,
My lust, my youth did them depart.
For your wit alone many men would bemoan,
And since it is so, many still cry aloud.
It is a great loss that you are dead and gone,
A time you had above your poor degree,
Before whereof your friends may well bemoan,
A rotten twig upon so high a tree has slipped your hold
And you are dead and gone.
These bloody days have broken my heart,
My lust, my youth did them depart.
And blind desire of ambitious souls,
Who haste to climb seeks to revert and about the throne
The thunder rolls.
My lust, my youth did them depart.
For your wit alone many men would bemoan,
And since it is so, many still cry aloud.
It is a great loss that you are dead and gone,
A time you had above your poor degree,
Before whereof your friends may well bemoan,
A rotten twig upon so high a tree has slipped your hold
And you are dead and gone.
These bloody days have broken my heart,
My lust, my youth did them depart.
And blind desire of ambitious souls,
Who haste to climb seeks to revert and about the throne
The thunder rolls.
_________________
Ces jours sanglants ont brisé mon cœur,
Mon désir, ma jeunesse là sont partis,
Par le vouloir d’un seul, beaucoup d’hommes se désolent
Et depuis cela, beaucoup crient et pleurent
C’est une grande perte que vous êtes morts et allés
Une fois atteint votre dérisoire état,
Après quoi, vos amis peuvent pleurer,
D'un vaste arbre une branche pourrie
Qui a fait glisser votre prise..
Et vous êtes morts et en allés.
Ces jours sanglants ont brisé mon cœur,
Mon désir, ma jeunesse là sont partis,
Et l’aveugle désir des âmes ambitieuses
Qui se hâte à s’élever veut revenir
Et autour du trône la foudre roule..
__________________
Poem in extenso
These
bloody days have broken my heart.
My lust, my youth did them depart,
And blind desire of estate.
Who hastes to climb seeks to revert.
Of truth, circa Regna tonat.
My lust, my youth did them depart,
And blind desire of estate.
Who hastes to climb seeks to revert.
Of truth, circa Regna tonat.
Who list his wealth and
ease retain,
Himself let him unknown contain.
Press not too fast in at that gate
Where the return stands by disdain,
For sure, circa Regna tonat.2
Himself let him unknown contain.
Press not too fast in at that gate
Where the return stands by disdain,
For sure, circa Regna tonat.2
The high mountains are
blasted oft
When the low valley is mild and soft.
Fortune with Health stands at debate.
The fall is grievous from aloft.
And sure, circa Regna tonat.
When the low valley is mild and soft.
Fortune with Health stands at debate.
The fall is grievous from aloft.
And sure, circa Regna tonat.
These bloody days have
broken my heart.
My lust, my youth did them depart,
For your wit alone many men would bemoan,
And since it is so, many still cry aloud.
The bell tower showed me such sight
That in my head sticks day and night.
There did I learn out of a grate,
For all favour, glory, or might,
That yet circa Regna tonat.
My lust, my youth did them depart,
For your wit alone many men would bemoan,
And since it is so, many still cry aloud.
The bell tower showed me such sight
That in my head sticks day and night.
There did I learn out of a grate,
For all favour, glory, or might,
That yet circa Regna tonat.
By proof, I say, there did
I learn:
Wit helpeth not defence too yerne,
Of innocency to plead or prate.
Bear low, therefore, give God the stern,
For sure, circa Regna tonat.
Wit helpeth not defence too yerne,
Of innocency to plead or prate.
Bear low, therefore, give God the stern,
For sure, circa Regna tonat.
__________________
Ces jours sanglants ont brisé mon cœur,
Mon désir, ma jeunesse là sont partis,
Et l’aveugle désir d’établissement
Qui se hâte à s’élever
Cherche à revenir en arrière
Il tonne sur le royaume
Qui sa richesse
compte et détient,
Lui-même ignore ce qu’elle contient.
N’appuyez sur pas trop sur cette grille
Dont le retour est le mépris..
Lui-même ignore ce qu’elle contient.
N’appuyez sur pas trop sur cette grille
Dont le retour est le mépris..
Il tonne sur le royaume
Les hautes montagnes sont
souvent danger
Quand la basse vallée est douce et sure.
Fortune et santé s’empêchent
Quand la basse vallée est douce et sure.
Fortune et santé s’empêchent
D'en haut plus que d’en bas la chute est
dure.
Ces jours sanglants ont brisé mon cœur,
Mon désir, ma jeunesse là sont partis
Par le vouloir d’un seul, beaucoup d’hommes se désolent
Et depuis cela, beaucoup crient et pleurent
La Tour de l'horloge un tel spectacle m’a montré
Que dans ma tête nuit et jour il est inscrit.
Où appuyé sur une grille j'ai appris
Que pour toute faveur, la gloire, ou pouvoir,
Près du trône la foudre tonne.
En preuve, je le dis, là j’ai appris:
Vœu de soutien ni défense trop hâtive,
De l'innocence à plaider ou gloser.
Demeurez faible, donnez à Dieu son dû,
Près du trône le tonnerre roule .
Vœu de soutien ni défense trop hâtive,
De l'innocence à plaider ou gloser.
Demeurez faible, donnez à Dieu son dû,
Près du trône le tonnerre roule .
____________________
The famous
Thomas Wyatt's poem, vritten after he sees Anne Boleyn beheaded (and his friend too) from
his prison cell, the scaffold having being erected on the Bell Tower's bottom (it is said) expresses his
horror, sadness, hidden revolt against Henry VIII's tyranny, and his wise desire to live forever far from the vanity of this world.. Thomas had been mysteriously
spared although he obviously was an Anne's admirer (in poetry).. and not the others ! proof her
trial was a plot instigated by the
king -with Cromwell- in order to regain favor with Spain, at a time when Charles V
his powerful rival have decided to ally with France ; the position was very
dangerous for Henry, alone against two enormous forces gathered.. and Anne's head did not weighed heavy for him who urgently wanted to escape out of this ditch of shit (he was not famous for his conscience's cases!) She was hated by Charles V (she had taken Catherine's place as queen of England -Catherine, Henry's first wife -who he forced to divorce- was the king's Spain daughter and so, Charles's aunt-.)
Note: returned to favor with Henry (!) Thomas Wyatt was later appointed by the king.. ambassador to Spain ! highest position if ever there were! and connected to Anne's death ! "Do what I say and never what I do" could be the title of this poem !
_________________________
Ce poème fut écrit après que Thomas Wyatt fut témoin de sa cellule de l'exécution d'Anne et de ses amis. Il avait été épargné mystérieusement car il était, lui, un admirateur "officiel" de la reine, preuve que son procès était un complot ourdi par Henry pour se réconcilier avec l'Espagne, au moment où Charles Quint venait de s'allier avec la France, ce qui mettait l'Angleterre dans une situation dangereuse, isolée entre deux puissants ennemis ligués: la tête d'Anne ne pesait pas lourd pour se tirer de ce mauvais pas.
Note : rentré en grâce, le poète fut ensuite
nommé ambassadeur en Espagne, poste haut placé s'il en fut et
directement relié à la mort d'Anne! Fais ce que je dis et non ce que je
fais.
