![\"Anne](\"http:\/\/englishhistory.net\/images\/tudor\/anne1.jpg\")
Anne Boleyn<\/p><\/div>\n
It has often been rumored that Anne was Wyatt’s mistress before Henry VIII<\/a> fell in love with her, but there is little evidence to support an actual physical relationship. Both she and Wyatt were witty and flirtatious. They enjoyed each other’s company, and there is no doubt Wyatt wished for more personal favors – but he was rebuffed, and for the simple reason that Anne had more glittering prospects (namely, the king of England himself.) Hence the bitter tone of the Petrarchan sonnet opposite. It is an intriguing portrait of Anne and specifically mentions her attachment to the king.<\/p>\n Incidentally, Wyatt was sent on a diplomatic mission to Italy in 1527. It was perhaps an attempt by Henry VIII to rid the court of a potential rival. Wyatt’s association with Anne haunted him again in 1536 when he was imprisoned for having carnal knowledge of the queen. Anne was executed but Wyatt was freed. He served as English ambassador to Spain for two years (1537-39) but suffered imprisonment again in 1541 when Thomas Cromwell<\/a> fell from power and the Norfolk faction briefly gained ascendancy over the king. Once again, Wyatt did not remain imprisoned long, but he died on 11 October 1542 of unknown causes. He had long since deserted his wife, Elizabeth Brooke, and was living with his mistress, Elizabeth Darrell, and their only child Francis.<\/p>\n As for his poetry, Wyatt’s work was circulated in manuscript during his lifetime and often highly praised.<\/p>\n The first poem was perhaps based upon Petrarch’s sonnet #190. The Latin phrase ‘Noli me tangere’ is taken from the Vulgate; it is translated as ‘Touch me not’. The poem is believed to be a direct comment upon Henry VIII’s infatuation for Anne, her character, and her newfound importance at the English court.<\/p>\n In the second poem, ‘The thing ye seek for’ is, of course, sex. This work, though undated, was probably written after Anne and Henry were wed in 1533. Perhaps Wyatt had been rebuffed by Anne once again; the poem is certainly churlish enough.<\/p>\n ‘Whoso List to Hunt, I Know Where Is An Hind’<\/strong><\/p>\n Whoso list to hunt, I know where is an hind, ‘Ye Olde Mule’<\/strong><\/p>\n Ye old mule that think yourself so fair, Sir Thomas Wyatt wrote these two famous poems inspired by Henry VIII’s tragic second queen. Wyatt was born in 1503 at Allington Castle, Kent. He was the son of Henry Wyatt and Anne Skinner, and was educated at St John’s College, part of Cambridge University. He entered the diplomatic service of Henry VIII around 1526, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/englishhistory.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/216"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/englishhistory.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/englishhistory.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/englishhistory.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/englishhistory.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=216"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/englishhistory.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/216\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4803,"href":"https:\/\/englishhistory.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/216\/revisions\/4803"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/englishhistory.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=216"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/englishhistory.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=216"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/englishhistory.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=216"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nBut as for me, h\u00e9las, I may no more.
\nThe vain travail hath wearied me so sore,
\nI am of them that farthest cometh behind.
\nYet may I by no means my wearied mind
\nDraw from the deer, but as she fleeth afore
\nFainting I follow. I leave off therefore,
\nSithens in a net I seek to hold the wind.
\nWho list her hunt, I put him out of doubt,
\nAs well as I may spend his time in vain.
\nAnd graven with diamonds in letters plain
\nThere is written, her fair neck round about:
\nNoli me tangere, for Caesar<\/a>‘s I am,
\nAnd wild for to hold, though I seem tame.<\/p>\n
\nLeave off with craft your beauty to repair,
\nFor it is true, without any fable,
\nNo man setteth more by riding in your saddle.
\nToo much travail so do your train appair.
\nYe old mule
\nWith false savour though you deceive th’air,
\nWhoso taste you shall well perceive your lair
\nSavoureth somewhat of a Kappurs stable.
\nYe old mule
\nYe must now serve to market and to fair,
\nAll for the burden, for panniers a pair.
\nFor since gray hairs been powdered in your sable,
\nThe thing ye seek for, you must yourself enable
\nTo purchase it by payment and by prayer,
\nYe old mule.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"