Forget not yet the tried intent
Of such a truth as I have meant;
My great travail so gladly spent,
Forget not yet!
Forget not yet when first began
The weary life ye know, since when
The suit, the service, none tell can;
Forget not yet!
Forget not yet the great essays,
The cruel wrong, the scornful ways,
The painful patience in denays,
Forget not yet!
Forget not yet, forget not this,
How long ago hath been, and is,
The mind that never meant amiss–
Forget not yet!
Forget not then thine own approved,
The which so long hath thee so loved,
Whose steadfast faith yet never moved:
Forget not this!
Sir Thomas Wyatt. 1503–1542
Boadicea's Chariot 
Third verse, first line ends … assays 🙂
…not in my old Norton Anthology, fifth edition, it doesn’t! Although, in a way, I sort of prefer assays; it adds to the archaic feel. 🙂
Boadicea read the original manuscript. Believe me, that’s what he wrote.
You need to blow it up a bit and be able to read 16th century script. 🙂
Wow; where did you get that?
I stand corrected 😉
My “Complete Works of Thomas Wyatt” says ‘assays’!
The manuscript is on this site. Under Thomas Wyatt – additional sources. One could get lost on that site for a very long time!
Assays, defined as tests or trials, makes more sense I reckon! 🙂
It is probably a derivative of the Norman French, based on essayer, the verb to try.
Assay is still a word in common use. Geology, metallurgy and so on. 🙂