Puslapio vaizdai
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No hateful thing nor fearful if she stand

Such a queen proven as should prove honorable

The rule of women, and in her that thing Be shown forth good that was call'd evil of me,

Blest and not curst-then have I sinn'd, and they

That would have cross'd me would have cross'd not God:

Whereof now judge ye. Hath she brought with her

Peace, or a sword? and since her incoming Hath the land sat in quiet, and the men Seen rest but for one year? or came not in Behind her feet, right at her back, and shone

Above her crown'd head as a fierier crown,
Death, and about her as a raiment wrapt
Ruin ? and where her foot was ever turn'd
Or her right hand was pointed, hath there
fallen

No fire, no cry burst forth of war, no sound
As of a blast blown of an host of men
For summons of destruction? Hath God
shown

For sign she had found grace in his sight, and we

For her sake favor, while she hath reign'd

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To bring it in your mind if God ere now Have borne me witness; in that dreary day

When men's hearts fail'd them for pure grief and fear

To see the tyranny that was, and rule Of this queen's mother, where was no light left

But of the fires wherein his servants died, I bade those lords that clave in heart to God

And were perplex'd with trembling and with tears

Lift up their hearts, and fear not; and they heard

What some now hear no more, the word I spake

Who have been with them, as their own souls know,

In their most extreme danger; Cowper Moor,

Saint Johnston, and the Crags of Edinburgh,

Are recent in my heart; yea, let these know,

That dark and dolorous night wherein all they

With shame and fear were driven forth of

this town

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He put a word, and knowledge in my heart,

When I was fast bound of his enemies'

hands

An oarsman on their galleys, and beheld From off the sea whereon I sat in chains The walls wherein I knew that I there bound

Should one day witness of him; and this pledge

Hath God redeem'd not? Nay then, in

God's name,

If that false word fell unfulfill'd of mine, Heed ye not now nor hear me when I say

That for this woman's sake shall God cut off

The hand that spares her as the hand that shields,

And make their memory who take part with her

As theirs who stood for Baal against the Lord

With Ahab's daughter; for her reign and end

Shall be like Athaliah's, as her birth

Was from the womb of Jezebel, that slew The prophets, and made foul with blood and fire

The same land's face that now her seed makes foul

With whoredoms and with witchcrafts; yet they say

Peace, where is no peace, while the adul

terous blood

Feeds yet with life and sin the murderous

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LOVE's priestess, mad with pain and joy of song,

Song's priestess, mad with joy and pain of love,

Name above all names that are lights above,

We have lov'd, prais'd, pitied, crown'd, and done thee wrong,

O thou past praise and pity; thou the sole
Utterly deathless, perfect only and whole
Immortal, body and soul.

For over all whom time hath overpast
The shadow of sleep inexorable is cast,
The implacable sweet shadow of perfect
sleep

That gives not back what life gives death to keep;

Yea, all that liv'd and lov'd and sang and sinn'd

Are all borne down death's cold, sweet, soundless wind

That blows all night and knows not whom its breath,

Darkling, may touch to death:

But one that wind hath touch'd and changed not, one

Whose body and soul are parcel of the

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heart

All

That hath brought forth a wonder to the world

All

love, with eyes love-blinded from above;

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Song's priestess, mad with joy and pain of love,

Love's priestess, mad with pain and joy of song.

Hast thou none other answer then for me
Than the air may have of thee,
Or the earth's warm woodlands girdling
with green girth

Thy secret, sleepless, burning life on earth, Or even the sea that once, being woman crown'd

And girt with fire and glory of anguish round,

Thou wert so fain to seek to, fain to crave

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When thou wast but the tawny sweet wing'd Shone sole and stern before her and

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