Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems By the Lady E. Stuart Wortley. In Three Vols |
 | I, II, III. |
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MANUEL TO INEZ.
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 | Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems |  |
MANUEL TO INEZ.
(FROM A MANUSCRIPT POEM.)
I doubt not of thy tenderness,
I only doubt thy truth;
Thy passion's in its earliest dawn,
Thy love in its first youth.
I only doubt thy truth;
Thy passion's in its earliest dawn,
Thy love in its first youth.
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Forgive me if thy constancy
I wrongfully may doubt;
Oh! never was so deep a love,
Fear's venomed sting without.
I wrongfully may doubt;
Oh! never was so deep a love,
Fear's venomed sting without.
Would I might measure thy heart's truth
Undoubtingly by mine;
My heart and soul, and present time,
And future doom are thine.
Undoubtingly by mine;
My heart and soul, and present time,
And future doom are thine.
I doubt not of thy tenderness,
But doubt thy future truth;
Thy passion is but newly-formed,
Thy love in its first youth.
But doubt thy future truth;
Thy passion is but newly-formed,
Thy love in its first youth.
Oh! that long years already had
On this stamped deep their seal,
And merged in happy confidence,
The torturing fears I feel
On this stamped deep their seal,
And merged in happy confidence,
The torturing fears I feel
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Though thus to lose so much of life,
So much of love, in sooth,
Were sorrow to this burning heart,
Enough! to know thy truth.
So much of love, in sooth,
Were sorrow to this burning heart,
Enough! to know thy truth.
And now, with pensiveness and gloom,
I falteringly foresee
A thousand fever-fits of fear,
My portion yet must be.
I falteringly foresee
A thousand fever-fits of fear,
My portion yet must be.
Oh! I shall watch thy love as one
Might watch some tender plant,
And watching it, with doubt and dread
Shall ever trembling pant.
Might watch some tender plant,
And watching it, with doubt and dread
Shall ever trembling pant.
If the sun shine upon its stem,
'Twill seem to shine too strong,
Or if the rain pour down instead,
I still should fear some wrong.
'Twill seem to shine too strong,
Or if the rain pour down instead,
I still should fear some wrong.
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'Twill fill my heart with heaviness,
Whatever wind may blow!—
For me such sufferings are prepared,
I deeply feel and know.
Whatever wind may blow!—
For me such sufferings are prepared,
I deeply feel and know.
Then would that years already had
To that sweet plant giv'n strength,
So that I might repose in peace,
And trust thy love at length.
To that sweet plant giv'n strength,
So that I might repose in peace,
And trust thy love at length.
To lose so much of life and love,
In dull Oblivion's shade,
This were a mighty sacrifice,
Yet, would that it were made!
In dull Oblivion's shade,
This were a mighty sacrifice,
Yet, would that it were made!
One hour of sunny confidence,
And fearless faith and trust,
Were all my soul durst ask, although
The next should see me dust.
And fearless faith and trust,
Were all my soul durst ask, although
The next should see me dust.
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Then roll, roll on—speed fast, ye years,
And give me to my fate!
If bright—it cannot come too soon,
Though dark—I would not wait!
And give me to my fate!
If bright—it cannot come too soon,
Though dark—I would not wait!
| Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems | |