by Elizabeth I of England (1533 - 1603)

I greive and dare not shewe my...
Language: English 
I greive and dare not shewe my discontent;
  I love, and yet am forst to seeme to hate;
I do, yet dare not say I ever meant;
  I seem starke mute, but inwardly do prate;
I am, and not; I freese, and yet am burn'd,
Since from myself, my other self I turn'd. 

My care is like my shaddowe in the sunne,
  Followes me fliinge, flies when I pursue it;
Standes and lies by me, doth what I have don;
  His too familiar care doth make me rue it:
No meanes I finde to rid him from my brest,
Till by the end of thinges it be supprest.

Some gentler passions slide into my minde,
  For I am softe, and made of melting snowe;
Or be more cruell, Love, and soe be kynd,
  Let me or flote, or sinke, be high or lowe:
Or let me live with some more sweete content;
Or dye, and soe forget what love ere meant.

About the headline (FAQ)

Confirmed with Ballads from Manuscripts, Volume II--Part II, Ballads Relating Chiefly to the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, edited by W.R. Morfill, Hertford: Printed for the Ballad Society by Stephen Austin and Sons, 1873, page 68. Beneath the poem is the explanatory remark "Eliza Regina, upon Mounzeur’s departure". Note that many of the spellings, such as "greive" are not our standard modern spellings.


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Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2017-02-15
Line count: 18
Word count: 161