Rosamund, Queen of the Lombards: A Tragedy

Name: Rosamund, Queen of the Lombards: A Tragedy
Author: Algernon Charles Swinburne

by Algernon Charles Swinburne

Pages: about 32
Category: Literature & Fiction
Language: English
Reading time: 36 min at 250 wpm

Start readingThe whole book, as cards or one word at a time. 20 min at 450 wpm in Read mode.

From the opening

This is no matter of the wars: in war Thy king, old friend, is less than king of thine, And comrade less than follower. Hast thou loved Ever—loved woman, not as chance may love, But as thou hast loved thy sword or friend—or me? Thou hast shewn me love more stout of heart than death. Death quailed before thee when thou gav’st me life, Borne down in battle.
Woman? As I love Flowers in their season. A rose is but a rose.
Dost thou know rose from thistle or bindweed? Man, Speak as our north wind speaks, if harsh and hard— Truth.
White I know from red, and dark from bright, And milk from blood in hawthorn-flowers: but not Woman from woman.
How should God our Lord, Except his eye see further than his world? For women ever make themselves anew, Meseems, to match and mock the maker. Friend, If ever I were friend of thine in fight, Speak, and I bid thee not speak truth: I know Thy tongue knows nought but truth or silence.
Is it A king’s or friend’s part, king, to bid his friend Speak what he knows not? Speak then thou, that I May find thy will and answer it.
I am fain And loth to tell thee how it wrings my heart That now this hard-eyed heavy southern sun Hath wrought its will upon us all a year And yet I know not if my wife be mine.
Thy meanest man at arms had known ere dawn Blinked on his bridal birthday.
Did I bid thee Mock, and forget me for thy friend—I say not, King? Is thy heart so light and lean a thing, So loose in faith and faint in love? I bade thee Stand to me, help me, hold my hand in thine And give my heart back answer.

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Rosamund, Queen of the Lombards: A Tragedy

From the opening

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