Elizabeth I (1533-1603)
When I was Young and Fair
1When I was fair and young, and favor graced me,
2Of many was I sought their mistress for to be.
3But I did scorn them all, and said to them therefore,
4"Go, go, go, seek some otherwhere; importune me no more."
5How many weeping eyes I made to pine in woe;
6How many sighing hearts I have not skill to show,
7But I the prouder grew, and still this spake therefore:
8"Go, go, go, seek some otherwhere, importune me no more."
9Then spake fair Venus' son, that brave victorious boy,
10Saying: You dainty dame, for that you be so coy,
11I will so pluck your plumes as you shall say no more:
12"Go, go, go, seek some otherwhere, importune me no more."
13As soon as he had said, such change grew in my breast
14That neither night nor day I could take any rest.
15Wherefore I did repent that I had said before:
16"Go, go, go, seek some otherwhere, importune me no more."
Online text copyright © 2009, Ian Lancashire (the Department of English) and the University of Toronto.
Published by the Web Development Group, Information Technology Services, University of Toronto Libraries.
Original text: British Library MS Harley 7392, fol. 21v; Cambridge
University Library MS Dd.V.75, fol. 38v; cf. Bodleian Library MS Rawlinson Poetical 85, fol. 1r and
British Library MS Harley 7392, fol. 21. Elizabeth I, Collected Works, ed. Leah S. Marcus,
Janel Mueller, and Mary Beth Rose (Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press, 2000): 303-04.
First publication date:
1580
-
1589
RPO poem editor: Ian Lancashire
RP edition: RPO 1996-2000
Recent editing: 1:2002/4/18
Composition date:
1580
-
1589
Rhyme: aabb
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