Poems (Shore)/Mary Stuart
For works with similar titles, see Mary Stuart.
MARY STUART
The latest of these scattered fragments is a very short one—a conversation between Mary Stuart and one of her maids of honour, Mary Fleming, who subsequently married Maitland of Lethington.
Queen. So this sage Maitland is—pray tell me why—
The humblest of my servants.
Mary. Credulous serpent,
To whom your half asleep and baby beauty
Plays harmless dove.
QUEEN. Thanks, dear, for teaching me
The secret of my charm. You mean, no doubt,
He thinks me a born fool.
Mary. Heaven pardon me,
I mean no less.
Queen.Then he shall find in me
The most contented idiot of my kind,
Till I grow weary of his worship.
Mary. Then
You'll let him see you are as wise as he.
The humblest of my servants.
Mary. Credulous serpent,
To whom your half asleep and baby beauty
Plays harmless dove.
QUEEN. Thanks, dear, for teaching me
The secret of my charm. You mean, no doubt,
He thinks me a born fool.
Mary. Heaven pardon me,
I mean no less.
Queen.Then he shall find in me
The most contented idiot of my kind,
Till I grow weary of his worship.
Mary. Then
You'll let him see you are as wise as he.