Ah, silly pug, wert thou so sore
afraid?
By Elizabeth I
AH, silly pug, wert thou so sore afraid?
Mourn not, my Wat, nor be thou so dismayed.
It passeth fickle fortune's power and skill
To force my heart to think thee any ill.
No fortune base, thou sayest, shall alter thee,
And may so blind a witch so conquer me?
No, no, my pug, though fortune were not blind,
Assure thyself she could not rule my mind.
Fortune, I know, sometime doth conquer kings,
And rules and reigns on earth, and earthly things;
But never think fortune can bear the sway,
If virtue watch and will her not obey.
Ne chose I thee by fickle fortune's rede,
Ne she shall force me alter with such speed;
But if to try this mistress jest with thee,
* * *
Pull up thy heart, suppress thy brackish tears,
Torment thee not, but put away thy fears.
Dread to all joys and living unto woe,
Slain quite by her that ne'er gave wise man blow,
Revive again and live without all dread;
The less afraid, the better thou shalt speed.
(Pub.
I960)
Queen Elizabeth I's Response
L.G.
Black first established that Elizabeth's poem answers
Ralegh's verse.Black found the poem in the Petyt
Collection at Inner Temple Library.
Black's transcription
from the Petyt collection at Inner Temple Library reads:
Ah silly pugge wert thou so sore afraid,
mourne not (my Wat) nor be thou so dismaid,
it passeth fickle fortunes powere and skill,
to force my harte to thinke thee any ill.
No fortune base thou saiest shall alter thee,
and may so blinde a Witche so conquere me?
no no my pugg, thoughe fortune were not blinde,
assure thy selfe she could not rule my mynde.
fortune I knowe sometimes doth conquere kinges
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