Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.
O SAW ye not fair Ines? | |
She ‘s gone into the West, | |
To dazzle when the sun is down, | |
And rob the world of rest: | |
She took our daylight with her, | 5 |
The smiles that we love best, | |
With morning blushes on her cheek, | |
And pearls upon her breast. | |
|
O turn again, fair Ines, | |
Before the fall of night, | 10 |
For fear the Moon should shine alone, | |
And stars unrivall’d bright; | |
And blessèd will the lover be | |
That walks beneath their light, | |
And breathes the love against thy cheek | 15 |
I dare not even write! | |
|
Would I had been, fair Ines, | |
That gallant cavalier, | |
Who rode so gaily by thy side, | |
And whisper’d thee so near! | 20 |
Were there no bonny dames at home, | |
Or no true lovers here, | |
That he should cross the seas to win | |
The dearest of the dear? | |
|
I saw thee, lovely Ines, | 25 |
Descend along the shore, | |
With bands of noble gentlemen, | |
And banners waved before; | |
And gentle youth and maidens gay, | |
And snowy plumes they wore: | 30 |
It would have been a beauteous dream,— | |
If it had been no more! | |
|
Alas, alas! fair Ines, | |
She went away with song, | |
With Music waiting on her steps, | 35 |
And shoutings of the throng; | |
But some were sad, and felt no mirth, | |
But only Music’s wrong, | |
In sounds that sang Farewell, farewell, | |
To her you’ve loved so long. | 40 |
|
Farewell, farewell, fair Ines! | |
That vessel never bore | |
So fair a lady on its deck, | |
Nor danced so light before,— | |
Alas for pleasure on the sea, | 45 |
And sorrow on the shore! | |
The smile that bless’d one lover’s heart | |
Has broken many more! | |