Rosamund | Page 3

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This etext was prepared by David Price, email [email protected]
from the 1899 Chatto & Windus edition.

ROSAMUND, QUEEN OF THE LOMBARDS A TRAGEDY
by Algernon Charles Swinburne

PERSONS REPRESENTED
ALBOVINE, King of the Lombards. ALMACHILDES, a young
Lombard warrior. NARSETES, an old leader and counsellor.
ROSAMUND, Queen of the Lombards HILDEGARD, a noble
Lombard maiden. SCENE, VERONA Time, June 573

ACT I

A hall in the Palace: a curtain drawn midway across it.
Enter ALBOVINE and NARSETES.
ALBOVINE.
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.
NARSETES.
Woman? As I love Flowers in their season. A rose is but a rose.
ALBOVINE.
Dost thou know rose from thistle or bindweed? Man, Speak as our
north wind speaks, if harsh and hard - Truth.
NARSETES.
White I know from red, and dark from bright, And milk from blood in
hawthorn-flowers: but not Woman from woman.
ALBOVINE.
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.
NARSETES.
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.
ALBOVINE.
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.
NARSETES.
Thy meanest man at arms had known ere dawn Blinked on his bridal
birthday.
ALBOVINE.
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. This it is, Old friend and fool, that gnaws my life in
twain - The worm that writhes and feeds about my heart - The devil and
God are crying in either ear One murderous word for ever, night and
day, Dark day and deadly night and deadly day, Can she love thee who
slewest her father? I Love her.
NARSETES.
Thy wife should love thee as thy sire's Loved him. Thou art worth a
woman--heart for heart.
ALBOVINE.
My sire's wife