Estrild monologue (Act 5) — Locrine: A Tragedy

Far from here away It lies beyond the wide waste water’s bound That clasps with bitter waves this sweet land round. Thou hast seen the great sea never, nor canst dream How fairer far than earth’s most lordly stream It rolls its royal waters here and there, Most glorious born of all things anywhere, Most fateful and most godlike; fit to make Men love life better for the sweet sight’s sake And less fear death if death for them should be Shrined in the sacred splendours of the sea As God in heaven’s mid mystery. Night and day Forth of my tower-girt homestead would I stray To gaze thereon as thou upon the bright Soft river whence thy soul took less delight Than mine of the outer sea, albeit I know How great thy joy was of it. Now—for so The high gods willed it should be—once at morn Strange men there landing bore me thence forlorn Across the wan wild waters in their bark, I wist not where, through change of light and dark, Till their fierce lord, the son of spoil and strife, Made me by forceful marriage-rites his wife. Then sailed they toward the white and flower-sweet strand Whose free folk follow on thy father’s hand, And warred against him, slaying his brother: and he Hurled all their force back hurtling toward the sea, And slew my lord their king; but me he gave Grace, and received not as a wandering slave, But one whom seeing he loved for pity: why Should else a sad strange woman such as I Find in his fair sight favour? and for me He built the bower wherein I bare him thee, And whence but now he hath brought us westward, here To abide the extreme of utmost hope or fear. And come what end may ever, death or life, I live or die, if truth be truth, his wife; And none but I and thou, though day wax dim, Though night grow strong, hath any part in him.