Mary Stuart

Quatrains held at the Public Record Office

Contributor: Professor Rosalind Smith

Date: 1582

Material: MSS

Source: National Archives: Public Record Office, Mary Queen of Scots Vol. XII. 31: SP53/12

Permissions: Reproduced with permission.

Images Transcription Translation

 

manuscript

 

 

 

 

 

Celuy vraiment, na poinct de courtoisie

Qui en bon lieu, ne montre son scauoir

Estant requis d’escripre en poesie :

Il vauldroit mieux du tout n’en poinct auoir :-

 

Les Dieux, les Cieux, la mort, & la haine & l’envie,

Sont sourds, irès, cruels, animès contre moy

Prier, Soufrir, Pleurer, à chascun estre amye

Sont les remedes seuls qu’entent d’ennuitz ie voy :-

 

 

 

 

 

Whoever, truly, has no refinement,

Who in the suburbs shows no learning,

Being obliged to write in poetry,

It would be best of all to have nothing:

 

Gods, heavens, death, and hatred and envy

Are deaf: anger and cruelty, conspire against me;

To pray, to suffer, to cry, to be a friend to everyone

Are the sole remedies which deal with the troubles I see.