Born to rule by God’s design,

It was his wish it was not mine,

Happiness was before I wore the crown,

With wealth and favour I am blessed,

And suitors by the hundred, yes,

But tis not me they love but my renown,

There’s but one that has my heart’s desire,

That sets my soul ablaze like fire,

Yet never can I say the words I feel,

Tis Robert that I love so much,

The Earl Of Essex tender touch,

But never can my feelings be revealed,

My council warn I should take heed,

That Robert’s love is born of greed,

And he wears ambition like an eaglet’s wing,

They say that I may be deceived,

And I’m troubled as to who to believe,

Does Robert one day see himself as king?

He has no money, this I know,

Nor chambers he could call his own,

Save the ones I gave him as a gift,

All he owns was one time mine,

Even the tax on sweetened wine,

How could he ask of me much more than this?

I panda to his every whim,

And wish that I could marry him,

Yet I know there never can come such a day,

For though my heart may turn to ice,

I must make that sacrifice,

For England, for that’s where my duty lay,

Some time ago word reached my ear,

That Robert that I love so dear,

Had letters from King Ferdinand of Spain,

And from that upstart king of Scotland too,

God help me what am I to do?

Never has my heart felt so much pain,

In council chambers he contrived,

To draw his sword against my life,

And now lays siege against my castle walls,

Arrest this traitor, I am told,

This Earl of Essex grows too bold,

And England will not rest, till his head falls,

So with regret it’s my decree,

He be detained for treachery,

For in conscience I cannot deny the facts,

I’ll spare what followers I can,

That fought beside this foolish man,

But I can’t save Robert from the headsman’s axe,

Outside the crowd is cheering loud,

I hear Robert speaking to the crowd,

Or maybe to the headsman, I don’t know,

I have duties here I must pretend,

As reason I cannot attend,

To see the headsman take his fatal blow,

For though history will not record this scene,

But paint me as a heartless Queen,

With Robert’s life, there also goes my own,

For by my rule he meets his death,

Now only loneliness is left,

He was the only love I’ve ever known.

 By S.E.Ralph