12 MARCH 1937, Page 13

MARY STUART

MY brother Jamie lost me all, Fell cleverly to make me fall, And with a sure reluctant hand Reft my life and took my land.

It was jealousy of the womb That let me in and shut him out, Honesty, kingship, all shut out, While I enjoyed the royal room.

My father was his, but not my mother, We were, yet were not, sister, brother, To reach my mother he had to strike Me down and leap that deadly dyke.

Over the wall I watched him move At ease through all the guarded grove, Then hack, and hack, and hack it down, Until that ruin was his own.

EDWIN MUIR.