Page:The New Life (Rossetti 1899) Siddal ed.djvu/44

38 I speak of: and I saw her body lying without its soul among many ladies, who held a pitiful weeping. Whereupon, remembering that I had seen her in the company of excellent Beatrice, I could not hinder myself from a few tears; and weeping, I conceived to say somewhat of her death, in guerdon of having seen her somewhile with my lady; which thing I spake of in the latter end of the verses that I writ in this matter, as he will discern who understands. And I wrote two sonnets, which are these:—

, Lovers, sith Love's very self doth weep,

And sith the cause for weeping is so great;

When now so many dames, of such estate

In worth, show with their eyes a grief so deep:

For Death the churl has laid his leaden sleep

Upon a damsel who was fair of late,