Fondly to stroke and pet the curly head,
The smooth, round curls so strongly like the dead,
To kiss the white lips of his marble boy,
And call by name his little heart’s-desired.
Mary Stuart’s Prayer
Of the English versions of the prayer of Mary, Queen of Scots, two of the best are as follows. The first is from Swinburne’s tragedy, “Mary Stuart”:
O Lord, my God,
I have trusted in Thee;
O Jesu, my dearest One,
Now set me free.