Could bring her here? Edward has sent her hither, To see if I will crouch to him for pardon.

Be still, my jealous heart——

Enter LADY ELIZABETH GREY.

Lady E. G. My Warwick!

Warw. 'Tis a grace I look'd not for,
That a fair fav'rite, who so late had tasted
The pleasures of a court, should condescend
To visit thus a poor abandon'd captive.

Lady E. G. I come to take my portion of misfor

tune,

To pour the balm of comfort in, and heal,

If possible, the wounds which I had made.
Too well I know I was the fatal cause

Of all thy sorrows-but the noble Edward,
For so, indeed, he is-

Warw. And art thou come,

To plead the cause of him who sent me hither?
Lady E. G. I come to be the messenger of peace,
To calm thy troubled soul, and give thee rest;
To teach my Warwick to forget his wrongs.

Warw. Forget my wrongs! was that thy errand here,

To teach me low submission to a tyrant;
To ask forgiveness, kneel, and deprecate
The wrath of blust'ring Edward? If thou com'st
On terms like these to bring me freedom, know
It will not be accepted: now I see

Through all your arts; by Heav'n, I'd rather lose
A thousand lives, than owe one to his bounty.

Lady E. G. Either my Warwick is much chang'd,
and so

I fear he is, or he would never talk

Thus coldly to me, never would despise
A life so precious, if he knew how much
Elizabeth had suffer'd to preserve it.

The gallant Edward, won by my entreaties

Warw. Entreaties! didst thou then descend so low,

As to entreat him for me?

Lady E. G. Hadst thou seen,

When I implor'd him to forgive my Warwick,
How kind he look'd, how his repenting heart
Heav'd with the pangs of agonizing friendship,
Thou wouldst have pity'd him.

Warw. Deceitful womah!

I see thy falsehood now; I am betray'd,
And thou art leagu'd with Edward to destroy me.
Go to your royal lover, and unite

Those only fit companions for each other,

A broken friendship, and a perjur'd love.

Lady E. G. Unkind suggestions! how have I deserv'd it?

Have I for this refus'd a youthful monarch,
And spurn'd his offer'd sceptre at my feet?
But since I am suspected, witness Heav'n,
And witness, Warwick, to my vows! henceforth,
Dear as thou art, I cast thee from my love;
Elizabeth will never wed-a traitor!

Warw. Am I awake, and did Elizabeth
Say she would never wed her faithful Warwick?
I wish'd for freedom, but to purchase thine:
For life, but to enjoy it with my love,
And she disclaims me.

Lady E. G. Heav'n forbid! O, Warwick,
Let not the tide of passion thus o'erwhelm
Thy reason.

Warw. Canst thou pardon me? thou know'st Th' unguarded warmth, the weakness of my nature. I would not wrong thee, but I've been so oft,

So cruelly deceiv'd.

Lady E. G. I know thou hast ; But never by Elizabeth.

Warw. O, no!

It is impossible that perfidy

Should wear a form like thine.

[Looking at her.

I wonder not

That Edward lov'd: no, when I look on thee,
All beauteous, all enchanting as thou art,
By Heav'n! I think I could almost forgive him.
Lady E. G. Then wherefore not be reconcil'd?
Warw. To whom?

The author of my wrongs? It cannot be:
Know, I have promis'd Marg'ret to destroy him.
Lady E. G. Destroy thy friend! ungen'rous, cruel
Warwick!

Is't not enough that thou hast triumph'd here?
Already we have pierc'd his noble heart

With the keen pangs of disappointed love:

And wouldst thou wound his breast with added sorrows?

Wouldst thou involve a nation in his ruin ?

Warw. Elizabeth, no more: alas! too well Thou know'st, there is a pow'rful advocate

In Warwick's breast, that pleads for perjur'd Edward.

Lady E. G. Cherish the soft emotion: O, my Warwick!

Warw. That angel form can never plead in vain:
But then, my friends-where is my solemn vow
To Margret, and to Pembroke? There's the tie.
Lady E. G. Thy league with Margret must be fa-
tal: grant

We should succeed, and Lancaster once more
Assume the throne; how dear the victory,
That's purchas'd with our fellow subjects' blood
But if we fall--

Warw. Impossible!

Lady E. G. Oh, think

Betimes, what dreadful punishments await
The vanquish'd rebel! thou, perhaps, my love,
Shalt then be doom'd to th' ignominious block,
To fall inglorious; and, when thou art gone,
Who shall defend thy poor Elizabeth?

Will act or move till Warwick shall direct them.
Edward and England's fate depend on thee.
Warw. Away, my friend; I'll follow thee.

Yet stop

[Exit PEMBROKE.

A moment-let not passion hurry me

To base dishonour-If my country calls

For Warwick's aid, shall I not hear her voice,
And save her? Pembroke may have private views,
And subtle Margret too-Elizabeth!

I must not lose thee-Oh! direct me, Heav'n! [Exit.

ACT THE FIFTH.

SCENE I.

The Palace.

Enter LADY ELIZABETH GREY.

Lady E. G. The royal pardon came too late, and

Pembroke

Already has releas'd him; he is gone-
Elizabeth may never see him more.

A thousand terrors haunt me; a fond father,
A guiltless sov'reign, a distracted lover,

Fame, fortune, friends, and country, all depend
On one eventful moment-Hark! the sound

Give us our Warwick, give us back, they cry'd,
Our hero, our deliv'rer !—I stepp'd forth,
And bade them, instant, if they wish'd to save
The best of men from infamy and death,
To follow me: transported, they obey'd:
I led them hither; forc'd the prison gates,
And brought thee this-direct it as thou wilt.
[Gives the Sword.
Warw. Welcome, once more, thou dearest gift of
Heav'n!

Immortal liberty! my friend, I thank thee.

O, Pembroke ! 'would thou hadst been here! my love, My dear Elizabeth, is true.

Pemb. You think so.

Warw. She has told me such sweet truths;
Edward repents him sorely; he is griev'd
At his ingratitude.

Pemb. And well he may;

I fear thou art betray'd: alas, my Warwick!
Thy open, gen'rous, unsuspecting virtue,
Thinks ev'ry heart as honest as thy own.
Thou know'st not Edward-nor Elizabeth.
The kingdom is in arms, and ev'ry hour
It is expected France will join the queen;
England will want her great protector's aid;
Edward and Rivers have conspir'd to cheat
Thy credulous ear; and who so ft to spread
The flimsy web as thy Elizabeth,

Their fair ambassadress? I see thou'rt caught.
Warw. By Heav'n, it may be so! I am the sport
Of fortune and of fraud.

Pemb. Away, my friend;

It is not now a time to think of her:

Margret, supported by thy pow'rful name,
And join'd by Clarence, waits us at the head
Of fifteen thousand men, who, eager all
To crush a tyrant, and pull down oppression,
Attend thy wish'd for presence; not a soldier