"Kings once were gods, but now like men appear; "'Tis for the royal fur, they hope to win,

"The ermin might be safe, but for the skin: "If kings have any fault, 'tis but the name,

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"And not who wears it, but the crown's to blame.”

[Exeunt.

ACT II. SCENE 1.

NORFOLK Solus.

SHOUT the loud world, sound all the vast creation," Let proud Augusta, clad in robes of triumph,

Through her glad streets, with golden trumpet sound, "And echo to the ocean that she comes:"

Maria comes, proclaim it to the world,

"Let the four winds from distant corners meet,
"And on their wings, first bear it into France,
"Then back again to Edina's proud walls,
"'Till victim to the sound th'aspiring city falls."

Enter MORTON.

Mor. My lord, I come to find you.

Nor. Pardon me ;

The mighty joy that has since fill'd my breast,

"And left no room for other tongues," has made me

Forget that you and I were foes.

Mor. And I, my lord

"Brave spirits should be stirr'd to wrath,

"As seldom as the centre is with earthquakes;

"Not like the sea disturb'd with every blast:"

I came to speak with you but as a friend.

Last night when laid to rest, prepar'd for slumber, 20
That gives soft ease to all but sorrowful

And guilty minds, a sudden dread assail'd me-
"Inspir'd by some superior power that aw'd
"And stole quick passage to my cruel bosom."
My barb'rous zeal, for a more barb'rous cause,
Began to slack, whilst true remorse and pity
Surpriz'd my soul, and held it for the queen.

Nor. Oh, may they ever hold possession there! Mor. They shall; all she's accus'd of is no more, But that she strove to cast her fetters off:

"The lion, when he's hunted to the toil, "Spares not himself, nor foes within his reach, "But wounds his bristly hide, and tears the ground, "And all for precious liberty he roars:

"Freedom, which Heaven and Nature gave to all; "But cruel man, and yet more cruel laws, deny." What if some nobleman should be found out, A subject of this realm, to wed our queen? For here are subjects of estate and rank,

May weigh their coronets with princes' crowns.

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Nor. Some such there are, if she would think them

worthy.

Mor. She must, and will, she has no other hopes.
"Steering thus wise in a Sicilian streight,"
Your jealous queen will then be freed from fears
By such a match, who all her reign has dreaded
Her marriage with some prince of France or Spain,

So to convey her title to the crown,

To the worst enemy this nation has.

Nor. Name but the man who dares aspire to be Her kneeling slave, much more her royal husband? Say is't not Leicester?

Mor. All but yourself—

Would first have nam'd the duke of Norfolk.

"Nor. Ha!

"Mor. Wonder not, sir."

Nor. I ne'er can be ambitious of a throne; But if I were, I swear to thee, oh, Morton! I would prefer the lovely Albion Queen, To crowns, to empire, or ten thousand lives. Queen, did I say? the name's too great, too distant, And sounds too mighty for a lover's hopes.

Mor. The planets all above, and men below, Have mark'd you out to be that happy man. Nor. Oh, were she not a queen,

But born of Sylvan race, her royal seat

Some mossy bank, instead of Scotland's throne:

Under no canopy but some large oak;

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"A crook in that bright hand that once a sceptre

sway'd,

"And coronet of flowers her temples wreathing,
"Whilst round her all her bleating subjects fed;"
Glad I would be to dress me like a swain,
Beg from her looks alternately my doom,
Mingle our smiles, and mix our woes together,
Sit by her side, freed from the chains of power,
And never think of curst ambition more.

Mor. Come, come, my lord, "you wrong your "hopes to hide

"This secret from the only man can serve you.
"I know you love the afflicted queen; confess,
"And," soon as she's arriv'd, I'll wait on her,
Fall on my knees, nay, prostrate on the earth,
Implore my pardon of that injur❜d saint,
And make it my request for all her subjects,
To take you for her husband, and our king.
And for her dower, her crown and liberty.

Nor. By all my shining hopes, if thou art real,
And mak'st us one, as we're one soul already,
I will reward thee with that crown thou proffer'st,
And thou shalt reign for infant James, and me;
"But, if I find thee false-

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"Hear, mighty Vengeance, and aid me with thy scorpions,

"Lend me thy surest thunder thus to grasp,
"Give me the strength and rage of Hercules,
"That I may take the monster in these hands,
"And when he proves a traitor, shake his body.”
The queen's approaching, one of us must part,
It is not fit we should be seen together;
You will go wait upon the queen of Scotland.
Oh, Morton! be thou faithful, and be great.

[Exit.

Mor. Farewel; greatness I'll owe unto myself, not

thee.

"Mary, like a proud fabric, safely stands,
"Supported by great Norfolk as a column;
"Saw but this pillar off, the building falls,

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"This hot-brain'd heedless duke, to save the queen, "Runs, blind with love, himself into the gin;

"Thus, when the king of beasts, hears his lov'd mate "Roar in the toil, with hopes to free her strait, "Scours to her aid, and meets the self same fate."

Enter Queen ELIZABETH, CECIL, attendants and guards. Qu. El. My lord, the queen's already in our walls, And passing through the city to our palace.

Mor. I hope this meeting will be kind and lasting, And prove as joyful to your majesty,

As is our welcome queen to all your subjects.

Qu. El. My lord, what mean you? Who has welcom'd her?

Mor. I mean the shouts, the joyful ring of bells, Bonfires, that turn'd the night to shining day, Soon as your orders were dispatch'd to bring her. Qu. El. Were they so much transported at the news? Mor. No doubt to please your majesty they did it. Qu. El. It does not please me; why was I not told it? "I would have added water to their flames, "Dug up their wharfs, and sluices, at their gates, "To quench their saucy fires."

Mor. 'Twas ignorance

Qu. El. 'Twas insolence!

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But how behav'd the queen? Inform me, Morton ? Did she not look as one that came in triumph, Deck'd with the spoils of all my subjects hearts? Didst thou not read upon her guilty cheeks,

D