"Like falling drops of mild and gentle rain,
"They wear into this breast of adamant."

Assist me now, my courage, pity, friends;
Support me all! How shall I bear it now?

Qu. M. Nor yet a look! Not one kind look upon me! No token that I once was Scotland's queen!

Qu. El. Hear'st thou this, Burleigh-cruel Davison!
"Ye seed of rocks, ye brood of wolves and tygers!
"Y've turned me into stone, more monstrous than,
yourselves!

<< If I but look on her, she awes my sight;
"Like a loath'd fiend I dare not see the light."

Qu. M. Did I ever think our meeting would be thus!
Thus Mary and Elizabeth should greet!
"So do the Christians with the Pagans treat,
"The brave Plantagenet with Ottoman,
"The golden eagle with the silver crescent,
"But never thus the white cross with the red.
"Nor. This needs must charm, were she more

fell than woman—

"She melts, yet fain would hide it-Happy sign!"
Qu. M. The friendly ocean, when the world was

made,

Took care to join our kingdoms near together;
And shall not we our loves and tender hearts ?

We, who one happy loving island holds,

Of the same sex,

360

And one rich blood travels through both our veins.
Should we thus meet, and at a distance talk ?
Q. El. Support me, Cecil, I sink with shame,

.

"Qu. M. The beauteous Margaret, your royal aunt, "Whose right and lawful grand-daughter I am, “Met not my grand-father, the valiant James, "With such a scornful and neglected brow; “For if she had, I never had been born.

"And you not known the hated queen of Scotland. "Q. El. Come, lift me from the place where I am rooted,

"On wings of angels bear me to her arms."

Qu. M. Whate'er may be the effects of nature's power,'

In your hard breast; I'm sure that part of you
That is mine, torments me to get forth,

Bounds upwards, and leaps from me to embrace you.

My whole blood starts !

Qu. El. And mine can hold no longer――

My sister-Oh!

Qu. M. Can this be real?

380

[Run and embrace.

Qu. El. Throw thy lov'd arms, as I do mine, about

thee,

And never feel less joy than I do now

"Oh, 'tis to great, it is unspeakable;

"Cleave to my breast, for I want words to tell."
Qu. M. Then injuries, farewel, and all my wrongs.
Forgiveness now, and pleasures fill my breast.
They were not half so great when I espous❜d,
And threw these arms about young France's neck,
And laid me down the queen of half the world.
I feel the blood of both our ancestors;

The spirits of Tudor and Plantagenet

Glow through my veins, and start up to my lips,
To parley with, to wonder and to kiss

Their royal brothers hovering upon thine.

Qu. El. Witness, ye powers! Take notice how I love her!

Worship this token, as glad saints receive

Ambassadors from heaven.

Qu. M. Oh, let me go!

400

Give my wild joy some breath, "some room to

walk in ;

"Oh, I shall burst into a thousand pieces!

"As many atoms as my queen has charms-"
A thousand years of pains is not enough
For this one moment of seraphic joy.
That she is kind, and thinks me innocent!
Innocent! That one word's far above

The wealth of crowns, nay, all but you, and love.
Qu. El. Ah, royal sister! urge my guilt no more,
But blot it from thy breast, as I from mine.
Down on your knees-all that regard my frowns:
Behold your queens, both Scot and English here;
Hear, thou wide ocean, hear thy Albion queens:
Let my dread voice far as thy waves be heard,
From silver Thames to golden Tweed proclaim,
With harmony of drums and trumpet's sound,
Not me, not her alone, not one, but both;
Sound Mary and Elizabeth your queens.

[Kettle-drums and trumpets sound, and beat here;
then all rise again from kneeling.

Qu. M. Oh, be less kind! lest fate should snatch my joys,

And hoard them up for an immortal treasure,
"For they're too great for mortal sense to bear."

420

Qu. El. "I do her wrong to keep her from new joys: "Each moment shall beget, each hour bring forth "Fresh pleasures, and rich welcomes, to delight her. "Prepare her table, deck the bed of state, "Let her apartment shine with golden arras, "Strew perfumes in her way sweeter than incense, "Rare as the sun draws every morning up, "And fragrant as the breath upon her lips; "Soft music sound where e'er she wakes or sleeps, "Music as sweet, harmonious, and as still, "As does this soft and gentle bosom fill." Thus let us go, with hand in hand combin'd, The white cross with the red thus ever join'd. England with Scotland shall no longer jar; And Albany with Albion no more war; But thus we'll live, and walk thus every day, 'Till from the verge of life we drop away: So have we seen two streams, with eager pace, Hasten to meet, and lovingly embrace, Making one current, as we make one soul, 'Till arm in arm, they in the ocean roll.

440

[Exeunt.

ACT IV. SCENE 1.

Enter CECIL and DAVISON severally.

Cecil.

"WEEP, Davison, and drown thy head in tears;
"Or let thy tongue, for eloquence so fam'd,
"Be mute for ever; once like angels sounding,
"To charm the ears of our offended monarch."
The gallant duke, the darling of his country,
The Scipio, the delight of all mankind,
The nation's glory, star of shining virtue,
Is lost. You came from searching of his closet;
We are his friends; say, have you any hopes!

Dav. Oh, none! The false and treacherous Morton,
That fir'd the Duke's fond passion for the queen,
Then, like a villain, to his foes betray'd him:
This serpent of delusion has discover'd
Whate'er the brave and generous-hearted man
Did in his harmless mind entrust him with.

Cec. What token, or what circumstance of treason, Amongst his papers found you ?

Dav. Very little,

Besides his aim to wed the queen of Scotland. "Yet one thing points some colour of a guilt; "It did appear he furnish'd her with money, "To aid her friends in Scotland; who, you know, "Now at this time invade our English borders.

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