For, sooth to say, I hold it noble in you Hast. Thus it is, gracious sir, that certain officers, Have seiz❜d upon the lands which late she held And bearded wisdom, often have provok'd I have withheld the merciless stern law Hast. Good Heav'n, who, renders mercy back for mercy, With open-handed bounty shall repay you : Glost. Thus far, the voice of pity pleaded only : She shall be heard with patience, and each wrong Which much import us both; for still my fortunes C The queen's relations, our new-fangled gentry, vacy. [Exeunt. SCENE II. An Apartment in JANE SHORE's House. Enter BELMOUR and DUMONT. Bel. How she has liv'd you have heard my tale already, The rest your own attendance in her family, Enter JANE SHORE. Sure, or I read her visage much amiss, Or grief besets her hard. Save you, fair lady, J. Sh. My gentle neighbour, your good wishes still น Whose friendly service you commended to me? J. Sh. A venerable aspect. Age sits with decent grace upon his visage, [Aside. He wears the marks of many years well spent, Which elsewhere you might find, expect to meet The welcome of a friend, and the free partnership answer Dum. You over-rate me much; and all my Must be my future truth; let them speak for me, And make up my deserving. J. Sh. Are you of England? Dum. No, gracious lady, Flanders claims my birth; At Antwerp has my constant biding been, Where sometimes I have known more plenteous days Than these which now my failing age affords. 7. Sh. Alas! at Antwerp, I-Oh, forgive my tears! They fall for my offences-and must fall [Weeping. Long, long ere they shall wash my stains away. band, Dum. I knew him well-but stay this flood of an guish, The senseless grave feels not your pious sorrows: Enter a Servant. Ser. The lady Alicia Attends your leisure. J. Sh. Say I wish to see her. Please, gentle sir, one moment to retire, [Exit Servant. I'll wait you on the instant, and inform you Your friendly aid and counsel much may stead me. [Exeunt Belmour and Dumont. Enter ALICIA. Alic. Still, my fair friend, still shall I find you thus? Still shall these sighs heave after one another, These trickling drops chase one another still, As if the posting messengers of grief Could overtake the hours fled far away, J. Sh. No, my Alicia, Heaven and his saints be witness to my thoughts, That I could wish to take its turn again. Alic. And yet some of those days my friend has known, Some of those years might pass for golden ones, What could we more than to behold a monarch, J. Sh. 'Tis true, the royal Edward was a wonder, The goodly pride of all our English youth; He was the very joy of all that saw him. Form'd to delight, to love and to persuade. "Impassive spirits and angelic natures "Might have been charm'd, like yielding human weakness, "Stoop'd from their Heav'n, and listen'd to his talk ing. But what had I to do with kings and courts? |