100

Qu. M. Oh, duke! “are you so cruel and unkind ?” I had but two priz'd friends in all the world, The queen and you; and she forbids me earth, Will you deny me heaven?

Nor. Away! your danger spurs me on the race; Swift as the mind can think my soul shall fly, And make the scaffold but one step to heaven.

Qu. M. And till I come, your happiness to see Kneel, and atone th' offended Powers for me.

Nor. Oh, doubt it not! One last farewell—

Yes, all the shining host shall plead your cause;
Round the ætherial throne Queen Mary's wrongs
Shall be the theme of their immortal songs;

Whilst for revenge their crystal trumpets sound,
'Till their shrill voice to frighted mortals bound;
The stars shall shake, the elements be aw'd,
And both the globes shall feel th' avenging rod.
"Qu. M. No more;

"Our souls shall soon a joyful meeting have;
"But to our mortal parts, a long farewel.”

[Exeunt severally.

SCENE II.

An Alcove, with a table, pen, ink, paper, and chairs.

Enter Queen ELIZABETH and ladies.

Qu. El. A midnight silence sits upon the morn, The eye of day shuts, as afraid already,

120

And seems the setting, not the rising sun.

I want no glories that the world can give;
Crowns on my head, and kingdoms at my nod:
Yet where's the quiet, where's the freedom here?

Enter CECIL and DAVISON.

Dav. My lord, I fear we have transgress'd too far Upon the queen's most private thoughts.

Cec. "Thoughts, or no thoughts, we must and will awake her.

"Yet hold;" let us retire within hearing,

Till she is pleas'd to call.`

Qu. El. Norfolk is now no more;

[Retires.

His body's free from pain, his mind from fear,
And feels, like mine, no doleful beatings here.

"Curs'd be this crown, and this loath'd scene of

power,

“And curs'd this head that e'er the magic wore. "The careless shepherd's breast feels no such sting, "More lov'd, obey'd, and happier than a king; "His subjects do not one another hate, "For malice, or for jealousy of state;

"But harmlessly the ewe and crested ram

"Walk side by side, and guard the tender lamb." Who's there?

Re-enter DAVISON and CECIL.

Cec. What would your majesty ?

Qu. El. Welcome, kind Cecil, to assist me; Welcome, I hope, to rid this breast of tortures.

What say the council to their queen's demand?
Shall my dear sister live? Shall I be happy?
Speak, Davison, and tell your mistress' doom;
Quick, for my soul now starts to meet the sound.
Dav. May't please your majesty, your faithful
council,

To what you urg'd, that mercy should be shewn
To one of Mary's dignity and sex,

And near relation both in blood and title to you;
They humbly offer, that no sex nor greatness,
Nay, were they sprung from the same royal father,
Ought to protect offenders 'gainst their sovereign;
And boldly tell you, mercy is a crime,
When it is shewn to one that has no mercy.
"She would have ta'en your life,

"Which is not safe as long as Mary lives,

"Whom if you save, in hope that Heav'n will spare

you,

"'Tis not to trust to mercy, but provoke it."

160

Qu. El. Is this the censure then, of your most wise

And arbitrary caution?

Dav. Mightiest queen!

Do not mistake what is your subjects' love;
Our only zeal is for your royal safety,

To whom one precious moment of your welfare,
Is far more worth than all our lives and fortunes.
Cec. To that objection of your majesty,
That this may draw a war from France or Spain,
We all agree, with one entire consent,

If any such should be, to guard your crown

And royal person with our lives and fortunes;
And such fond fears are held impossible,

For they can ne'er hurt England, but by her;
And all such danger's at her death will vanish.

Qu. El. Is this your answer to your sov'reign's tears? This all the kindness that two queens can beg?

180

Dav. All fix'd, and firm as fate, we are resolv'd,
Like rocks, to stand the tempest of vain pity,
Since to deny you this is to be loyal :

And t' assuage the tyrant, Mercy, in your bosom,
No other answer we can give but this:

"I kneel, and humbly offer to your thinking,
"A saying no less true to be observ'd,
"Than once was said of Conradine of Sicily,
"And Charles of Anjou, rivals in a crown,"
Which is the death of Mary is the life
Of queen Elizabeth; the life of Mary
The death of queen Elizabeth.

"Qu. El. Hear, you immortal and avenging Powers! "Are kings vicegerents of your rule on earth ? "Breathes the rich oil yet fragrant on our brows, "And are we thus oblig'd? There are but two "Main attributes which stamp us like yourselves, "Mercy and sole prerogative, and those "Daring and saucy subjects would deny us." Cec. May't please your majesty

Qu. El. I'll hear no more-" Hail pious confessor! "In vain we sprung from Edward's sacred line;" 200 I from this hour the tyrant will begin,

Throw off the saint, and be no more a queen;

No more be fam'd for merciful abroad,

But turn my sceptre to an iron rod;

"For if thou wouldst be great, thou rather must "Be fear'd for cruelty than lov'd for just.

"Hence, and begone; for I will thunder bring,

[Ex. Dav. and Cec. [Going, stops. "What have I done? With whom shall I advise? "Heaven keeps at awful distance now, and treats not "With kings, as it with monarch's did of old, "In visions counsell'd, or by prophets warn'd. "Inspire my thoughts."-Bid Davison come back. How wretched is my fate!

"Fell as a woman, awful as a king.

That on each side on ruin I must run,
Or take my sister's life, or lose my own.

Re-enter DAVISON.

Dav. I come at your dread majesty's command. Qu. El. Oh, Davison! thou art a man on whom My daily smiles, like rays, adorn thy person; But thou hast merits that outshine my bounties. 220 Dav. Oh, whither would your majesty ?

Qu. El. Thou seest how thy poor queen is tortur❜d. "'Tis vain to hide what thou hast eyes to find, "How backward I am still to cruelty,

"How loth to drain the blood ev'n of my foes; Is there no way to satisfy my people,

"Nor jealous power," but by my sister's death Dav. "I would advise ;

"But, oh, what hopes can that physician have