That Philip brought me in our happy days! That covers all, So-am I somewhat bide a moment yet. Mary. No, no, he brings a letter. I may die Before I read it. Let me see him at once. Enter Count de Feria (nels). Fer. I trust your Grace is well. (aside) How her hand burns. Mary, I am not well, but it will bet[bring. ter me, Sir Count, to read the letter which you Fer. Madam, I bring no letter. Mary. How! no letter? Fer. His Highness is so vex'd with strange affairs Mary. That his own wife is no affair of his. [veriest love, Fer. Nay, Madam, nay! he sends his And says he will come quickly. Mary Doth he, indeed? You, sir, do you remember what you said When last you came to England? Madam, I brought Fer. My King's congratulations; it was hoped [happy state Your Highness was once more in To give him an heir male. Mary. Sir, you said more : You said he would come quickly. I had horses [night; On all the road from Dover, day and On all the road from IIarwich, night and day; [hand came not; But the child came not, and the husAnd yet he will come quickly [need Thou hast learnt And tell him that I know he comes no wishes. Mere compliments and [your Grace? But shall I take some message from Mary. Tell her to come and close my dying eyes, [my grave. And wear my crown, and dance upon Fer. Then I may say your Grace will see your sister? Your Grace is too low-spirited. Air and sunshine. [warm Spain. I would we had you, Madam, in our Have him away, I sicken of his readiness. I wish her Highness better. (Aside) I shine! what else, Sir Fer. As far as France, and into Philip's heart. [served, My King would know if you be fairly And lodged, and treated. Eliz. You see the lodging, sir, I am well served, and am in every Most loyal and most grateful to the And were I Philip- Your royal sister caunot last; your That hovers round your shoulder — Troth, some have said so. There must be ladies many with hair Fer. Some few of Gothic blood have golden hair, But none like yours. Eliz. I am happy you approve it. Fer. But as to Philip and your Grace-consider,— If such a one as you should match with Spain, What hinders but that Spain and England join'd, Spain would be England on her seas, and England Mistress of the Indies. Eliz. It may chance, that England Will be mistress of the Indies yet, Without the help of Spain. Impossible; Fer. Except you put Spain down. Wide of the mark ev'n for a madman's dream. [men. Count de Feria, Eliz. Perhaps; but we have seaI take it that the King hath spoken to you; [match? But is Don Carlos such a goodly Fer. Don Carlos, madam, is but twelve years old. Eliz. Ay, tell the King that I will muse upon it; [keep him so ; He is my good friend, and I would But he would have me Catholic of Rome, And that I scarce can be; and, sir, till now [marriages, My sister's marriage, and ny father's Make me full fain to live and die a maid. [King. But I am much beholden to your Have you aught else to tell me? Fer. Nothing, Madam, Save that methought I gather'd from the Queen [fore she died. That she would see your Grace beEliz. God's death! and wherefore spake you not before ? We dally with our lazy moments here, And hers are number'd. Horses there, without! [master. I am much beholden to the King, your Why did you keep me prating. Horses, there! [Erit Elizabeth, efe. Fr. So from a clear sky falls the thunderbolt! [Philip, Don Carlos? Madam, if you marry Then I and he will snaffle your "God's death," [you tame; And break your paces in, and make God's death, forsooth you do not [Exit. know King Philip. 2. God curse her and her Legate! Gardiner burns : Already but to pay them full in kind, The hottest hold in all the devil's den [Guernsey, Were but a sort of winter; sir, in I watch'd a woman burn; and in her agony [was bornThe mother came upon her-a child And, sir, they hurl'd it back into the fire, bal e That, being but baptized in fire, the Might be in fire forever. Ah, good neighbor, [than fire There should be something terier To yield them their deserts. 1. You wish, and further. Amen to all Bd. Voice. Deserts! Amen to what? Whose deserts ? Yours? You have a gold ring on your finger, and soft raiment about your body; and is not the woman up yonder sleeping after all she has done, in peace and quic ness, on a soft bed, in a closed room, with light, fire, physic, tendance; and I have seen the true men of Christ lying famine-dead by scores, and under no ceiling but the cloud that wept on them, not for them. 1. Friend, tho' so late, it is not safe to preach. [you? You had best go home. What ar 3. What am I? One who cries continually with sweat and tears to the Lord God that it would please Him out of His infinite love to break down all kingship and queenship, all priesthood and prelacy; to cancel and abolish all bonds of human allegiance, all the magistracy, all the nobles, and all the wealthy; and to send us again, according to his promise, the one King, the Christ, and all things in common, as in the day of the first church, when Christ Jesus was King. 1. If ever I heard a madman,-let's away! [beyond me. Why, you long-winded- Sir, you go I pride myself on being moderate. Good night! Go home. Besides, you curse so loud, The watch will hear you. Get you [Exeunt. home at once. SCENE V-London. A Room in the Palace. Gallery on one side. The moonlight streaming through a range of windows on the wall opposite. Mary, Lady Clarence, Lady Magdalen Dacres, Alice. Queen pacing the Gallery. A writing-table in front. Queen comes to the table and writes and goes again, pacing the Gallery. Lady C. Mine eyes are dim: what hath she written read. [to me." Alice. I am dying, l'hilip; como The Queen of Scots is married to the Dauphin, [world is gone; And Charles, the lord of this low And all his wars and wisdoms past away: And in a moment I shall follow him. Lady C. Nay, dearest Lady, see your good physician. Mary. Drugs-but he knows they cannot help me-says [thinkThat rest is all-tells me I must not That I must rest-I shall rest by and by. [when he springs Catch the wild cat, cage him, and And maims himself against the bars, say "rest: " [have him restWhy, you must kill him if you would Dead or alive you cannot make him happy. [pure a life, Lady. Your Majesty has lived so And done such mighty things by Holy Church, [yet. I trust that God will make you happy it me, I took it, tho' I did not know I took it, And put it in my bosom, and all at once I felt his arms about me, and his lipsMary. O God! I have been too slack, too slack; There are Hot Gospellers even among our guards[but burnt Nobles we dared not touch. We have The heretic priest, workmen, and women and children. Wet, famine, ague, fever, storm, wreck, wrath,[God's grace, We have so play'd the coward; but by We'll follow Philip's leading, and set up The Holy Office here-garner the wheat, And burn the tares with unquenchable fire! Burn! Fie, what a savor! tell the cooks to close The doors of all the offices below. Latimer! [hereSir, we are private with our women Ever a rough, blunt, and uncourtly fellow[out! Thou light a torch that never will go "Tis out-mine flames, Women, the Holy Father [in PoleHas ta'en the legateship from our cousWas that well done? and poor Pole pines of it, As I do, to the death. I am but a woman, I have no power.-Ah, weak and meek old man. Sevenfold dishonor'd even in the sight Of thine own secretaries-No, no. No pardon![hand still Why that was false: there is the right Beckons me hence. Sir, you were burnt for heresy, not for treason, Remember that! 'twas I and Bonner did it, And Pole; we are three to one-Have you found mercy there, Grant it me here: and see he smiles and goes, Gentle as in life. Alice. Madam, who goes ? King Philip? Mary. No, Philip comes and goes, but never goes. Women, when 1 am dead, Open my heart, and there you will find written [his,[icy, Two names, Philip and Calais ; open Foul maggots crawling in a fester'd Unwoundable. Thy knife! Alice. Take heed, take heed! The blade is keen as death. Mary. This Philip shall not Stare in upon me in my haggardness; Old, miserable, diseased, [down. Incapable of children. Come thou [Cuts out the picture and throws it down. [my Philip. Lie there. (Wails.) O God, I have killed Alice. No [out, Madam, you have but cut the canvas We can replace it. Mary. All is well then; restI will to rest; he said, I must have rest. [Cries of "Elizabeth" in the street. A cry! What's that? Elizabeth? revolt? [Wyatt? A new Northumberland, another I'll fight it on the threshold of the grave. [comes to see you. Lady C. Madam, your royal sister Mary. I will not see her. Who knows if Boleyn's daughter be my sister? [arm. I will see none excent the priest. Your [To Lady Clarence. O Saint of Aragon, with that sweet worn smile Among thy patient wrinkles-help me (hence. Miscolor things about her-sudden touches For him, or him-sunk rocks; no passionate faith[mise; But if let be-balance and comproBrave, wary, same to the heart of hei -a Tudor [Boleyn, too, School'd by the shadow of death-a Glancing across the Tudor-not so well Enter Alice. How is the good Queen now? Alice. Away from Philip. Back in her childhood-prattling to her mother [Charles, Of her betrothal to the Emperor And childlike-jealous of him againand once Tbook She thank'd her father sweetly for his Against that godless German. Ah, those days Were happy. It was never merry world In England, since the Bible came among us. Cecil. And who says that? Alice. It is a saying among the Catholics. Cecil. It never will be merry world in England, [poor. Till all men have their Bible, rieli and Alice. The Queen is dying, or you dare not say it. Enter Elizabeth. Eliz. The Queen is dead. Then here she stands! my homage. Eliz. She knew me, and acknowledged me her heir, Pray'd me to pay her debts, and keep the Faith; (in peace. Then claspt the cross, and pass'd away I left her lying still and beautiful, More beautiful than in life. Why should you vex yourself, Poor sister? Sir, I swear I have no heart ¡fence, To be your Queen. To reign is restless Tierce, quart, and trickery. Peace is with the dead. [nipt: Her life was winter, for her spring was And she loved much pray God she be forgiven. Cecil. Peace with the dead who never were at peace! Yet she loved one so much-I needs must say That never English monarch dying left Enter Paget, and other Lords of the Bag. God save the Crown: the Papacy is no more. Paget (aside). Are we so sure of that? Acclamation. God save the Queen! |