140 145 150 As doth this water from my tatter'd robes! When for her sake I ran at tilt in France, And there unhorsed the duke of Cleremont. Light. O, speak no more, my lord! this breaks my heart. Lie on this bed and rest yourself awhile. Edw. These looks of thine can harbour naught but death; I see my tragedy written in thy brows. Yet stay awhile; forbear thy bloody hand, My mind may be more steadfast on my God. Light. What means your highness to mistrust me thus? Edw. What mean'st thou to dissemble with me thus? Light. These hands were never stain'd with innocent Nor shall they now be tainted with a king's. [blood, Edw. Forgive my thought, for having such a thought. One jewel have I left, receive thou this. 155 Still fear I, and I know not what's the cause, 160 165 170 But every joint shakes as I give it thee. O, if thou harbor'st murder in thy heart, Let this gift change thy mind, and save thy soul. I feel a hell of grief. Where is my crown? Light. You're overwatched, my lord; lie down and rest. For not these ten days have these eyelids closed. Now as I speak they fall, and yet with fear Open again. O wherefore sitt'st thou here? Light. If thou mistrust me, I'll be gone, my lord. Edw. No, no, for if thou mean'st to murder me, Light. He sleeps. Edw. O, let me not die; yet stay, O, stay awhile. Edw. Something still buzzeth in mine ears, And tells me if I sleep I never wake; This fear is that which makes me tremble thus. ["The reluctant pangs of abdicating royalty in Edward furnished hints which Shakespeare scarce improved in his Richard the Second; and the death-scene of Marlowe's king moves pity and terror beyond any scene ancient or modern with which I am acquainted." CHARLES LAMB.] 175 XVII CENTURY. BEN JONSON. FROM CATILINE. Petreius. The straits and needs of Catiline being such, As if she meant to hide the name of things Do more than they; whilst pity left the field, His frighted horse, whom still the noise drove backward: Consum'd all it could reach, and then itself, Covered the earth they 'ad fought on with their trunks, 40 Ambitious of great fame, to crown his ill, Collected all his fury, and ran in (Arm'd with a glory high as his despair) Into our battle, like a Libyan lion Upon his hunters, scornful of our weapons, Careless of wounds, plucking down lives about him, Then fell he too, t' embrace it where it lay. Almost made stone, began to inquire what flint, What rock, it was that crept through all his limbs ; TO CELIA. Drink to me only with thine eyes, Or leave a kiss but in the cup, And I'll not look for wine. The thirst, that from the soul doth rise, But might I of Jove's nectar sup, I sent thee, late, a rosy wreath, But thou thereon didst only breathe, Since when, it grows, and smells, I swear, EPITAPH ON ELIZABETH L. H. Underneath this stone doth lie 10 ON THE PORTRAIT OF SHAKESPEARE. This figure that thou here seest put, O could he but have drawn his wit, As well in brass, as he hath hit His face; the print would then surpass All that was ever writ in brass: |