Shall never hurt your quiet; but, once known, Shall sit upon your heart, pinch it with pain, And banish the sweet sleep for ever from you. Go to-be yet advised Alic. Dost thou, in scorn, Preach patience to my rage, and bid me tamely Sit like a poor contented idiot down, Nor dare to think thou'st wronged me? Ruin seize thee, And swift perdition overtake thy treachery! To hide it might have spoke some little tender ness, And shewn thee half unwilling to undo me: Hast. Well, then! I own my heart has broke Patient I bore the painful bondage long; At length my generous love disdains your tyranny; The bitterness and stings of taunting jealousy, Alic. You triumph! do! and, with gigantic pride, Defy impending vengeance. Heaven shall wink; No more his arm shall roll the dreadful thunder; Nor send his lightnings forth : no more his jus tice Shall visit the presuming sons of men, Hast. Whate'er my fate decrees for me here- Be present to me now, my better angel! Alic. Thy prayer is heard-I go-but know, Howe'er thou scorn'st the weakness of my sex, This feeble hand may find the means to reach thee, Howe'er sublime in power and greatness placed, [Exit. Hast. How fierce a fiend is passion! with what wildness, What tyranny untamed it reigns in woman! VOL. I. Gives way to every appetite alike: Each motion of the heart rises to fury, With equal force the tempest blows, by turns, Enter JANE SHORE. Forgive me, fair one, if officious friendship To-morrow he expects you at the court; J. Sh. Thus humbly let your lowly servant bend, [Kneeling. Thus let me bow my grateful knee to earth, ing much; Think me not guilty of a thought so vain, But though my mouth be dumb, my heart shall thank you; And when it melts before the throne of mercy, The grace and goodness you have shewn to me. Hast. If there be ought of merit in my service, Impute it there, where most 'tis due, to love; Be kind, my gentle mistress, to my wishes, And satisfy my panting heart with beauty. J. Sh. Alas! my lord Hast. Why bend thy eyes to earth? Wherefore these looks of heaviness and sorrow? Why breathes that sigh, my love? And wherefore falls This trickling shower of tears, to stain thy sweetness? J. Sh. If pity dwells within your noble breast, (As sure it does) Oh, speak not to me thus! Hast. Can I behold thee, and not speak of love? Even now, thus sadly as thou stand'st before me, U u Thus desolate, dejected, and forlorn, J. Sh. Cast round your eyes Hast. No more of this dull stuff. 'Tis time enough To whine and mortify thyself with penance, Haye stained the lustre of thy starry eyes, You stand provided of your braves and ruffians, To man your cause, and bluster in your brothel. Dum. Take back the foul reproach, unmannered railer! Nor urge my rage too far, lest thou should'st find I have as daring spirits in my blood teach thee Yet Heaven, that made me honest, made me more Than ever king did, when he made a lord. Hast. Insolent villain! henceforth let this [Draws and strikes him. The distance 'twixt a peasant and a prince! Dum. Nay, then, my lord, [drawing] learn you by this, how well An arm resolved can guard its master's life. [They fight. J. Sh. Oh my distracting fears! hold, for Sweet Heaven. [Runs off distractedly. [They fight, Dumont disarms Lord Hastings. Hast. Confusion! baffled by a base-born hind! Dum. Now, haughty sir, where is our difference now? Your life is in my hand, and did not honour, Hast. Curse on my failing arm! Your better fortune Has given you vantage o'er me; but perhaps Your triumph may be bought with dear repent[Exit Hastings. ance. pose. Assisting angels shall conduct your steps, Bring you to bliss, and crown your days with peace. J. Sh. Oh, that my head were laid, my sad eyes closed, And my cold corse wound in my shroud to rest! Dum. Would you be happy, leave this fatal Fly from the court's pernicious neighbourhood; Where innocence is shamed, and blushing modesty Is made the scorner's jest; where hate, deceit, And deadly ruin, wear the masques of beauty, And draw deluded fools with shews of pleasure. J. Sh. Where should I fly, thus helpless and forlorn, Of friends, and all the means of life bereft? Dum. Belmour, whose friendly care still wakes to serve you, Has found you out a little peaceful refuge, A cell like that is all my hopes aspire to. Dum. Will you then go! You glad my very soul. Banish your fears, cast all your cares on me; Plenty and ease, and peace of mind shall wait you, And make your latter days of life most happy. Fond of the chosen place, she views it o'er, more; Warbling she charms it cach returning night, And loves it with a mother's dear delight. ACT III. Alic. THIS paper to the great protector's hand, With care and secrecy, must be conveyed; [Exeunt. My faithless Hastings adverse to his hopes, See where she comes! once my heart's dearest | To feed her wants, and save her life from per blessing; Now my changed eyes are blasted with her beauty, Loathe that known face, and sicken to behold her. Enter JANE Shore. J. Sh. Now whither shall I fly to find relief? What charitable hand will aid me now? Will stay my falling steps, support my ruins, And heal my wounded mind with balmy comfort? Oh, my Alicia! Alic. What new grief is this? What unforeseen misfortune has surprised thee, Alic. Say what of him? J. Sh. That friendly, honest man, Whom Belmour brought of late to my assistance, On whose kind care, whose diligence and faith, My surest trust was built, this very morn Was seized on by the cruel hand of power, Forced from my house, and borne away to prison. Alic. To prison, said you! Can you guess the cause? J. Sh. Too well, I fear. His bold defence of me Has drawn the vengeance of Lord Hastings on him. Alic. Lord Hastings! Ha! J. Sh. Some fitter time must tell thee [She gives the paper to Alicia, who opens Alic. [Aside.] Now for a wile, To sting my thoughtless rival to the heart; To blast her fatal beauties, and divide her For ever from my perjured Hastings' eyes! The wanderer may then look back to me, And turn to his forsaken home again. Their fashions are the same, it cannot fail. [Pulling out the other paper. J. Sh. But see, the great protector comes this ishing. Glost. Arise, fair dame, and dry your watery eyes. [Receiving the paper, and raising her. Beshrew me, but 'twere pity of his heart That could refuse a boon to such a suitress. You have got a noble friend to be your advocate; A worthy and right gentle lord he is, And to his trust most true. This present now, Some matters of the state detain our leisure ; Those once dispatched, we'll call for you anon, And give your griefs redress. Go to! be comforted. J. Sh. Good Heavens repay your highness for this pity, And shower down blessings on your princely head. [Exeunt J. Sh. and Alic. Glost. Now, by my holidame! Heavy of heart she seems, and sore afflicted. But thus it is when rude calamity Lays its strong gripe upon these mincing minions The dainty gew-gaw forms dissolve at once, And shiver at the shock. What says her paper? [Seeming to read. Ha! what is this? Come nearer, Ratcliffe! Catesby! Mark the contents, and then divine the meaning. And he, and all his powers, attend you.' Cat. The means by which it came Glost. You saw it given, but now. She knows it not, it levels at her life; ters, The meddling harlot! dear she should abide it. Glosc. Upon the instant, Lord Hastings will be here; this morn I mean J. Sh. [Kneeling.] Oh, noble Gloster, turn thy To prove him to the quick; then if he flinch, gracious eye, Incline thy pitying ear to my complaint! A poor, undone, forsaken, helpless woman, Intreats a little bread for charity, No more but this-away with him at once! Enter LORD HASTINGS. Glost. The council (much I'm bound to thank them for❜t!) Hast. This foolish woman hangs about my Have placed a pageant sceptre in my hand, heart, Lingers and wanders in my fancy still; A fair petitioner this morning with us; Hast. Your highness binds me ever to your service. Glost. You know your friendship is most potent with us, And shares our power. But of this enough, Hast. The resty knaves are over-run with ease, As plenty ever is the nurse of faction; If, in good days, like these, the headstrong herd Has worn a face of mercy more than justice. Glost. Beshrew my heart! but you have well divined The source of these disorders. Who can wonder, vern. Hast. Tis true, the king is young; but what of that ? We feel no want of Edward's riper years, So well supply our infant sovereign's place, | | | Barren of power, and subject to controul; Glost. Ay marry, but there is And that of much concern. Have you not heard How, on a late occasion, doctor Shaw Has moved the people much about the lawful Such meddling priests, who kindle up confusion, Our royal master, Edward, in concurrence When shall the deadly hate of faction cease, Each day with some fantastic giddy change? good, Should vary from your scheme, new-mould the state? Hast. Curse on the innovating hand attempts it! Remember him, the villain, righteous Heaven, Glost. You go too far, my lord. Have we so soon forgot those days of ruin, |