Gar. Nor shall the holy vengeance loiter long.
At Farmingham, in Suffolk, lies the queen,
Mary, our pious mistress: where each day
The nobles of the land, and swarming populace,
Gather, and list beneath her royal ensigns.
The fleet, commanded by Sir Thomas Jerningham,
Set out in warlike manner to oppose her,

With one consent have join'd to own her cause:
The valiant Sussex, and Sir Edward Hastings,
With many more of note, are up in arms,
And all declare for her.

Pem. The citizens,

Who held the noble Somerset right dear,

Hate this aspiring Dudley and his race,

And would upon the instant join t'oppose him; Could we but draw some of the lords o'th' council T'appear among them.

For that purpose,

To thee, as to an oracle, I come.

Gar. Since the proud duke set out, I have had conference,

As fit occasion serv'd, with divers of them,
The Earl of Arundel, Mason, and Cheyney,
And find them all dispos'd as we could ask.
By holy Mary, if I count aright,

To-day the better part shall leave this place,
And meet at Baynard's castle in the city;
There own our sovereign's title, and defy
Jane and her gospel-crew. But hie you hence!
This place is still within our foes' command,
Their puppet-queen reigns here.

Enter an OFFICER with a GUARD.

Offi. Seize on them both.

[GUARDS seize PEMBROKE and GARDINER.

My lord, you are a pis'ner to the state.
Pem. Ha! by whose order?

Offi. By the queen's command,

Sign'd and deliver'd by Lord Guilford Dudley,
Pem. Curse on his traitor's heart!

Gar. Rest you contented :

You have loiter'd here too long; but use your patience,

These bonds shall not be lasting.

you, sir,

Offi. As for [TO GARDINER, "Tis the queen's pleasure you be close confin'd: You've us'd that fair permission was allow'd you, To walk at large within the tower, unworthily. You're noted for an over-busy meddler,

A secret practiser against the state;

For which, henceforth, your limits shall be straiter. Hence, to your chamber!

Gar. Farewell, gentle Pembroke

I trust that we shall meet on blither terms:
Till then, amongst my beads I will remember you,
And give you to the keeping of the saints.

[Exeunt Part of the GUARDS with Gardiner. Pem. Now, whither must I go?

Offi. This way, my lord.

Enter GUILFORD.

[Going off.

Guil. Hold, Captain! ere you go, I have a word

ór two

For this your noble pris'ner.

Offi. At your pleasure:

I know my duty, and attend your lordship.

[The OFFICER and GUARDS retire to the far thest Part of the Stage.

Guil. Is all the gentleness that was betwixt us So lost, so swept away from thy remembrance, Thou canst not look upon me?

Pem. Ha!. not look!

What terrors are there in the Dudley's race,
That Pembroke darcs not look upon and scorn?

And yet, 'tis true, I would not look upon thee:
Our eyes avoid to look on what we hate,

As well as what we fear.

Guil. You hate me, then!

Pem. I do.

Guil. And yet; as sure as rage disturbs thy reason, And masters all the noble nature in thee, As sure as thou hast wrong'd me, I am come In tenderness of friendship to preserve thee; To plant ev'n all the power I have before thee, And fence thee from destruction with my life.

Pem. Friendship from thee! But my just soul disdains thee.

Hence! take the prostituted bauble back,
For none but fools will praise the tinsel toy.
But thou art come perhaps to vaunt thy greatness;
To let me know that Guilford is a king,

That he can speak the word, and give me freedom.
Oh, short-liv'd pageant! had'st thou all the pow'r
Which thy vain soul would grasp at, I would die,
Rot in a dungeon, ere receive a grace,

The least, the meanest, courtesy, from thee.

Guil. Oh, Pembroke! but I have not time to talk, For danger presses, danger unforeseen, And secret as the shaft that flies by night, Is aiming at thy life. Captain, a word!

[To the OFFICer.

I take your pris'ner to my proper charge;
Draw off your guard, and leave his sword with me.
[The OFFICER delivers the Sword to LORD
GUILFORD, and goes out with his GUARD-
LORD GUILFORD offering the Sword to
PEMBROKE.

Receive this gift, ev'n from a rival's hand;
Oh, take thy sword; and let thy valiant hand
Be ready arm'd to guard thy noble life:
The time, the danger, and the wild impatience,

Forbid me all to enter into speech with thee,
Or I could tell thee-

Pem. No, it needs not, traitor!

For all thy poor, thy little arts are known.
Thou fear'st my vengeance, and art come to fawn,
To make a merit of that proffer'd freedom,
Which, in despite of thee, a day shall give me.
Nor can my fate depend on thee, false Guilford;
For know, to thy confusion, ere the sun
Twice gild the east, our royal Mary comes
To end thy pageant reign, and set me free.
Guil. Ungrateful and unjust! Hast thou then

known me

So little, to accuse my heart of fear?
Hast thou forgotten Musselborough's field?
Did I then fear, when by thy side I fought,
And dy'd my maiden sword in Scottish blood?
But this is madness all.

Pem. Give me my sword.

[Taking his Sword.

Perhaps indeed, I wrong thee. Thou hast thought;

And, conscious of the injury thou hast done me,
Art come to proffer me a soldier's justice,

And meet my arm in single opposition.
Lead then, and let me follow to the field.

Guil. Yes, Pembroke, thou shalt satisfy thy vengeance,

And write thy bloody purpose on my bosom.
But let death wait to-day. By our past friendship,
In honour's name, by ev'ry sacred tie,

I beg thee ask no more, but haste from hence.
Pem. What mystic meaning lurks beneath thy
words?

What fear is this, which thou wouldst awe my soul with?

Is there a danger Pembroke dares not meet?

Guil. Oh, spare my tongue a tale of guilt and hor

ror:

Trust me this once: believe me when I tell thee,

Thy safety and thy life is all I seek.

Away.

Pem. Curse on this shuffling, dark, ambiguous phrase!

If thou wouldst have me think thou meau'st me fairly,
Speak with that plainness honesty delights in,
And let thy double tongue for once be true.
Guil. Forgive me filial piety and nature,
If thus compell'd, I break your sacred laws,
Reveal my father's crime, and blot with infamy
The hoary head of him who gave me being,
To save the man, whom my soul loves, from death,
[Giving a Paper.
Read there the fatal purpose of thy foe,

A thought which wounds my soul with shame and

horror!

Somewhat that darkness should have hid for ever,
But that thy life-Say, hast thou seen that character?
Pem. I know it well; the hand of proud Northum-
berland,

Directed to his minions, Gates and Palmer.

What's this?

[Reads.] Remember, with your closest care, to observe those whom I named to you at parting; especially keep your eye upon the Earl of Pembroke as 's power and interest are most considerable, so his opposition will be most fatal to us. Remember the resolution was taken, if you should find him inclined to our enemies. The forms of justice are tedious, and delays are dangerous. If he falters, lose not the sight of him till your daggers have reached his heart.

My heart! Oh, murd'rous villain!

Guil, Since he parted,

Thy ways have all been watch'd, thy steps been mark'd; Thy secret treaties with the malecontents

That harbour in the city; thy conferring

With Gard'ner here in the Tower; all is known;
And, in pursuance of that bloody mandate,