ACT THE FOURTH.

SCENE I.

Whitehall,

Enter ELIZABETH and CECIL,

Q. Eliz. Cecil! what more? the Duke, you say, is secur'd.

Sir W. Cec. Aye! beyond escape, my liege! he's on his way;

Perhaps has reached the Tower.
Q. Eliz. Sir, he may thank
Your intercession for that liberty
Which proved his bane.

Sir W. Cec. Reproaches from my queen,
So just, fall like the chastisement of heaven
On those it favours.

Q. Eliz. Heaven favours none

But those who see their errors, and repent.
Sir W. Cec. If I repent me not the part I took,
May I be sharer in his punishment.

Q. Eliz. We know your faith; 'twas error, we're convinced;

Let assiduity atone for it;
Probe this infernal plot,

Sir W. Cec. 'Tis done! Behold

This train of correspondence, betwixt the duke,
The pope, the queen of Scots.

Q. Eliz. The treason is clear:

Cecil, my foes are numerous and strong.

Sir W. Cec. Were they in number as the summer leaves,

Their autumn doth approach; they soon shall fall,
Blasted, and driven by the wind.

Q. Eliz. This day

One falls at least; this faithless Lord no more
Shall dupe me with his promises; let him

Await his doom-yet stay! his birth and nameSir W. Cec. Are but fresh motives for example sake.

Q. Eliz. Then be it so.

Sir W. Cec. And her ambassador,

Who would have forced the Tower, and seized. yourself?

Q. Eliz. That must be nicely weighed; for sovereignty,

Aye, but the shadow of it, claims regard: 'Tis not for us to extinguish hastily

That emanation from the royal light;

Although the source from whence it springs may

seem

Somewhat obscured and clouded.

Sir W. Cec. But if threats

Produce confession, we may learn to guard

'Gainst farther harm.

Q. Eliz. Proceed.

He needs no spur;

[Exit CECIL.

Nay, he anticipates my inmost thoughts.

The ambitious Duke's disposed of; such halfpaced, Soft, scrupulous fools, make poor conspirators. Mary yet lives: but for the ambassadors,

I should have sent her cross the Tweed ere now,

To Murray's care: I would it had been done,
When first she threw herself into my hands;
It seemed a consummation of success,

A period to my cares: but now this prize,
This precious prize, so unexpectedly
Entangled in my toils, proves a fierce snake
Which I can neither safely hold or loose;
While yet I have her in my grasp, she slips,
Twining her folds around
my limbs-Alas!
I live in fear of my own prisoner,

And tremble on my throne,

[Exit ELIZ.

SCENE II.

4

Enter DAVISON to CECIL.

Dav. The fatal order's sent; e'en now the Duke Prepares for death.

Sir W. Cec. O Davison! these times
Demand dispatch; patience must have its bounds,
Or change its nature, and degenerate
To dangerous weakness.

Dav. Yet the piteous fall

Of this beloved, generous Duke, will rend
The hearts of all his countrymen: the streets

Are thronged with weeping multitudes; and groans
Betray more deep-felt sorrow than the tongue
Dares, in these days, to utter,

Sir W. Cec. Such esteem,

And general sympathy, denote his sway.

And empire o'er the affections of the land;

And should have served to other ends than strife,

For the romantic honour and renown

Of liberating helpless, captive queens.

[Exeunt,

#

SCENE III.

The Tower.

NORFOLK and the LIEUTENANT discovered.

D. Nor. No, good lieutenant; I am at a point, The very point and summit of my path,

Up life's steep rough ascent; and now must leap
The dreadful precipice.

Lieut. Yet still, my Lord,

There's room for mercy; and if fame speaks true, Good cause for it. 'Tis said your grace did save Her majesty's own person from assault.

D. Nor. As I'm a Christian man, and doomed to

die,

'Tis true; and never have I aught devised
Against her sacred self: but 'tis in vain
To sue for mercy; nor is it my wish

To ask that mercy which I've once abus❜d.
Could I but, during this sad interval,
Could I but send one-

Enter a servant, delivering a paper to the LIEUTE

Ha! what's that I see?

NANT:

Lieut. (Reading.) Alas!

D. Nor. Enough! I read it in your looks:

My hour is come

Lieut. My Lord, the guards attend.

Enter SHERIFF and Guards.

D. Nor. I am content, thank heaven! to meet my fate;

Not from indifference to life, or elaim
To innocence; far otherwise in both :
But knowing mercy's infinite extent,

I cast the world behind me -One farewell!
And then-

Sher. My Lord, in truth, we may not wait.
D. Nor. I go-and, good lieutenant, tell the queen,
That he who lately stood in highest rank,
(Now sunk below the meanest citizen)

Though he's pronounced a traitor by his peers,
Whom yet he blames not, still appeals to heaven
In his last moments, that there lives not one
More true to his religion, country, queen,
Than dying Thomas Howard-Then implore
Her kind compassion to my orphan babes.
Say that my dying words were,

her!"

"Peace be with

And as I am the first to fall by the axe,

So may

I be the last, in her blest reign!
May she do justice, and protect the oppressed!
So may her fame reach all posterity!

And by her hand, do thou, O gracious heaven !
Build up the walls of England!

Sher. Alas! my Lord!

Delay is at our peril; we beseech

D. Nor. A little moment! I had something yet, But let it pass! here! here! it rests; while yet Life's current flows, while yet my nerves perform Their functions-Mary! I must think on thee! Bless thee with my last breath: may heaven afford That succour which this mortal arm in vain Attempted may'st thou never feel such pangs As he who dies for thee! and now, e'en now, Flies with impatience from this hell to seek A refuge in the cold embrace of death.Lead on!-O, Mary! Mary! Mary!

[Exeunt.