'T is but a slip of Nature and I 'le on Think on thy Wrongs the Wrongs her Lust has done thee And sweep away this loath'd Incestuous Brood As Heav'n would drive a Plague from off the Land Think thou shalt have thy Seyâ—or in thy Arms Who shall restore thy loss with double Charms And tho' my Bullen sets this Night and dies Seymor next Morn like a new Sun shall rise Ex. King Attendants North. With an unwilling Heart I take this Office And Heav'n if Anna Bullen's Innocent Forgive me since it is my King's Command My Breast is sad and tender for her all Tho' Piercy ne're can rise but by her Fall Enter to him Rochford Lieutenant and Guards Roch. Wil 't not be granted that I here may see My Sister e're I dye to part with her Lieut. There is my Lord Northumberland he 'l tell you Roch. My Lord y' are come to see a wretched Pair Of Ormonds Issue leave this fatal World Shall we not meet and take our last Farewell North. Norris my Lord is now upon the Scaffold Then your turn follows but before that time I guess the Queen will be prepar'd and come Roch. Forgive me Heav'n my Passion and my Crime For Natures choice of a wrong fatal Object Loving too well what in effect was ill O all you strict Idolaters of Beauty You fond severe Adorers of that Sex Who think that all their Vices cannot Center In one vile Womans Breast see and repent Behold 'em all together In the Infernal Blunt in Her they 're fix'd Thus have they all been Curst and thus they all Have been betray'd that lov'd so well as I. Enter Queen going to Execution all in White Diana Women in Mourning Guards Queen Come where are those must lead me to my Fate To a more Glorious Happy Marriage-Bed And my Eternal Coronation Day What Piercy's Father must he do the Office Still I can bear it all and bear it bravely North. Madam it is the Kings severe Command That I attend your Majesty to th' Scaffold Queen Enough my Lord you might have spar'd that Title Alas I wish it ever had been spar'd I should have been if Malice had not reign'd Your Piercy's Wife the Scope of my Ambition I ne're had then been mounted to a Throne Then this unhappy hour had never been Roch. Mind this you Rocky World and mourn in Chaos Such Words as these the Heav'ns must weep to hear And make yon Marble Roof dissolve in Tears Queen What! do you Weep to see your Mistress Glory That she shall streight wipe off the Stain on Earth She bears with an unspotted Fame in Heav'n I charge you by my hopes and by your hopes When you are going where I soon shall go By the Illustrious Pomp I long to meet The Sacred Just Rewards of injur'd Truth Acquaint this Noble Lord and all here present If e're you saw in all my Nights or Days Or in my looser Hours of Mirth or Humour The smallest sign of that most horrid Guilt That I 'm condemn'd for Why are you all dumb If you are loth to tell it whilst I live Proclaim it when I 'm dead to all the World That Heav'n may bar the Gates of Bliss against me And throw me to the blackest of Hells Dungeons Where all Dissemblers at their Death shall howl Wom. Alas most Gracious Mistress none can wish Themselves more Innocent for Death than you Queen What dost thou weep unhappy Brother too Oh shew me not suspected nor thy self So Guilty by such softness Learn of me This Breast that 's petrify'd by constant Woes By all my Wrongs m'Injustice and my Cause Who sees me weep they shall be tears of Joy Who grieves to leave the World shall never come Where I am going where all sorrow 's banish'd Roch. Tho'I am innocent my Fate is not 'T is that has been unjust to thee and me Queen Tho' 't is a Common 't is a fatal sign We weep when we are born but it was More ominous and much more fatal prov'd From these prophetick Eyes there gusht a shower When Harry gave his Faithless hand to me And on my Coronation day the like My bodeing Heart another Tribute rack'd Methought there sate a Mountain on my Head The Curses of wrong'd Katherine weigh'd me down And made my Crown indeed a Masley Crown Roch. Deny me not a little tender Grief For every drop of Blood that 's to be shed Of that inestimable Mass of thine My Soul must rack a thousand years in Hell Queen Forbear such words You have not injur'd me I might as well tax Providence as you For Heav'n that heard the Perjury of Villains Might if it pleas'd have chok'd 'em with its Thunder Or sent 'em with a Lightning blast to Hell But he has bent their Rage another way One whispers North. And on their Malice we shall safely mount As on a Cherubin to Heav'n North. My Lord You must prepare a Messenger is come Who brings the News that Norris is beheaded Queen Alas unhappy Norris art thou dead Yet why do I so much wrong to pity thee Thou' rt happier by some moments now than I. Roch. Come lead me to my rest my rest from wrongs Now Anna Bullen teach me all thy Courage Thy Innocence that makes the Heav'ns amaz'd And the more guilty Angels blush to see Help me to pass this Rubicon of Parting This mid-way Gulph that hangs 'twixt Earth and Sky Then that blest Region all beyond is mine And Caesar was not half so great as I. Queen Go be a lucky Harbinger for me Tell all the Saints and Cherubins and Martyrs Tell all the Wrong'd that now are righted there Till it shall reach the high Imperial Ear That Anna Bullen is a coming streight Roch. Wilt not embrace thy dying Brother first One Father and one Mother gave us Birth And one Chast Innocent Natures Bed inclos'd us These are our Parents Arms and so are thine Then all you Saints above and Men below Bear Witness and I vow it on my Death It is the greatest first and only favour I e're receiv'd from Anna Bullen's Person Queen In spite of Scandal Malice and the World Nay were the King and our vile Judges by Since Heav'n is satisfy'd it is no Sin I will embrace thee think I 've in my Arms Both Father Mother Sister Brother all And Envy cannot blame me now for this Roch. Thus let thy Soul into my Bosom fly That I may feel the stroke of Death for thee And when the fatal Ax hangs o're thy Head O may it full Thee and not strike thee dead Softer than Infants Dreams or with less pain Than 't is to sleep or to be born again Ex. Roch. to Execution Queen So this is past and vanquisht but behold A greater yet Now I begin to dread Enter Diana with the young Princess and Women Ah kind Diana wonderful and good The pity that thou shew'st thy dying Friend This little one I hope will live to
pay Dian. Ah Royal Mistress England's falling Star Best Pattern that e're Earth receiv'd from Heav'n I need not fear these Eyes should see you dye For e're that time just grief shall-strike me dead Or Torrents of these Tears will make me blind Queen Come lift her to my Arms and let me kiss her For'tis the last kind Office you will do me Now let me press thy little Coral-Lips With my dead pale ones now and oh let me Infuse some of thy Mothers latest Breath In Blessings on thy tender blooming Soul What 's this that tempts me with a Mothers Fondness To break my Resolution and upbraids me That I must leave thee to a Father's Rage And yet more cruel Enemies to both Leave thee a Lamb 'mongst Wolves for all who 've been Thy Mothers Foes will certainly be thine Dian. Tygers nor Devils or what 's more inhumane Envy of Mankind cannot be so Curst Queen See see Diana by my Wrongs it weeps Weeps like a thing of Sense and not a Child Like one well understood in Grief the Tears Drop sensibly in order down its Cheeks And drowns its pretty Speech in thoughtful Sorrow Nothing could shoot Infection through my Breast But this and this has done it Why weeps my Child Ah what a Question 's that â—â—â—n Behold how 't strives and betwixt Tears and Throbs If it could form a Language it would speak Queen Strive not for Words my Child these little drops Are far more Eloquent than Speech can be Be pitiful my Lord and thou my kind Diana ever faithful to thy Queen When I am dead as shortly I shall be Take this poor Babe and carry 't to the King Its Lips just pregnant with its Mother's Fondness Perhaps he 'l take her then into his Arms And tho' the favour were to me deny'd Steal there a Kiss of mine Say 't is the last Request of Anna Bullen North. Remove the little Princess To her Apartment where we streight will come And wait on her as is the Queen's Command Queen Yet let me hold her but a moment longer And with this Kiss that now must be my last Unlock a Secret which Heav'n dictates to me If e're there is a Light that does transcend Dark humane Knowledge in the Breast of Man Fate to foresee there is a Light at Death And that now bids me speak Thou little Child Shalt live to see thy Mother's Wrongs o're paid In many Blessings on thy Womans State From this dark Calumny in which I set As in a Cloud thou like a Star shalt rise And awe the Southern World That holy Tyrant Who binds all Europe with the Yoak of Conscience Holding his Feet upon the Necks of Kings Thou shalt destroy and quite unloose his Bonds And lay the Monster trembling at thy Feet When this shall come to pass the World shall see Thy Mothers Innocence reviv'd in thee Ex. Women with the Princess Eliz. North. Madam with greater pain to me than Racks I 'm forc'd to let you know your Brother's dead And that alas you must prepare Queen My Lord I thank you you mistake your noble Office It is the Voice of Angels to wrong'd Martyrs The sound of Cherubs trumpetting from Heav'n I 've heard it said amongst our many Ends Beheading is the mildest Death of any If it be so I thank my Gracious Lord For I was never us'd to pain How say you North. We cannot wish you less since y' are to dye And if the Heads-man do as he 's commanded 'T will be no more than 't is to drop asleep Queen My Lord I 've but a little Neck Therefore I hope he 'l not repeat his Blow But do it like an Artist at one stroke North. There is no fear He has particular Order Queen Then let me go Heav'n chides my fond delay But tell the King I say it as I just Am going to dye I both forgive and bless him And thank him as my kindest Benefactor First from an humble Maid he lifted me To Honour then he took me to his Bed The highest State that I could be on Earth And now as if he thought he ne're could do Enough for me has mounted me to Heav'n North. Mr. Lieutenant on and lead the way Queen If 't is no Sin to skip one moment now Of what belongs to Heav'n let me remember Poor Piercy once Here take this Innocent Kiss A Token to you both 'T is thine and his Farewel Diana Farewell to you all Dian. A long farewell to all our Sexes Glory Queen Weep not for me but hear my dying Sentence Any that shall hereafter fall like me Falsly accus'd by wicked Men and Traytors Tho' in this World y' are great in Virtue strong Never Blaspheme and say that Heav'n does wrong Nor think an undeserved Death is hard For Innocence is still its own Reward And when th' Almighty makes a Saint sometimes He acts by Contraries and Villains Crimes Whilst thus their Malice always cheated is And leads us but the nearest way to Bliss Exit Queen to Execution with Northumberland and Guards Enter Piercy alone Pier. I dread the horrid deed is done or now A doing else what means this sudden Gloom Clad o're the Morning Sky and all Mankind All pass with Horror â—y with frighted Looks and Voice Lift up to Hâ—â—v'n who sees and hears in vain Then shake their melancholly heads like Time A general Consternation seizes all As if the Universal Empress of the World Nature it self were fled with Anna Bullen Enter a Gentleman with a Hanckerchief stain'd with the Queens Blood Hast thou beheld this great Eclipse of Virtue Speak is the Queen Beheaded Hast thou done As I commanded Gent. Sir when the fatal blow I saw perform'd Swift as a Whirlewind through the Crowd I rush't And as the Blood from their rich Vessels drain'd This Linnen with the Sacred Crimson stain'd Pier. Giv 't me and leave me to my self a moment Now Sacred Drops now Heavenly Nectar first I 'le kiss then pledge you with a Dying Thirst What 's this I feel my Soul beat at my Wound And bid me to remember now 's the time Now to let out Life's Navigable Stream And mix it with this most Celestial Flood Thus as kind Rivers to their Ocean run First I 'le descend by just degrees to Earth Thus on my Knees and wing my Soul to Heaven Kneels Where Anna Bullen waits her Piercy's coming And with this Bloody Sign the Pow'rs implore Like a poor Wretch Ship-wrackt on some Lone-shoar Who spies a Sail far off waves 'em his Hand To come and waft him from the Barren Land Enter Diana Behold the good Diana By those Tears Something of horror 't is thou hast to say Dian. Alas my Lord what have you done Your Wound does bleed afresh Your Looks are alter'd all those Masculine Beauties That shone in your Illustrious Face and made The noblest brave Epitomy of Mankind Are vanisht on a sudden and you hang Like a pale Carcass on my trembling
perceives He 'll hate and cast her from him in a Rage Blunt See! yonder 's Rochford coming towards us Big with glad Looks I hope to be deliver'd Of something that will forward our Design Card. I will retire and leave him to your Care To mannage him with all the Art of Woman And Hell if Heaven wont inspire your Wit And Malice Ex. Card. Enter Rochford Roch. Brightest of thy dazling Sex That wears the Charms of all the World about thee How have I been this long long hour in pain In Torments and in Darkness all the while Sun of my Joy to waste the tedious Day And Star to gaze the live-long-night away Blunt O you are grown a Courtier now indeed My Lord but 't is no wonder now you are Exalted and are Brother to the Queen 'T is hard for one to gain a look from you Without the purchase of I will not tell you Roch. Ha! Brother to the Queen to Iupiter And if my ravish'd Sense deceives me not I will not change my State to shine in Heaven To be the darling Brother of the Sun Or one of Leda's Twins that deck the Sky No Castor I defie thee Blunt Hold my Lord I will not chide you though you have deserv'd it For all those Raptures are but starts in Love And seldom hold out to the Races end Or else like Straw that gives a sudden blaze And soon is out Roch. Oh say not so my Goddess The Negro nearest Neighbour to the Sun That lives under the torrid burning Line Feels not the warmth that does possess my Breast And oh forgive the vast Comparison Hell's flame is not so vehement or lasting Blunt Enough my Lord I 'le put you to your Trial Prepare and see how well you can obey But that you may not strive without all hope Like Slaves condemn'd for ever to the Gallies Here is my Hand an Earnest of my Promise That as I find you Faithful I 'le Reward you Roch. Your Hand where am I tell me God of Love Blunt But mark me Hear as from a Prophet this Be sure you merit well this first of Favours And keep the Oath you vow upon this Hand Else I 'le denounce a worse than Hell shall follow Your Sacrilegious Crime Roch. Lo here I swear But tell me Heav'n what signifies an Oath When 't is impossible I should be false I swear upon this Altar breathing Incense Eternal Love Eternal Constancy Divinest softest Sweetest Kisses her Hand Blunt Go my Lord. And now you have it brag to my undoing For never any but your King can boast The like Roch. And he th' unworthiest of Mankind Who having such a Jewel in his Breast The Crown not half so Sacred were it mine To sell it for a false and glittering Trifle So silly Indians barter Gold and Pearls For Baubles Blunt What your Sister treach'rous Man You do not mean it nor can I endure To hear her so degraded if 't were real Sh' has Goodness and has Beauties more than I And merits what she does possess a Crown And much the more because she sought not for it Which is the cause I fear that she 's unhappy You visit her not only as a Brother But as a Friend and Partner of her Councils You love like Twins like Lovers or indeed As a fond Brother and kind Sister should How bears she this unwelcome State or rather How does she brook the Wrong that 's done to Piercy Roch. All her Reflections on it streight will vanish A King and Crown are Charms invincible No Storms nor Discontents can long abide Where Love and Empire plead but soon will flye Scatter'd like Mists before the Sun of Power Blunt You speak indifferently my Lord and like Mistrust of her you Love I long to hear The more what you would fain disguise from me Have you so soon forgot the Oath you took Or is' t so lately that you think 't is scarce Reach'd down to Hell to claim you Perjur'd there Or think you that I e're can hate the Sister When with a blush I own I love the Brother False and ungrateful Man farewell Roch. O stay Rip open my Bosom to my naked Heart And read what-e're you think is written there Had I no Tongue to speak I 'd suffer that Rather than once deny you any thing Blunt He softens turns and changes as I 'd have him Aside His Waxen Soul begins to melt apace He is my Slave my Chain'd and Gally Slave Oh that I had but Harry so to torture But I 'le Revenge my self on this soft Fool On Bullen and on all their Race at once That were the Cursed cause of my undoing You find my Passion and good Nature quickly To Roch. That makes you use me thus Roch. Ten thousand Pardons Blunt No more I can forgive if you deserve it I charge you as a Sign of your Repentance Go visit streight the Queen and Piercy too You hear he 's come to Court and what you learn From them that ought concerns their former Loves From time to time acquaint me with the Story And you shall lock the secret in my Breast As safe as in your own Roch. 'T were Blasphemy But to suspect it Blunt I require this of you Not that I doubt the Virtue of the Queen But know that worse than Hell I hate the King To which just hatred 't is you owe my Love And wish your Sister and all Humane kind Would hate him too Roch. I 'le instantly obey you Blunt Come back my Lord this readiness has charm'd me And now I can't but give you some kind hopes You may have leave to visit me hereafter And talk of Love perhaps I 'le take it kindly Roch. Blest Harmony Happiest of Mankind I. Blunt And you may write to me and best by Proxy For tho the King not visits me as he was wont Yet he is Jealous Let all your Amorous Letters be disguis'd Under the borrow'd Name of Brother still Directed to me by the stile of Sister Roch. In all things I 'le obey my lovely Goddess Blunt These Papers once shall be of Consequence Aside See the Queen comes her Soul in discontent To Roch. And longs to be disburthen'd I will leave you A fit occasion 's offer'd now she 's on The Rack to ease her by a fond Confession Ex. Blunt Enter Queen and Ladies Queen Where am I now My Brother Is it you I hear that Piercy's come to Court Roch. He is Queen Where shall I hide my guilty Face from him And shut me where he ne're may see me more For now I start at every humane Shape And think I meet wrong'd Piercy in my way Like one escap'd for Murther in his Flight Shuns every Beast and Trembles at the Wind And thinks each Bush a Man to apprehend him Enter Diana I sent thee to the Queen Diana say How fares she in her hopeless lost Estate What Answer bring'st thou that is Death to hear Come talk of Misery and
Head May Hers Be all the Pleasure still and mine the Pain Queen O Gods obdurate Heav'ns Cruel Honour Aside And yet more Cruel Vertue hear and see Pier. And when I shall for ever be recluse As now I go to part with all Mankind 'T will be my Joy sometimes to think of you And make me live perhaps one Day the longer When in my Melancholy Cell I hear That the Crown flourishes on Bullen's Head Queen Ha! I 'm or'ewhelm'd the Sluces all are broke Aside And Pity like a Torrent pours me down Now I am drowning all within 's a Deluge Wisdom nor Strength can stem the Tide no more And Nature in my Sex ne're felt the like Help Rochford e're I 'm rooted to this Earth Away away the least word more undoes me Pier. Yet turn one Look upon me e're you go Queen There take it with my life perhaps the purchase Take that too Piercy thou hast been betray'd Gives him a Letter Learn there th' unhappy Bullen's Fate Farewell Pier. Yet stay the Soul ne're parted with such pangs From the pale Body as you fly from me Queen Piercy adieu I can I will I must No more Ex. Qu. and Roch. Pier. What never see you more She 's gone She 's gone more lov'd and beautiful than ever And now methought just as she parted from me She shot a Look quite through my gory Heart And lest it Gasping Dying and Despairing What 's here a Letter and the Character That I so oft have been acquainted with If these Eternal Kisses give me leave I 'le break it open with as great a Joy As I had leap'd into our Marriage-Bed And rifled all the Sweets and Pleasures there What 's this I read Reads By Wicked Woolsey Harry and our Parents I was betray'd and forc'd to Wed the King Who intercepted all thy Letters Swearing With Sacramental Oaths that thou wert false And Marry'd First Piercy adieu and Credit me And that I lov'd thee better than my Life Burn this rash Paper lest the Fiends disclose it BULLEN She 's Innocent Oh! you Immortal Powers She 's Innocent And then she loves me still Sound sound my Joy till my Exalted Soul Is wound up to th' extreamest pitch of Bliss Let Piercy never after this be sad Yet hold What dawn of Comfort can'st thou spy In this Oh none This Gloworm-Spark This Glimps of Hope is vanisht and I 'm left In deeper Darkness Horrour and Despair Than e're I was before Oh Anna Bullen Curst in being true And I more Curst in knowing it too late Re-enter Queen and Rochford Ha! she returns The mourning Angel comes Again Sure Heav'n's in Love with both our Miseries They look with such a Pomp and Train in me And are so beautiful in her Queen Well Brother And thou far stronger and Immortal Pity And more Immortal Love y' have brought me back Ye have What! what will you do with me now Roch. Could any thing on Earth Tyger or Panther Much less a Creature form'd by Heav'n like It Could you I say refrain at such an Object At the last Words of the unhappy Wretch And not forbear to balm him o're in Tears Or else but hear him speak Queen Now I 'm inclos'd again The Combat now grows fierce and strong and oh How weak an Armour Resolution is Against our Passions or the Man belov'd Virtue and Honour hence be proud no more Nor brag of your Dominion o're Mankind Lest Love most fatal Love too soon should tell you And make you feel h' has mightier Chains than you See where he is Look Heav'n with tender Eyes Give Council to my just despairing Soul And tell me Pity is no Sin Ah Piercy Pier. My Charming Queen my Anna Bullen once Am I so Blest and yet so wretched too As what is written here contains and tell me May I believe that you can love me still Queen Oh Piercy Piercy urge me not to tell you What Heav'ns Austerity will not permit Nor force me to declare What the Eternal Sees already written In too broad Characters within my Breast How large how deep thy Story 's graven here And what I dare not never must unfold Oh! I have said too much Pier. What! said too much Can you repent of one kind thought of Piercy And spitefully call back your tender Mercy Nay worse Can you behold the almost Naked And starv'd beseeching Wretch and strive to pull The totter'd Remnants from his quivering Joints And dash the Pitcher from the greedy Lips Of one just ready to expire with Thirst Oh Cruel Queen For Anna Bullen would not She would not would not use her Piercy thus Queen Cease cease such sounds And turn thy sad resistless Eyes away For if I once behold those Tears and hear Thy just Complaints I can no longer hold But break I must through all the bonds of Virtue Nay stood the Jealous Harry by With all his Guards of Devils Woolsey's Cardinals In spight of all in spight of more my self I must both see hear thee and speak to thee And pity thee Now are you satisfied Pier. It is enough bright Daughter of the Sky Y' have conquer'd me my Deity you have Here on my Knees but yet at distance too The Posture of a Soul in Extacy I beg a thousand Pardons of my Queen A Look a Sigh or Tear from Anna Bullen Is far more worth than all the trifling Wrongs Nay than the Life and very Soul of Piercy Queen Help me just Heav'n who sees how I 'm besieged And what a weak Resistless Wretch I am Why d' ye impose on us so hard a Task On poor Mankind so feeble and so frail Making us here Comissioners of Virtue Yet put by Drams and Scruples in the Ballance To Counter-poise and weigh down Flesh and Blood How weaks my Will to draw my Body hence And oh how loath my Eyes are to depart But with for ever to be fasten'd on thee And look one Look to vast Eternity Yet we must part Ah Piercy part for ever Pier. Ah say not so must we so soon my Queen Is then this Moments Bliss so Criminal That it must forfeit all my precious Hopes Of an Assurance once to meet again Queen My mind now bodes to me that 't is our last Yet I must bid thee go There is no Joy for us The World 's a Deluge all to thee and me There is no rest my Piercy in this World No Sanctuary to lay the weary Head Of the undone th' unpitty'd and betray'd Farewell There 's somewhat rises o're my Soul And covers it as with a fatal Cloud Of Horror Death and Fear It cannot be The Sting of parting cannot do all this Farewell farewell Pier. Stay must we part for ever What never never meet again Queen Never till we are Clay and then perhaps Neglected as we were in Life thrown out in Death Some Charitable Man may be so kind To give our poor forsaken Bodies Burial Laying 'em both together in one Bed Of
Earth Hah the times come my Fatal Doom's at Hand Three Drops of Blood falls from her Nose and stains her Handkerchief Behold the Heav'ns in Characters of Blood In three inevitable Drops Have seal'd it and decreed that it is now Ah Piercy fly and leave me here alone To stem this mighty Torrent of my Fate Begone while I have Life to bid thee go For now Death stops my Tongue She Swoones Pier. My Lord She Faints My Life my Anna Bullen stay Or your Commands shall Fetter me no more But break I will through all the Bars of Distance And catch thee thus thus hold thee in my Armes Rochford Oh help to call her back again Hold stop thy flight thou precious Air return Far richer than that rare Immaculate Breath Which Natures God breath'd in the first of Mankind Roch. Wake Sister wake behold no dangers nigh Queen Ah Piercy Now I wake with Courage now To meet my Fate and see where it approaches Enter Cardinal Northumberland and Guards Pier. Ha! Woolsey and my Father with the Guards Card. My Lord e're we discover our Commission Pray let your Son be parted from the Queen Lest the wrong'd King should see him in his Rage And Execute his worst of Fury on him North. Son tho' you have committed in the Court The greatest Crime against your Royal Master That e're a Subject can be guilty of Yet in respect of these Gray Hairs and Tears He has been pelas'd to spare your forfeit Life Therefore begone A Minutes stay is fatal Guards force him if he goes not willingly And carry him streight by Barge to Suffolk-House Without Reply Pier. Obediently I 'le go If you will promise me that you have nought Against the Sacred Person of the Queen And will not touch her For 't is greater Sacriledge Then 't is to hurt an Angel cou'd it be She is so Innocent so Chast and Pure Else I 'm resolv'd to stand no Rock so firm Fixt like the Center to the Massey Globe You should as soon remove strong Hercules With his Hands grasping both the Poles of Heaven As force me from this Footing where I stand And see the Queen but threatned or in danger Card. My Lord on both our Honours the Queens Person Shall be Inviolate and Sacred always Nor know we ought against her but the King Is coming streight to visit her as kindly As he was wont Therefore you must be gone We have no other Reason but your safety Pier. I fear for ah what Truth can come from thee Thou speak'st but at the Second Hand from Hell Kind Sir May I believe what Woolsey says Card. Confirm it good my Lord or you 'l delay North. 'T is true what the great Cardinal has told you Queen Go Piercy and mistrust not more than I Begone if I have Power left to Command Leave me to Innocence and Heav'n that will not Permit a Soul that never did any ill To fear it Pier. Then I 'le go But oh Just Heav'n And all you Angels Cherubins and Thrones All you bright Guards to the most High Imperial You kindest gentlest mildest Planets You lesser Stars you fair Innumerable And all you bright Inhabitants above Protect the Sacred Person of the Queen And shed your balefull'st Venom on their Heads That think to stain a Whiteness like your selves Farewell Ex. Piercy Queen Farewell Card. Iohn Viscount Rochford by the King's Command W' Arrest you here of Capital High Treason Queen Hear Heav'n my Brother faln into the Snare Card. And 't is his Pleasure that you streight be sent Close Prisoner to the Tower with the Lord Norris Who is suspected with you to be Guilty Of the same hainous Crime Guards Seize his Person Roch. Base Villain Traytor Woolsey Say for what Queen No matter Let a Woman teach thee Courage Ne're ask for what since 't is his wise Decree Above who gave us with a liberal Hand And sate us on the highest Spoke of Greatness No longer than he pleas'd to call us down Well Whose turn's next Come dart your worst my Lords And meet a temper'd Breast that knows to bear By my bright Hopes y' are more afraid than I I did expect you would begin with me Card. Most Royal Madam Oh! I wish the King Had chosen some less unwilling than our selves To Execute this most detested Office In Witness of it on our Knees with Tears Kneels And Sorrow we our sad Commission tell It is the Kings most fatal Pleasure too That you be sent a Prisoner to the Tower And thence immediately to both your Tryals Rises Roch. Tryal oh her wrong'd Innocence for what Queen No more Dear Brother let us both submit And give Heav'n Thanks and our most Gracious King For I 'm not so presumptuous of my Virtue But think Dear Rochford that both you and I Have once committed in our erring Lives Something for which we justly merrit Death Though not perhaps the Thing we are accused of Enter the King in a Fury with Letters in his Hand Attendants and Guards Card. The King is here Queen Then he is Merciful King Where is this Woman this most abhorr'd of Wives This Scandal to her Sex my Crown and Life What by your Minion oh good Natur'd Husband Down on your Knees and thank me for the favour See here are Letters faln into my Hands Where your dear Brother says he has enjoy'd you Gives the Letters to the Queen Oh thou more Damn'd and more Insatiate far Than Messalina She was Chast to thee Her half the Men and Slaves of Rome Could satisfy but thou not all Mankind With Husband Brother Kindred in the Number She gives 'em Roch. Queen Oh Heav'nly Pow'rs oh Guard of Innocence What do I see and hear O Sacred Sir You took me to your Royal Bed a Hand-maid The most unworthy of the mighty Favour Oh throw me into Dungeons streight or take Away my Life that ne're offended you Take all in Recompence from Anna Bullen 'T is yours But do not Rob me of my Fame Nor stain my Virtue with so foul a Guilt Roch. What 's here my Amorous Letters sent to Blunt Has she betray'd me King I will hear no more To the Queen Roch. Ah Royal Sir these Letters I confess King Damn thy hot Lustful Breath thy Poysonous Tongue Here take 'em hence to Tortures Racks to Death Queen O Sir I am prepar'd for any Death For worse than Death a thousand thousand Torments And if you think 'em all not pain enough Here take Advice of Woolsey Hee 'l instruct you Tell you how you may plague this hated Body But do not think that I 'm so loath'd a Creature King Quick Take away thy Hands or I will force thee Queen You shall not cannot till I 've Sworn the Truth For by th' unspotted Babe within the Womb That yet lies wrapt in Innocence unborn By injur'd Truth by Souls of Martyr'd Saints By you my Lord my Husband and my King And by the King of Kings the King
Tale be blest And have no other Tongue but thine to tell it Dian. Then with the meekness of a Saint she stood With such amazing Oratory dazled And like the Sun darted quite through her Judges And sham'd their Guilt that none durst look upon her But oh what 's destin'd in the blackest Pit Of Hell what Innocence can n'ere withstand What e're she said that Angels cou'd not siner And shew'd a Soul no Crystal nigh so clear Tho' all appear'd to be the Plot of Devils Yet was she guilty found and oh sad Piercy May all Eyes weep at it like thine and mine Condemn'd to lose her Head Pier. Hell dare not think it Dian. The Cruel Duke of Norfolk her Relation As Steward for the Day pronounc'd the Sentence Pier. And my hard hearted Father too was there Dia. My Lord What said you your hard hearted Father Oh blotted let it be from all Records And never be in Englands Annals read What I 'm about to tell you Her own Father The Earl of Wiltshire sate amongst her Judges Pier. O Monster damn'd than Cruel Titan worse That eat up his own Issue as he got e'm Dia. Behold the King All Knees are bent all Hands All good mens Eyes lift up to Heav'n and him To beg the Life of Her that glads the World Pier. Make use of all thy Womans art to win him Let all Petition him that share her Blood Matrons Wives Virgins all the charming Sex Dia. Do you withdraw You but incense the King Iv'e yet a soft Experiment to try Shall pierce his stubborn Nature to the Quick Pier. That Angel th' art inspir'd with prosper thee Exeunt Enter King and Attendants King Piercy did I not charge he should be seiz'd To the Guards who go out to seize Piercy Now by the sacred Crown of Englands Monarchs Let none entreat me upon pain of Death To Petitioners What 's here a List of base Petitioners â—or Norris Life Hell and Confusion seize 'em 〈◊〉 I not like a Rock against the Seas 〈◊〉 Mountain 'gainst the Winds stood thus unshaken Deny'd all Englands Prayers and Tears of Angels Nay more this heart that pleads with mortal pangs For my dear Anna Bullen's life And shall I Pardon a Slave before I would my Queen Enter Northumberland who kneels King Why dost kneel North. I met my Son this most unlucky moment Just as the Guards were ready to obey And Execute your fatal orders on him Who in despair or rather in obedience Making a faint resemblance to resist As they were striving to put by his Sword He on a sudden open'd wide his Arms And on his Breast received a wilful wound I kneel with humble Prayer's that his Disaster would mitigate your present and just Fury And grant my Son his freedom till his hurt Is cur'd which is not mortal King Be it so Enter Diana leading in the Toung Princess Elizabeth with Women Dian. Pardon this bold Intrusion in your Presence Your Daughter Sir this little Princess here Possest with Womans Rage and far above The little sparkling Reason of a Child Scream'd for her Father Where 's my Father said she And as we brought her to you still she cry'd Unless she saw her Father she wou'd die King What wouldst thou have my little Betty say Child But will you promise me that you 'l not frown And cry aloud Hough and then indeed I 'le tell you King I do Come Let me take thee in my Arms Child No but I 'le kneel for I must be a Beggar And I have learn't that all who beg of you Must do it kneeling North. Prettiest Innocence King well then what is' t my little Pratler say Child I 'm told that streight my Mother is to die Yet I have heard you say you lov'd her dearly And will you let her die and me die too King She must die Child There is no harm in death Besides the Law has said it and She must Child Must is the Law a greater King than you King O yes But do not cry my pretty Betty For she 'l be happier when she 's dead and go To Heaven Child Nay I 'm sure shee 'l go to Heav'n King How art thou sure Child Some body told me so Last night when I was in my sleep King Who was it Child A fine Old man like my Godfather Cranmer Card. Ay! there 's the Egg that hatcht this Cockatrice Child Pray Father what 's that huge tall Bloody man I n'ere saw him but once in all my life And then he frighted me He looks for all The World just like the Picture of the Pope King Why don't you love the Pope Child No indeed don 't I Nor never will King Ay but you must my Dear He is a fine old man too if you saw him Card. Go y' are a little Heretick Child A Heretick Pray Father what does that bold Fellow call me What 's that King Why that 's One that forsakes the right And turns to a new wrong Religion Child Then I 'm no Heretick For I ne're turn'd In all my life But you forget your Child Dear Father will you save my Mother's life King You must not call me Father For they say Y' are not my Daughter Child Who 's am I then Who told you so That ugly old bald Priest He tells untruth I 'm sure you are my Father King How art Child Cause I love none so well as you But oh you 'l never hear me what I have to say As long as He that Devil there stands by Your Elbow King Ha! what Devil Child That Red Thing there King Oh Child He is no Devil he 's a Cardinal Child Why does he wear that huge long Coat then Unless it be to hide his Cloven Feet Card. Sir all 's design'd by Cranmer for the Queen Of whom Sh 'as learnt this Lesson like a Parot King Take her away I were a Fool indeed Iâ— Womens Tears and Childrens idle Prattle Should change my fixt Resolves and cheat my Justice Away with her Child Oh but they dare not Father will you not let your Betty kiss you Why do you let 'em pull me from you so I ne're did anger you Pray save my Mother Dear King-Father do And if you hate her we will promise both That she and I will go a great huge way And never see you more King Unloose her hough Hence with her straight I will not hear her prate Another word Go y' are a naughty Girl Child Well I 'm resolv'd when I am grown a Woman I 'le be reveng'd and cry Hough too Ex. Diana Princess Women King Ha! Spirit Mount all the Draw-Bridges and guard the Gates Then bring the Prisoners sorth to Execution Norris and Rochford first and then the Queen My Lord Northumberland be it your Task Dispatch my Orders straight and fetch the Traytors What 's this that gives my Soul a sudden Twitch And bids me not proceed Ha! is' t Compassion Shall Pity ever fond the Breast of Harry