needs their Aid Now when the madness of the Nation 's grown To such a height 't is to be fear'd Death walks In Masquerade in strange and many shapes The Court that was the Planet that shou'd guide us Is grown into Rebellion with it self Fears Jealousies and Factions crowd her Stage Two Queens the like was never seen before By different sides maintain each others Right Our Virgin Constellation shines but dim Whilst Mary Scotlands Queen that Northern Star Tho' in a Prison darts her Rival Light Dav. The Champions of her Faction are not few Men of great Birth and Titles plead her Cause And daily urge the Queen for her Release 'Mongst whom the gallant Duke of Norfolk's chief A Prince that has no equal in his Fame A Man of Power and int'rest to be fear'd For his own sake as well as for the Queen's For shou'd h'ingage himself too deep in this England might chance to loose the best of Men. Cec. The Queen 's peculiar safety be thy care Therefore the Secretaries Place is thine In which high State as from a Perspective Thou may'st discover all her forreign Foes And home Conspiracies how dark soever But most of all let Mary be thy fear And what thou learn'st inform me of I 'le act But in thy shape be thou my Proxy still Dav. Not Cromwell ever trod with so much care The subtle steps of his most famous Master As I the Dictates of the wiser Burleigh The Scottish Regent yesterday arriv'd With new discover'd Plots t' accuse his Queen And since to poise those heavy Articles The Duke of Norfolk is from Mary come And both are to have Audience straight Behold The Man I speak of Cec. Wait you on the Queen Exit Davison Enter Norfolk Your Grace is welcome from the Queen of Scotland How fares that sad and most illustrious Pattern Of all Misfortunes Norf. Dost thou pity her O let me fly and hold thee to my Bosom Closer and far more dear than ever Bride Was held by hasty Bride-Groom in his Arms Who says thou art not straighter than the Pine Thy Visage smoother than Diana's Cheeks Who says this little Globe upon thy Back Is not more beautiful than Natures World ◠Cec. My Lord you give what Nature never lent me Blushes Norf. Should the Hyenna thus bemoan And thus the neighbouring Rocks but eccho him My Queen I wou'd devour the precious Sound And thus embrace him from whose Lips it came Tho' wide and gaping as the Jaws of Hell My Lord I came to seek you I 've a Secret T' unfold which while I keep it weighs me down And when 't is out I fear it will destroy me Cec. Then keep it in your Breast let me not know What is not fit for you to speak nor me to hear Norf. O 't is o're charg'd and can no more be held Than Thunder when the Lightning has giv'n warning Now only now 's the time the Traytor Morton The false usurping Regent is return'd With all the Magazine of Hell about him The Queen my lovely Alban Queen 's in danger And if thou hear'st not to advise thy Norfolk There ne're will come a time for after-Counsel Cec. What is 't my Lord Norf. First wear the Looks of Mildness Such as forgiving Fathers do to Sons And hear and speak me gently for thy Soveraign Yet 't is no Treason unless Love be Treason Cec. Out with 't my Lord. Norf. I love the Queen of Scotland Cec. Ha! Love her How Norf. How should she be belov'd But as mild Saints do to their Altars bow And humble Patriarchs kiss the Copes of Angels Cec. Love her for what Norf. Not for a Crown I swear O hadst thou seen her in that Plight as I did And hadst been Alexander thou hadst kneel'd Thrown all thy Globes and Scepters at her feet And giv'n a Crown for every tear she shed Cec. I dare not hear you out Norf. By Heav'n 〈◊〉 shall Nor shall your Ears be deaf alone nice States man And see you Christal Pavement of the Heav'ns With Angels swarm'd more numerous than Stars Whose Voices louder than the breath of Thunder And swifter than the Winds proclaim to Earth Bright Mary's Wrongs and my eternal Love Cec. My Lord y 'ave said too much I dare not hear you Norf. Is pitying the distress'd and loving Her Whom none but Envy hates 〈◊〉 to hear Cec. What Reason has your Passion You 'd not marry her Norf. Not marry her Wou'd not a Saint choose Bliss A starving Creature rather eat than dye By Heav'n were she on Acheron's t'other side And charm'd me by my Love to overtake her I 'de swim the burning Lake to grasp her thus Embraces him Cec. For Pity recollect your banisht Reason Consider what y 'ave said it must undo you The Danger 's greater far than you can feign Do you not know that she 's accus'd of Treason That for the Royal Crown our Mistress wears She yet stands Candidate against all Force And hopes to snatch it from her rightful Head Norf. By the eternal Beams that bless the World 'T is false thou know'st false as the Sun is clear O Cecil tell me what thou truly think'st Thou hast a Soul with shining Wisdom crown'd Whose virtuous honest steps whoever tracks May challenge to be sav'd O tell me then Can Scotland's Queen be any but a Goddess Cec. I dare not utter every thought that pains me Nor can I longer with my Oath dispence An Oath that charges me for Life to hold No dang'rous Secret from the Queen Farewel Repent my Lord and urge this thing no more For 't will be fatal should our Mistress know it Norf. The Queen must know it you shall tell her too Therefore I came that thou shou'dst intercede You from whose Mouth the Queen takes nothing ill Cec. Not for the Crown she wears wou'd I acquaint her Norf. You must you shall Cec. Beware Ambition Sir The Queen has Jealousie to giv 't a Name Disloyalty Ambition is the least Norf. By Heav'n you wrong the faithful'st of her Subjects I 'de touch a Scorpion rather than her Scepter Her proud Regalias are but glittering Toys And the least Word or Look from Scotlands Queen Is worth whole Pyramids of Royal Lumber We only ask but Love and Liberty Give us but those we 'll quit her all the rest For where Love Reigns so absolute as here There is no room for any other thought Cec. My Lord consider what you 'd have me say I dare not speak not think of it Farewel Norf. Tell her or by my desperate Love I swear I 'le fly and do 't my self were she hemm'd in With Basilisks or were she Queen of Furies Love mighty Love should lead me and protect me Else by the Throne of Thrones that aws the World If she 'l not hear me I 'le proclaim aloud And hollow in her Ears the hated Sound Of Royal Mary's Wrongs And that it is because she has more Right And Title to her Crown
Monster Villain Traitor Morton Nay till I 've made him own to all the World That he 's not born of noble Blood but that Some Ruffian mingl'd with his Fathers Lust And more than half begot him Mor. Gracious Queen Q. E. How dare you utter this before my face What have my Favours plac'd you so aloft That y' are become my Equal Is it so Yet know proud Duke that I can pull you down Nay were you Duke of all your fancy'd World Your Head as high as your aspiring Thoughts Confess y' are mad if so go home and sleep But take this Caution Sir along with you Beware what Pillow 't is you rest upon Norf. If to proclaim the Innocence of her Who has no liberty to do 't her self Be such a Crime take then my Life and Honours Th' are more your Majestie 's than mine that wear 'em But while I breath I 'le hollow to the Clouds Nay Hell shall eccho from the deep Abyss Queen Mary's wrong'd Queen Mary's innocent Qu. E. Patience kind Heav'n must I indure all this Take him away Norf. They need not I will go You 'l hear an Answer first from that sad Princess Here is a Letter from that guilty Fair One. She bids me thus present it on my Knees Qu. E. Before I read it you may speak my Lord. Norf. Mark but the Superscription Is 't not to Her dearest Sister Queen Elizabeth Qu. E. It is Norf. But had you seen her write it with what Love How with a Sigh she perfum'd ev'ry Word Fragrant as Eastern Winds or Garden Breezes That steal the sweets of Roses in their Flights On ev'ry Sillable she rain'd down Pearls And said instead of Gemms she sent you Blessings For other Princely Treasure she had none Qu. E. Alas What mean'st thou Norfolk Norf. Then she sigh'd and cry'd Go to the Queen perhaps upon her Throne Tell her mine is an humble Floor my Palace An old dark Tower that threatning bore's the Skye And seems at war with Heav'n to keep Day out For eighteen years of Winters I ne're saw The Grass embroider'd o're with Icy Spangles Nor Trees Majestick in their snowy Robes Nor yet in Summer how the Fields are clad And how soft Nature gently shifts the Scene Her hoary Vestment to delightful Green Qu. E. O Duke enough thy Language stabs my soul. Norf. No feather'd Chorister of chearful Note Salutes my dusky Grate to bring the Morn But Birds of frightful Omen Scriech Owls Batts And Ravens such as haunt old ruin'd Castles Make no distinction here 'twixt Sun and Moon But joyn their clattering Wings with their loud croaks And sing hoarse Midnight Dirges all the Night Qu. E. O horror Cecil stop thy ears and mine Now cruel Morton is she guilty now She cannot be ambitious of my Crown For tho'it be a glorious thing to sight Yet like a gaudy Serpent round it sits Wreathing about a Prince's tortur'd Brow And O! it has a thousand stings more fatal Thou hast no more to say Norf. I found this mourning Excellence alone She was asleep not on a Purple Bed Or gorgeous Pallet but upon the Floor Which a mean Carpet clad whereon she sate And on a homely Couch did lean her Head Two winking Tapers at a distance stood For other Light ne're blest that dismal Place Which made the Room look like some sacred Urne And she the sad Effigies of her self Qu. E. Alas have done I cannot hear thee out Pray rise my Lord. Norf. O never till y 'ave Pity Her Face and Breast I might discover bare And looking nearer I beheld how tears Slid from each crevice of her scarce clos'd Eyes And every Breath she fetch'd turn'd to a Sigh Qu. E. O I am drown'd I 'me melted all to Pity Norf. Quickly she wak'd for Grief ne're rested long And starting at my sight she blush'd and said You find me full of Grief but know my Lord 'T is not for Liberty nor Crowns I weep But that your Queen thinks me her Enemy And will not hear the Voice of Innocence But stops her Ears 'gainst Nature's and my Cries The worst of Villains may be heard to pray And at the Altar plead but me she banishes And hears my Foes but will not hear her Sister Qu. E. My Breast like a full Prophet's is o'recharg'd The God of Pity rages to get out And must have way Rise Norfolk and haste all Fly with the Wings of posting Angels fly Swift as the merciful Decrees above Are glided down the Precepice of Heaven When the Almighty is resolv'd to save Quick take your Queens own Chariot take all my Love And bring this mourning Goddess to me straight Fetch me that warbling Nightingale who long In vain has sung and flutter'd in her Cage And lay the panting Charmer in my Breast This Heart shall be her Jaylor and these Arms her Prison Norf. O run and execute the Queen's Commands Prepare her golden Coach and snow white Steeds The Pattern of that Innocence they carry And fly more fast than Venus drawn by Doves Shou'd all the Clouds pour down at once upon you Make your quick passage through the falling Ocean Not it's dread Thunder let it stop nor Lightning stay you Mor. Madam Qu. E. No more you shall have Justice Sir If you have bravely urg'd the truth fear not For Majesty is always the severest And truest Touchstone of a Rebels Heart Why Heaven have you perplext me with a Crown Now when the World is such a Monster grown When Summer freezes and when Winter springs When Nature fades and Loyalty to Kings Once such Respect to Iudah's Prince was shown Ten thousand Lives were prov'd to save his own Then as the Lyon to the Fox look'd grim Kings first were awful now they lesser seem What makes such Rebels what makes Monarchs poor But giving Slaves too large a taste of Power To Morton 'T is for the Royal Furr you hope to win The Ermine might be safe but for her Skin If Kings have any fault 't is but the Name And not who wears it but the Crown 's to blame Exeunt Omnes Finis Actus Primi ACTUS SECUNDUS Scena prima Norfolk Solus REjoyce all living Creatures that have Breath Through this vast City let your Noises joyn And Eccho all ye Lands and Seas she comes The distant Shouts and wafted sounds of Bells Proclaim to Londons Walls Queen Mary's come Winds bear it into France to glad her Friends Winds waft it into Scotland to her Foes Till with the News they blast with envy dye Enter Morton to him Mor. My Lord I came to find you Norf. Pardon me The mighty joy that has since fill'd my breast And left no room for other thoughts has made me Forget that you and I were angry Mor. And I. My Lord brave Spirits shou'd be stir'd to wrath As seldom as the Center is with Earth-quakes Not like the Sea disturb'd by ev'ry Blast I came to speak with you but as a Friend Last Night
him I am th'intrusted Messenger Dav. Do'st know them to be hers Who gave 'em you Giff. Her Secretary Curl Dav. But are you sure they are the Queens own Hand Giff. Her Hand I know not but her Name is to ' em To me they 're first deliver'd to convey And henceforth as they come into my hands To you I 'le give ' em Dav. Do so which I 'le open And cause them to be neatly counterfeited Then send the false and keep the true ones by me But hold we are perceiv'd come follow me And when time serves I 'le bring thee to the Queen Exeunt Enter Queen Mary young Dowglas and Women at the other Door Dowglas spies Davison and Gifford Qu. M. Shew me the unfrequented'st Gallery To walk in for we have not chang'd our State We only have a little larger Prison Dow. Ha! Qu. M. What do's all the Genius of his Queen Why this Disorder wherefore didst thou start Dow. Saw you that Fellow Madam Qu. M. Yes why ask'st thou Dow. I know not but a suddain Horror seiz'd me At that Mans sight as if he were some Fiend Was not that Davison and he together In private talk Ah Madam Davison A Spy of Quality and Legier here Of Plots against your sacred Innocence By your unspotted Soul just such a 〈◊〉 Pray Heav'n he 's not the same I ofte◠〈◊〉 With Navus during your Imprisonment O my prophetick Heart warns and foretells me There 's mischief gangring in our scarce clos'd Wounds Qu. M. Thou need'st not fear for my kind Sisters Love And my own Innocence shall conquer all That Hell and Furies can invent against me Dow. What mean these drops O Heav'ns what means this shaking Young Prophets never wept nor trembl'd so For Pity when they told the Fate of Kingdoms Ah brightest Star that e're adorn'd the World Take take young Dowgla's Counsel and retire O shun this barbarous Place and fly this Moment Qu. M. What dost thou mean Dow. I know not but am pull'd By some strange Destiny that seems to you As if Irav'd but blest were you 't were madness Last Night no sooner was I laid to rest But just three drops of Blood fell from my Nose And stain'd my Pillow which I found this Morning And wonder'd at Qu. M. That rather does betoken Some mischief to thy self Dow. Perhaps to Cowards Who prize their own base Lives but to the Brave 'T is always fatal to the Friend they love Mark further I was scarcely fall'n asleep But You were represented to my Fancy Deck'd like a Bride with Norfolk in you Hand The amorous Duke shot Smiles with ev'ry Word Whilst you return'd e'm with more piercing Darts But strait it seem'd to Lighten and a Peal Of dreadful Thunder rent you from each other Whilst from the Cieling painted o're like Heaven Methought I saw the furious Queen of England Like angry Iuno mounted on a Cloud Light on a Throne at which dread Sight you vanisht Qu. M. These are but starts of an o'rewatchful soul Which always represent to us asleep What most we fear or wish when w' are awake Dow. Ah my best mistress on my knees I beg you Tho' the brave Duke be as renown'd as any That e're the antient Gréeks pickt out for Gods Tho' never Man so rival'd all his Sex And left e'm bare of Virtues like himself Yet for your precious Life's sake that 's more worth Than thousand Dukes break off your Marriage with him Qu. M. My little Guardian Angel thou dost rouze And beat a War within my Breasts between The Interest of my Love and Preservation Thou knowst 't was long consulted and at last Concluded best for my uncertain State Leicester and Cecil both of 'em have promis'd With Morton too to gain the Queens Consent Dow. There 's Morton in it therefore go no farther Qu. M. Thou wou'dst not have me wed the gallant Duke Yet thou wou'dst have me fly where shall I fly I dare not go to Scotland That lays wait To catch me in a hundred Snares of Death And into France I will not must not go For then my Sister may with reason say I went for Aid to drive her from her Throne Besides with sad Experience oft we find France seldom to a banisht Prince is kind Dow. See where he is just in the moment Heav'n As if ill Fate against it self were kind And comes to warn you that you might avoid it Qu. M. What shall I do say Heav'n for lo I stand Like one that in a Desart seeks his way Sees several Paths yet doubting of the right Stands in a maze and fears to venture upon any Enter to them Norfolk and Morton Norf. What! what in tears thou mourning Excellence Shed not that precious Balm in vain but spare it To heal the world when Nature is a dying And Chaos shall be threatned once again O save those Pearls to buy large Empires for us And when w 'ave liv'd to the old Patilarchs Age To purchase twice as many years of Heaven Mor. Weep you when Love and joyful Hyment wait To banish Grief for ever from your Breast Qu. M. Morton I will proceed no further in this Marriage My Lord I fear it will be fatal to us Norf. What do I hear Qu. M. By all my hopes I dare not Most generous Norfolk to your virtuous Love I ow my Freedom and what 's more my Life And Marys Heart is but the least return That she can make but if that Heart proves fatal A wretched Load to curse with woes the Taker And sink the Noble Vessel that does hold it Then Charity forbids me be so cruel Think I deny you for your own dear safety Think I deny my self Run fly forsake me Seek not for shelter in a falling Tower But leave me to be wretched here alone Norf. Shou'd all the Fiends break loose to bar my way And were that Marble Roof of Heav'n descending To crush me and my Hopes I 'de fly this moment And perish with my Love but I 'de enjoy her Give me this trembling Hand the fairest Lilly Set in the loveliest Garden of the World Purer and whiter than the Virgin Snow If 't is a Sin to blot it with a Tear O cou'd it speak 't wou'd expiate the Crime And say my soul does want a rougher Language To chide my Alban Queen Qu. M. Cease Norfolk cease By all your hopes of happiness I charm you Your better Genius not my own foretells me This deed will be the ruine of your Fortunes If not your Life first break it to the Queen Gain her Consent Mor. That is already done Leicester long since implor'd her Royal Leave She knows it and in not forbidding it Her Silence must be taken for a Grant Qu. M. Delay it but a Day and let me go My self if Blushes will not quite confound me And ask the Queen Mor. You still create fresh Hazards And still forget the Queen denies to see you Besides that were to