University of Virginia Library

Scene V

—Dunbar; the great hall of the castle at dawn. Servants stirring about; some lighting a fire
Enter Darnley
Darnley
Why how now, fellows, do you know your place?

1 Servant
Have you some tidings of the queen? Despatch!

2 Servant
Who is arrived?

Darnley
Arrived! The king—thank God!

1 Servant
Is he below?

Darnley
He'll kick you down the stairs
Unless you mend your manners. Get a fire.

3 Servant
Who may this be, a muffled, slinking man?

1 Servant
We doubt his purpose. (Mockingly)
Save your majesty!
How fares the queen?

Darnley
Out of my sight, you knaves!

2 Servant
'Tis growing light enough to track the course
Of horsemen. Quench the torches.

Darnley
Let them be;
It was the wild and streaky dawn that set
My wits a-shaking. Will you bring me food?
What, am I unsubstantial? They shall pay
Who give me insult.

2 Servant
Have good patience, sir;
We wait the queen's arrival.

Darnley
Let her dawdle
Till Ruthven overtake her: I am safe.
To see her laugh and gossip on the croup
Of Erskine's gelding! My good Naples courser
Would not be kept her paces.—Look you, varlets—
I hate their sneering eyes about my face—
Get to the stable, groom my horse, for then
You'll serve me humbly.—That last bit of travel,
After the queen grew sluggish and I tore
Alone across the stony country-side,
What was it that encountered me, that shape
Of straggling insolence that caught my reins,
While the wind burst in laughter at my back,
Coarse-lunged as these attendants? 'Tis not meet
For royal persons to endure the air,
Exposed to such temptations. How these creatures
Peer at the doorways!—Pile the faggots up!
I say I will have warmth! You, Blackadder,
I know your hang-dog face. Where is Earl! Bothwell?
Cannot you speak?

Blackadder
He rode with certain lords,
Huntly and Seton, Fleming, Livingstone,
In the late starlight to receive the queen.
Hark! There is bustle in the court below;
You may espy their troop.

Exeunt Servants
Darnley
(Looking out)
No languor now!
A lusty woman blushing like a bride
Soon as that thick-limbed earl bends over her.
I will crouch sulky by the fire and note
What care she shows me.

Enter Bothwell, leading in the Queen, accompanied by Erskine and other nobles
Bothwell
Safe, my sovereign, safe—
Since in my custody.

Queen
Earl, at Dunbar
I put all troubles from me; though a queen
Without a country, I am gay at heart
For sight of your true faces. Erskine, see
How bright a blaze!

Erskine
Beseech you, madam, rest.

Queen
Ay, after breakfast. Had you met us, warden,
Ere the last watch, our roistering company
Had put you to your guard. The midnight faintness
Wore off, and my young squire encouraged me
So loyally, I could put all fear away,
And prop my drooping head against his shoulder
To watch the moon winning the adverse clouds
To wear her colours. Sooth, we moralized . . . .

Bothwell
Well, rest you.

Huntly
And be bounteous of your smiles
To faithful subjects.

Bothwell
We are soldiers all.

Queen
O Huntly, would I were myself a man
To carry my own vengeance in my hand!
I envy you your swords. Within a day
This treason shall be flying fast to England,
To France, to Spain . . . and if Elizabeth
But listen to these calumnies—

Erskine
No need
Of foreign princes.

Queen
Nay, my bonny captain,
While there are hearts like yours. (To Bothwell)
Beseech you, host,
To give us breakfast.

Bothwell
If you be not dainty.
We have no dishes. Oaten bread, and milk,
Eggs—raw.

Queen
Then, Erskine, in your next campaign
Boast that your queen herself set forth your meats.
Good gentlemen, I have an appetite
That will not bide delay: let me be cook,
And I will quickly put you in such stomach
To fight as shall regain my ravished kingdom.
Do not be so amazed, or watch my face
As I were not in earnest; spread the board.
Still lost! And it is verily such art
To pass from shell to broken shell the yolk,
Nor mar the spheral yellow in the change?

Erskine
The marvel, madam, is the ministry
Of those translucent hands.

Queen
The admiration
That hinders you from service we disdain.
You shall play courtier when we have a court,
Meanwhile you rein our horse, and, at command,
(Giving him a dish of eggs)
Fry these upon the fire. Such sputtering dread
Make havoc with our foes! I cannot rest
With traitors in my palace.

Bothwell
In two days
You shall wipe clean the rooms, if with their blood
The surer cleansing. I will furnish you
A body-guard, fierce men of Liddesdale,
Full of the border virtue; while you rest
From that mad, midnight gallop and its pains,
An army will engird you silently.

(The Queen approaches Darnley as she breaks an egg)
Queen
My husband, surely you will credit now
I can afford protection? (To Lords)
You would deem
That I belied our consort if I told you
That he forsook us in the mid-distress
Of our too laboured journey. I, you see,
Have something of the cares of motherhood,
Which he who has occasioned them forgets.
How do you, Henry? An uneasy brow
Even in the ingle-nook?

Darnley
(Rising)
I would be private. I am disesteemed,
My Mary. Do you wish that we should lodge
Together? None will credit I am king.
Speak to them.

Queen
Nay, our host assigns our rank
And disposition.

Bothwell
(To Servants)
Give this gentleman
A lodging in the north, beside my chamber.
(To Darnley)
I will convey you to your solitude,
And then attend the queen.

Exeunt Bothwell and Darnley
Queen
Now we will feast.
(To Erskine, who offers to help her in cooking the eggs)
Captain, I'd trust you with a thousand lives—
Had I a thousand—not these housewife's toys.
Were I but let alone
I could do all things perfectly, the least,
The greatest. Erskine, was not the young air
Of ravishing, strong freshness? Oh, I feel
This is the daybreak of my fortunes. Sit!
Re-enter Bothwell
So our good host will give us leave, I claim you
Each as my guest. Ah, this is happy queenship!
Eat, my strong soldiers! With a glorious rush
We will retake our royalties.

Bothwell
(Rising)
We pledge
Triumphal entry into Holyrood;
Health to the queen—God's grace that she is safe!

(They drink)
Queen
My lords, 'tis very life to me to breathe
Where no suspicion is. With openness
I ever give my favours, fellowship
To those of mating wisdom. . . . My dear servant,
Whose office none can fill, shall be avenged:
In 'midst of this hot grief 'twere hazardous
To mingle retribution—punishment
Shall be allotted presently: meanwhile
We crave your patience with our erring husband,
As with a man entangled in the toils
Of evil counsellors; we condescend
Ourself to pity him; and for our sake,
Beseech you, eye his faults with lenience.

Erskine
(Starting up)
Madam,
Before my face . . . .

Bothwell
You are too young a witness.
How say these noblemen?

Huntly
'Tis not his murder
Of Riccio that we stick at—the assault
And hurt he did your majesty provoke us.
A sneaking, vile poltroon!

Bothwell
My prisoner.

Queen
True,
We both lie at your mercy.

Bothwell
Renegade!

Huntly
A royal pensioner—no king of ours.

Bothwell
He shall have justice at our hands.

Queen
If I
Can hope to pardon, an imperilled mother,
An injured wife, a broken-hearted friend,
You can be dumb, till with my utmost patience
I seek to make him sorry for the past.
He is much spent. Myself will bear him food.

Bothwell
You shall not visit him. (To Erskine)
Captain, your service;
Diet Lord Darnley as his state requires.
Huntly and Seton, Fleming, Livingstone,
A hasty council must be held at noon;
Our troops keep pouring in: until that hour,
Madam, you must repose. There is a chamber
Full, to the east, of sunshine and of sea,
There will I lead you: not an anxious thought
Should cloud your brows.

Queen
My lord, when you are near
I feel my throne impregnable. Alas,
My weariness comes over me, but simply
As a tired child I shall just turn to rest,
And think of sweet to-morrow. We have yet
Our throne to climb, our unborn king to save:
All, all is in your keeping.

Bothwell
Be content.