University of Virginia Library

SCENE THE THIRD.

Henry, Mary.
Ma.
Thou'rt welcome here,
Thou, whom I chose for all my griefs and joys
The inseparable partner. Thou at last
Compliest, and dost listen to my prayers:
At length within thy palace thou returnest;
That it is always thine thou knowest well,
Although in voluntary banishment
From thence it pleases thee to live so far.

Hen.
Queen ...

Ma.
Why thus call me? Why not call me consort?

Hen.
Say, are our destinies the same?

Ma.
Ah! no;
Thou mak'st me spend my tedious days in tears ...

Hen.
My tears thou seest not ...

Ma.
I have beheld thee
Bedew, 'tis true, thy cheek with tears of rage,
Never of love.

Hen.
Be the cause what it may,
I wept, and still I weep.

Ma.
And who can cure
This ceaseless grief, who wipe my tearful eyes,
Who to my heart restore pure genuine joy,
Who, if not thou?

Hen.
Which of us has the power,
And having that, the will, will soon be seen.
Meanwhile I tell thee that to-day I do not
Come to repeated insults ...

Ma.
Why wilt thou,
Oh heaven! thus irritate before thou hearest me?
If thou deem it an insult to behold
Other men's judgments not submit to thine,
Here oft, I grant, but always spite of me,
Wert thou insulted. Their immunities
Monarchs possess, and monarchies their laws,
And their infringement is to all injurious;
Nor dared I hinder thee from breaking them,
Than as I should myself have been restrain'd
If an unwise desire had prompted me
To arbitrary power. But if of me,
If of my heart thou speakest, of my love
For thee, and of my private fondnesses,
Beloved consort, what part of myself
Have I not given thee unreservedly?
My lord and my support, say, wert not thou
My first, my last, my sole solicitude?
And thou wilt evermore be so, if thou
Wilt only lay aside thy unjust wrath,
And far as usage of the law permits,
E'en now indeed wilt be lord of the realm,
And, without any limitation, mine.

Hen.
The ostentation I esteem an insult;
The haughty manners towards myself adopted
By the audacious ministers, or friends,
Or slaves, or counsellors, or parasites,
For I know not how I should designate
Those that around thee stand. And I esteem
That which I meet with every day an insult;
To be still flatter'd by the name of king,
While I'm not only of the power bereft,
But even of the superficial pomp
That waits on royalty; to see myself
Rather in servitude than liberty;
My motions and my words, my deeds and thoughts,
Investigated all, and all betray'd;
Bereft of every solace of a father;
Not only not to be allow'd to watch
The education of my only son,
But from his presence to be interdicted;
And myself only.—Why should I say more?
What boots it to enumerate one by one
My many wrongs? Thou know'st how comfortless,
How much neglected, and how much oppress'd,
Degraded, and perhaps how much betray'd,
Is he whom thou unluckily hast chosen
The partner of thy throne, yet having chosen,
Whom self-respect forbids thee to despise.

Ma.
Perhaps I also might reply to thee
That thy incautious actions have alone
So far reduced thee; and I might suggest,
With what unworthy recompense at first
Thou didst return my love; that more intent
To subjugate, than, with benignant arts,
To gain the minds of Scotland's haughty chiefs,
Impatient of restraint, thou lost them quite;
And too much trusting in thy faithless friends,
At first thou drewest from their intercourse
Pernicious counsels, treason afterwards,
And detriment, and forfeiture of love.
I might speak further ... But can I proceed? ...
Ah, no! ... That is a superficial love
Which watches, blames, or does presume to judge
The imperfections of the beloved object.
To oblivion everlastingly by me
Be these consign'd. If it can soothe thy heart
That I should seem the injurer, not the injured,
So let it be: 'tis unimportant to me
Where lies the cause, so that we both escape,
And chiefly thou, all baneful consequence.
Do thou and all thy friends calm thoughts resume:
Open once more thy breast to confidence;
Nor let fantastic thoughts of novelty
Thy judgment captivate. Within thy palace
Reigning, learn thou the arts of government.
I do not dare propose myself to thee
As one well skill'd in such a complex art;
For inexpert, I oftentimes have err'd:
My immature capacity, my sex,
And perhaps a natural defect of judgment,
In many indiscretions have involved me.
I only know, as far as in me lies,
To chuse sagacious and just counsellors;
And, hence assisted, with a trembling foot
To try the vast and formidable lists
Of perilous royalty. Ah! were I skill'd
In reigning as I am in loving thee!

Hen.
But, save thy husband, each man in the court
Appears a just sagacious counsellor:
And he's the only one in whom designs
Of private benefit may not abide ...

Ma.
Or at least ought not.—But refrain awhile:
Thou in my heart hast fix'd suspicion's wound;
And do thou heal it. Not that I retain,
I swear to thee, the recollection of it,
Much less its rancour: ah, believe my words.
But separation does not strengthen love,
Nor mitigate suspicion. By my side
Stand evermore; I shall esteem that day
For ever fortunate on which I shall
Be able to give, in exchange for one,
A thousand proofs of love. Malignant spies,
I know, there are not wanting, who delight
Betwixt us to maintain disgraceful discord,
And seek perhaps to foment it. But, if thou
Wilt evermore be near me, in whom else,
Better than in thyself, can I confide?

Hen.
I hear seducing words, but I endure
Deeds of increasing rancour.

Ma.
But what would'st thou?
Speak; and I will do all.

Hen.
I would, in fact,
Be father, consort, king; or of these names
I will divest myself ...

Ma.
Thou would'st have all
Except my heart. And more than thy demand
Refusal wounds my soul. Ah! would to heaven
That thou at least with this wert satisfied.
Yes, far as in me lies, thou shalt have all;
I only ask of thee, that thou preserve
Some decency towards me before the world;
And that henceforward thou repeat no more
Thy ancient exhibition of contempt.
Ah! if thou love me not, let others think,
At least, that thou esteemest me! To this
I do conjure thee by the common pledge
Not of thy love, but mine. Thou shalt again
Behold our only, our beloved son;
To thy paternal arms shall he be brought;
That thou art a king, a consort, and a father,
May he remind thee.

Hen.
I am well aware
What is my duty; if I have appear'd
Unequal to its weight, the fault was theirs
Who have from me transferr'd it to themselves.
To-day am I resolved, e'en more than others,
To recompense affection with affection,
But artifice with scorn.—This single day
Will be sufficient to bring all to light.
I in the faces of thy friends shall see,
The court's implicit rule, thy secret thoughts.