University of Virginia Library

SCENE I.

Edinburgh-Castle.
Livingston
, solus. (a letter in his hand)
Success already dawns upon our plan,
To-day my Lord of Douglas comes to town,
To clear his fame—The Chancellor gone to meet him,
'Tis very grating thus to be oblig'd
To act in concert, with the man I hate—
Perhaps he has a double view, and hopes
To rid himself of me—Douglas to each
Bears equal grudge, and keeps us both in awe.
Well pleas'd he saw us quarrel and lay by
To wait the issue—Had the one been foil'd,
The other must have fall'n his easy prey—
We saw his aim; on this our union's built—
Were Douglas once remov'd, each for himself,
And we are friends no more—It must be so—
Cool, politick, and artful, he assumes
Each character: with ease, in all the same:
With penetrating eye explores the views
Of others, deeper than the depths his own—
Well! foxes may be caught—'Tis near the hour
I was to be with Kirkton—She fore-told
The murder of the King, if fame says true.
Crowds daily throng her house, and none dispute
The truth of her predictions—Yet 'tis strange!
To reason's eye she seems an artful cheat—
But then experience says, I reason wrong—
It must be so—She's old, and long ere now
Had been detected—Me she cannot know—
I'll strictly mark her words, if they import
Superior wisdom, she shall be my guide.