University of Virginia Library

SCENE II.

Cæsar's Tower.
Enter 1st. Baron and Officer.
Bar.
Is the King yet safe?

Off.
He is, my lord.

Bar.
Are many troops with us?

Off.
Two thousand full well arm'd; and braver men
Ne'er buckled on their limbs the glitt'ring steel.
O! what a sight it was to see the King.
No sooner had he reach'd the bridge, but firm,
And with a voice that wrung each coward heart,
He hail'd them to come on. Here then he stood,
In his right hand griping his massy ax,
Whilst with the left he held the brazen chain,—
Nor did he budge until each hardy soldier
Safely within the walls had entered.
Then waving thrice his cased hand in air,
And with a nod that spread pale fear around,
And seem'd to animate his bloody plume,
Triumphantly he bad them all defiance;
Then slowly turning with a horrid frown,
Soldiers, he cry'd, soldiers! break down the draw-bridge.
Like hail, in flight we pour'd on them our arrows,
Until their blood had stain'd the moat around us,—
But look, my lord, here comes the King.

Enter Vortigern.
Vor.
Why stand ye here, like fools, catching the air,
What! think ye this to be your mistress' chamber?

Bar.
My gracious Prince, we wait your orders here.

Vor.
Then fight I say.
Go get ye hence.—

Bar.
I go.

Vor.
No, no, thou must stay here, thou'rt my sole prop;
I sicken fast, and 'gin again to flag.
Pour forth, I pray thee now, some flatt'ring words,
For I am weary, and my lamp of life
Doth sadly linger, and wou'd fain go out,
For look you, my poor soul is sore diseas'd.

Bar.
Courage, my noble Sir.—

Vor.
Time was, alas! I needed not this spur.
But here's a secret, and a stinging thorn,
That wounds my troubled nerves, O! conscience! conscience!
When thou didst cry, I strove to stop thy mouth,
By boldly thrusting on thee dire ambition,
Then I did think myself indeed a god!
But I was sore deceiv'd, for as I pass'd,
And travers'd in proud triumph the Basse-court,
There I saw death clad in most hideous colours,
A sight it was that did appal my soul,
Yea, curdled thick this mass of blood within me.
Full fifty breathless bodies struck my sight,
And some with gaping mouths did seem to mock me,
Whilst others smiling in cold death itself,
Scoffingly bad me look on that, which soon
Wou'd wrench from off my brow this sacred crown,
And make me too a subject like themselves;
Subject! to whom? To thee, O sovereign death!
Who hast for thy domain this world immense;
Church-yards and charnel-houses are thy haunts,
And hospitals thy sumptuous palaces,
And when thou would'st be merry, thou dost chuse
The gaudy chamber of a dying King.
O! then thou dost ope wide thy hideous jaws,
And with rude laughter, and fantastic tricks,
Thou clap'st thy rattling fingers to thy sides;
And when this solemn mockery is ended,
With icy hand thou tak'st him by the feet,
And upward so, till thou dost reach the heart,
And wrap him in the cloak of lasting night.

Bar.
Let not, my lord! your thoughts sink you thus low,
But be advis'd, for should your gallant troops
Behold you thus, they might fall sick with fear.

Enter an Officer.
Off.
My lord! my lord!

Vor.
Wherefore dost tremble thus, paper-fac'd knave!
What news shou'd make thee break thus rudely in?

Off.
Indeed, indeed, I fear to tell you, Sir.

Vor.
Speak, vassal, speak! my soul defies thy tongue.

Off.
Your newly married Queen—

Vor.
Speak, what of her?

Off.
My lord, she hath ta'en poison, and is dead.

Vor.
Nay, shrink not from me now, be not afraid,
There, lie my sword! and with it all my hopes.

Lord.
Yet we may hope—

Vor.
O! friend, let not thy tongue delude with hope,
Too long against the Almighty have I fought.
Hope now is vain—I will not hear of it.

Off.
Yet is the breach not made, and we are strong,
Still we may out, my lord, and beat them off.

Vor.
Can wicked souls e'er stand before the just;
Can strength outweigh the mighty hand of God?
No, no, never, never—O! repentance,
Why dost thou linger thus to ask admittance?
Thou com'st, alas! too late, thou'rt stale and nauseous.
Where, where is now the good old murder'd King?
In fields of bliss, where guilty souls ne'er come.

Enter another Officer.
2nd. Off.
All, all is lost, the post is ta'en by storm;
The breach is made, they pour in fast upon us.

Vor.
If it be so, then will I out and die;
Now aid, ye gods! but if ye will not hear,
E'en then on hell I call again for succour!
My friends have boldly stemm'd this tide of war,
And shall I flinch at last and play the woman?
Let any but Aurelius meet my arm,
And this my sword shall ope a gate so wide,
That the imprison'd soul shall take its flight,
And either seek the murder'd King above,
Or down and join me in the pit below.

[Exeunt.