 | The Unhappy Favourite : or the Earl of Essex |  |
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Actus Primus
Scæna Prima
Countess of Nottingham, Burleigh at several Doors. The Countess Reading a Letter.Not.
Help me to rail Prodigious minded Burleigh,
Prince of bold English Councils, teach me how
This hateful Breast of mine may Dart forth words,
Keen as thy Wit, Malitious as thy Person;
Then I'le Caress thee, stroak thee into shape.
This Rockey dismal Form of thine that holds
The most Seraphick Mind, that ever was;
I'le heal and Mould thee, with a soft Embrace;
Thy Mountain Back shall yield beneath these Arms,
And thy pale wither'd Cheeks that never glow,
Shall then be deck'd with Roses of my own—
Invent some new strange Curse that's far above
Weak Womans Rage to Blast the Man I Love.
Burl.
What means the fairest of the Court, say what
More cruel Darts are forming in those Eyes
To make Adoring Cecil more unhappy?
If such a Wretched, and declar'd hard Fate
Attends the Man you Love, what then Bright Star
H'as your Malignant Beauty yet in Store
For him that is the Object of your Scorn?
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Declare who is this most ungrateful Lover?
And to obey my lovely Nottingham
I will prefer this dear Cabal, and her
To all the other Councils in the world;
Nay tho' the Queen, and her two Nations call'd,
And sinking England stood this hour in need
For this supporting Head, they all shou'd sue,
Or perish all for one kind look from you.
Not.
There spoke the Genius, and the Breath of England.
Thou Esculapius of the Christian World!
Methinks the Queen, in all her Majesty,
Hemm'd with a Pomp of Rusty Swords, and duller Brains,
When thou art absent, is a Naked Monarch,
And fills an idle Throne till Cecil comes
To head her Councils, and inspire her Generalls—
Thy uncooth self that seems a Scourge to Nature
For so malitiously deforming thee,
Is by the Heav'nly Pow'rs stamp'd with a Soul
That like the Sun breaks through dark Mists, when none
Beholds the Cloud, but Wonders at the Light.
Burl.
O spare that Angells Voice till the last Day,
Such Heav'nly Praise is lost on such a Subject.
Not.
Let none presume to say while Burleigh Lives
A Woman wears the Crown; Fourth Richard rather,
Heir to the Third in Magnanimity,
In Person, Courage, Wit, and Bravery all,
But to his Vices none, nor to his End
I hope.
Burl.
You Torture me with this Excess—
Were but my Flesh Cast in a purer Mould,
Then you might see me Blush, but my hot Blood
Burn't with continual thought, does inward Glow;
Thought like the Sun still goes its daily Round,
And Scorches, as in India to the Root.—
But to the Wretched Cause of your disturbance;
Say, shall I guess? Is Essex not the Man?
Not.
O! Name not Essex, Hell, and Tortures rather,
Poysons, and Vultures to the Breast of Man
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Speak good my Lord; nay, never speak nor think
Again, unless you can asswage this worse
Than Fury in my Breast.
Burl.
Tell me the Cause;
Then Cease your Rage, and Study to Revenge.
Not.
My Rage! It is the Wing by which I'le Fly
To be Reveng'd—I'l nere be Patient more.
Lift me my Rage, nay, Mount me to the Stars,
Where I may Hunt this Peacock tho he lies
Close in the Lap of Juno—Elizabeth,
Tho' the Queen Circles him with Charms of Pow'r,
And hides her Minion like another Circe.
Burl.
Still well instructed Rage, but pray disclose
The Reason of the Earls Misfortune.
Not.
You are,
My Friend the Cabinet of all my Frailties;
From you, as from Just Heav'n, I hope for Absolution;
Yet pray, tho' Anger makes me Red, when I
Discourse the Reason of my Rage, be kind,
And say it is my Sexe's Modesty.
Know then,
This Base Imperious Man I Lov'd, Lov'd so,
Till Lingering with the Pain of Fierce desire,
And Shame that strove to Torture me alike,
At last I past the Limits of our Sex,
And (O Kind Cecil pitty and Forgive me)
Sent this opprobrious Man my Mind a Slave;
In a kind Letter Broke the silence of
My Love, which rather shou'd have Broke my Heart.
Burl.
But pray, what Answer did you get from him?
Not.
Such as has made and Earth-Quake in my Soul,
Shook ev'ry Vital in these tender Limbs,
And rais'd me to the Storm you found me in.
At first he Charm'd me with a Thousand Hopes,
Else 'twas my Love thought all his Actions so—
Just now from Ireland I receiv'd this Letter,
Which take and Read but now I think, you shall not—
I'll tear it in a thousand pieces first,
Tear it as I wou'd Essex with my Will,
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Till every Attome of his Cursed Body
[Tears the Letter in a Rage.
Sever'd, and Flew like Dust before the Wind.
Now do I Bless the Chance, all else may blame
Me for; Revealing of my Foolish Passion—
Did I e're think these celebrated Charmes
Which I so often have been Blest, and Prais'd for
Shou'd once be destin'd to so mean a Price
As a Refusal!—Are there Friends above
That Protect Innocence, and injur'd Love?
Hear me, and Curse me, straight with Wrinkl'd Age,
With Leoprosie, Derision, all your Plagues
On Earth, and Hell hereafter, if I'm not Reveng'd.
Burl.
Els say she is no Woman, or no Widow.—
[Aside.
The Sacred Guardians of your slighted Beauties,
Have had more Pitty on their lovely Charge,
Then to behold you swallow'd in his Ruin.
The best, and worst that Fortune cou'd propose,
To you in Essex Love, was to have brought,
A helpless, short-liv'd Traytor to your Arms.
Not.
Ha! Traytor say you! Speak that Word again—
Yet do not; 'tis enough if Burleigh says it:
His Wit has Power to Damn the Man that thinks it,
And t'extract Treason from infected Thought.
The Nations safety like a Ship he Steers,
When Tempests Blow, rais'd by designs of false,
And Ignorant States-men; by his Wit alone
They'r all Dispert, and by his Breath she Sayls,
His Prosperous Councils all her gentle Gales.
Enter a Gentleman.
Gent.
My Lord, the Queen expects you straight.
Burl.
Madam,
Be Pleas'd to Attend her Majesty ith' Presence,
Where you shall hear such Misdemeanours offer'd,
Such Articles against the Earl of Essex,
As will both glad the Nation, and your self.
Gent.
My Lord, I see the haughty Earl of Southampton
Coming this way.
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Madam, retire.
Not.
I goe
With greater expectation of delight
Than a young Bride-groom on his Marriage Night.
[Exit Countess of Notting.
Burl.
Southampton! he's the chief of Essex Faction,
His Friend, and Sworn Brother; and I fear
Too much a Friend, and Partner of his Revells
To be a Stranger to the others Guilt—
'Tis not yet time to lop this haughty Bough,
Till I have shaken first the Tree that bears it.
Enter Southampton.
South.
My Lord, I hear unwelcome News; 'tis said
Some Factious Members of the House, Headed
By you, have voted an Address for leave
T'impeach the Earl of Essex of strange Articles,
Of Treason.
Burl.
Treason, 'tis most true is laid
To Essex Charge, but that I am the Cause
They do me wrong, th'Occasion is too publick:
For those dread Storms in Ireland rais'd by him,
Have Blown so rudely on our English Coasts,
That they have Ship-wrack'd quite the Nations Peace,
And wak'd it's very Statues to abhorring.
South.
Meer Argument, your nice, and fine distinctions
To make a good Man Vitious, or a bad
Man Virtuous, ev'n as please the Sophisters—
My Lord, you are ingendring Snakes within you,
I fear you have a subtle stinging Heart;
And give me leave to tell you, that this Treason,
If any, ha's been hatch'd in Burleigh's School.
I see Ambition in the fair Pretence,
Burleigh in all it's Cunning, dark Disguises,
And envious Cecil ev'ry where.
Burl.
My Lord, my Lord, your Zeal to this bad Earl
Makes you offend the Queen, and all good men.
Believe it Sir, his Crimes have bin so noted,
So plain, and open to the State, and her,
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Of a most Gratious Mistress, or her Council;
Nor can she any longer, if she wou'd,
In pitty of his other parts let Justice wink,
But rouze her self from Cheated slumbering Mercy,
And start at his most foul Ingratitude.
Nor, does it well become the brave Southampton
To Plead in his behalf; for fear it pulls
Upon himself, suspition of his Crimes.
Sou.
Hold in my Fire, and scorch not through my Ribs,
Quench, if thou canst, the Burning Furious Pain—
I cannot if I wou'd, but must unload
Some of the Torture—Now by my Wrong'd self,
And Essex, much more Wrong'd, I Swear 'tis false,
False, as the Rules by which Vile States-men Govern,
False as their Arts, by which the Traytors Rise,
By Cheating Nations, and Destroying Kings,
And false Imposing on the Common Crew.
Essex! By all the Hopes of my Immortal Soul,
There's not one drop of Blood, of that brave Man
But holds more Honour, Truth and Loyalty
Than thy whole Mass besides, and all thy Brains
Stufft with Cabals, and Projects for the Nation;
Than thou that seem'st a good St. Christopher
Carrying thy Countries Genious on thy Back,
But, art indeed a Devil, and takest more Hire
Than half the Kingdom's Wealth can satisfie.
I say again, that thou, and all thy Race
With Essex base Accusers, ev'ry one
Put in a Scale together, Weigh not half
The merit that's in one poor Hair of his.
Burl.
Thank you, my Lord—see I can bear the scandal,
And cannot chuse but smile, to see you Rage.
South.
It is, because thy Guilty Soul's a Coward,
And ha's not Spirit enough to Feign a Passion.
Burl.
It is the Token of my Innocence.—
But let Southampton have a special Care
To keep his close Designs from Cecils way,
Least he disturb the Genious of the Nation
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The Fate of Essex.
[Exit Burleigh.
South.
Ha! The Fate of Essex!
Thou lyest Proud States-man, 'tis above thy reach;
As high above thy malice as is Heaven
Beyond a Cecils Hopes—Despair not Essex,
Nor his brave Friends, since a Just Queen's his Judge;
She that saw once such Wonders in thy Person,
A scarce fledg'd Youth, as Loading thee with Honours,
At once made thee Earl-marshall, Knight o'th' Garter,
Chief Councellor, and Admiral at Sea—
She comes, she comes bright Goddess of the Day,
And Essex's Foes shee drives like Mists away.
Enter the Queen, Burleigh, Lord Chancellor, Countess of Notthingham, Countess of Rutland, Lords and Attendants, Queen on a Chair of State, Guards.
Queen.
My Lords, we hear not any thing Confirms
The New designs were dreaded of the Spanyards:
Our Letters lately from our Agent there
Say nothing of such Fears, nor do I think
They dare.
Burl.
To dare, most high Illustrious Princess,
Is such a Virtue Spanyard never knew,
His Courage is as Cold as he is Hot,
And Faith is as Adulterate as his Blood.
What truth can we expect from such a Race
Of Mungrells, Jews, Mahumetans, Gothes, Moors,
And Indians with a few of Old Castilians,
Shuffl'd in Natures mould together?
That Spain may truly now be call'd the Place
Where Babell first was Built. These men
With all false Tenets chopt and masht together,
Suck'd from the Scum of ev'ry base Religion,
Which they have since Transform'd to Romish Mass,
Are now become the Myters darling Sons,
And Spain is call'd the Popes most Catholick King.
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Spoke like true Cecil still, old Protestant—
But, Oh! It Joyes me with the dear Remembrance
Of this Romantick huge Invasion.
From the Popes Closset where 'twas first Begot,
Bulls, Absolutions, Pardons, frightful Banns
Flew o're the Continent, and Narrow Seas,
Some to Reward, and others to Torment,
Nay, worse, the Inquisition was let loose
To Teach the very Atheists Purgatory.
Then were a Thousand Holy Hands employ'd,
As Cardinals, Bishops, Abbots, Monks, and Jesuits,
Not a poor Mendicant, or Begging Fryer
But thought he shou'd be Damn'd to leave the Work;
South.
Whole Sholes of Benedictions were disperst;
Nay, the good Pope himself so weary'd was
With giving Blessings to these holy Warriours,
That Flew to him, from ev'ry Part as thick
As Hornets to their Nest, It gave his Arms
The Gout.
Burl.
O Faithless, incouragious Hands!
They shou'd have both been Burnt for Hereticks.
Queen.
But when this huge, and mighty Fleet was ready,
Altars were strip'd of shining Ornaments.
Their Images, their Pictures, Palls, and Hangings
By Nuns, and Persians, wrought,
All went to help their great Armado forth;
Relicks of all degrees of Saints
Were there Distributed, and not a Ship
Was Blest without one; ev'ry Sail amongst 'em
Boasted to carry, as a certain Pledge
Of Victory, some of the real Cross.
South.
Long live that Day, and never be forgotten
The gallant How'r, when to th'immortal Fame
Of England, and the more immortal Drake,
That Proud Armado was Destroy'd; yet was
The Fight not half so dreadful as th'Event
Was pleasant. When the first Broad Sides were giv'n,
A tall brave Ship, the tallest of the Rest,
That seem'd the Pride of all their big Half-moon,
Whether by Chance, or by a luckey Shot
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Bursting like Thunder, and almost as high,
And then did Shiver in a Thousand Pieces,
Whilst from her Belly Crouds of Living Creatures
Broak like untimely Births, and fill'd the Skye:
Then might be seen a Spanyard catch his Fellow,
And Wrestling in the Air fall down together;
A Priest for safety Riding on a Cross,
Another that had none, crossing himself;
Fryers with long big sleeves like Magpyes Wings
That bore them up, came gently Sailing down:
One with a Don that held him by the Arms,
And Cry'd, Confess me straight; but as he just
Had spoke the Words, they Tumbled down together.
Burl.
Just Heav'n that never ceas'd to have a Care
Of your most Gracious Majesty, and Kingdoms,
By Valliant Souldiers, and by faithful Leaders,
Confounded in one day the vast designs
Of Italy, and Spain against our Liberties;
So may Tyrone, and Irish Rebells fall,
And so may all your Captains henceforth prove
To be as Loyal, and as stout Commanders.
Queen.
Is there no fresher News from Ireland yet?
Burl.
None better than the last, that seems too ill
To be repeated in your Gracious hearing.
Queen.
Why, what was that?
South.
(Aside.)
Now, now the Subtil Fiend
Begins to Conjure up a Storm.
Burl.
How soon your Gracious Majesty forgets
Crimes done by any of your Subjects!
Queen.
What?
That Essex did defer his Journey to
The North, and therefore lost the Season quite;
Was not that all?
Burl.
And that he met Tyrone
At his Request, and treated with him Private.
A Ford dividing them, they both Rode in,
Wading their Horses knee deep on each side;
But that the Distance from each other was
So great, and they were forc'd to parley loud,
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Nay, not an Officer in all the Army
But was deny'd to hear what pass'd between them—
What follow'd then the Parly? was the Truce,
So shameful, (if I may be bold to call
It so,) both to your Majesty and England?
Queen.
Enough, enough good Cecil, you begin
To be Inveterate; 'twas his first Fault;
And tho that Crimes done to the Nation's hurt
Admit of no excuse or mittigation
From th'Author's many Virtues or Misfortunes,
Yet you must all confess that he is brave,
Valliant as any, and 'as done as much
For you, as e're Alcides did for Greece.
Yet I'le not hide his Faults, but Blame him too,
And therefore I have sent him Chiding Letters,
Forbidding him to leave the Kingdom till
He has dispatcht the War, and kill'd Tyrone.
Enter Sir Walter Rawleigh, Attended by some other Members of the House.
Burl.
Most Royal Madam, here's the gallant Rawleigh,
With others in Commission from the House,
Who 'ttend your Majesty with some few Bills
And humblest of Addresses, that you wou'd
Be pleas'd to pass 'em for the Nations safety.
Queen.
Welcome my People, welcome to your Queen,
Who wishes still no longer to be so
Than she can Govern well, and serve you all;
Welcom again, dear People; for I'me Proud
To call you so, and let it not be Boasting
In me, to say, I Love you with a greater Love
Than ever Kings before showr'd down on Subjects,
And that I think ne're did a People more
Deserve, than you. Be quick,
And tell me your Demands; I long to hear:
For know, I count your wants are all my own.
Raw.
Long live the bright Imperial Majesty
Of England, Virgin Star of Christendome,
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Who wish the Sun may sooner be extinguish'd
From the bright Orb he Rules in, than their Queen
Shou'd e're descend the Throne she now makes happy.
Your Parliament, most Blest of Soveraigns,
Calling to mind the Providence of-Heaven
In Guarding still your People under you,
And sparing your most precious Life,
Do humbly offer to your Royal pleasure
Three Bills to be made living Acts hereafter,
All for the safety of your Crown and Life,
More pretious than ten thousand of your Slaves.
Quee.
Let Cecil take, and read what they contain.
Burl.
An Act for setling, and establishing
[Cecil takes the Papers and reads the Contents.
A strong Militia out of ev'ry County,
And likewise for levying a new Army
Consisting of six thousand Foot at least,
And Horse three thousand, quickly to be ready,
As a strong Guard for the Queens Sacred Person,
And to prevent what clandestine designs
The Spaniards, or the Scots may have.
Quee.
Thanks to
My Dear, and loving People, I will pass it.
Burl.
This second Act is for the speedy raising
Two Hundred Thousand Pounds to pay the Army,
And to be ordered as the Queen shall please;
This to be gather'd by a Benevolence,
And Subsidy, in six months time from hence.
Quee.
What mean my giving Subjects! It shall pass.
Burl.
The third has several Articles at large,
With an Address Subscrib'd, most humbly offer'd
For the Impeaching Robert Earl of Essex
Of several Misdemeaners of High Treason.
Quee.
Ha!
(Aside...)
This unthought Blast has shockt me like an Ague—
It has alarum'd every Sence, and spoyl'd me
Of all the awful courage of a Queen;
But I'le recover (...Aside.)
—Say, my Nottinham,
And Rutland, did you ever hear the like!
But are you well assur'd I am awake?
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That I am not upon the Throne—
Ha! Is't not so?—Yes, Traytors, I'le obey you—
[She rises in a Rage.
Here, sit you in my Place; take Burleigh's Staff,
The Chancellor's Seal, and Essex valiant Head,
And leave me none but such as are your selves,
Knaves for my Counsell, Fools for Megistrates,
And Cowards for Commanders—Oh my Heart!
South.
O horry'd imposition on a Throne!
Essex; that has so bravely serv'd the Nation!
That I may boldly say, Drake did not more,
That has so often beat it's Foes on Land,
Stood like a Promontary in its defence,
And sail'd with Dragons Wings to Guard the Seas;
Essex! That took as many Towns in Spain
As all this Island holds, begger'd their Fleet
That came with Loads of half their Mines in India,
And took a mighty Carrack of such Value,
That held more Gold in its Prodigious Deck
Than serv'd the Nation's Riot in a Year.
Quee.
Ingrateful People! Take away my Life;
'Tis that you'd have: for I have Reign'd too long—
You too well know that I'm a Woman, else
You durst not use me thus—Had you but fear'd
Your Queen as you did once my Royal Father,
Or had I but the Spirit of that Monarch,
With one short Syllible I shou'd have ram'd
Your Impudent Petitions down your Throats,
And made four hundred of your Factious Crew
Tremble, and grovle on the Earth for fear.
Raw.
Thus prostrate at your Feet we beg for Pardon,
And humbly Crave your Majesties Forgiveness.
[Petitioners kneel.
Quee.
No more—Attend me in the House to morrow.
Burl.
Most Mighty Queen! Blest and Ador'd by all,
Torment not so your Royal Breast with Passion:
Not all of us, our Lives, Estates, and Country
Are worth the least disturbance, of your mind.
Quee.
Are you become a Pleader for such Traytors!
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And Essex is too great for thee to grow,—
A Shrub that never shall be look'd upon,
Whilst Essex, that's a Cedar stands so nigh—
Tell me, why was not I acquainted with
This close Design: For I am sure thou know'st it.
Burl.
Madam—
Quee.
Be dumb; I will hear no Excuses.—
I could turn Cynnick, and outrage the Wind,
Fly from all Courts, from Business, and Mankind,
Leave all like Chaos in Confusion hurl'd:
For 'tis not Reason now that Rules the World:
There's Order in all States but Man below,
And all things else do to Superiors bow;
Trees, Plants, and Fruits, rejoyce beneath the Sun,
Rivers, and Seas are guided by the Moon;
The Lyon Rules through Shades and ev'ry Green,
And Fishes own the Dolphin for their Queen;
But Man the veryer Monster, Worships still
No God but Lust, no Monarch but his Will.
[Exeunt omnes.
Finis Actus Primi.
| The Unhappy Favourite : or the Earl of Essex | |