 | Queen Catharine |  |
SCENE Ludlow Castle.
SCENE draws, discovers Queen Catharine seated: attended by the Lord Dacres, Sir James Tyrell, &c. Ladies. She rises.
Cat.
Tho' Margaret, Daughter only of a titled King;
Who for her Portion brought my wanting Henry,
What he wanted least, expensive Pride:
Tho, she I say, ranks me with her Foes,
Has taken pains to estrange me from the breast,
And fatal Counsels of her ruin'd Husband!
Yet so dear I hold my Son, that to his aid,
I wou'd not spare my Officers of State alone;
Alas! now they are few, succouring him,
My self I'll strip of each menial Servant;
But oh, my Lord, when I Reflect on your departure,
My nature by continual injuries made bold,
Shrinks back, and all my Courage fails me.
Dacres.
The only merit I can plead, is my obedience,
The Creature of your Commands.
Cat.
Wisely and well did thy Great Master choose,
Who dying left me to thy Guardian care;
So perfect has my Loyal Dacres prov'd,
That I dare read thy very thoughts, and pronounce
They never swerv'd one title from my Interest.
Ev'n preferment, that Common bait, and Ruine of a Courtiers
Honesty, cou'd never tempt thee from me, but now!
The sad hour's arriv'd, that calls thee forth:
Thy prudence and thy courage must out
To save a sinking King.
Dac.
O, sacred relick of the first of Heroes!
For what was Alexander, but a Name
Compar'd with our Immortal Henry?
It's true, the first ravag'd o'er effeminate Persia
And a barbarous World; but my unequall'd King
Conquer'd his numerous neighbours, Older much
Than He, and therefore thought more skill'd in Arms:
Fenc'd Towns, nor Armed men cou'd barr his fury,
Which like Groves, darkn'd th'expanded plain;
Thro' treble numbers he forc'd his way to victory;
Doubly blest, subdueing France, and being by you
Subdu'd: Yet in this full tide of Fortune mark,
The weakness of the best of humane frames,
Either the excess of sorrow, or of Joy,
Cracks the strings of life, and we moulder
Into our first nothing; when thousand pious hands
Were lifting up to Heav'n for his safety,
Ev'n then our mighty King expir'd.
Cat.
Well hast thou choos'd this melancholy theam,
It suits our parting, Noble Dacres, well.
Dac.
By Heav'n! I cannot mention that Great Man,
But the vast story dwells upon my tongue;
But now I thought to look a little backwards,
And tell my beauteous Queen the many tyes,
That link me her faithful Slave: when loe!
At the name of Glorious Henry; my words
Flow'd to Encomiums; and left my worthless self forgot.
Cat.
It needs not, Sir, O, could I but reward,
As I remember all thy Services,
How woud'st thou shine, bedeck'd with Royal Favours.
Now thy advice, and then farewell: do you think
The Garrison drawn off, and then my Guard remov'd,
I'm safe, not that I'm mention'd in the War;
But I wou'd not be expos'd to that power, that has
No Justice for its rule.
Dac.
Madam, this Castle was built by Vortigern,
See but the Keys of the Avenues in
Trusty hands; Edward may wast his Army here,
E're give you any cause for a disturbance.
Sir James Thyrrold, to your charge I leave
My Queen; if thou shou'dst prove a Traytor, ah!
How came these words upon my tongue, without
A moments thought.
Tyr.
Without a cause, you shou'd have said, what have
I done to be mistrusted?
Cat.
Thyrrold hold! it was his care for me;
If yours is equal, then you must excuse it.
Adieu, Commend me to Henry and the Queen,
Tell them my endeavours and my Prayers shall still
Attend them.
Dac.
O thou forgiving Virtue! Everlasting Charmer!
Whose sight alone gave thy dying Lord
Transports too great for mortal life to bear.
Here let me fix my parting duty, and
Eternal Blessings Crown thee.
Cat.
Victory, great as thy faith and worth, be thine.
Go, and in my Closet lay the Books I read in last.
[Exit Dacres.
Where's now the crowded Court of Paris,
Rheims, or Windsor, when scarce a passage
Cou'd be made for gazing Princes, and for
Kneeling Subjects; when illustrious Henry
Crown'd the assembly, and supported me.
Yet I agen was happy, my Virgin Love,
The very pride and boast of Nature, Tudor,
My Henry's Soul cast in purer mold;
He was mine, him have they robb'd me of;
And I have nothing left at my command,
But these sad Eyes, which of themselves will flow.
Enter Isabella.
Isa.
[kneeling.]
Angels protect the Queen, may I once prove
The happy Messenger, and stamp that Clouded
Heaven with smiles. From Tudor this?
[Gives a Letter.
Cat.
See, Isabella, see; forgetting his repeated wrongs,
He flies, to the assistance of the ungrateful Margaret;
Am I to blame, now in the wrack of Fate,
When rowling Tempests bear my Glory's down?
Is it a fault, I say, to feel Loves alarm,
Busie at my heart, and dawning Joy
Break on me at his approach?
Isa.
Is it a fault to love the Master-piece of Heaven,
And wonder of the Earth? such Tudor is:
Then, Madam, to you, not the first of humane Race
Was ever half so faithfull or so fond; were all
Mankind like him, believing, Virgins never
Cou'd be ruin'd.
Cat.
He is indeed a Husband, whose unbated passion,
The fiercest new made Lover ne'er can equal;
Here he begs, that thro' that Secret Vault,
Which to the Castle Leads, known but to a trusted few,
He may in private see me. You, dear Isabella,
Have the Important Keys, take the Letter,
Observe the hour, and be carefull.
Isa.
Madam, I will.
Cat.
Why dost thou sigh, my Girl; you dare not make
Your Queen your Confident, yet I have found
The secret of your Soul.
Young Plantagent, whom they call Clarence now,
In our prosperous days, with my allowance, paid his vows to thee:
Love's soft, first Impression hangs about thy heart.
I read it in thy watry eyes? But, oh! I warn thee
Of that rebelling and most treacherous Race:
If thou regardest the safety of thy Queen,
Or thy own future Peace,
Throw from thy thoughts the faithless Fugitive.
I warn thee of him; and when thou'rt warn'd, beware.
[Exit. Cat.
Isa.
And when thou'rt warn'd, beware.
It strikes upon my Soul, and echoes back,
Like the sad voice of Fate. I'll follow streight
The Queen, give her up the Keys, confess
The frailty of my Conquer'd heart;
And see the Lovely, Charming youth no more.
See him no more! what has my Clarence done
So to be punish'd? does he not droop
In midst of Lawrels, Crowns, and Victories?
Or aims he at a Bliss without his Isabella?
Are not his Vows Registred in Heaven?
And every awfull power call'd to witness?
Shall I then forsake him? No:
Be it my ruin, it has a face so pleasing,
I'll fly to plunge into it.
[Is going.
Enter Sir James Thyrrold.
Sir J.
[kneeling.]
Turn, ah! too Lovely, Heavenly maid! let not.
Those eyes, that light the rest of the World
To Joy, dart only on me Confusion; behold
The humble Thyrrold at your feet; hear
The sad tale my Love inspires;
Oh can that sweet form, that looks all softness,
Contain a Savage heart.
Isa.
Presuming Arrogance. Can no Commands
Impose on you eternal silence? yet I'm calm:
But if again you affront me with your sawcy passion,
The Queen shall know it, who, no doubt, will
Protect a Maid committed to her Royal care,
From Insolence like thine.
[Exit.
Sir J.
Eternal ruin seize the Queen and thee,
And all the Confounded Syren Sex; how many Hells
Within this Bosom reign? slighted Love,
Revenge, Rage, Spite, Envy and Ambition;
Sure the damn'd medley must at least produce
A perfect madness. Oh! that as my will
To mischief rises, so my power might;
That I could let the Furies loose, and ravage
All the World.
'Tis Clarence holds her heart, but Gloucester will
Assist, and 'spite of all their fondness blast their
Loves, rather than they shou'd meet.
Let ruin thro' the face of Nature range,
And all things suffer a Destructive Change;
When in that Chaos all mankind shall lie,
There'll not be found a wretch so curst as I.
[Exit.
SCENE draws, discovers Queen Catharine seated: attended by the Lord Dacres, Sir James Tyrell, &c. Ladies. She rises.
Cat.
Tho' Margaret, Daughter only of a titled King;
Who for her Portion brought my wanting Henry,
What he wanted least, expensive Pride:
Tho, she I say, ranks me with her Foes,
Has taken pains to estrange me from the breast,
And fatal Counsels of her ruin'd Husband!
Yet so dear I hold my Son, that to his aid,
I wou'd not spare my Officers of State alone;
Alas! now they are few, succouring him,
My self I'll strip of each menial Servant;
But oh, my Lord, when I Reflect on your departure,
My nature by continual injuries made bold,
Shrinks back, and all my Courage fails me.
Dacres.
The only merit I can plead, is my obedience,
The Creature of your Commands.
Cat.
Wisely and well did thy Great Master choose,
Who dying left me to thy Guardian care;
So perfect has my Loyal Dacres prov'd,
That I dare read thy very thoughts, and pronounce
They never swerv'd one title from my Interest.
Ev'n preferment, that Common bait, and Ruine of a Courtiers
Honesty, cou'd never tempt thee from me, but now!
The sad hour's arriv'd, that calls thee forth:
Thy prudence and thy courage must out
To save a sinking King.
Dac.
O, sacred relick of the first of Heroes!
For what was Alexander, but a Name
Compar'd with our Immortal Henry?
It's true, the first ravag'd o'er effeminate Persia
8
Conquer'd his numerous neighbours, Older much
Than He, and therefore thought more skill'd in Arms:
Fenc'd Towns, nor Armed men cou'd barr his fury,
Which like Groves, darkn'd th'expanded plain;
Thro' treble numbers he forc'd his way to victory;
Doubly blest, subdueing France, and being by you
Subdu'd: Yet in this full tide of Fortune mark,
The weakness of the best of humane frames,
Either the excess of sorrow, or of Joy,
Cracks the strings of life, and we moulder
Into our first nothing; when thousand pious hands
Were lifting up to Heav'n for his safety,
Ev'n then our mighty King expir'd.
Cat.
Well hast thou choos'd this melancholy theam,
It suits our parting, Noble Dacres, well.
Dac.
By Heav'n! I cannot mention that Great Man,
But the vast story dwells upon my tongue;
But now I thought to look a little backwards,
And tell my beauteous Queen the many tyes,
That link me her faithful Slave: when loe!
At the name of Glorious Henry; my words
Flow'd to Encomiums; and left my worthless self forgot.
Cat.
It needs not, Sir, O, could I but reward,
As I remember all thy Services,
How woud'st thou shine, bedeck'd with Royal Favours.
Now thy advice, and then farewell: do you think
The Garrison drawn off, and then my Guard remov'd,
I'm safe, not that I'm mention'd in the War;
But I wou'd not be expos'd to that power, that has
No Justice for its rule.
Dac.
Madam, this Castle was built by Vortigern,
See but the Keys of the Avenues in
Trusty hands; Edward may wast his Army here,
E're give you any cause for a disturbance.
Sir James Thyrrold, to your charge I leave
My Queen; if thou shou'dst prove a Traytor, ah!
How came these words upon my tongue, without
A moments thought.
Tyr.
Without a cause, you shou'd have said, what have
I done to be mistrusted?
Cat.
Thyrrold hold! it was his care for me;
If yours is equal, then you must excuse it.
Adieu, Commend me to Henry and the Queen,
Tell them my endeavours and my Prayers shall still
Attend them.
9
O thou forgiving Virtue! Everlasting Charmer!
Whose sight alone gave thy dying Lord
Transports too great for mortal life to bear.
Here let me fix my parting duty, and
Eternal Blessings Crown thee.
Cat.
Victory, great as thy faith and worth, be thine.
Go, and in my Closet lay the Books I read in last.
[Exit Dacres.
Where's now the crowded Court of Paris,
Rheims, or Windsor, when scarce a passage
Cou'd be made for gazing Princes, and for
Kneeling Subjects; when illustrious Henry
Crown'd the assembly, and supported me.
Yet I agen was happy, my Virgin Love,
The very pride and boast of Nature, Tudor,
My Henry's Soul cast in purer mold;
He was mine, him have they robb'd me of;
And I have nothing left at my command,
But these sad Eyes, which of themselves will flow.
Enter Isabella.
Isa.
[kneeling.]
Angels protect the Queen, may I once prove
The happy Messenger, and stamp that Clouded
Heaven with smiles. From Tudor this?
[Gives a Letter.
Cat.
See, Isabella, see; forgetting his repeated wrongs,
He flies, to the assistance of the ungrateful Margaret;
Am I to blame, now in the wrack of Fate,
When rowling Tempests bear my Glory's down?
Is it a fault, I say, to feel Loves alarm,
Busie at my heart, and dawning Joy
Break on me at his approach?
Isa.
Is it a fault to love the Master-piece of Heaven,
And wonder of the Earth? such Tudor is:
Then, Madam, to you, not the first of humane Race
Was ever half so faithfull or so fond; were all
Mankind like him, believing, Virgins never
Cou'd be ruin'd.
Cat.
He is indeed a Husband, whose unbated passion,
The fiercest new made Lover ne'er can equal;
Here he begs, that thro' that Secret Vault,
Which to the Castle Leads, known but to a trusted few,
He may in private see me. You, dear Isabella,
Have the Important Keys, take the Letter,
Observe the hour, and be carefull.
10
Madam, I will.
Cat.
Why dost thou sigh, my Girl; you dare not make
Your Queen your Confident, yet I have found
The secret of your Soul.
Young Plantagent, whom they call Clarence now,
In our prosperous days, with my allowance, paid his vows to thee:
Love's soft, first Impression hangs about thy heart.
I read it in thy watry eyes? But, oh! I warn thee
Of that rebelling and most treacherous Race:
If thou regardest the safety of thy Queen,
Or thy own future Peace,
Throw from thy thoughts the faithless Fugitive.
I warn thee of him; and when thou'rt warn'd, beware.
[Exit. Cat.
Isa.
And when thou'rt warn'd, beware.
It strikes upon my Soul, and echoes back,
Like the sad voice of Fate. I'll follow streight
The Queen, give her up the Keys, confess
The frailty of my Conquer'd heart;
And see the Lovely, Charming youth no more.
See him no more! what has my Clarence done
So to be punish'd? does he not droop
In midst of Lawrels, Crowns, and Victories?
Or aims he at a Bliss without his Isabella?
Are not his Vows Registred in Heaven?
And every awfull power call'd to witness?
Shall I then forsake him? No:
Be it my ruin, it has a face so pleasing,
I'll fly to plunge into it.
[Is going.
Enter Sir James Thyrrold.
Sir J.
[kneeling.]
Turn, ah! too Lovely, Heavenly maid! let not.
Those eyes, that light the rest of the World
To Joy, dart only on me Confusion; behold
The humble Thyrrold at your feet; hear
The sad tale my Love inspires;
Oh can that sweet form, that looks all softness,
Contain a Savage heart.
Isa.
Presuming Arrogance. Can no Commands
Impose on you eternal silence? yet I'm calm:
But if again you affront me with your sawcy passion,
The Queen shall know it, who, no doubt, will
Protect a Maid committed to her Royal care,
From Insolence like thine.
[Exit.
Sir J.
Eternal ruin seize the Queen and thee,
11
Within this Bosom reign? slighted Love,
Revenge, Rage, Spite, Envy and Ambition;
Sure the damn'd medley must at least produce
A perfect madness. Oh! that as my will
To mischief rises, so my power might;
That I could let the Furies loose, and ravage
All the World.
'Tis Clarence holds her heart, but Gloucester will
Assist, and 'spite of all their fondness blast their
Loves, rather than they shou'd meet.
Let ruin thro' the face of Nature range,
And all things suffer a Destructive Change;
When in that Chaos all mankind shall lie,
There'll not be found a wretch so curst as I.
[Exit.
| Queen Catharine | |