University of Virginia Library

ACT V.

SCENE, A Gothic Hall.
Morcar, Harold.
Morcar.
Treason and foul rebellion in my camp!
But I was born to be for ever wretched,
The sport of fortune. These base mutineers—

Harold.
Your presence on the battlements, my lord,
Dispers'd 'em soon; they hang their heads in silence,
And all is peace.

Morcar
, (to himself.)
It is not so within.
Wou'd it were done or—

Harold.
What, my Lord?

Morcar.
No matter.
What urg'd my soldiers to rebel?

Harold.
'Tis thought
The gallant captive did by secret means
Excite them to revolt.

Morcar.
It must be so.
By heav'n thou mak'st me happy with the tidings:
His head shall pay the forfeit.

Harold.
Whilst he lives
We are not safe.

Morcar.
No more we are, good Harold;
'Tis fit he perish, is it not? What say'st thou?

Harold.
Prudence demands his life to save your own.

Morcar.
O! thou hast given such comfort to my soul—

Harold.
My Lord—

Morcar.

Officer.
My Lord, even now
I saw him hast'ning tow'rd the tow'r,

Morcar.
'Tis well,
When he returns conduct him to me—Stay;
If Siward comes this way, I'm not at leisure:
I will not see him. (starts.)
Hark! did'st thou not hear
The solemn curfeu?

Officer.
No, my Lord.

Morcar.
Not hear it!
It shocks my soul with horror—Hark! again!
Hollow and dreadful! Sure thy faculties
Are all benumb'd.

Officer.
Indeed, I heard it not.

Morcar.
Away, and leave me to myself.
[Exit Officer.
Methought
I heard a voice cry—stop—it is thy brother:
We lov'd each other well; our early years
Were spent in mutual happiness together:
Matilda was not there—I do remember
One day, in sportive mood, I rashly plung'd
Into the rapid flood, which had well nigh
O'erwhelm'd me; when the brave, the gallant Edwin,
Rush'd in and sav'd me—Shall I, in return,
Destroy my kind preserver? Horrid thought!
Forbid it heav'n! (pauses.)
I am myself again.
All pow'rful nature! once more I am thine.
He shall not die—Who's there—
Enter an Officer.
My Oswald! fly,
Fly to the tow'r this moment, haste and save
My brother—Some base ruffian—

Officer.
If, my Lord,
You mean the noble pris'ner there, I fear
It is too late: This moments as I pass'd
The citadel, I saw a mangled corse
Drawn forth by Siward's order—

Morcar.
Slave, thou ly'st.
Away this moment, bring me better news
On peril of thy life.
[Exit Officer.
Who knows but heav'n,
In gracious pity, still may interpose
And save me from the guilt? It is not done;
It shall not—must not be—All's quiet yet;
I have not heard the signal.
(The bell tolls.
Hark! he's dead:
My brother's dead—O! cover me ye shades
Of everlasting night! Hide, if ye can,
A murth'rer from himself. Ha! see he comes:
His wounds are bleeding still; his angry eyes
Glare full upon me. Speak—what wou'd'st thou have?
Matilda shall be thine: He smiles and leaves me—
(he pauses and recovers himself.
'Twas but the error of my troubled soul.
O! guilt, guilt, guilt!
(throws himself down.
Here will I lay me down,
And end my days in bitterness and anguish.
Enter Siward.
Who's there? Ha! Siward here.
(rises.)
Speak, murth'rer, speak,
Where is my brother? Villain, thou hast snar'd
My soul; my honour's stain'd, my fame destroy'd,
And my sweet peace of mind is lost for ever.

Siward.
Matilda will restore it.

Morcar.
Never, never.
The price of blood! No: Cou'd Matilda bring
The vanquish'd world, in dow'ry with her charms,
I wou'd not wed her. O! cou'd I recal
One hasty moment, one rash, cruel act—
But 'twas thy savage hand that—

Siward.
I receiv'd
Your orders: 'Twas my duty to obey them.

Morcar.
Where slept thy friendship then? Thou know'st despair
And madness urg'd me to it—but for thee—
Thy callous heart had never felt the pangs,
The agonies of disappointed love;
Thou did'st not know Matilda—Curs'd obedience!
How often has thy insolence oppos'd
Thy master and thy prince? how often dar'd
To thwart my will, and execute thy own:
But when I bade thee do a deed of horror,
And shed a brother's blood—thou cou'd'st obey me.

Siward.
Away! this is the trick of self-delusion,
The common cant of hypocrites, who rail
At others guilt, to mitigate their own?
I've been the mean, the servile instrument
Of thy base vengeance; but thou had'st prepar'd
Another, a low ruffian, to perform
The bloody office; I detest thee for it,
Despise, abhor thee.

Morcar.
Thou wert once my friend.

Siward.
Henceforth I am thy foe—Thou hast destroy'd
The best of brothers, and the best of men.

Morcar.
Despis'd by Siward—then my cup of sorrow
Is full, indeed—But this shall—
(Attempts to kill himself, Siward wrests the sword from him.
Ha! disarm'd!
But coward guilt is weak as infancy;
It was not so before I murder'd Edwin.

Siward.
The murd'rer's punishment shou'd be to live,
And shall be thine; thou know'st not half thy guilt,
Nor half thy sorrows: I shall rend thy soul.
Prepare thee for another deeper wound;
And know that Edwin lov'd thee, in his hand,
Whilst mine was lifted up for his destruction,
I found this paper, 'tis the counterpart
Of one he had dispatch'd to William, read it
And tremble at thy complicated guilt.

Morcar
. (taking the paper.)
What's here? He pleads my pardon with the king,
Ascribes my frantic zeal, in Edgar's cause,
To ill-advis'd warmth, and recommends
His—murderer to mercy: Horrid thought!
I am the vilest, most abandon'd slave
That e'er disgrac'd humanity—O, Siward!
If thou hast yet, among the dying embers
Of our long friendship, one remaining spark
Of kind compassion for the wretched Morcar,
Lend me thy aid to shake off the sad load
Of hated life that presses sore upon me.

Siward.
Tho' thou'rt no longer worthy of my friendship,
Deaf to the cries of nature, and the voice
Of holy truth, that wou'd have council'd thee
To better deeds, yet hath my foolish heart
Some pity for thee—After crimes, like these,
There is but one way left—Say, wilt thou patient wait
Till I return?

Morcar.
I will.

Siward.
Remember, Morcar,
You promis'd me—I have a draught within,
Of wondrous pow'r, that in a moment lulls
The tortur'd soul to sweet forgetfulness
Of all its woes: I'll haste and bring it thee,
'Twill give thee rest and peace.
[Exit Siward.

Morcar.
I hope for ever.
But where's the lost Matilda? who shall comfort
That dear unhappy maid, whom I have robb'd
Of ev'ry bliss. O, save me from the sight,
Ye pitying pow'rs!
Enter Matilda.
She comes—distraction!

Matilda.
O!
My Lord, permit—

Morcar.
Away—I know thee not.

Matilda.
Not know me! 'tis the poor distress'd Matilda,
Who comes to ask forgiveness for the rage
Of frantic love; the madness of despair,
That urg'd me to such wrath and bitterness
Of keen reproach; but pardon— (kneels)

Gen'rous Morcar,
A woman's weakness: Speak and make me blest.
Alas! he hears me not.

Morcar.
Matilda, rise;
I pray thee leave me— (weeps)


Matilda.
Gracious heav'n! he weeps;
Propitious omen! O, my Lord! those tears
Are the soft marks of sympathizing woe,
And seem to say, I shall not plead in vain.

Morcar.
Ask what thou wilt, for know, so dear I hold
Matilda's happiness, that, here I swear
If all the kingdoms of the peopled earth
Were mine to give, I'd lay them at her feet:
But much I fear they wou'd not make her happy.

Matilda.
Alas! my Lord Matilda's happiness
Is center'd all in one dear precious jewel;
'Tis in thy keeping—Edwin—

Morcar.
What of him?

Matilda.
Is innocent.

Morcar.
I know it.

Matilda.
Just and good;
He never meant to injure thee, indeed
He did not.

Morcar.
I believe it, for his nature
Was ever mild and gentle.

Matilda.
Good, my Lord,
You mock me.

Morcar.
No, Matilda; speak, go on,
And praise him: I cou'd talk to thee for ever
Of Edwin's virtues—

Matilda.
Then thou wou'd'st not hurt
His precious life, thou wou'd'st not—

Morcar.
I wou'd give
A thousand worlds to save him.

Matilda.
Wou'd'st thou? then
My pray'rs are heard, thou hast forgiv'n all,
And I am happy. Speak, is Edwin free?

Morcar.
From ev'ry care—wou'd I were half so blest!

Matilda.
What mean you? Ha! thy eyes are fixt with horror,
Thy looks are wild. What hast thou done? O! speak.

Morcar.
Matilda, if thou com'st for Edwin's life,
It is too late—for Edwin is no more.

Matilda.
And is my Edwin slain?

Morcar.
Aye: Basely murder'd.
O! 'twas the vilest, most unnat'ral deed
That ever—

Matilda.
Blasted be the cruel hand
That dealt the blow! O, may his guilty heart
Ne'er taste of balmy peace, or sweet repose!

Morcar.
But ever, by the vulture conscience, torn;
Bleed inward, still unpity'd, till he seek
For refuge in the grave.

Matilda.
Nor find it there.

Morcar.
'Tis well: Thy curses are accomplish'd all,
I feel 'em here within—for know—'twas I.
I gave the fatal order, and my friend,
My Siward, has too faithfully perform'd it.

Matilda.
Siward! impossible! There dwells not then
In human breast, or truth or virtue—O!
Unnat'ral brother!—but I will be calm.

Morcar.
Alas! thy fate is happiness to mine;
For thou art innocent.

Matilda.
And soon, I hope
To be rewarded for it. O! my Edwin,
Matilda soon shall follow thee—thou think'st
I am unarm'd, deserted; doom'd like thee
To hated life; but know, I have a friend,
A bosom-friend, and prompt, as thine, to enter
On any bloody service I command.

(Draws a dagger.
Morcar.
Command it then for justice, for revenge,
Behold! my bosom rises to the blow;
Strike here, and end a wretched murd'rer—

Matilda.
No;
That were a mercy thou hast not deserv'd;
I shall not seek revenge in Morcar's death,
In mine thou shalt be wretched—

Attempts to stab herself; Morcar lays hold of the dagger.
Morcar.
Stop, Matilda—
Stop thy rash hand, the weight of Edwin's blood
Sits heavy on my heart. O! do not pierce it
With added guilt.

Matilda.
No more, I must be gone
To meet my Edwin, who already chides
My ling'ring steps, and beckons me away

Morcar.
Yet hear me! O! if penitence and pray'r,
If deep contrition, sorrow and remorse
Cou'd bring him back to thy desiring eyes,
O! with what rapture wou'd I yield him now
To thee, Matilda—bear me witness—Ha!
(starts)
'Tis he—Look up dear injur'd maid—he comes
To claim my promise.

Matilda.
It is, it is my Edwin!

(Enter Siward and Edwin: Edwin runs and embraces Matilda.)
Morcar.
O unexpected bliss! what gracious hand—

Siward.
Behold the cordial draught I promis'd you!
I knew thy noble nature, when the storm
Of passion had subsided, wou'd abhor
A deed so impious—'Tis the only time
That Siward ever did deceive his friend.
Can'st thou forgive?

Morcar.
Forgive thee! O thou art
My guardian angel, sent by gracious heav'n
To save me from perdition. O, my brother!
I blush to stand before thee—wilt thou take
From thse polluted hands one precious gift?
'Twill make thee full amends for all thy wrongs,
Accept her, and be happy.
(he joins the hands of Edwin and Matilda, then turning to Siward)
That vile slave
Whom I employ'd—

Siward.
I guess'd his horrid purpose,
Watch'd ev'ry step, and as the villain aim'd
His ponyard at the guiltless Edwin's breast,
Turn'd sudden round, and plung'd it in his own.
The bloody corse was dragg'd—

Morcar.
I know the rest.
O, Siward! from what weight of endless woe
Hath thy blest hand preserv'd me!

Edwin.
O, my Matilda! how shall we repay
Our noble benefactor? Much I owe
To gallant Siward, but to Morcar more:
Tou gav'st me life, but my kind, gen'rous brother
Enhanc'd the gift, and bless'd me with Matilda.

Matilda
, (to Morcar.)
Words are too poor to thank thee as I ought;
Accept this tribute of a grateful heart,
These tears of joy; and, O! may ev'ry curse
My frantic grief for Edwin pour'd upon thee,
Be chang'd to dearest blessings on thy head!

Morcar.
Alas! thy blessings cannot reach me. Guilt
May plead for pardon, but can never boast
A claim to happiness: I only ask
A late forgiveness. If a life of sorrow,
And deep remorse, can wash my crimes away,
Let 'em be bury'd with me in oblivion,
And do not curse the memory of—Morcar.
(turning to Edwin.
O, Edwin! say, can'st thou forgive the crime
Of frantic love, of madness and despair?

Edwin.
As in my latest hour from heav'n I hope
Its kind indulgence for my errors past,
Ev'n so, my brother, from my soul I pardon
And pity thee.

Morcar.
Then I shall die in peace.

Edwin.
Talk not of death, my brother, thou must live
To see our happiness complete, to hear
My sweet Matilda pour forth all her heart
In rap'rous thanks to thee, and to thy friend;
And grateful Edwin bless thee for thy bounties.

Morcar.