University of Virginia Library

SCENE—A Room in Raymond's Castle.
The King, the Lord Admiral, and Duke of Guise.
KING.
And Raymond here in breach of our command?
My Lords, beware, the vengeance of a King
Falls heavy on Deceivers. You have told me
Of Raymond's beauteous Lady—All you told
Drew but a faded picture of her charms:
So lovely she outshines description,
But you have added, that she might be won.
You give me sweetest poison, and you promise
Its rapturous antidote. The poison kindles
A wild delirium; but the blissful cure
Exceeds all art to compass. All she feels
Is passion for her husband. I have seen her,
And hopeless rage is mine

GUISE.
All tenderness,
Melting with grief she seem'd, but the keen taste
Of joy is sister to the soft enthusiasm
Of melting sorrow; open is her temper;
Lively and delicate her fancy glows.
Then doubt it not, but sprightly levity
Pants in her Breast. If I know ought of woman,
Such one is to be wrought on.

KING.
You have told me
Raymond's proud heart might by a King be soften'd,
And high advancement next to sovereign rank
Shall bribe his patience. If you here deceive me,
Dreadful shall burst the storm. And Raymond's pride
I dread alike as his Erminia's hate,
Invincible.

LORD ADMIRAL.
Yet hear, my Leige;
Ambition is the raging fire that burns
The heart of Raymond.

KING.
Honour lives in his breast;
His Soul is more than Roman. Tho' my happiness
Be plac'd perhaps at mortal strife with his,
My heart delights to pause upon his virtues;
What his bold sword has done, what wounds he bears,
Young as he is, earn'd nobly in my battles!
Long have the shatter'd walls of lorn Marseilles
Defy'd the traitor Bourbon's fiercest rage.
And had not Raymond thus oppos'd his course,
Paris ere now had seen the daring rebel
Campt at her gates. Fierce Bourbon now is sled
To Italy; such circumstance we owe
To Raymond's bold defence.

LORD ADMIRAL.
Yet has he left
His shatter'd walls in breach of fixt command
And as a spy, comes lurking here.

KING.
Lord Admiral,
I read your untold counsel; punish that crime.
Yes, I will punish it: But he who first
Advises favours as the way to conquer,
Then fearful of his promise urges rigour,
To me seems deep in guilt. Each various art
Of war is Bourbon's: and perhaps his flight
Is only feign'd. Were sudden injury
Pour'd now on Raymond—Ah, beneath my banners
Blunted were many a spear; so well esteemed,
So lov'd he reigns in ev'ry Soldier's heart.
Yet shall I yield the dearest happiness!
And shall my Soul that never knew to humble,
Coldly and humbly too resign the hope
Of all I wish—Alas, my fever'd heart
With anguish'd longing seeks the fair One's presence,
Tho' not a smile repay my ardent love.
Here wait our will—
[Exit King.

LORD ADMIRAL.
Your plots, young Lord, are turn'd
Like arrows on their masters. Raymond's valour
Is now the King's sole theme of praise and wonder;
And Raymond's power portends our hopeless fall
Was it for this, my Guise, we rooted out
The haughty Bourbon from the King's affections,
That ere they cool'd, his place might be supplied
By this affected Roman!

GUISE.
Every failure
That Jealousy's prophetic Eye may dread,
Our care has shunn'd—

LORD ADMIRAL.
When comes a smooth-faced Boy,
Squeamish with honesty, vaumpt with the feathers
By thoughtless courage gain'd: And, Oh disgrace
Tears from the hoary Politician's brow
The civic wreath, and plants it on his own

GUISE.
No, Fortune ever is the slave of wisdom;
Bold, let us hope.

LORD ADMIRAL.
Loud and audaciously,
Tis, said he, brands the Court: Bourbon he calls
A gallant Man much injured.

GUISE.
And may silence
Still close that strain.
Raymond bears every gallant Virtue's semblance
So taking with the King. But wound his honour,
Unbridled as the northern storm, his rage
Bursts headlong, nor subsides till justice soothe
His rankled pride,

LORD ADMIRAL.
Oh hence, that hope of women,
That builds its trust on what another's honour
May please to do; give sovereign power to Raymond,
And ev'n to Grooms, he yields his lovely Countess.
What works we fondly thought to raise against him,
Serve but as steps to lift him up to greatness

KING.
My Lord, there is a wisdom cold and watchful,
Much of itself approved, that calmly triumphs
O'er what the simple name the gen'rous passions.
This wisdom headlong Raymond never knew
Oft in the camp I've read his furious madness;
Calm prudence never veil'd his mind's affection.
If the fierce Lioness unmov'd, will slumber,
While from her side her howling whelps are torn
By Shepherds curs, then will the heart-changed Raymond
Calmly resign his Countess.

LORD ADMIRAL.
But the King
As wildly great in generous nobleness,
Will never—cannot, thus o'erwhelm in Ruin,
The man his soul admires.

GUISE.
By cool design,
Perhaps he cannot: But he little dreads
How female charms o'erpower him. All he feels
Is wild delirium then; and his high spirit
Disdains each bound which then would check his Fire
From viewing Bourbon's camp this morn I led him
To Raymond's gates: the wood-embosom'd Castle
Presented to his mind the gallant lovers
And ladies of Romance. Here's some adventure,
Cried the pleased King.

LORD ADMIRAL.
And did not you extol
The Lady of the mansion's wondrous charms?

GUISE.
I named her passing beauty; but I named it
With careless voice. The unexpected blaze
Strikes to the soul—fair as the blush of morn,
We found her walking pensive in the garden;
She, far the loveliest flow'r that flourish'd there;
Sorrow was in her eye and melting sweetness;
And unsuspicious innocence beam'd round her.
O'erpower'd till lost in pausing awkwardness,
The King gaz'd on her charms,
But when her husband.
Was named—

GUISE.
Cold at the heart, methought it struck him
With vacant looks as hopeless of his wish;
He paus'd and sigh'd; then sudden o'er his cheek
The blush of love rush'd out. I mark'd his eye,
It brighten'd and it languish'd every moment
While roving o'er her charms.

LORD ADMIRAL.
And was her sorrow
The net of love display'd to catch the Lover
Who fondly soothes it?

GUISE.
No; 'twas innocence,
Artless, yet easy to be gently won.
Some fearful dreams about her husband's safety
Prey'd on her heart; but when the King declar'd
Danger was o'er, as Angels smile, she smil'd.
And when he talk'd of courtly joys, of grandeur,
And beauty's empire, heaven's how the deep sigh
Betray'd her fluttering heart.!

LORD ADMIRAL.
Your spouse, my Lord,
Comes with the looks of care.

GUISE.
Why my Eemoine, why that pensive eye,
Where love should only reign!

EEMOINE.
My Lord, I know not.
What means the King; to me he talks of honour,
That all his wish is but to favour Raymond;
To see the Countess happy at the court,
The fairest ornament of Fontainbleau.
Pity, indeed, that here amidst these wilds,
Such charms, such virtues, as adorn the Countess,
Should to the world be lost. But if the King
Do plan delusion, gracious Angels guard me—
No; never shall my conscious lips betray
Such innocence, such sacred spousal love.
'Twas not in vain, my Lord, you brought me here;
Here shall I better learn, tho' well I knew
From thee before, to tend the flowers that shed
Their soft endearments o'er the sacred bowers
Of wedded love.

GUISE.
And long and happy be your sacred friendship
With Raymond's Countess! from these dull retirements
Urge her to follow you to courtly splendor;
And as your friendship strengthens, be the wish
Still melting on your lips, that gallant Raymond
Would join strict friendship with your prosp'rous husband.
I then were fully happy.

EEMOINE.
Ever shalt thou be happy,
My wedded Lord, if aught my cares avail.
The Countess flies the King; I go to soothe her
By his command, and bring her to the mask-room

GUISE.
Such was thy smile, my Fair, when at the altar
I seiz'd thy yielding hand—

Ex. Eemoine]
LORD ADMIRAL.
Great in the future tales
Of state intrigue, I hail thee, prudent Guise.
Thy Spouse, a stranger to thy heart, will act
Her part from simple nature, unopposed
By female scruples.

GUISE.
Think not ever woman
Shall fathom this deep breast: but well I know,
When woman's faith is tamper'd with,
Woman must be employ'd: a woman's presence
Lulls fear to sleep: a woman's friendly smile
Gives silent approbation to the thoughts,
As to themselves unknown they warm to passion.

LORD ADMIRAL.
Cautious, yet fearless too must we hold on.
Where fear prevails no bold emprize succeeds.
I hasten to the King: do thou find Raymond,
And fire him to the mood of our desires.

[Exeunt