SCENE I.
London, a Hall in the Palace of Westminster. The EARL OF KENT and SIR WILLIAM DAVISON meeting.
DAVISON.
Is that my Lord of Kent? So soon returned?
Is then the tourney, the carousal over?
KENT.
How now? Were you not present at the tilt?
DAVISON.
My office kept me here.
KENT.
Believe me, sir, You"ve lost the fairest show which ever state Devised, or graceful dignity performed: For beauty"s virgin fortress was presented As by desire invested; the Earl-Marshal, The Lord-High Admiral, and ten other knights Belonging to the queen defended it, And France"s cavaliers led the attack.
A herald marched before the gallant troop, And summoned, in a madrigal, the fortress; And from the walls the chancellor replied; And then the artillery was played, and nosegays Breathing delicious fragrance were discharged From neat field-pieces; but in vain, the storm Was valiantly resisted, and desire Was forced, unwillingly, to raise the siege.
DAVISON.
A sign of evil-boding, good my lord, For the French Suitors.
KENT.
Why, you know that this Was but in sport; when the attack"s in earnest The fortress will, no doubt, capitulate.
DAVISON.
Ha! think you so? I never can believe it.
KENT.
The hardest article of all is now Adjusted and acceded to by France; The Duke of Anjou is content to hold His holy worship in a private chapel; And openly he promises to honor And to protect the realm"s established faith.
Had ye but heard the people"s joyful shouts Where"er the tidings spread, for it has been The country"s constant fear the queen might die Without immediate issue of her body; And England bear again the Romish chains If Mary Stuart should ascend the throne.
DAVISON.
This fear appears superfluous; she goes Into the bridal chamber; Mary Stuart Enters the gates of death.
KENT.
The queen approaches.
SCENE II.
Enter ELIZABETH, led in by LEICESTER, COUNT AUBESPINE, BELLIEVRE, LORDS SHREWSBURY and BURLEIGH, with other French and English gentlemen.
ELIZABETH (to AUBESPINE).
Count, I am sorry for these n.o.blemen Whose gallant zeal hath brought them over sea To visit these our sh.o.r.es, that they, with us, Must miss the splendor of St. Germain"s court.
Such pompous festivals of G.o.dlike state I cannot furnish as the royal court Of France. A sober and contented people, Which crowd around me with a thousand blessings Whene"er in public I present myself: This is the spectacle which I can show, And not without some pride, to foreign eyes.
The splendor of the n.o.ble dames who bloom In Catherine"s beauteous garden would, I know, Eclipse myself, and my more modest merits.
AUBESPINE.
The court of England has one lady only To show the wondering foreigner; but all That charms our hearts in the accomplished s.e.x Is seen united in her single person.
BELLIEVRE.
Great majesty of England, suffer us To take our leave, and to our royal master, The Duke of Anjou, bring the happy news.
The hot impatience of his heart would not Permit him to remain at Paris; he At Amiens awaits the joyful tidings; And thence to Calais reach his posts to bring With winged swiftness to his tranced ear The sweet consent which, still we humbly hope, Your royal lips will graciously p.r.o.nounce.
ELIZABETH.
Press me no further now, Count Bellievre.
It is not now a time, I must repeat, To kindle here the joyful marriage torch.
The heavens lower black and heavy o"er this land; And weeds of mourning would become me better Than the magnificence of bridal robes.
A fatal blow is aimed against my heart; A blow which threatens to oppress my house.
BELLIEVRE.
We only ask your majesty to promise Your royal hand when brighter days shall come.
ELIZABETH.
Monarchs are but the slaves of their condition; They dare not hear the dictates of their hearts; My wish was ever to remain unmarried, And I had placed my greatest pride in this, That men hereafter on my tomb might read, "Here rests the virgin queen." But my good subjects Are not content that this should be: they think, E"en now they often think upon the time When I shall be no more. "Tis not enough That blessings now are showered upon this land; They ask a sacrifice for future welfare, And I must offer up my liberty, My virgin liberty, my greatest good, To satisfy my people. Thus they"d force A lord and master on me. "Tis by this I see that I am nothing but a woman In their regard; and yet methought that I Had governed like a man, and like a king.
Well wot I that it is not serving G.o.d To quit the laws of nature; and that those Who here have ruled before me merit praise, That they have oped the cloister gates, and given Thousands of victims of ill-taught devotion Back to the duties of humanity.
But yet a queen who hath not spent her days In fruitless, idle contemplation; who, Without murmur, indefatigably Performs the hardest of all duties; she Should be exempted from that natural law Which doth ordain one half of human kind Shall ever be subservient to the other.
AUBESPINE.
Great queen, you have upon your throne done honor To every virtue; nothing now remains But to the s.e.x, whose greatest boast you are To be the leading star, and give the great Example of its most consistent duties.
"Tis true, the man exists not who deserves That you to him should sacrifice your freedom; Yet if a hero"s soul, descent, and rank, And manly beauty can make mortal man Deserving of this honor----
ELIZABETH.
Without doubt, My lord amba.s.sador, a marriage union With France"s royal son would do me honor; Yes, I acknowledge it without disguise, If it must be, if I cannot prevent it, If I must yield unto my people"s prayers, And much I fear they will o"erpower me, I do not know in Europe any prince To whom with less reluctance I would yield My greatest treasure, my dear liberty.
Let this confession satisfy your master.
BELLIEVRE.
It gives the fairest hope, and yet it gives Nothing but hope; my master wishes more.
ELIZABETH.
What wishes he?
[She takes a ring from her finger, and thoughtfully examines it.
In this a queen has not One privilege above all other women.
This common token marks one common duty, One common servitude; the ring denotes Marriage, and "tis of rings a chain is formed.
Convey this present to his highness; "tis As yet no chain, it binds me not as yet, But out of it may grow a link to bind me.
BELLIEVRE (kneeling).
This present, in his name, upon my knees, I do receive, great queen, and press the kiss Of homage on the hand of her who is Henceforth my princess.
ELIZABETH (to the EARL OF LEICESTER, whom she, during the last speeches, had continually regarded).
By your leave, my lord.
[She takes the blue ribbon from his neck [1], and invests Bellievre with it.
Invest his highness with this ornament, As I invest you with it, and receive you Into the duties of my gallant order.
And, "Honi soit qui mal y pense." Thus perish All jealousy between our several realms, And let the bond of confidence unite Henceforth, the crowns of Britain and of France.
BELLIEVRE.
Most sovereign queen, this is a day of joy; Oh that it could be so for all, and no Afflicted heart within this island mourn.