's the Consequence how it imports My Life these Agonies will sure express I who have stood pitch'd Battles without one Shock of Nature now feel Convulsive tremblings Seize on every Nerve nay thus unmann'd Behold me weeping at your feet Isa What can you who have so much Honour Fear to ask or I who have so much Love Refuse to grant My Lord as your partial kindness Has set me nearer to your heart than all the fairest Of your Sex so wou'd I approve my faith Above the common rate To justifie your choice speak thou Conqueror Propose the way be it to strip me of these shining Ornaments the Pride of Courts and fly with thee To Caves to Huts and unfrequented shades Most readily I will obey Clar. Ha! didst thou say fly with me By Heaven 'T is on that the weight of my Petition hangs Can you dare you will you be so good To trust this tender work of Heaven this Matchless softness never expos'd to ought less gentle Than the breeze from flowers Dare you with me Venture tempestuous blasts regardless Seas And all the hazards of Incommodious flight Isa Yes my dear Clarence Love wou'd make me bold Fill all my thoughts with thee and dangers quite forgot When thou art ne'er me But oh I have another tie Duty Friendship Gratitude plants me here The mourning Queen whose adversity has shook off Fawning crowds must not be left by Isabella Clar. I 'll not complain or urge an Argument Against that good and all-deserving Queen 'T is true big with my hopes for what won't Love Prompt blooming youth to hope I had prepar'd A vessel for our Transportation into France You as a Branch of Burgundy must needs Have found a noble welcome in that Court And I as Brother to great England's King Cou'd have made my own Conditions Isa England's King my Lord is not your Brother Clar. Yes faithfull charming Maid he is The People's hearts are his the sickly Forces Of falling Henry tomorrows setting Sun Intombs yet I wou'd fly from these flowing honours Which must adorn our Family and gazing Upon thee forget Ambition Isa What do you ask to what do I incline These may not be faithfull the way the method All like Palaces in Fairy Land Impracticable and only built on fancy Clar. If Love 's your guide the way is very easie The secret door you now have passed you may As well command at twelve there I will wait Like the far travell'd Pilgrim who knows no Peace Of mind till the opening Temple shows the Saint To whom his vows and oraisons are paid Isa Alas I dare not tread those lonely paths Thro' hollow Vaults and most horrid Windings And at that dreadfull hour of Midnight Clar. Give Malavill the outer Key and we Will meet you in the upper Court nay fear Not dearest I know him well born and bred Amongst us try'd and faithful as a Brother Isa Yet Brothers may be false O my divided Soul Can I leave the dear indulgent Queen O draw me Heaven thro' this Labyrinth For Love and Friendship pull me several ways Like Cords upon the Rack which ever way I yield No ease is granted to my troubled mind Clar. Return my soft beloved Oh return Hush thy anxious thoughts a sleep and think Of me no more Edward is indeed inveterate And which way ever Victory inclines we meet no more Lead me O Malavill Lead me to the Battle Fix me in the front against the ablest Archers fix me And let a thousand thousand darts at once Pierce this fond heart which pants in vain for Isabella Sinks on Malavill Isa Oh! my dear Lord I 'm not worthy half this passion My Fear is vanish'd and my Love is strong Command me any thing I will not raise Another doubt Clar. Oh! thou all goodness dearest sweetest Creature Once does wretched Clarence hold thee fast Isa Say direct me how I shall proceed for I will come Clar. Won't thou indeed O! Charming Excellence oh all perfection The blood that guards my heart leaps to my cheeks Fires my eyes which almost start with passion And each crowding word to express my Joys Grows thick upon my Tongue Isa Talk not so wildly but instruct me in my flight Clar. My life give to Malavill the Key of that door thro' which you past Isa I cannot yet for that way Tudor enters to the Queen Let him two hours hence beneath you Eastern Tower Wait and I will give it him what ails me Clarence Why do I tremble so Clar. Oh! 't is thy tender gentle nature which frights Thy little frame and makes thee shrink at what Thy love has promis'd yet Isabella By all my hopes by the blest Saints It Clarence lives you shan't repent your kindness Blast me with Lightning from yon Azure roof Rivet me with sure fulfilling bolts if time In all its Course Past or to Come can ought more faithfull see Isa Or any Maid who loves and dares like me Exeunt severally SCENE the Camp Enter King Edward meeting Gloucester Ed. What news my careful Gloucester Glou. Victory still attends the King the very Scouts and Forragers Return being flush'd and redned with Success Edw. These are all steps to fix us on the Throne But still the Root of Lancaster and Branches too Must be remov'd least building o'er them We totter and Clarence be ours or lost Glou. Lost in death e're ruine us Daring like yours In not proceeding does backward go Fair Isabella consents to Clarence's Follies And e're morning hopes to escape Edw. That must be prevented Glou. It shall the Hammer's lifted here and when It strikes the work is finished The night Under her Sable Wings shall hatch such deeds Will fright the blushing dawn Suppose Ludlow Castle yours The Queen on a pretext that shall seem just Remov'd Tudor slain either on his March or else Within the Walls Edw. Attempt both they who wou'd succeed must leave The least to Chance and catch at every opportunity Glou. This way Clarence moves as Malavill informs me Here I will stay and meet the fiery youth Dash all his quiet with the Fiend Jealousie Which Weed Planted by a cunning hand Will quickly grow in the warm soil of his Fierce passion and even overshoot the love Which he so long has cherish'd Edw. Use him dear Gloucester as his Folly has Deserv'd Glou. What Paper 's that Edw. A Letter from the forsaken Eleonora Glou. Leave it with me I have a sudden Thought it may be usefull Edw. Take it thou art a perfect Chymist In extracting ruin I dare trust all To thy management Exit Glou. Here comes Natures other Favourite Enter Clarence 'T was base 't was barbarous the choicest Beauty of the Nation rifled and then despis'd Looking upon the Letter Clar. What means my Brother Glou. Your Pardon Duke of Clarence I saw you not Here 's a melancholy complaint From the wretched Elenora Clar. Her fate is hard and much my temper Differs from the King 's Glou. That
to the Earth like one fell'd by the Almighty Thunderer crawling in dust unable to Resist but thanks to my kinder Stars 't is past the Giddy Wheel has gone its round and terror on this Brow alone 's to be observ'd Brother proceed you In the search Cat. He shall not dare by my great Henry's Soul whose Little finger wou'd have tumbled your aspirings Down and crusht ye into nothing he shall not dare Glou. What has the Lyon cast his Skin is Tudor Cramm'd shaking in some close corner and left the Queen to Brave us Come fellow Soldiers we 'll seek this Lurking Rebel drag him from the hole whither His fears have led him and take his forfeit Head for coming whereall our Laws deny'd him Enter Tudor Tud No be thine the fears as thine 's the guilt as Thine's the name of Rebell this honest loyal Heart desies thy malice Cat. Away away my Tudor hold cruel Gloucester Hold Enter Isabella Isa Stand off and let me pass what mischief 's acting Here has Clarence done this and am I the cause Glou. Ha another Fury take her Thyrrold to thy dispose She 's wholly given you know the rest leave not a Rival room to hope least this opportunity proves Thy last Isa Touch me not Monster What have I done if I Am guilty let the injur'd Queen punish me let her Spurn me trample on me print me with a Thousand wounds I 'll not complain Thyr. You shall have no reason Madam but you Must retire 't is the command of him who now Is master here Isa I will not Sir oh save me Royal Madam from The cruel hands of these inhumane Men. Glou. Force her hence we other business have than to Mind her foolish fears Isa Help heav'n if the Queen denies help thou my Weakness help Oh help Exit forc'd off with Thyr. Cat. Alas distracted wretch but Why name I her when all my life holds dear is On the brink of ruin Tud Speak Edward what is my doom dauntless I Expect it I wou'd have met thee fairly in the field body to Body arm'd with Sword and Justice but I suppose You lik'd not that therefore now what you please Edw. Audacious Tudor thou threaten condemn'd for Thy Ambition thy haughty love is adjudged a Treason Capital even that Puny King Henry whom thou Pretendest to serve he had courage to Sentence thee Seize him Captain Command his head be strucken Off and fixt upon the Castle Wall Cat. Thro' this bosom whosoe'er comes on am I not Daughter of France and England's Queen have I no Power where are my Guards Alas I had forgot I 've None Tud Disturb not thus the quiet of thy Soul my everlasting Charmer Thy sorrows rack me more than all their Rage Come whither am I to be led Cat. Oh Tudor glory disdain and pomp are mine No more yet thou art mine thou art yet alive and for That precious life I will renounce the former yes Edward I read the fullen pride that fills thy eyes And gathers on thy brow Glut thee this way behold That Queen who shook thee with a nod fall thus Thy suppliant kneels Edw. And at this sight may Heaven and Earth be Witness oh Gloucester well hast thou fulfil'd thy word Not all the Crowns ambition covets England and France the noblest Diadems can please like this Thus did I kneel and thus was I repuls'd and oh fair Queen if I have lost my Soul for want of pity His life is poor amends Cat. Sure there is something in thee like the mixture Of a God and Devil I cannot beg my heart 's above it Yet spare him Edward for thy future fame Tud Oh torture not to be endur'd my life ask'd Of him him whose life I did command Edw. Ha! Cat. Oh stop bend to hard necessity thy words have Given him new rage canst thou behold these Low submissions for thy sake and frustrate all their Power Glou. You do indeed submit below your Character To save your wanton choise the Idol of your Lust Tud Villain I 'll tear out that Blasphemous tongue That has prophan'd a Chastity Thy Mother never knew Flies at Gloucester Glou. I always go prepar'd for such a hug lie there Presuming wretch Stabs him Tud falls Cat. Wither the arm that arm that gave the blow Curst be my Female weakness too that cou'd not save him Oh fatal aim speak to me once again sinks upon Tud Edw. Look to the Queen Gloucester thou hast done as men in power wou'd wish A cruel necessary act without the bidding Yet help me Brother for thou I find art steady And tenderness struggles with revenge Oh the Uncertainty of humane passion for Catharine I Wou'd once have died yet now have given her Sorrows severer much than death Cat. Ha! who have we here my Tudor bleeding These bubling wounds are none of thine If they are give 'em to me I feel 'em at my heart Tud My paradise on earth farewell Have patience Live for their dear sakes I leave behind My Children Oh farewell dies Cat. No we won't part so soon On these pale lips I will for ever ever lie Edw. The sight stupifies my senses Let 's to the field there in the clank of Swords I will forget this private murder For sure it cannot bear a better name Glou. Yes as I shall order it when the day is ours Which is now undoubted his death breaks their Forces Missing their Leader his Troops dismaid prove useless After Conquest it shall be given out That he was taken and beheaded Victory And Success will stop the mouth of unnecessary truth And leave the following Age in doubt Edw. Captain let the Trumpets sound Wake every Soldier with the voice of Battle For as the Sun must rise in blood so shall His evening be and he shall shine no more Till he beholds no Rival in the British Throne Gloucester dispose of Tudor as you please But to the Queen offer no violence Oh Catharine Oh fatal Beauty what ruins Thy Love has made Exit Edw. Cat. Ha who said that if I am curst in Love I 'll try to thrive in hate to thrive in curses Curst be Edward Curst be all his Race let 'em Prometheus like have their own bowels torn For they have prey'd upon my heart Glou. Have comfort Madam Cat. Comfort yes from thy bloody hand I wou'd Receive it Daggers Sword and Poyson are the only Comforts thou canst give or I desire Henry And Tudor both the rich prizes now of death Then why am I spared come on thou Murderer Strike this swelling bosom and let me mount to My Immortal Heroes see where my Tudor rises On a Fleecy Cloud all Crown'd with Radiant light Oh take me with thee he ascends A pace I cannot reach him I 'll tear this Clog Of flesh off bear me ye Whirlwinds near him Vain delusive joy cold and bleeding at my feet The dear one lies Oh my sick brain Glou. Sleep will give you ease Here
to see a wretched Court The very Epitome of sorrow and the lovely Queen Chief Mourner who for her Tudor slain In destraction raves away the hours she hates And from her kneeling Servants refuses either Counsel or Support the fair Isabella too Is forc'd we know not where or to what Fate Dac 'T is from examples like to these we ought To learn there 's no stability below For if these who did command vast Empires Whose eyes cou'd see no limits to their Extended sway yet when the mouldring earth Was theirs cou'd not secure a lasting happiness What Emet what Mole but Man wou'd heave And work on in darkness still living on fates decoy Deluding hope yet never reach the expected day That brings us Joy Sincere Show me this Royal sadness The torrent of whose griefs I 'll strive to calm Tho' 't is impossible to dry the source Curtain rising discovers Queen Catharine sitting on a Couch with Herbs and Flowers by her attended Cat. Here give me more more of the Cypress and That grave shading yew let the Carnutions lose their colour And display the blooming Rose in some black die Till I 've made my Garland Dark as my Woes and Dismal as my Despair Dac Ha! ' is worse than I expected Oh Henry it Is not given sure for those above to view their Friends beneath if 't were this sight wou'd interrupt Thy Peace and turn thee a Sympathizing mourner ' Midst the blest Cat. Who 's there my Lord Dacres Dac Your ready Servant who weeps to see the Majesty of France and England thus employ'd Cat. You think me mad alas Sir I am not so happy Indeed I'm trying ' fast as e'er I can to obtain The blessing but yet I remember that Tudor Was that he was faithfull lovely good and Murder'd for all that yes at my feet he fell Come all ye Bedlam wretches shake your horrid Chains grin and scream around me 'till my Brains are quite o'erturn'd let me feel all your Stripes and wants and straw so I am rid of the Racks my mind indures the Trumpets when They sounded Edward's Victorious entrance here Were such Musick yet that will not do Dac What shall I say words but augment the wounds They cannot cure to tell this Royal fair that She once had temper that she bore my great Masters loss with Saint-like patience to urge That now alass is vain Cat. True Dacres for that was the work of Heaven And Heaven gave me patience but this is Hell All Hell and 't is from thence I rave Dac Fain I wou'd injoyn you hear me I dare not Give my self so bold a name as Friend Cat. Friends I 've none if thou pretend ' st to ought Be gone and leave me Leave me to earth and Deep despair death and destruction are the Only Friends I chuse Here will I fall strow me With herbs and flowers then weep About me as if I were dead perhaps I may Grow senseless Dac Oh deep excess of mourning to which I have But one Argument in answer come forth ye Charming little ones and raise your drooping Mother He leads in the Queens Children in Mourning Cat. rising Ha! Dac Kneel sweet Images of lovely Catharine kneel Speak not but heave your little hands for Mercy 't is the Queen alone can save you whilst She lives France is potent and must be fear'd If violence is offer'd but your Protectress gone You may be swallowed in the Whirpool of Ambition and the crime forgot See how their Infant eyes are wet with tears they are frighted Tho' they do not know for what Cat. Oh Dacres Dacres why hast thou done this Now I do remember Tudor's words his last Desire that I shou'd live for them raise 'em From Earth their tender knees will ake no Let 'em kneel on they are born slaves and Must perhaps be much longer compell'd to Do their duty Dac Now by the Soul of my great master by Royal Henry I read in these small lines Majestick glory Methinks I am inspir'd to say from these branches Shall come a noble stock of Princes which must Bless And Wed and intermixing heal the distracted Land Behold the Queen and Tudor's blooming grace Nature her self can scarce make such another face Cat. Oh bring 'em near me thou Oracle thou soul Of goodness do what thou won't with me and them Dac Upon the banks of Silver Thames there is a Monastery which seems as built for retiring Princes so Quiet and so neatly form'd near the Metropolis it Stands there you may live in peace my self will quit All further thoughts of Business or of State and if I Once inquire into the World it shall be only for Your safety and the good of these Cat. I thank thee Dacres and I thank Heaven I am Compos'd Enter Esperanza Esp Oh horror accumulated sorrows like rowling Billows heap upon us still Dac Peace the Queen but now is calm disturb her With no new affliction Cat. I stand prepar'd there 's nothing now can shock Me Speak Esp The lovely Isabella is brought dead the bearers Say her last request was your Forgiveness that She might be laid at your Royal feet and your Majesty wou'd pardon her unwilling fault Cat. Oh Esperanza too late you told me of her Intended flight Love was her only crime yet she proved Fates cruel Instrument of my undoing why This was why so ordained is beyond mortal inquiry And I shou'd submit Where is the poor unhappy Maid alas But she is past it all and Now finds rest for if soft Innocence can reach The bright Aethereal seats she 's surely there Give order for our instant March let her Corps Precede the dismal journey and let us follow as Those sad Friends their best beloved to the last Stage the Grave My Dacres that 's the sure reception of us all But they sleep best who do with honour fall Exeunt Omnes Enter Edward Duke of Gloucester and Officers Edw She 's gone and with her go all that ever Discompos'd my Soul now to Glory and his Country's Good Edward wholly will devote himself let us towards London take our triumphant way That City in whose favour we are blest Glou. You I suppose have heard that Clarence Proclaims his wrongs a loud that Warwick owns his Cause and with a Guard has sent him to his Castle Edw. Towards that rash Prince my Lords we doubt Not to approve our self a Friend and Brother if Warwick sides with him tho' he stands high In our esteem yet we wo'n't fear the Warrior Nor call the work of Heaven his alone Kingdoms are given by the powers above And the chief blessing is our peoples love Whilst we are just they ought and must be kind No Cement does so fast as Justice bind FINIS