years of Life perhaps Some days may finish what we prize so dearly Would'st thou consent that I shou'd forfeit Heav'n My Spotless Innocent and Bosom Faith Forsake the Truth that was so lov'd by me And lose the Joys of Immortality Gilf. I know what I wou'd act were I my Iane Were Gilford's safety only in the Ballance O all you Saints that wear Immortal Crowns Spirits of Martyrs that bright Angels are Not Racks nor Tortures burning Pincers Fires Shou'd make me leave this Faith the most Divine Which adorns thee and thou hast made to shine Ia. O Young O Good O Youth belov'd of Heav'n Gilf. But when I see a Father's Agonies Sweating cold Drops with terrour to behold The Heads-man diving in thy Gilford's Bowels And in the Hearts of four unhappy Brothers But oh and which is more than all the Lives Of all the Sons and Daughters of Mankind Thy precious Life if that 's a Crime to save You Heavenly Powers if then 't is Sin to change The Fact it self wou'd from your doom appeal And quash Damnation with the very mention North. Ay there my Son do press her hold her there Ia. What is my Husband Traytor to my Soul Then I may say as Caesar did to Brutus Dost thou too Gilford stab me to the Heart North. Come prostrate fall with me Lo at your Feet The Sad and Miserable Dudley lies See on the Ground the Father and the Son Thy Husband too that shou'd Command thee all And reign the Conq'ring Rival of thy Soul O say the word thou Woman most Divine Quick e'er they come to fetch thee and my Children Like a dumb Drove with Pantings to the Shambles First they begin with him and in in thy sight Fasten his Manly Body to the Sledge Which ne'er was bound before but in thy Arms. Then see the Villain with a Butcher's Knife Ripping his Bowels open to the Throat And tearing thence the Heart he holds to view That Heart which did so oft in silent Language Whisper the Story of your Faithful Loves But now insenc'd leaps in the Ruffin's hand And cries more fierce the Cruelty of Iane. Then then it stabs and e'er I come to die Breaks his poor Father's Heart and all the Standers by Ia. What must be done must then be done this Moment The time is suddain but the Gate of Heav'n Is easie to be lock'd yet hard to open It has a Spring without a Key which when We shut too rashly we no more can enter I am resolv'd North. Of what Ia. Not to be chang'd till I am dead For all the Blood that 's threaten'd to be shed Nor for the Crown took lately trom this head North. Hell Scalding Lead and Sulphures said'st thou ha O Iane think think of the Pains of Death remember Thy tortur'd Father and the Womb that bore thee Who brought thee not into this Cursed World With half the Pangs that thou and they must suffer Ia. No more I have inevitably said North. Fly Gilford fly let 's vanish from her Presence Damnation came from Woman first and still The mischief reigns in her and all the Sex O Woman Woman false as are thy Beauties Thou art a Tempting Fair Deceitful Way Leading by smooth Degrees to narrow Fastness Through which most Mortal Men do slide to Ruine But out of Ruine none Gilf. Stay stay my Lord. North. Not were the Ax a falling on my Head And she shou'd cry aloud I turn I turn Were there but one Religion in the World I 'd sooner die an Atheist and be Damn'd Than be of one Belief with her Gilf. Alas North. Since first the Serpent tempted Womankind The Snake lies lurking in the Sex's mind False Subtile Vain to keep your Faith 's secure There need a thousand Bolts to bar the Door Without like gilded Sepulchers you shine But open'd full of Rottenness and Sin At best who hopes to find a Goddess there Is cheated with a Bubble fraught with Air. Therefore the safe retreat of Human Life Is far from all the Sex but most a Wife Gilford why should we fear worse pains to feel The Marry'd Wretch has sure no other Hell Exit North. Enter Pembrook Gardner attended Gard. I met the Duke your Victim led to Death Not as we wish'd with Roman Laurels Crown'd Nor with the Visage of a Conqueror When 't is in your sole Power Ia. My Lord Rome's Markets ne'er were counted cheap Which makes me fear the Purchase being so great The price is more than my Estate can pay Gard. O thou whose wond'rous Mind and Body 's blest With all the parts and Beauties of thy Sex And Excellence of Man I come not here To wean an Infant turn a spleenful Woman To her resolv'd and fix'd Chymera wed But to a Judge who though a Child in Years Is fit to teach Philosophy a Rule And tell the Schools they erre Ia. Alas my Lord This Flattery bespeaks you more a Courtier Than an Embassador from the Court of Heav'n Gard. Yet Madam let it not be thought that you To cruel Niceness should have such regard That Iane out of a sullen Piety Ia. My Lord You will confess that one Divinity One Center moves the Catholick Faith and yours That wise Religious are like Skilful Pilots May with contrary winds the same way steer And meet together in one Port at last Gard. There you come close be wise and oh come nearer Then since not our Beliefs but Forms do vary This difference only seems 'twixt us and you Ours is a nearer Cut but o'er a River And yours a new invented Way through Desarts who 'd then refuse to pass the narrow Water And go vast Leagues about for fear of drowning Ia. My Lord I am a Wretch condemn'd to die And now am almost at my Journey 's end Is this a time to tempt me to draw back And tell me I have left a nearer way Gard. Yet save your Life and all their Lives Consider Say but the word and this shall hold the Ax. Ia. Witness you Powers so woven is my Belief So one with me that as my Nurses Milk Infus'd its Nourishment into my Blood Heav'n did distil this Balm into my Soul Yet had not the Almighty taught me this The Truth to me another Godhead is A Faith that no Apostacy endures Nor envy I that constancy in yours Far be my hopes but you in Heav'n may shine Live you in yours and let me die in mine Gard. Then since no President from Time can win you No Arguments Divine nor Human Wisdom Nor yet those Wretches Lives your Marble Heart Can turn you drive the Law to take its course Ia. Go on I dare the utmost of your Malice Till with your Cruelty my Death become What was your Justice Noble Martyrdom I see your Plots contriv'd in dark Cabals Your Leopard Consciences and freckl'd Souls All your feign'd Zeal that your great Lord may Raign Tyrant of Souls and Landlord of their Gain Gard. Haste lead 'em all to
us Where hast thou been what did thy Fancy shew thee Ia. Methought I softly stole from thee away As thou safe sleeping on my Bosom lay And glad that I had pass'd grim Death alone Mounted on Pinions that out-flew the Sun But on the Confines of that Heavenly Race A Warlike Angel stood to Guard the place The same whom Sacred Story says to be 'T was Raphael sure or one more great than he Who looking terrible with this Command A Beamy Garland put into my hand Return said he Crown him thou lov'st most dear Without thy Gilford there 's no entrance here At that last word I starting back did fâ—y Swift as a falling Meteor from the Skie And come to fetch thee on my Cherubs wings Where we will Raign more absolute than Kings Gilf. Cou'dst thou alas thou Darling of my Heart Alone to Heav'n without thy Gilford part Nay if thy Dreams can foster such a Crime No Sleep but Death shall part us from this time Like Turtles we have languish'd here in Love And will like loving Angels dwell above Ia. Let me adorn thy Temples and obey The Angels and the Deity 's Decree Behold this Wreath the Beauties of the Field The rarest Sweets the Bowers of England yield Now Spring and Paradise are on thy Brow Puts the Garland on his Head And richer Flowers in Eden never grew The spotless Ram thus Hymen's Victim dies To Love an Off'ring Death a Sacrifice Gilf. These lovely Blossoms of the fruitful Year Are proud that they thy Beauty's Livery wear I saw thy hands new mould 'em all the night And with thy Fingers turn the Lillies white Saw thee too lift the Garland to thy Head And with a kiss made every Rose so red Ia. Not Incense nor Arabian Spices smell So sweet as does the Breath as here does dwell Gilf. O Paradise O Virtue most Divine In whom all Graces with all Beauties shine Ia. Pity my case perhaps when I shall see This Head without the Body brought to me These Lips that were so red then ghastly pale Gasping for Life that now with Pleasures swell No Breath to give thy Harmonious Voice a Tone Nor Tongue to tell thy Iane its pitious Moan These Eyes that now my shining Planets are Extended and like angry Meteors glare These Locks my Fingers did so often twine With Sweets of Amber strew and Jessamine Powder'd with Dirt and matted all with Gore Horrid to view shall shine like Gold no more Gilf. The jealous Queen cannot so cruel be But let one Ax one Moment set us free Whilst taking thus our last Farewells like this The Blow shall but divide a parting Kiss Then as the Steel does to the Loadstone cleave We 'll meet again and end the Kiss we leave Enter Northumberland Guarded North. All Blessings reign on Suffolk's happy Daughter New Springs of Love adorn your Faithful Garland Health and long Life the Queen by Dudly sends Gilf. Are you my Father's Spirit or kinder Genius From the Immortal Region come to chide Your Gilford's and your Daughter 's long delay What e'er thou art thus shou'd our knees adore thee Or Deity or Angel or as fear'd my Father North. Rise Gilford rise I am that Earthly Mould From whence my Son receiv'd this Manly Form I once begot thee on a Beauteous Mother But now like Heaven without a Female Aid Have Power to make thee with my Godlike Breath And give thee Life as in the Womb again Ia. Blest Prophet's voice to a despairing Sinner Let me again the charming sound devour Say shall thy Gilford Shall my Husband live Speak quickly with a Parent 's Zeal and tell The welcom'st News that Heav'n can send to Iane. North. Come sit we down I know thou dy'st to hear But this transcends ev'n all thy Womans Longings 'T is Business of Import I have to say What cou'dst thou do for this dear pretious Youth This tender Shoot that longs to grow a Cedar This Darling of my Blood and Joy of thine Whose Soul is wov'n by Fate with both our Souls And in each others Breast makes two but one That I may challenge Pardon of Heav'n and say I ne'er did greatly ill but for his sake What wou'dst thou do to save his life and mine Ia. What wou'd I do propose the speedy way Were I to swim the Sea with these weak Arms Kind Heav'n shou'd lend me Strength to stem the Waves And make the Ocean but a narrow Brook Gilf. Quick quick my Lord trembling I ask the means What is the Task that she must do for this I fear her life must be for mine the Ransom If so be dumb as threatning Meteors rather And never word drop from My Father's Tongue Of any sound tho' 't were to give his Blessing Hear him not pri'thee Iane. North. Have hopes my Boy Yet is th' Adventure hard I know 't will shock you Ia. Quickly disclose it By my hopes you wrack me This Wonder for I am in pain to know What I can grant and will not fly to do North. 'T is meet you know how many Lives depend On the least Sentence of your precious Breath And what a Train of Happinesses spring Or die with this mean Syllable of Ay Or No. Ia. What must I do the Day runs on a-pace The murmurings of the Crowd alas I hear And Ratlings of the Sledge approach my Ear. North. Come Gilford lean thy Head upon her Breast And listen to the pantings of her Heart And tell me how she bears it This it is The Queen requires you but to set your Name Nay for the Ransom of our Lives conjures you To sign this Paper and to charm you to 't Know 't was Indicted by a Man so just Whose Life stands Candidate with all the Saints For Holiness 't is but to own thy self Ia. Is it to own the Blackness of my Crime Profess that I am Guilty and deserve The Death that I am doom'd to suffer Give 't me And I 'll subscribe my self I Iane to be The vilest Traitress Heav'n did ever punish North. Peruse it Ia. I have seen a Bassalisk H 'as shot his pointed Venom through my Eyes And numm'd my Body to a Senceless Clay O Gllford 't is not in my Power to save Thy Life nor mine from Tortures Gilf. Ha! what say'st thou Ia. Judge with thy Eyes if thou canst bear the Monster North. O Iane the lowest Ebb of time is now Mercy is Heaven's Prerogative and thine And this must be dispenc'd alas this Moment Nay I have more to tell thee Gilford hear thou The Duke thy tender Father so belov'd Falling into Conspiracy with Wyatt Is doom'd to suffer with the Fatal Crew Thy Life thy Father's Life if not thy Gilford's Be those the Planets that should bear the Blame Ia. Ha! Gilf. The tempting Fiend goes cunningly to work The damning Fruit to our first Parent was Thus Minister'd by her whom most he lov'd As this is by a Father Ia. Ay my Love Would'st thou for some few
Execution straight All that have Names contain'd within this Pardon Her Foolish Father Proud Northumberland And his three other Sons Away with 'em When that is Acted as she likes the Shew Let they begin it Come my Lord. Exeunt Gard. and Pemb Ia. Come to me Gilford cleave thou to my Breast Till as one Soul we one lov'd Body grow And equal Pain and equal Death divide us Gilf. O Iane Ia. What dire thoughts possess my Love Gilf. Oh! Ia. Breathe thy Immortal Soul with mine at once And let us mount on Wings of Cherubims together Gilf. But e'er that comes there is a gloomy Vale A Darkness worse than Chaos to be pass'd How shall I wander how go through the Maze Without thy hand to guide Ia. Thou dearer far Than new born Babes are to their tender Mothers Fear not my Love I 'll trust thee from thy Iane No farther than the Nurse her tender Charge She fain wou'd teach to go watching its steps Beholds it trip but e'er it falls to Ground Catches it thus and hugs it in her Arms. Gilf. Wilt thou Ia. I 'll overtake thee in that dreadful Vale Hallow aloud and cry My Love where art thou But e'er my Voice can reach thee thou shalt spy The Nuptial Beams fresh kindl'd in my Eyes To bring me to thee stumbling as thou art And bear my Child away Gilf. Be not so tender if thou mean'st to part Thou give'st me Kisses and instead of dreining Dost pour more Oil into my dying Lamp Re-enter Pembrook and Gardner Ia. My Lords is my unhappy Father dead Pemb. He is no more I saw the Ax as Mortal as the Plague In one short space sweep Families away Northumberland dy'd sullen and reserv'd Made a short Speech and then as short a Prayer Beg'd Pardon of the Queen and said he dy'd A real Convert to the Church of Rome Ia. Heav'n spare his Faults and Crown his just Intent Gilf. Are they all dead Pemb. They are But oh how pitiful it was to see There lay the Duke with his three Sons surrounded Like a vast Oak its Branches spreading wide By some huge Storm laid flat upon the ground Thy Father's Death O Iane succeeded his Gilf. There wanted me to make the Pomp more awful Pemb. Permit me oh to end this dreadful Tale For sure my Tongue was doom'd to tell thee Horrors Thy Mother likewise in a Fit of Frenzie Resign'd her Spirit to that milder Region Where Souls refine like purest Gold from dross Ia. Enough enough Gilf. Break Heart of Adamant enough Ia. Then our turn 's next lead which way must we follow And where commerce the last Degree of Mortals Since like the first of all my Sinful Sex I wrought my dearest Husband to his Fall 'T is just I lead the way to Punishment Gilf. By that kind simpathizing Sun who to Avoid the dismal Object of thy Death Is now retir'd behind you Cloud to mourn I swear thou shalt not By our Loves I charm thee If e'er thou wert Obedient or had Virtue Let me die first Cruel Hard-hearted Iane If thou deny'st me this Ia. Thou art my Lord. Gilf. Come bring me to your Shambles Where 's my Death Gard. Draw then that Curtain Ia. O hear the tender voice of Pity cry Do not disclose that dreadful Scene of Horror But lead my Love some other way Pemb. Do so Gilf. O Iane That precious Purple nearest to my Heart In whose pure Stream the Soul imbalm'd does lie Is not so hugg'd within my Breast as thou Yet we must part For lo the Fight 's prepar'd And Honour calls me to begin the Charge Remember Iane Ia. Courage Heroick Gilford Face but this Tyrant of the World a Moment Then see thy Iane her self shall quickly come And bring thee Succors from the Camp of Love Shall chace grim Death and all its Fears away Farewell Gilf. O Dart there is no Armour against thee Darkness and Death attends it on a suddain O Star O Planet of my Life Farewell Ia. No more Farewell Gilf. When this tempestuous Blast I go to meet Has blown my glimmering Flame of Life quite out O haste thou Brightness to relume my Torch Ia. Our Loves bright Tapers ne'er shall be extinguish'd This parting 's but the Door that 's shut between us But when that 's o'er and Death has broke the Bars We 'll mingle and unite our Beams together Let endless silence now like Seas divide us Thy Lips end all their Charms in this last Kiss And lock thy Speech for ever in my Bosom Gilf. A Sigh or Groan cannot be call'd a Word Hands Eyes and Heart conclude my Mournful Song For thy Commands like Death have charm'd my Tongue Pemb. How now my Lord Wants this the Virtue to extract your Pity My Eyes are too big loaded to be hid Were Bonner in thy place a' wou'd have wept Yet save his Life and thine To Jane Gard. Lead him away tho' stubborn as she is We will have Pity on his Youth my Lord. Some Reverend Prelate of the Faith be by Invoke the Saints say Mattins for his Soul And sprinkle him with Pardon Ia. Courage my Gilford shut thy Eyes and Ears Be Blind and Deaf to all their Tricks and Prayers Let not one Superstitious Drop remain But with thy Tears wash off the Brinish stain Whilst they their Picture-Gods invoke to hear Call thou on Luther Cranmer Latimer One Syllable of theirs shall aid thee more Than all the thousand Saints that they adore Gard. Away with him Gilf. O Iane Ia. Turn turn my Gilford one last look again Expand thy longing Arms 't is not in vain And take my Wishes though deny'd thy Iane. Exit Gilford to Execution Pemb. Unhappy Pair O Innocent Usurper Ia. Dry up those Tears and now with Joy prepare To do your last kind Office to your Mistress When I am dead and laid upon the Scasfold Protect I pray these bashful Limbs from Shame See not in Death their Innocence expos'd That when alive had awful Modesty To Guard 'em Here receive this Scarf It was my Maiden-Present to my Gilford In it I wrought the Tale of Iphegenia A Fatal Omen of this Fatal Day Doom'd by her Cruel Parent to be Slain In this when th' Ax has done its welcome Office Be sure you wrap my Husband's Head and with it This Head that 's to be Sacrific'd to Peace Now I am ready Scene draws and discovers Gilford and the rest lying upon it beheaded Is then this Pomp of Death this dreaded Horrour So talk'd on and so fear'd by all Mankind So quickly o'er Come bring me to the Test Where is my Lord Pemb. There Look not upon 't methinks it shou'd offend you Ia. Not at all What signifies this Clay that mangl'd Head The broken Casket now the Jewel 's fled Gilford I come this Moment sends me to thee Pemb. Yet save thy exquisite and precious Life Gard. Do not these dismal Objects stir thee No fright nor fear of Pain can make thee turn Yet hear Ia. Away with me were they alive again Shou'd Father Mother Kindred all Joyn'd with this fatal number with me fall And in the very Moment of their Deaths Shot Curses on me with their flying Breaths To save their gasping Lives I wou'd not chuse One hour of Immortality to lose Sou'd all your torterous Racks on me be try'd Broil me on Grid-Irons turn the other side Till-the Abortive Infant where it lay Shou'd from my flaming Intrails burst its way To my vow'd Faith I 'll be for ever true In spight of all your Roman Gods and you Curtain falls FINIS