Lady J. G. Oh, rise, my lord, and let me take your posture. Life and the world are hardly worth my care, queen, and you. Pem. To me! forbid it goodness! All discord and remembrance of offence Shall be clean blotted out; and for your freedom, Myself have underta'en to be your surety. Enter LIEUTENANT OF THE TOWER. Lieut. The lord chancellor Is come with orders from the queen. Enter GARDINER, and ATTENDANTS. Pem. Ha! Winchester! Gar. The queen, whose days be many, Gar. This one condition only seals your pardon: Pem. "Tis false as hell : The mercy of the queen was free and full. As Roman priests their pardons? Do they barter, And doubly sell what was design'd a gift? Gar. My lord, this language ill beseems your nobleness; Nor come I here to bandy words with madmen. Which amply speaks her meaning. You, the pris'ners, Pem. Oh! inhuman-But wherefore do I loiter here? I'll to the queen this moment, and there know [Talks with the LIEUTENANT aside. Guil. Must we part then? What are those hopes that flatter'd us but now; Of all the boasted blessings it bestows: Then, Guilford, let us have no more to do with it; I bend my head with joy, and think it happiness From thee, thou angel of my heart, I learn That greatest, hardest task, to part with thee. Lady J. G. Oh, gloriously resolv'd! Heav'n is my witness, My heart rejoices in thee more ev'n now, Thus constant as thou art, in death thus faithful, Gar. The day wears fast; Lord Guilford, have you thought? Will you lay hold on life? Guil. What are the terms? Gar. Death, or the mass, attend you. Guil. 'Tis determin'd: Lead to the scaffold. Gar. Bear him to his fate. Guil. Oh, let me fold thee once more in my arms, Shall we not live again, ev'n in those forms? Lady J. G. Oh, wherefore dost thou sooth me with thy softness! Why dost thou wind thyself about my heart, Guil. My sight hangs on thee-Oh, support me, Heav'n. In this last pang-and let us meet in bliss! [GUILFORD is led off by the GUARD. Lady J. G. Can nature bear this stroke! 1 Wom. Alas, she faints ! Lady J. G. Wilt thou fail nowstroke is past, And all the bitterness of death is o'er. [Supporting. The killing Gar. Here let the dreadful hand of vengeance stay; Have pity on your youth and blooming beauty; Cast not away the good which Heav'n bestows; Lady J. G. Cease, thou raven, Nor violate, with thy profaner malice, My bleeding Guilford's ghost-Tis gone, 'tis flown: But lingers on the wing, and waits for me. [The Scene draws, and discovers a Scaffold hung with Black, EXECUTIONER and GUARDS. And see my journey's end. 1 Wom. My dearest lady. 2 Wom. Oh, misery! Lady J. G. Forbear, my gentle maids, [Weeping. Nor wound my peace with fruitless lamentations; Shall raise you better friends than I have been. Lady J. G. Help to disarray, And fit me for the block: do this last service, And do it cheerfully. Now you will see Your poor unhappy mistress sleep in peace, Receive and share among you. Thou, Maria, Gar. Will you yet Repent, be wise, and save your precious life? Lady J. G. Oh, Winchester! has learning taught thee that: To barter truth for life? Gar. Mistaken folly! You toil and travel for your own perdition, Lady J. G. Who judge rightly, And who persist in error, will be known, Goodness be ever with you. Once more, farewell, [To her WOMEN. When I'm dead, Entreat they do no rude, dishonest wrong To my cold, headless corpse; but see it shrouded, And decent laid in earth. Gar. Wilt thou then die? Thy blood be on thy head. Lady J. G. My blood be where it falls; let the earth hide it; And may it never rise, or call for vengeance. To zeal's inhuman wrath! Thou, gracious Heaven, [LADY JANE goes up to the Scaffold. The Enter PEMBROKE. Pem. Horror on horror! Blasted be the hand That struck my Guilford! Oh, his bleeding trunk Shall live in these distracted eyes for ever! Curse on thy fatal arts, thy cruel counsels! [To GARDINER. The queen is deaf, and pitiless as thou art. |