r€^i^ University of California • Berkeley THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BEQUEST OF ANITA D. S. BLAKE y^^^^v^' r nnpv/www.arcnive.org/aeTaiis/cnasTeiararrage \vu5 ^• i^' CHASTELAED; A TRAGEDY. I DEDICATE THIS PLAY, AS A PARTIAL EXPRESSION OF REVERENCE AND GRATITUDE, TO THE CHIEF OF LIVING POETS ; TO THE FIRST DRAMATIST OF HIS AGE ; TO THE GREATEST EXILE, AND THEREFORlJ TO THE GREATEST MAN OF FRANCE ; Tp VICTOR HUGO. PEESONS. MARY STUART. MARY BEATON. MARY SEYTON. MARY CARMICHAEL. MARY HAMILTON. PIERRE DE BOSCOSEL DE CHASTELARD. DARNLEY. MURRAY. RANDOLPH. MORTON. LINDSAY. FATHER BLACK. Guards, Burgesses, a Preacher, Cilizens, d:c. Another Yle is there toward the Northe, in the See Occean, where that ben fulle cruele and ful evele Wommen of Nature : and thei han precious Stones in hire Eyen ; and thei ben of that kynde, that zif they beholden ony man, thei slen him anon with the beholdynge, as dothe the Basilisk. Maundevile's Voiage and Travaile, Ch. xxviii. ACT I. MARY BEATON. Scene I.— The Upper Chamber in Holyrood. The four Maries. MARY BEATON 1. Le navire Est d, Veau ; Entends rire Ce grosjlot Que fait luire Et hruire Le vieiix sire Aquilo. 2. Bails Vespace Du grand air Le vent passe Comme unfer; B 2 4 CHASTELARD. [ACT. I. Siffle et Sonne, Torribe et tonne, Prend et donne A la mer. 3. Vols, la hrise Tourne an nordy Et la Use Souffle et mord Sur ta pure Ghevelure Qui murmure Et se tord. MARY HAMILTON. You never sing now but it makes you sad ; Why do you sing 1 MARY BEATON. I hardly know well why ; It makes me sad to sing, and very sad To hold my peace. SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 5 MARY CARMICHAEL. I know what saddens you. MAEY BEATON. Prithee, what 1 what ? MAEY CARMICHAEL. Why, since we came from France, You have no lover to make. stuff for songs. MARY BEATON. You are wise ; for there my pain begins indeed, Because I have no lovers out of France. MARY SEYTON. I mind me of one Olivier de Pesme, (You knew him, sweet) a pale man with short hair, Wore tied at sleeve the Beaton colour. MAEY CARMICHAEL. Blue— I know, blue scarfs. I never liked that knight. 6 CHASTELARD. [ACT I. MARY HAMILTON. Me ? I know him ? I hardly knew his name. Black, was his hair 1 no, brown. MARY SEYTON. Light pleases you : I have seen the time brown served you well enough. MARY CARMICHAEL. Lord Darnley's is a mere maid's yellow. MARY HAMILTON. No; A man's, good colour. MARY SEYTON. Ah, does that burn your blood ? Why, what a bitter colour is this red That fills your face ! if you be not in love, I am no maiden. MARY HAMILTON. Nay, God help true hearts ! SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. -7 I must be stabbed with love then, to the bone, Yea to the spirit, past cure. MARY SEYTON. What were you saying 1 I see some jest run up and down your lips. MARY CARMICHAEL. Finish your song ; I know you have more of it ; Good sweet, I pray you do. MARY BEATON. I am too sad. MARY CARMICHAEL. This will not sadden you to sing ; your song Tastes sharp of sea and the sea's bitterness. But small pain sticks on it. MARY BEATON. Nay, it is sad ; For either sorrow with the beaten lips Sings not at all, or if it does get breath 8 CHASTELARD. [ACT I. Sings quick and sharp like a hard sort of mirth : And so this song does ; or I would it did, That it might please me better than it does. MARY SEYTON. Well, as you choose then. What a sort of men Crowd all about the squares ! MARY CARMICHAEL. Ay, hateful men ; For look how many talking mouths be there. So many angers show their teeth at us. Which one is that, stooped somewhat in the neck. That walks so with his chin against the wind. Lips sideways shut ? a keen-faced man — lo there, He that walks midmost. MARY SEYTON. That is Master Knox. He carries all these folk within his skin. Bound up as 'twere between the brows of him Like a bad thought ; their hearts beat inside his ; SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. They gather at his lips like flies in the sun, Thrust sides to catch his face. MARY CARMICHAEL. Look forth ; so — push The window — further — see you anything 1 MARY HAMILTON. They are well gone ; but pull the lattice in, The wind is like a blade aslant. Would God I could get back one day I think upon ; The day we four and some six after us Sat in that Louvre garden and plucked fruits To cast love-lots with in the gathered grapes ; This way ; you shut your eyes and reach and pluck, And catch a lover for each grape you get. I got but one, a green one, and it broke Between my fingers and it ran down through them. MARY SEYTON. Ay, and the queen fell in a little wrath '10 CHASTBLARD, [ACT I. Because she got so many, and tore off Some of them she had plucked unwittingly — She said, against her will. What fell to you 1 MARY BEATON, Me ? nothing but the stalk of a stripped bunch With clammy grape-juice leavings at the tip. MARY CARMICHAEL. Ay, true, the queen came first and she won all ; It was her bunch we took to cheat you with. What, will you weep for that now 1 for you seem As one that means to weep. God pardon me ! I think your throat is choking up with tears. You are not well, sweet, for a lying jest To shake you thus much. MARY BEATON. I am well enough : Give not your pity trouble for my sake. SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 11^ MARY SEYTON. If you be well sing out j^our song and laugh, Though it were but to fret the fellows there. — Now shall we catch her secret washed and wet In the middle of her song ; for she must weep If she sing through. MARY HAMILTON. I told you it was love ; I watched her eyes all through the masquing time Feed on his face by morsels ; she must weep. MARY BEATON. 4. Le navire Posse et luit, Puis chavire A grand bruit ; Et sur Vonde La plus blonde Tete au monde Flotte et fuit. ' 12 CHASTELARD. [ACT I. 5 Moi, je rame, Et VamouVy C'est maflamme, Mon grand jour ^ Ma chandelle Blanche et belle, Ma chapelle De sejour, 6. Toij man dme Et Tnafoi, jSois ma dame Et ma loi ; Sois ma mie, JSois Marie, Sois ma vie, Toute d, moi I MARY SEYTON. I know the song ; a song of Chastelard's SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 13 He made in coming over with the queen. How hard it rained ! he played that over twice Sitting before her, singing each word soft, As if he loved the least she listened to. MARY HAMILTON. No marvel if he loved it for her sake ; She is the choice of women in the world, Is she not, sweet 1 MARY BEATON. I have seen no fairer one. MARY SEYTON. And the most loving : did you note last night How long she held him with her hands and eyes, Looking a little sadly, and at last Kissed him below the chin and parted so As the dance ended ? MARY HAMILTON. This was courtesy ; 14 CHASTELAKD. [ACT I. So might I kiss my singing-bird's red bill After some song, till he bit short my lip. MARY SEYTON. But if a lady hold her bird anights To sing to her between her fingers — ha 1 I have seen such birds. MARY CARMICHAEL. 0, you talk emptily ; She is full of grace ; and marriage in good time Will wash the fool called scandal off men's lips. MARY HAMILTON. I know not that ; I know how folk would gibe If one of us pushed courtesy so far. She has always loved love's fashions well ; you wot, The marshal, head friend of this Chastelard's, She used to talk with -ere he brought her here And sow their talk with little kisses thick As roses in rose-harvest. For myself, I cannot see which side of her that lurks Which snares in such wise all the sense of men ; SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 15 What special beauty, subtle as man's eye And tender as the inside of the eyelid is, There grows about her. MARY CARMICHAEL. I think her cunning speech — The soft and rapid shudder of her breath In talking — the rare tender little laugh — The pitiful sweet sound like a bird's sigh When her voice breaks ; her talking does it all. MARY SEYTON. I say, her eyes with those clear perfect brows : It is the playing of those eyelashes. The lure of amorous looks as sad as love, Plucks all souls toward her like a net. MARY HAMILTON. What, what ! You praise her in too lover-like a wise For women that praise women ; such report Is like robes worn the rough side next the skin, Frets where it warms. 16 CHASTELARD. [ACT I. MARY SEYTON. You think too much in French. Enter Darnley. Here comes your thorn ; what glove against it now ? MARY HAMILTON. 0, God's good pity ! this a thorn of mine % It has not run deep in yet. MARY CARMICHAEL. I am not sure : The red runs over to your face's edge. DARNLEY. Give me one word ; nay, lady, for love's sake ; Here, come this way ; I will not keep you ; no. — my sweet soul, why do you wrong me thus % MARY HAMILTON. Why will you give me for men's eyes to bum ? SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 17 DARNLEY. What, sweet, I love you as mine own soul loves me ; They shall divide when we do. MAEY HAMILTON. I cannot say. Why, look you, I am broken with the queen ; This is the rancour and the bitter heart That grows in you ; by God it is nought else. Why, this last night she held me for a fool — Ay, God wot, for a thing of stripe and bell. I bade her make me marshal in her masque — I had the dress here painted, gold and grey (That is, not grey but a blue-green like this) — She tells me she had chosen her marshal, she, The best o' the world for cunning and sweet wit ; And what sweet fool but her sweet knight, God help ! To serve her with that three-inch wit of his? She is all fool and fiddling now ; for me, 18 CHASTELARD. [ACT I. I am well pleased ; God knows, if I might choose I would not be more troubled with her love. Her love is like a briar that rasps the flesh, And yours is soft like flowers. Come this way, love ; So, further in this window ; hark you here. Enter Chastelard. MARY BEATON. Good morrow, sir. CHASTELARD. Good morrow, noble lady. MARY CARMICHAEL. You have heard no news ? what news % CHASTELARD. Nay, I have none. That maiden-tongued male-faced EUzabeth Hath eyes unlike our queen's, hair not so soft, And hands more sudden save for courtesy ; CBNE I.] CHASTELARD. 19 Ind lips no kiss of love's could bring to flower , such red wise as our queen's ; save this news, [ know none English. MARY SEYTON. Come, no news of her ; for God's love talk still rather of our queen. MARY BEATON. od give us grace then to speak well of her. fou did right joyfully in our masque last night ; i saw you when the queen lost breath (her head ent back, her chin and lips catching the air — . goodly thing to see her) how you smiled Icross her head, between your lips — no doubt iou had great joy, sir. Did not you take note Bnce how one lock fell ? that was good to see. CHASTELARD. fea, good enough to live for. MARY BEATON. Nay, but sweet c 2 20 CHASTBLABD. [ACT I. Enough to die. "When she broke off the dance, Turning round short and soft — I never saw Such supple ways of walking as she has. CHASTELARD. Why do you praise her gracious looks to me ? MARY BEATON. Sir, for mere sport : but tell me even for love How much you love her. CHASTELARD. I know not : it may be If I had set mine eyes to find that out, I should not know it. She hath fair eyes : may be I love her for sweet eyes or brows or hair, For the smooth temples, where God touching her Made blue with sweeter veins the flower-sweet white ; Or for the tender turning of her wrist. Or marriage of the eyelid with the cheek ; I cannot tell ; or flush of lifting throat, SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 21 I know not if the colour get a name This side of heaven — no man knows ; or her mouth, A flower's lip with a snake's lip, stinging sweet. And sweet to sting with : face that one would see And then fall blind and die with sight of it Held fast between the eyelids — oh, all these And all her body and the soul to that, The speech and shape and hand and foot and heart That I would die of — yea, her name that turns My face to fire being written — I know no whit How much I love them. MARY BEATON. Nor how she loves you back 1 CHASTELARD. I know her ways of loving, all of them : A sweet soft way the first is ; afterward It burns and bites like fire ; the end of that, Charred dust, and eyelids bitten through with smoke. MARY BEATON. What has she done for you to gird at her ? 22 CHASTELARD. [ACT I. CHASTELARD. Nothing. You do not greatly love her, you, Who do not — gird, you call it. I am bound to France ; Shall T take word from you to any one 1 So it be harmless, not a gird, I will. MARY BEATON. I doubt you will not go hence with your life. CHASTELARD. Why, who should slay me ? no man northwards born, In my poor mind ; my sword's lip is no maid's To fear the iron biting of their own. Though they kiss hard for hate's sake. MARY BEATON. Lo you, sir, How sharp he whispers, what close breath and eyes — And hers are fast upon him, do you see ? SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 23 CHASTELARD. Well, which of these must take my life in hand ? Pray God it be the better : nay, which hand 1 MARY BEATON. I think, none such. The man is goodly made ; She is tender-hearted toward his courtesies, And would not have them fall too low to find. I jou will bruise your hand with it : stand up : You shall not have my sword forth. MARY BEATON. Kill me now, I will not rise : there, I am patient, see, I will not strive, but kill me for God's sake. CHASTELARD. ray you rise up and be not shaken so : Forgive me my rash words, my heart was gone After the thing you were : be not ashamed ; ^ "ive me the shame, you have no part in it ; ^\in I not say a word shall do you good ? Forgive that too. 44 CHASTELARD. [ACT I. MARY BEATON. I shall run crazed with shame ; But when I felt your lips catch hold on mine It stopped my breath : I would have told you all; Let me go out : you see I lied to you, And I am shamed ; I pray you loose me, sir, I^et me go out. CHASTELARD. Think no base things of me : 1 were most base to let you go ashamed. Think my heart's love and honour go with you : Yea, while I live, for your love's noble sake, I am your servant in what wise may be, To love and serve you with right thankful heart. MARY BEATON. I have given men leave to mock me, and must bear What shame they please : you have good cause to mock. Let me pass now. SCENE III.] CHASTELARD. *i:0 CHASTELARD. You know I mock you not. If ever I leave off to honour you, God give me shame ! I were the worst churl born. MARY BEATON. No marvel though the queen should love you too, Being such a knight. I pray you for her love, Lord Chastelard, of your great courtesy. Think now no scorn to give me my last kiss That I shall have of man before I die. Even the same lips you kissed and knew not of Will you kiss now, knowing the shame of them, And say no one word to me afterwards. That I may see I have loved the best lover And man most courteous of all men alive ? MARY SEYTON {witMn). Here, fetch the light : nay, this way ; enter all. MARY BEATON. I am twice undone. Fly, get some hiding, sir ; They have spied upon me somehow. 46 CHASTELARD. [act I. CHASTELAED. Nay, fear not ; Stand by my side. Enter Mary Seyton and Mary Hamilton. MARY HAMILTON. Give me that light : this way. CHASTELARD. What jest is here, fair ladies ? it walks late, Something too late for laughing. MARY SEYTON. Nay, fair sir, What jest is this of yours 1 Look to your lady : She is nigh swooned. The queen shall know all this. MARY HAMILTON. A grievous shame it is we are fallen upon ; Hold forth the light. Is this your care of us 1 Nay, come, look up : this is no game, God wot. KOENE III.] CHASTELAED. 47 CHASTELAED. Shame shall befall them that speak shamefully : 1 swear this lady is as pure and good As any maiden, and who believes me not Shall keep the shame for his part and the lie. To them that come in honour and not in hate I will make answer. Lady, have good heart. Give me the light there : I will see you forth. END OF THE FIRST ACT. ACT II. DARNLEY. SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 51 Scene I.— -The great Chamber in Holyrood, The Queen atid Mary Seyton. QUEEN. But will you swear it ? MARY SEYTON. Swear it, madam ? QUEEN. Ay- Swear it. MARY SEYTON. Madam, I am not friends with them. QUEEN. Swear then against them if you are not friends. MARY SEYTON. Indeed I saw them kiss. K 2 5? CHASTELAED. [ACT II. QUEEN. So lovers use — What, their mouths close 1 a goodly way of love ! Or but the hands 1 or on her throat ? Prithee — You have sworn that. MARY SEYTON. I say what I saw done. QUEEN. xVy, you did see her cheeks (God smite them red !) Kissed either side ? what, they must eat strange food, Those singing lips of his 1 MARY SEYTON. Sweet meat enough — They started at my coming five yards off, Rut there they were. QUEEN. A maid may have kissed cheeks And no shame in them — vet one would not swear. SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 5^^ You have sworn that. Pray God he be not mad : A sickness in his eyes. The left side love (I was told that) and the right courtesy. 'Tis good fools' fashion. What, no more but this 'I For me, God knows I am no whit wroth ; not I ; But, for your fame's sake that her shame will sting, I cannot see a way to pardon her — For your fame's sake, lest that be prated of. MARY SEYTON. Nay, if she were not chaste — I have not said She was not chaste. . QUEEN. I know you are tender of her ; And your sweet word will hardly turn her sweet. MARY SEYTON. Indeed I would fain do her any good. Shall I not take some gracious word to her ] QUEEN. Bid her not come or wait on me to-day. 54 CHASTELAED. [ACT II. MARY SEYTON. Will you see him 1 QUEEN. See — 0, this Chastelard 1 He doth not well to sing maids into shame ; And folk are sharp here ; yet for sweet friends' sake Assuredly I'll see him. I am not wroth. A goodly man, and a good sword thereto — It may be he shall wed her. I am not wroth, . MARY SEYTON, Nay, though she bore with him, she hath no great love, I doubt me, that way. QUEEN. God mend all, I pray — And keep us from all wrongdoing and wild words. I think there is no fault men fall upon But I could pardon. Look you, I would swear She were no paramour for any man. So well I love her. SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 55 MARY SEYTON. Am I to bid him in ? QUEEN. As you will, sweet. But if you held me hard You did me grievous wrong. Doth he w^ait there 1 Men call me over tender ; I had rather so, Than too ungracious. Father, what with you ? Enter Father Black. FATHER BLACK. God's peace and health of soul be with the queen ! And pardon be with me though I speak truth. As I w^as going on peaceable men's wise Through your good town, desiring no man harm, A kind of shameful woman with thief's lips Spake somewhat to me over a thrust-out chin, Soliciting as I deemed an alms ; which alms (Remembering what was writ of Magdalen) I gave not grudging but with pure good heart, When lo some scurril children that lurked near, 56 CHASTELARD. [ACT II. Set there by Satan for my stumbling-stone, Fell hooting with necks thwart and eyes asquint. Screeched and made horns and shot out tongues at me, As at my Lord the Jews shot out their tongues And made their heads wag ; I considering this Took up my cross in patience and passed forth : Nevertheless one ran betw^een my feet i And made me totter, using speech and signs I smart w^ith shame to think of : then my blood Kindled, and I was moved to smite the knave, And the knave howled ; whereat the lewd whole herd Brake forth upon me and cast mire and stones So that I ran sore risk of bruise or gash If they had touched ; likewise I heard men say, (Their foul speech missed not of mine ear) they cried, *' This devil's mass-priest hankers for new flesh Like a dry hound ; let him seek such at home, Snuff and smoke out the queen s French — '' QUEEN. They said that? SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 5T FATHER BLACK. " — French paramours that breed more shames than sons All her court through /' forgive me. QUEEN. With my heart. Father, you see the hatefulness of these — They loathe us for our love. I am not moved : What should I do being angry *? By this hand (Which is not big enough to bruise their lips), I marvel what thing should be done with me To make me wroth. We must have patience with us When we seek thank of men. FATHER BLACK. Madam, farewell ; I pray God keep you in such patient heart. [£xit, QUEEN. Let him come now. MARY SEYTON. Madam, he is at hand. [&it. 58 CHASTELARr, [ACT II. Enter Chastelard. QUEEN. Give me that broidery frame ; how, gone so soon ? No maid about ? Eeach me some skein of silk. What, are you come, fair lord ? Now by my life That lives here idle, I am right glad of you ; I have slept so well and sweet since yesternight It seems our dancing put me in glad heart. Did you sleep well ? CHASTELAUD. Yea, as a man may sleep. QUEEN. You smile as if I jested ; do not men Sleep as we do ? Had you fair dreams in the night ? For me — but I should fret you with my dreams — I dreamed sweet things. You are good at sooth- saying : Make me a sonnet of my dream. SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 59 CHASTELARD. I will, When I shall know it. QUEEN. I thought I was asleep In Paris, lying by my lord, and knew In somewise he w^as well awake, and yet I could not wake too ; and I seemed to know He hated me, and the least breath I made Would turn somehow to slay or stifle me. Then in brief time he rose and went away. Saying, Let her dream^ hut when her dream is out I will come hack and hill her as she wakes. And I lay sick and trembling w^ith sore fear, And still I knew that I was deep asleep ; And thinking / must dream now, or I die, God send me some good dream lest I he slain, Fell fancying one had bound my feet with cords And bade me dance, and the first measure made I fell upon my face and wept for pain : And my cords broke, and I began the dance 60 CHASTELARD. [ACT II. To a bitter tune ; and he that danced with me Was clothed in black with long red lines and bars And masked down to the lips, but by the chin I knew you though your lips were sewn up close With scarlet thread all dabbled wet in blood. And then I knew the dream was not for good. And striving with sore travail to reach up And kiss you (you were taller in my dream) I missed your lips and woke. CHASTELARD. Sweet dreams, you said ] An evil dream I hold it for, sweet love. QUEEN. You call love sweet ; yea, what is bitter, then 1 There's nothing broken sleep could hit upon So bitter as the breaking down of love. You call me sweet ; I am not sweet to you, Nor you— 0, I would say not sweet to me, And if I said so I should hardly lie. SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 61 But there have been those things between us, sir, That men call sweet. CHASTELARD. I know not how There is Turns to There hath been ; 'tis a heavier change Than change of flesh to dust. Yet though years change And good things end and evil things grow great, The old love that was, or that was dreamed about. That sang and kissed and wept upon itself, Laughed and ran mad with love of its own face. That was a sweet thing. QUEEN. Nay, I know not well. 'Tis when the man is held fast underground They say for sooth what manner of heart he had. We are alive, and cannot be well sure If we loved much or little : think you not It were convenient one of us should die 1 CHASTELARD. Madam, your speech is harsh to understand. C2 CHASTELAED. [ACT II. QUEEN. Why, there could come no change then ; one of us Would never need to fe^r our love might turn To the sad thing that it may grow to be. I would sometimes all things were dead asleep That I have loved, all buried in soft beds And sealed with dreams and visions, and each dawn Sung to by sorrows, and all night assuaged By short sweet kisses and by sweet long loves For old life's sake, lest weeping overmuch Should wake them in a strange new time, and arm Memory's blind hand to kill forgetfulness. CHASTELARD. Look, you dream still, and sadly. QUEEN. Sooth, a dream ; For such things died or lied in sweet love's face, And I forget them not, God help my wit ! I would the whole world were made up of sleep And life not fashioned out of lies and loves. SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. ' 68 We foolish women have such times, you know, When we are weary or afraid or sick For perfect nothing. CHASTELARD (aside). Now would one be fain To know what bitter or what dangerous thing She thinks of, softly chafing her soft lip. She must mean evil. QUEEN. Are you sad too, sir, That you say nothing ] CHASTELARD. I ] not sad a jot — Though this your talk might make a blithe man sad. QUEEN. me ! I must not let stray sorrows out ; They are ill to fledge, and if they feel blithe air They wail and chirp untunefully. Would God 64 * CHASTELARD. [ACT II. I had been a man 1 when I was born, men say, My father turned his face and wept to think I was no man. CHASTELARD. Will you weep too 1 QUEEN. In sooth, If I were man I should be no base man ; I could have fought ; yea, I could fight now too If men would shew me ; I would I were the king ! I should be all ways better than I am. CHASTELARD. Nay, would you have more honour, having this — Men's hearts and loves and the sweet spoil of souls Given you like simple gold to bind j^our hair ? Say you were king of thews, not queen of souls. An iron headpiece hammered to a head. You might fail too. QUEEN. No, then I would not fail, SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 65 Or God should make me woman back again. To be King James — you hear men say King James, The word sounds like a piece of gold thrown down, Rings with a round and royal note in it — A name to write good record of ; this king Fought here and there, was beaten such a day, And came at last to a good end, his life Being all lived out, and for the main part well And like a king's life ; then to have men say (As now they say of Flodden, here they broke And there they held up to the end) years back They saw you — yea, I saw the Icing* s face helmed Red in the hot lit foreground of some fight Hold the whole war as it were hy the hit, a horse Fit for his hnees^ grip — the great rearing war That frothed with lips flung up, and shook melt's lives Off either flank of it like snow ; I saw ( You coidd not hear as his sword rang), saw him Shout, laugh, smite straight, and flaw the riven ranks, Move as the wind moves, and his horse's feet Strijye their long flags with dust. Why, if one died, To die so in the heart and heat of war F 66 CHASTELARD. [ACT II. Were a much goodlier thing than living soft And speaking sweet for fear of men. Woe's me, Is there no way to pluck this body off ] Then I should never fear a man again, Even in my dreams I should not ; no, by heaven. CHA.STELARD. I never thought you did fear anything. QUEEN. God knows I do ; I could be sick with wrath To think what grievous fear I have 'twixt whiles Of mine own self and of base men : last night If certain lords were glancing where I was Under the eyelid, with sharp lip and brow, I tell you, for pure shame and fear of them, I could have gone and slain them. CHASTELARD. Verily, You are changed since those good days that fell in France; SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. * 67 But yet I think you are not so changed at heart As to fear man. QUEEN. I would I had no need. Lend me your sword a little ; a fair sword ; I see the fingers that I hold it with Clear in the blade, bright pink, the shell-colour, Brighter than flesh is really, curved all round. Now men would mock if I should wear it here, Bound under bosom with a girdle, here, And yet I have heart enough to wear it well. Speak to me like a woman, let me see If I can play at man. CHASTELAED. God save King James ! QUEEN. Would you could change now ! Fie, this will not do ; Unclasp your sword ; nay, the hilt hurts my side ; It sticks fast here. Unbind this knot for me : Stoop, and you'll see it closer ; thank you : there. F 2 68 • CHASTELAED. [ACT II. Now I can breathe, sir. Ah ! it hurts me, though : This was fool's play. CHASTELARD. Yea, you are better so, Without the sword ; your eyes are stronger things, Whether to save or slay. QUEEN. Alas, my side ! It hurts right sorely. Is it not pitiful Our souls should be so bound about with flesh Even when they leap and smite with wings and feet. The least pain plucks them back, puts out their eyes, Turns them to tears and words'? Ah my sweet knight, You have the better of us that weave and weep While the blithe battle blows upon your eyes Like rain and wind ; yet I remember too When this last year the fight at Corrichie Reddened the rushes with stained fen-water, I rode with my good men and took delight. SCENE I.] CHASTELARD* 69 Feeling the sweet clear wind upon my eyes And rainy soft smells blown upon my face In riding : then the great fight jarred and joined, And the sound stung me right through heart and all ; For I was here, see, gazing off the hills, In the wet air ; our housings were all wet. And not a plume stood stiffly past the ear But flapped between the bridle and the neck ; And under us we saw the battle go Like running water ; I could see by fits Some helm the rain fell shining off, some flag Snap from the staff, shorn through or broken short In the man's falling : yea, one seemed to catch The very grasp of tumbled men at men, Teeth clenched in throats, hands riveted in hair, Tearing the life out with no help of swords. And all the clamour seemed to shine, the light Seemed to shout as a man doth ; twice I laughed — I tell you, twice my heart swelled out with thirst To be into the battle ; see, fair lord, I swear it seemed I might have made a knight, And yet the simple bracing of a belt 70 CHASTELARD. [ACT ll. Makes me cry out; this is too pitiful, This dusty half of us made up with fears. — Have you been ever quite so glad to fight As I have thought men must 1 pray you, speak truth. CHASTELAED. Yea, when the time came, there caught hold of me Such pleasure in the head and hands and blood As may be kindled under loving lips : Crossing the ferry once to the Clerks' Field, I mind me how the plashing noise of Seine Put fire into my face for joy, and how My blood kept measure with the swinging boat Till we touched land, all for the sake of that Which should be soon. QUEEN. Her name, for God's love, sir ; You slew your friend for love's sake ] nay, the name. CHASTELARD. Faith, I forget. SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 71 QUEEN. Now by the faith I have You have no faith to swear by. CHASTELAED. A good sword : We left him quiet after a thrust or twain. QUEEN. I would I had been at hand and marked them off As the maids did when we played singing games : You outwent me at rhyming ; but ibr faith, We fight best there. I would I had seen you fight. CHASTELARD. I would you had ; his play was worth an eye ; He made some gallant way before that pass Which made me way through him. QUEEN. Would I saw that — How did you slay him 1 72 CHASTELARD* [ACT II. CHASTELAED. A clean pass — this way ; Eight in the side here, where the blood has root. His wrist went round in pushing, see you, thus, Or he had pierced me. QUEEN. Yea, I see, sweet knight. I have a mind to love you for his sake ; Would I had seen. CHASTELAED. Hugues de Marsillac — I have the name now ; 'twas a goodly one Before he changed it for a dusty name. QUEEN. Talk not of death ; I would hear living talk Of good live swords and good strokes struck withal^. Brave battles and the mirth of mingling men. Not of cold names you greet a dead man with. You are yet young for fighting; but in fight Have you never caught a wound 1 SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 73 CHASTELAKD. Yea, twice or so : The first time in a little outlying field (My first field) at the sleepy grey of dawn, They found us drowsy, fumbling at our girths, And rode us down by heaps ; I took a hurt Here in the shoulder. QUEEN. Ah, I mind well now ; Did you not ride a day's space afterward, Having two wounds ? yea, Dandelot it was, That Dandelot took word of it. I know. Sitting at meat when the news came to us I had nigh swooned but for those Florence eyes Slanting my way w4th sleek lids drawn up close — Yea, and she said, the Italian brokeress. She said such men were good for great queens' love. I would you might die, when you come to die, Like a knight slain. Pray God w^e make good ends. 74 CHASTELAKD. [ACT II. For love too, love dies hard or easily, But some way dies on some day, ere we die. CHASTELAED. You made a song once of old flowers and loves, Will you not sing that rather? 'tis long gone Since you sang last. QUEEN. I had rather sigh than sing And sleep than sigh ; 'tis long since verily. But I will once more sing ; ay, thus it was. [_Sings. 1. J^ai vufaner hien des choses, Mainte feuille aller au vent. En songeant aiix meilles roses, J^ai pleure souvent. 2. Vois-tu dans les roses mortes Amour qui sourit cache ? man amant, ct nos portes Bas-tu vu couche ? SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 75 3. As-tu mi jamais au monde Vernis en chasse courir ? Fille de Vonde, avec Vonde Doit-elle mourir ? L Aux jours de neige et de givre L' amour deffeuille et iendort ; Avec mai doit-il revivre, Ou bien est-il mort ? 5. Qui salt oib s'en vont les roses ? Qui sait oil ien va le vent ? En songeant ct telles cJioseSy J^ai pleure souvent. I never heard yet but love made good knights, But for pure faith, by Mary's hohness, I think she Hes about men's Ups asleep, And if one kiss or pluck her by the hand To wake her, why God help your woman's wit, 76 CHASTELARD. [ACT II. Faith is but dead ; dig her grave deep at heart, And hide her face with cerecloths ; farewell faith. Would I could tell why I talk idly. Look, Here come my riddle-readers. Welcome all ; Enter Murray, Darnley, Eandolph, Lindsay, Morton, and other Lords. Sirs, be right welcome. Stand you by my side. Fair cousin, I must lean on love or fall ; You are a goodly staff, sir ; tall enough. And fair enough to serve. My gentle lords, 1 am full glad of God that in great grace He hath given me such a lordly stay as this ; There is no better friended queen alive. For the repealing of those banished men That stand in peril yet of last year's fault. It is our will ; you have our seal to that. Brother, we hear harsh bruits of bad report Blown up and down about our almoner ; See you to this : let him be sought into : They say lewd folk make ballads of their spleen, SCENE I.] CHASTELAED. 77 Strew miry ways of words with talk of him ; If they have cause let him be spoken with. LINDSAY. Madam, they charge him with so rank a life Were it not well this fellow were plucked out — Seeing this is not an eye that doth offend, But a blurred glass it were no harm to break ; Yea rather it were gracious to be done ? QUEEN. Let him be weighed, and use him as he is ; I am of my nature pitiful, ye know, And cannot turn my love unto a thorn In so brief space. Ye are all most virtuous ; Yea, there is goodness grafted on this land ; But yet compassion is some part of God. There is much heavier business held on hand Than one man's goodness : yea, as things fare here, A matter worth more weighing. All you wot I am to choose a help to my weak feet, A lamp before my face, a lord and friend 78 CHASTELARD. [ACT II. To walk with me in weary ways, high up Between the wind and rain and the hot sun. Now I have chosen a helper to myself, I wot the best a woman ever won ; A man that loves me, and a royal man, A goodly love and lord for any queen. But for the peril and despite of men I have sometime tarried and withheld myself. Not fearful of his worthiness nor you, But with some lady's loathing to let out My whole heart's love ; for truly this is hard, Not like a woman's fashion, shamefacedness And noble grave reluctance of herself To be the tongue and cry of her own heart. Nathless plain speech is better than much wit. So ye shall bear with me ; albeit I think Ye have caught the mark whereat my heart is bent. I have kept close counsel and shut up men's lips. But lightly shall a woman's will sUp out, The foolish little winged will of her, Through cheek or eye when tongue is charmed asleep. For that good lord I have good will to wed, SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 79 I wot he knew long since which way it flew, Even till it lit on his right wrist and sang. Lo, here I take him by the hand : fair lords, This is my kinsman, made of mine own blood, I take to halve the state and services That bow down to me, and to be ray head. My chief, my master, my sweet lord and king. Now shall I never say " sweet cousin " more To my dear head and husband ; here, fair sir, I give you all the heart of love in me To gather off my lips. Did it like you. The taste of it *? sir, it was whole and true. God save our king ! DAENLEY. Nay, nay, sweet love, no lord ; No king of yours though I were lord of these. QUEEN. Let word be sent to all good friends of ours To help us to be glad ; England and France Shall bear great part of our rejoicings up. 80 CHASTELARD. [ACT II. Give me your hand, dear lord ; for from this time I must not walk alone. Lords, have good cheer : For you shall have a better face than mine To set upon your kingly gold and shew For Scotland's forehead in the van of things. Go with us now, and see this news set out. [Exeunt Queen, Darnley, and Lords, As Chastelard is going out, enter Mary Beaton. MARY BEATON. Have you yet heard ? You knew of this ? CHASTELARD. I know. I was just thinking how such things were made And were so fair as this is. Do you know She held me here and talked — the most sweet talk Men ever heard of ? MARY BEATON. You hate me to the heart. What will you do ? SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 81 CHASTELAED. I know not : die some day, But live as long and lightly as I can. Will you now love me 1 faith, but if you do, It were much better you were dead and hearsed. Will you do one thing for me 1 MAEY BEATON. Yea, all things. CHASTELAED. Speak truth a little, for God's sake ; indeed It were no harm to do. Come, wiU you, sweet ? Though it be but to please God. MAEY BEATON. What will you do ? CHASTELAED. Ay, true, I must do somewhat. Let me see : To get between and tread upon his face — Catch both her hands and bid men look at them, How pure they were — I would do none of these. 82 CHASTELARD. [act II. Though they got wedded all the days in the year. We may do well yet when all's come and gone. I pray you on this wedding night of theirs Do but one thing that I shall ask of you, And Damley will not hunger as I shall For that good time. Sweet, will you swear me this 1 MAKY BEATON. Yea; though to do it were mortal to my soul As the chief sin. CHASTELARD. I thank you : let us go. END OF THE SECOND ACT. ACT III. THE QUEEN. G 2 SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 85 Scene I. — The Queen^s Chamber, Night. Lights hurning in front of the bed. Enter Chastelard and Maey Beaton. MARY BEATON. Be tender of your feet. CHASTELARD. I shall not fail : These ways have light enough to help a man That walks with such stirred blood in him as mine. MARY BEATON. I would yet plead with you to save your head : Nay, let this be then : sir, I chide you not. Nay, let all come. Do not abide her yet. CHASTELARD. Have you read never in French books the song 86 CHASTELARD. [ACT III. Called the Duke's Song, some boy made ages back, A song of drag-nets hauled across thwart seas And plucked up with rent sides, and caught therein A strange-haired woman with sad singing lips, Cold in the cheek like any stray of sea. And sweet to touch 1 so that men seeing her face. And how she sighed out little Ahs of pain And soft cries sobbing sideways from her mouth. Fell in hot love, and having lain with her Died soon? one time I could have told it through : Now I have kissed the sea-witch on her eyes And my lips ache with it : but I shall sleep Full soon, and a good space of sleep. MAEY BEATON. Alas! CHASTELARD. What makes you sigh though I be found a fool 1 You have no blame : and for my death, sweet friend, I never could have lived long either way. Why, as I live, the joy I have of this Would make men mad that were not mad with love ; SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 87 I hear my blood sing, and my lifted heart Is like a springing water blown of wind For pleasure of this deed. Now, in God's name, I swear if there be danger in delight I must die now : if joys have deadly teeth, I'll have them bite my soul to death, and end In the old asp's way, Egyptian-wise ; be killed In a royal purple fashion. Look, my love Would kill me if my body were past hurt Of any man's hand ; and to die thereof, I say, is sweeter than all sort.s of life. I would not have her love me now, for then I should die meanlier some time. I am safe. Sure of her face, my life's end in her sight, My blood shed out about her feet — by God, My heart feels drunken when I think of it. See you, she will not rid herself of me. Not though she slay me : her sweet lips and life Will smell of my spilt blood. MARY BEATON. Give me good night. 88 CHASTELARD. [ACT III. CHASTELAED. Yea, and good thanks. [JSxit Mary Beaton. Here is the very place : Here has her body bowed the pillows in And here her head thrust under made the sheet Smell soft of her mixed hair and spice : even here Her arms pushed back the coverlet, pulled here The golden silken curtain halfway in It may be, and made room to lean out loose, Fair tender fallen arms. Now, if God would, Doubtless he might take pity on my soul To give me three clear hours, and then red hell Snare me for ever : this were merciful : If I were God now I should do thus much. I must die next, and this were not so hard For him to let me eat sweet fruit and die With my lips sweet from it. For one shall have This fare for common days' -bread, which to me Should be a touch kept always on my sense To make hell soft, yea, the keen pain of hell Soft as the loosening of wound arms in sleep. Ah, love is good, and the worst part of it SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 89 More than all things but death. She will be here In some small while, and see me face to face That am to give up life for her and go Where a man lies with all his loves put out And his lips full of earth. I think on her, And the old pleasure stings and makes half-tears Under mine eyelids. Prithee, love, come fast. That I may die soon : yea, some kisses through, I shall die joyfully enough, so God Keep me alive till then. I feel her feet Coming far off ; now must I hold my heart, Steadying my blood to see her patiently. [Hides himself by the bed. Enter the Queen and Darnley. QUEEN. Nay, now go back : I have sent off my folk, Maries and all. Pray you, let be my hair ; I cannot twist the gold thread out of it That you wound in so close. Look, here it clings : 00 CHASTELARD. [ACT III. Ah ! now you mar my hair unwinding it. Do me no hurt, sir. DAENLEY. I would do you ease ; Let me stay here. QUEEN. Nay, will you go, my lord ? DAENLEY. Eh 1 would you use me as a girl does fruit, Touched with her mouth and pulled away for game To look thereon ere her lips feed 1 but see. By God, I fare the worse for you. QUEEN. Fair sir. Give me this hour to watch with and say prayers ; You have not faith — it needs me to say prayers. That with commending of this deed to God 1 may get grace for it. SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 91 DARNLEY. Why, lacks it grace ? Is not all wedlock gracious of itself ] QUEEN. Nay, that I know not of. Come, sweet, be hence. riAENLEY. You have a sort of jewel in your neck That's like mine here. QUEEN. Keep ofif your hands and go : You have no courtesy to be a king. DARNLEY. Well, I will go : nay, but I thwart you not. Do as you will, and get you grace ; farewell, And for my part, grace keep this watch with me ! For I need grace to bear with you so much. [Exit. QUEEN. So, he is forth. Let me behold myself ; 92 CHASTELAED. [ACT III- I am too pale to be so hot ; I marvel So little colour should be bold in the face When the blood is not quieted. I have But a brief space to cool my thoughts upon. If one shoiild wear the hair thus heaped and curled Would it look best ? or this way in the neck ? Could one ungirdle in such wise one's heart [Taking off her girdle. And ease it inwards as the waist is eased By slackening of the slid clasp on it ! How soft the silk is — ^gracious colour too ; Violet shadows like new veins thrown up Each arm, and gold to fleck the faint sweet green Where the wrist lies thus eased. I am right glad I have no maids about to hasten me — So I will rest and see my hair shed down On either silk side of my woven sleeves, Get some new way to bind it back with — yea, Fair mirror-glass, I am well ware of you, Yea, I know that, I am quite beautiful. How my hair shines ! — Fair face, be friends with me SCENE L] CHASTELAED. 93 And I will sing to you ; look in my face Now, and your mouth must help the song in mine. Alys la chdtelaine Voit venir de par Seine Thiebault le capitaine Qui parle ainsi : Was that the wind in the casement "i nay, no more But the comb drawn through half my hissing hair Laid on my arms — yet my flesh moved at it. Dans ma camaille Plus de clou qui vaille, Dans ma cotte-maille Plus defer aussi Ah, but I wrong the ballad- verse : what's good In such frayed fringes of old rhymes, to make Their broken burden lag with us 1 meseems I could be sad now if I fell to think The least sad thing ; aye, that sweet lady's fool, 94 CHASTELARD. [act III. Fool sorrow, would make merry with mine eyes For a small thing. Nay, but I will keep glad. Nor shall old sorrow be false friends with me. But my first wedding was not like to this — Fair faces then and laughter and sweet game, And a pale little mouth that clung on mine When I had kissed him by the faded eyes And either thin cheek beating with faint blood. Well, he was sure to die soon ; I do think He would have given his body to be slain, Having embraced my body. Now, God knows, I have no man to do as much for me As give me but a little of his blood To fill my beauty from, though I go down Pale to my grave for want — I think not. Pale — I am too pale surely — Ah ! [Sees him in the glass, coming forward. CHASTELARD. Be not afraid. QUEEN. Saint Mary ! what a shaken wit have I ! SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 95 Nay, is it you ? who let yoij. through the doors 1 Where be my maidens 1 which way got you in 1 Nay, but stand up, kiss not my hands so hard ; By God's fair body, if you but breathe on them You are just dead and slain at once. What adder Has bit you mirthful mad 1 for by this light A man to have his head laughed oflf for mirth Is no great jest. Lay not your eyes on me ; What, would you not be slain 1 CHASTELARD. I pray you, madam, Bear with me a brief space and let me speak. I will not touch your garments even, nor speak But in soft wise, and look some other way, If that it like you ; for I came not here For pleasure of the eyes : yet, if you will. Let me look on you. • ' QUEEN. As you will, fair sir. Give me that coif to gather in my hair — I thank you — and my girdle — ^nay, that side. 96 CHASTELARD. [ACT III. Speak, if you will : yet if you will be gone, Why, you shall go, because I hate you not. You know that I might slay you with my lips, With calling out ? but I will hold my peace. CHASTELARD. Yea, do some while. I had a thing to say ; I know not wholly what thing. my sweet, I am come here to take farewell of love That' I have served, and life that I have lived Made up of love, here in the sight of you That all my life's time I loved more than God, Who quits me thus with bitter death for it. For you well know that I must shortly die. My life being wound about you as it is, Who love me not ; yet do not hate me, sweet. But tell me wherein I came short of love ; For doubtless I came short of a just love, And fell in some fool's fault that angered you. Now that I talk men dig my grave for me Out in the rain, and in a little while I shall be thrust in some sad space of earth SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 97 Out of your eyes ; and you, you my love, A newly-wedded lady full of mirth And a queen girt with all good people's love, You shall be fair and merry in all your days. Is this so much for me to have of you 1 Do but speak, sweet : I know these are no words A man should say though he were now to die, But I am as a child for love, and have No strength at heart ; yea, I am afraid to die, For the harsh dust will lie upon my face Too thick to see you past. Look how I love you ; I did so love you always, that your face Seen through my sleep has wrung mine eyes to tears For pure delight in you. Why do you thus 1 You answer not, but your lips curl in twain And your face moves; there, I shall make you weep And be a coward too ; it 'were much best I should be slain. QUEEN. Yea, best such folk w^re slain ; 98 CHASTELARD. [ACT III. Why should they live to cozen fools with lies? You would swear now you have used me faithfully ; Shall I not make you swear ? I am ware of you : You will not do it ; nay, for the fear of God You will not swear. Come, I am merciful ; God made a foolish woman, making me, And I have loved your mistress with whole heart ; Say you do love her, you shall marry her And she give thanks : yet I could wish your love Had not so lightly chosen forth a face ; For your fair sake, because I hate you not. CHASTELARD. What is to say 1 why, you do surely know That since my days were counted for a man's I have loved you ; yea, how past help and sense, Whatever thing was bitter to my love, I have loved you ; how when I rode in war Your face went floated in among men's helms. Your voice went through the shriek of slipping swords ; Yea, and I never have loved women well, Seeing always in my sight I had your lips SCENE I.] CHASTBLARD. 99 Curled over, red and sweet ; and the soft space Of carven brows, and splendour of great throat Swayed lily-wise ; what pleasure should one have To wind his arms about a lesser love ] I have seen you ; why, this were joy enough For God's eyes up in heaven, only to see And to come never nearer than I am. Why, it was in my flesh, my bone and blood. Bound in my brain, to love you; yea, and writ All my heart over : if I would lie to you I doubt I could not lie. Ah, you see now, You know now well enough ; yea, there, sweet love, Let me kiss there. QUEEN. I love you best of them. Clasp me quite round till your lips cleave on mine. False mine, that did you wrong. Forgive them dearly, As you are sweet to them ; for by love's love I am not that evil woman in my heart That laughs at a rent faith. Chastelard, Since this was broken to me of your new love B 2 100 CHASTELARD. [ACT III. I have not seen the face of a sweet hour. Nay, if there be no pardon in a man, What shall a woman have for loving him ? Pardon me, sweet. CHASTELAED. Yea, so I pardon you, And this side now ; the first way. Would God please To slay me so ! who knows how he might please 1 Now I am thinking, if you know it not, How I might kill you, kiss your breath clean out. And take your soul to bring mine through to Godj That our two souls might close and be one twain Or a twain one, and God himself want skill To set us either severally apart. 0, you must overlive me many years. And many years my soul be in waste hell ; But when some time God can no more refrain To lay death like a kiss across your lips. And great lords bear you clothed with funeral things, And your crown girded over deadly, brows, Then after all your happy reach of life For pity you shall touch me with your eyes, SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 101 Remembering love was fellow with my flesh Here in sweet earth, and make me well of love And heal my many years with piteousness. QUEEN. You talk too sadly and too feignedly. CHASTELARD. Too sad, but not too feigned ; I am sad That I shall die here without feigning thus ; And without feigning I were fain to live. QUEEN. Alas, you will be taken presently And then you are but dead. Pray you get hence. CHASTELAED. I will not. QUEEN. Nay, for God's love be away ; You will be slain and I get shame. God's mercy ! You were stark mad to come here , kiss me, sweet. 102 CHASTELARD. [ACT III. Oh, I do love you more than all men ! yea, Take my lips to you, close mine eyes up fast, So you leave hold a little ; there, for pity. Abide now, and to-morrow come to me. Nay, lest one see red kisses in my throat — Dear God ! what shall I give you to be gone ? CHASTELARD. I will not go. Look, here's full night grown up ; Why should I seek to sleep away from here 1 The place is soft and the lights burn for sleep ; Be not you moved ; I shall lie well enough. QUEEN. You are utterly undone. Sweet, by my life. You shall be saved with taking ship at once. For if you stay this foolish love's hour out There is not ten days' likely life in you. This is no choice. CHASTELARD. Nay, for I will not go. SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 103 QUEEN. me ! this is that Bayard's blood of yours That makes you mad ; yea, and you shall not stay. 1 do not understand. Mind, you must die. Alas, poor lord, you have no sense of me ; I shall be deadly to you. CHASTELARD. Yea, I saw that ; But I saw not that when my death's day came You could be quite so sweet to me. QUEEN. My love ! If I could kiss my heart's root out on you You would taste love hid at the core of me, CHASTELARD. Kiss me twice more. This beautiful bowed head That has such hair with kissing ripples in And shivering soft eyelashes and brows With fluttered blood ! but laugh a little, sweetly, 104 CHASTELARD. [ACT III. That I may see your sad mouth's laughing look I have used sweet hours in seeing. 0, will you weep ? I pray you do not weep. QUEEN. Nay, dear, I have No tears in me ; I never shall weep much, I think, in all my life ; I have wept for wrath ^ Sometimes and for mere pain, but for love's pity I cannot weep at all. I would to God You loved me less ; I give you all I can For all this love of yours, and yet I am sure I shall live out the son'ow of your death And be glad afterwards. You know I am sorry. T should weep now ; forgive me for your part, God made me hard, I think. Alas, you see I had fain been other than I am. CHASTELARD. Yea, love. Comfort your heart. What way am I to die ] SCENE I] CHASTELAED. 105 QUEEN. Ah, will you go yet, sweet 1 CHASTELAED. No, by God's body. You will not see 1 how shall I make you see 1 Look, it may be love was a sort of curse Made for my plague and mixed up with my days Somewise in their beginning ; or indeed A bitter birth begotten of sad stars At mine own body's birth, that heaven might make My life taste sharp where other men drank sweet ; But whether in heavy body or broken soul, I know it must go on to be my death. There was the matter of my fate in me When I was fashioned first, and given such life As goes with a sad end ; no fault but God's. Yea, and for all this I am not penitent : You see I am perfect in these sins of mine, I have my sins writ in a book to read ; Xow I shall die and be well done with this. 106 CHASTELAED. [ACT III. But I am sure you cannot see such things^ God knows I blame you not. ^ QUEEN. What shall be said ] You know most well that I am sorrowful. But you should chide me. Sweet, you have seen fair wars, Have seen men slain and ridden red in them ; Why will you die a chamberer's death like this 1 What, shall no praise be written of my knight, For my fame's sake ? CHASTELAED. Nay, no great praise, I think ; I will no more ; what should I do with death. Though I died goodly out of sight of you ? I have gone once : here am I set now, sweet, Till the end come. That is your husband, hark, He knocks at the outer door. Kiss me just once. You know now all you have to say. Nay, love. Let him come quickly. SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 107 Enter Darnley, and afterwards the Maries. DARNLEY. Yea, what thing is here ? Ay, this was what the doors shut fast upon — Ay, trust you to be fast at prayer, my sweet ? By God I have a mind CHASTELARD. What mind then, sir ? A Har's lewd mind, to coin sins for jest. Because you take me in such wise as this 1 Look you, I have to die soon, and I swear, That am no liar but a free knight and lord, I shall die clear of any sin to you. Save that I came for no good will of mine ; I am no carle, I play fair games with faith. And by mine honour for my sake I swear I say but truth ; for no man's sake save mine, Lest I die shamed. Madam, I pray you say I am no liar ; you know me what I am, A sinful man and shortly to be slain. 108 CHASTELARD. [ACT III. That in a simple insolence of love Have stained with a fool's eyes your holy hours And with a fool's words put your pity out ; Nathless you know if I be liar or no, Wherefore for God's sake give me grace to swear (Yea, for mine too) how past all praise you are And stainless of all shame ; and how all men Lie, saying you are not most good and innocent, Yea, the one thing good as God. DARNLEY. sir, we know You can swear well, being taken ; you fair French Dare swallow God's name for a lewd love-sake As it were water. Nay, we know, we know ; Save your sweet breath now lest you lack it soon ; We are simple, we ; we have not heard of you. Madam, by God you are well shamed in him : Ay, trust you to be fingering in one's face. Play with one's neck-chain 1 ah, your maiden's man, A relic of your people's ! SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 109 CHASTELARD. Hold your peace, Or I will set an edge on your own lie Shall scar yourself. Madam, have out your guard ; 'Tis time I were got hence. QUEEN. Sweet Hamilton, Hold you my hand and help me to sit down. Henry, I am beaten from my wits — Let me have time and live ; call out my people — Bring forth some armed guard to lay hold on him : But see no man be slain. Sirs, hide your swords ; 1 will not have men slain. DARNLEY. What, is this true 1 Call the queen's people — help the queen there, you— Ho, sirs, come in. 110 CHASTELARD. [ACT III. Enter some with the Guard. QUEEN. Lay hold upon that man ; Bear him away, but see he have no hurt. CHASTELARD. Into your hands I render up myself With a free heart ; deal with me how you list, But courteously, I pray you. Take my sword. Farewell, great queen ; the sweetness in your look Makes life look bitter on me. Farewell, sirs. \_He is taken out. DARNLEY. Yea, pluck him forth, and have him hanged by dawn ; He shall find bed enow to sleep. God's love ! That such a knave should be a knight like this ! , QUEEN, Sir, peace awhile ; this shall be as I please ; SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. Ill Take patience to you. Lords, I pray you see All be done goodly ; look they wrong him not. Carmichael, you shall sleep with me to-night ; I am sorely shaken, even to the heart. Fair lords, I thank you for your care. Sweet, stay by me. END OF THE THIRD ACT. ACT IV. M U R R AY. SCEXE I.] CHASTELAED. 115 Scene I. — The Queen's Lodging at St. Andrew's. The Queen and the four Makies. QUEEN. Why will you break my heart with praying to me % You Seyton, you Carmichael, you have wits, You are not all run to tears \ you do not think It is my wrath or will that whets this axe Against his neck ] MAEY SEYTON. Nay, these three weeks agone I said the queen s wrath was not sharp enough To shear a neck. QUEEN. Sweet, and you did me right, And look you, what my mercy bears to fruit. Danger a-nd deadly speech and a fresh fault Before the first was cool in people's lips ; A goodly mercy : and I wash hands of it. — 1 2 116 CHASTELAED. [ACT IV. Speak you, there ; have you ever found me sharp ? You weep and whisper with sloped necks and heads Like two sick birds ; do you think shame of me ] Nay, I thank God none can think shame of me ; But am I bitter, think you, to men's faults 1 I think I am too merciful, too meek : Why if I could I would yet save this man ; 'Tis just boy's madness ; a soft stripe or two Would do to scourge the fault in his French blood. I would fain let him go. You, Hamilton, You have a heart thewed harder than my heart ; When mine would threat it sighs, and wrath in it Has a bird's flight and station, starves before It can well feed or fly : my pulse of wrath Sounds tender as the running down of tears. You are the hardest woman I have known, Your blood has frost and cruel gall in it, You hold men ofl" with bitter lips and eyes — Such maidens should serve England ; now, perfay, I doubt you would have got him slain at once. Come, would you not 1 come, would you let him live ? SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 117 MARY HAMILTON. Yes — I think yes ; I cannot tell ; maybe I would have seen him punished. QUEEN. Look you now, There's maiden mercy ; I would have him live — For all my wifehood maybe I weep too : Here's a mere maiden falls to slaying at once, Small shrift for her ; God keep us from such hearts ! I am a queen too that would have him live, But one that has no wrong and is no queen, She would — What are you saying there, you twain ? MARY CARMICHAEL. I said a queen's face and so fair an one's Would lose no grace for giving grace away ; That gift comes back upon the mouth it left And makes it sweeter, and sets fresh red on it. QUEEN. This comes of sonnets when the dance draws breath ; 118 CHASTELAED. [ACT IV. These talking times will make a dearth of grace. But you — what ails you that your lips are shut 1 Weep, if you will ; here are four friends of yours To weep as fast for pity of your tears. Do you desire him dead ? nay, but men say ' He was your friend, he fought them on your side, He made you songs — God knows what songs he made I Speak you for him a little : will you not ? MARY BEATON. Madam, I have no words. QUEEN. No words 1 no pity — Have you no mercies for such men ? God help ! It seems I am the meekest heart on earth — Yea, the one tender woman left alive. And knew it not. I will not let him live, For all my pity of him. MARY BEATON. Nay, but, madam, For God's love look a little to this thino-. SCEXE T.] CHASTELARD. 119 If you do slay him you are but shamed to death ; All men will cry upon you, women weep, Turning your sweet name bitter with their tears ; Ked shame grow up out of your memory And burn his face that would speak well of you : You shall have no good word nor pity, none. Till some such end be fallen upon you : nay, 1 am but cold, I knew I had no words, I will keep silence. QUEEN. Yea now, as I live, I wist not of it : troth, he shall not die. See you, I am pitiful, compassionate, I would not have men slain for my love's sake, But if he live to do me three times wrong. Why then my shame would grow up green and red Like any flower. I am not whole at heart ; In faith, I wot not what such things should be ; I doubt it is but dangerous ; he must die. MAEY BEATON. Yea, but you will not slay him. 120 CHASTELARD. [act IV. QUEEN. Swear me that, I'll say he shall not die for your oath's sake. What will you do for grief when he is dead 1 i MARY BEATON. Nothing for grief, but hold my peace and die. QUEEN. Why, for your sweet sake one might let him live ; But the first fault was a green seed of shame. And now the flower, and deadly fruit will come With apple-time in autumn. By my life, I would they had slain him there in Edinburgh ; But I reprieve him ; lo the thank I get, To set the base folk muttering like smoked bees Of shame and love, and how love comes of shame. And how the queen loves shame that comes of love ; Yet I say nought and go about my ways. And this mad fellow that I respited Being forth and free, lo now the second time Ye take him by my bed in wait. Now see SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 121 If I can get goodwill to pardon him ; With what a face may I crave leave of men To respite him, being young and a good knight And mad for perfect love ? shall I go say, Dear lords, because ye took him shamefully, Let him not die ; because his fault is foul, Let him not die ; because if he do live I shall be held a harlot of all men, I pray you, stveet sirs, that he may not die ? MARY BEATON. Madam, for me I would not have him live ; Mine own heart's Ufe was ended with my fame, And my life's breath will shortly follow them ; So that I care not much ; for you wot well I have lost love and shame and fame and all To no good end ; nor while he had his life Have I got good of him that was my love, Save that for courtesy (which may God quit) He kissed me once as one might kiss for love Out of great pity for me ; saving this. He never did me grace in all his life. 122^ CHASTELARD. [ACT IV. And when you have slain him, madam, it may be I shall get grace of him in some new way In a new place, if God have care of us. QUEEN. Bid you my brother to me presently. \Exeunt Maries. And yet the thing is pitiful ; I would There were some way. To send him overseas. Out past the long firths to the cold keen sea "Where the sharp sound is that one hears up here — Or hold him in strong prison till he died — He would die shortly — or to set him free And use him softly till his brains were healed — There is no way. Now never while I live Shall we twain love together any more Nor sit at rhyme as we were used to do. Nor each kiss other only with the eyes A great way off ere hand or lip could reach ; There is no way. Enter Murray. 0, you are welcome, sir ; SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 12o You know what need I have ; but I praise heaven, Having such need, I have such help of you. I do believe no queen God ever made Was better holpen than I look to be. What, if two brethren love not heartily. Who shall be good to either one of them ] MURRAY. Madam, I have great joy of your good will. QUEEN. I pray you, brother, use no courtesies : I have some fear you will not suffer me When I shall speak. Fear is a fool, I think, Yet hath he wit enow to fool my wits. Being but a woman's. Do not answer me Till you shall know ; j^et if you have a word I shall be fain to hear it ; but I think There is no word to help me ; no man's word : There be two things yet that should do me good, A speeding arm and a great heart. My lord, I am soft-spirited as women are, 124 CHASTELARD. [act IV. • And ye wot well I have no harder heart ; Yea, with my will I would not slay a thing, But all should live right sweetly if I might ; So that man's blood-spilling lies hard on me. I have a work yet for mine honour's sake, A thing to do, God wot I know not how, Nor how to crave it of you : nay, by heaven, I will not shame myself to show it you : I have not heart. MURRAY. Why, if it may be done With any honour, or with good men's excuse, I shall well do it. QUEEN. I would I wist that well. Sir, do you love me ? MURRAY. Yea, you knovv^ I do. QUEEN. In faith, you should well love me, for I love SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 125 The least man in your following for your sake With a whole sister's heart. MUERAY. Speak simply, madam ; I must obey you, being your bounden man. QUEEN. Sir, so it is you know what things have been, Even to the endangering of mine innocent name, And by no fault, but by men's evil will ; If Chastelard have trial openly, I am but shamed. MURRAY. This were a wound indeed, If your good name should lie upon his lip. QUEEN. I will the judges put him not to plead, For my fame's sake ; he shall not answer them. MURRAY. What, think you he will speak against your fame ? 126 CHASTELARD. [ACT IV. QUEEN. I know not ; men might feign belief of him For hate of me ; it may be he will speak; In brief, I will not have him held to proof MURRAY. Well, if this be, what good is to be done 1 QUEEN. Is there no way but he must speak to them, Being had to trial plainly 1 MURRAY. I think, none. QUEEN. Now mark, my lord ; I swear he will not speak. MURRAY. It were the best if you could make that sure. QUEEN. There is one way. Look, sir, he shall not do it : SCENE I.] CHABTELARD. 127 Shall not, or will not, either is one way ; I speak as I would have you understand. MURRAY. Let me not guess at you ; speak certainly. QUEEN. You will not mind me : let him be removed ; Take means to get me surety : there be means. MURRAY. So, in your mind, I have to slay the man ? QUEEN. Is there a mean for me to save the man ? MURRAY. Truly I see no mean except your love. QUEEN, What love is that, my lord ^ what think you of, Talking of love and of love'3 mean in me 128 CHASTELAED. [act IV. And of your guesses and of slaying him ? Why, I say nought, have nought to say : God help me ! I bid you but take surety of the man, Get him removed. MURRAY. Come, come, be clear with me ; You bid me to despatch him privily. QUEEN. God send me sufferance ! I bid you, sir 1 Nay, do not go : what matter if I did ? Nathless I never bade you ; no, by God. Be not so wroth ; you are my brother born ; Why do you dwell upon me with such eyes 1 For love of God you should not bear me hard. MURRAY. What, are you made of flesh 1 QUEEN. 0, now I see SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 129 You had rather lose your wits to do me harm Than keep sound wits to help me. MUREAY. It is right strange ; The worst man living hath some fear, some love, Holds somewhat dear a little for life's sake, Keeps fast to some compassion ; you have none ; You know of nothing that remembrance knows To make you tender. I must slay the man ] Nay, I will do it. QUEEN. Do, if you be not mad. I am sorry for him ; and he must needs die. I would I were assured you hate me not : I have no heart to slay him by my will. I pray you think not bitterly of me. MURRAY. Is it your pleasure such a thing were done 1 QUEEN. Yea, by God's body is it, certainly. 130 CHASTELARD. [ACT IV. MURRAY. Nay, for your love then, and for honour's sake, This thing must be. QUEEN. Yea, should I set you on ] Even for my love then, I beseech you, sir. To seek him out, and lest he prate of me To put your knife into him ere he come forth : Meseems this were not such wild work to do. MURRAY. 1*11 have him in the prison taken off. QUEEN. I am bounden to you, even for my name's sake. When that is done. MURRAY. I pray you fear me not. Farewell. I would such things were not to do, Or not for me ; yea, not for any man. [jEJocit. SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 131 QUEEN. Alas, what honour have I to give thanks 1 I would he had denied me : I had held my peace Thenceforth for ever ; but he wrung out the word, Caught it before my lip, was fain of it — It was his fault to put it in my mind, Yea, and to feign a loathing of his fault. Now is he about devising my love's death, And nothing loth. Nay, since he must needs die, Would he were dead and come alive again And I might keep him safe. He doth live now And I may do what love I will to him ; But by to-morrow he will be stark dead. Stark slain and dead ; and for no sort of love Will he so much as kiss me half a kiss. Were this to do I would not do it again. Re-enter Murray. What, have you taken order 1 is it done 1 It were impossible to do so soon. Nay, answer me. 132 CHASTELARD. [ACT IV. MURRAY. Madam, I will not do it. QUEEN. How did you say 1 I pray, sir, speak again : I know not what you said. MURRAY. I say I will not ; 1 have thought thereof, and have made up my heart To have no part in this : look you to it. QUEEN. O, for God's sake ! you will not have me shamed ? MURRAY. I will not dip my hand into your sin. QUEEN. It were a good deed to deliver me ; 1 am but woman, of one blood with you, A feeble woman ; put me not to shame ; SCEXE I.] CHASTELARD. 133 I pray you of your pity do me right. Yea, and no fleck of blood shall cleave to you For a just deed. MURRAY. I know not : I will none. QUEEN. 0, you will never let him speak to them To put me in such shame ? why, I should die Out of pure shame and mine own burning blood ; Yea, my face feels the shame lay hold on it, 1 am half burnt already in my thought ; Take pity of me. Think how shame slays a man ; How shall I live then 1 would you have me dead ^ I pray you for our dead dear father's sake. Let not men mock at me. Nay, if he speak, I shall be sung in mine own towns. Have pity. What, will you let men stone me in the ways 1 MURRAY. Madam, I shall take pains the best I may To save your honour, and what thing lieth in me 134 CHASTELARD. [ACT iv. That will I do, but no close manslayings. I will not have God's judgment gripe my throat When I am dead, to hale me into hell For a man's sake slain on this wise. Take heed. See you to that. \^Exit. QUEEN. One of you maidens there Bid my lord hither. Now by Mary's soul, He shall not die and bring me into shame. There's treason in you like a fever, hot, My holy-natured brother, cheek and eye ; You look red through with it : sick, honour- sick, Specked with the blain of treason, leper-like — A scrupulous fair traitor with clean lips — If one should sue to hell to do him good He were as brotherly holpen as I am. This man must live and say no harm of me ; I may reprieve and cast him forth ; yea, so — This were the best ; or if he die midway — Yea, anything, so that he die not here. [To the Maries within. Fetch hither Darnley. Nay, ye gape on me — SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 135 What, doth he sleep, or feeds, or plays at games 1 Whj, I would see him ; I am weary for his sake ; Bid my lord in. — Nathless he will but chide ; Nay, fleer and laugh : what should one say to him 1 There were some word if one could hit on it ; Some way to close with him : I wot not. Sir, Enter Darnley. Please it your love I have a suit to you. DARNLEY. What sort of suit ] QUEEN. Nay, if you be not friends — I have no suit towards mine enemies. DARNLEY. Eh, do I look now like your enemy ? QUEEN. You have a way of peering under brow 136 CHASTELARD. [ACT IV. I do not like. If you see anything In me that irks you I will painfuUy Labour to lose it : do but show me favour, And as I am your faithful humble wife This foolishness shall be removed in me. DARNLEY. Why do you laugh and mock me with stretched hands ? Faith, I see no such thing. QUEEN. That is well seen. Come, I will take my heart between my lips. Use it not hardly. Sir, my suit begins ; That you would please to make me that I am, (In sooth I think I am) mistress and queen Of mine own people. DARNLEY. Why, this is no suit j This is a simple matter, and your own. SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 137 QUEEN. It was, before God made you king of me. DARNLEY. No king, by God's grace ; were I such a king I'd sell my kingdom for six roods of rye. QUEEN. You are too sharp upon my words ; I would Have leave of you to free a man condemned. DARNLEY. What man is that, sweet ? QUEEN. Such a mad poor man As God desires us use not cruelly. DARNLEY. Is there no name a man may call him by 1 QUEEN. Nay, my fair master, what fair game is this ? Why, you do know him, it is Chastelard. 138 CHASTELARD. [ACT IV. DARNLEY. Ay, is it soothly ? QUEEN. By my life, it is ; Sweet, as you tender me, so pardon him. DARNLEY. As he doth tender you, so pardon me ; For if it were the mean to save my life He should not live a day. QUEEN. JS'ay, shall not he? DARNLEY, Look what an evil wit old Fortune hath : Why, I came here to get his time cut off. This second fault is meat for lewd men's mouths ; You were best have him slain at once : 'tis hot. QUEEN. Give me the warrant, and sit down, my lord. SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 139 Why, I will sign it ; what, I understand How this must be. Should not my name stand here ? DARNLEY. Yea, there, and here the seal. QUEEN. Ay, so you say. Shall I say too what I am thinking of? Do, if you will. QUEEN. I do not like your suit. DARNLEY. 'Tis of no Frenchman fashion. QUEEN. No, God wot ; 'Tis nowise great men's fashion in French land To clap a headsman's taberd on their backs. 140 CHASTELARD. [ACT IV. DARNLEY. No, madam ? QUEEN. No ; I never wist of that. Is it a month gone I did call you lord 1 I chose you by no straying stroke of sight, But with my heart to love you heartily. Did I wrong then 1 did mine eye draw my heart ? 1 know not; sir, it may be I did wrong : And yet to see you I should call it right Even yet to love you ; and would choose again, Again to choose you. DAENLEY. There, I love you too ; Take that for sooth, and let me take this hence. QUEEN. 0, do you think I hold you off with words 1 Why, take it then ; there is my handwriting. And here the hand that you shall slay him with. 'Tis a fair hand, a maiden-coloured one : SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 141 I doubt yet it has never slain a man. You never fought yet save for game, I wis. Nay, thank me not, but have it from my sight ; Go and make haste for fear he be got forth : It may be such a man is dangerous ; Who knows what friends he hath ? and by my faith I doubt he hath seen some fighting, I do fear He hath fought and shed men's Mood; ye are wise men That will not leave such dangerous things alive ; 'Twere well he died the sooner for your sakes. Pray you make haste ; it is not fit he live. DARNLEY. What, will you let him die so easily 1 QUEEN. Why, God have mercy ! what way should one take To please such people ? there's some cunning way. Something I miss, out of my simple soul. What, must one say " Beseech you do no harm,'' Or "for my love, sweet cousins, be not hard," 142 CHASTELARD. [ACT IV. Or " let him live but till the vane come round '' — Will such things please you? well then, have your way; Sir, I desire yom, kneeling down with tears, With sighs and tears, fair sir, require of you, Considering of my love I bear this man. Just for my love's sake let him not be hanged Before the sundown ; do thus much for me. To have a queen's prayers follow after you. DARNLEY. I know no need for you to gibe at me. QUEEN. Alack, what heart then shall I have to jest 1 There is no woman jests in such a wise — For the shame^s sake I pray you hang him not, Seeing liow I love him, save indeed in silk, Sweet twisted silk of my sad handiwork. Nay, and you will not do so much for me ; You vex your lip, biting the blood and all : SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 143 Were this so hard, and you compassionate ? I am in sore case then, and will weep indeed. DAENLEY. What do you mean to cast such gibes at me? QUEEN. Woe's me, and will you turn my tears to thorns l Nay, set your eyes a little in my face ; See, do I weep ? what will you make of me ? Will you not swear I love this prisoner ? Ye are wise, and ye will have it ; yet for me I wist not of it. We are but feeble fools, And love may catch us when we lie asleep And yet God knows we know not this a whit. Come, look on me, swear you believe it not : It may be I will take your word for that. DAENLEY. Do you not love him ? nay, but verily ? QUEEN. Now then, make answer to me verily. 144 CHASTELARD. [ACT IV. Which of us twain is wiser ? for my part I will not swear I love not, if you will ; Ye be wise men and many men, my lords, And ye will have me love him, ye will swear That I do love him ; who shall say ye lie ? Look on your paper ; maybe I have wept : Doubtless I love your hanged man in my heart. What, is the writing smutched or gone awry ? Or blurred — ay, surely so much — with one tear, One little sharp tear strayed on it by chance ? Come, come, the man is deadly dangerous ; Let him die presently. DAKNLEY. You do not love him ; Well, yet he need not die ; it were right hard To hang the fool because you love him not. QUEEN. You have keen wits and thereto courtesy To catch me with. No, let this man not die ; It were no such perpetual praise to you SCENE 1.] CHASTELARD. 145 To be his doomsman and in doglike wise Bite his brief Ufe in twain. DARNLEY. Truly it were not. QUEEN. Then for your honour and my love of you (Oh, I do love you ! but you know not, sweet, You shall see how much), think you for their sake He may go free ? DAENLEY. How, freely forth of us 1 But yet he loves you, and being mad with love Makes matter for base mouths to chew upon : 'Twere best he live not yet. QUEEN. Will you say that 1 DAKNLEY. Why should he live to breed you bad reports 1 Let him die first. 146 CHASTELARD. * [act IV. QUEEN. Sweet, for your sake, not so. DAENLEY. Fret not yourself to pity ; let him die. QUEEN. Come, let him live a little ; it shall be A- grace to us. DAENLEY. . By God he dies at once. QUEEN. ISow, by God's mother, if I respite him, Though you were all the race of you in one And had more tongues than hairs to cry on me He should not lose a hair. DAENLEY. This is mere mercy — But you thank God you love him not a whit ] SCENE I] CHASTELARD. 147 QUEEN, It shall be what it please ; and if I please It shall be anything. Give me the warrant. DAKNLEY. Nay, for your sake and love of you, not I, To make it dangerous. QUEEN. 0, God's pity, sir ! You are tender of me ; will you serve me so, Against mine own will, shew me so much love. Do me good service that I loath being done, Out of pure pity ? « DAENLEY. ^^y? your word shall stand. QUEEN. What makes you gape so beastlike after blood ? Were you not bred up on some hangman's hire And dieted with fleshmeats at his hand And fed into a fool ? Give me that paper. L 2 148 CHASTELAED. [act IV. DAENLEY. Now for that word I will not. QUEEN. Nay, sweet love, For your own sake be just a little wise ; Come, I beseech you. DAENLEY. Pluck not at my hands. QUEEN. No, that I will not : I am brain-broken, mad ; Pity my madness for sweet marriage-sake And my great love's ; I love you to say this ; I would not have you cross me, out of love. But for true love should I not chafe indeed ? And now I do not. DAENLEY. Yea, and late you chid. You chafed and jested and blew soft and hard — No, for that "fool " you shall not fool me so. SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 149 QUEEN. You are no churl, sweet, will you see me weep 1 Look, I weep now ; be friends with my poor tears. Think each of them beseeches you of love And hath some tongue to cry on you for love And speak soft things ; for that which loves not you Is none of mine, not though they grow of grief • And grief of you ; be not too hard with them. You would not of your own heart slay a man ; Nay, if you will, in God's name make me weep, I will not hate you ; but at heart, sweet lord. Be not at heart my sweet heart's enemy. If I had many mighty men to friend I would not plead too lovingly with you To have your love. DARNLET. Why, yet you have my love. QUEEN. Alas, what shall mine enemies do to me If I be used so hardly of my friends ? 150 CHASTELARD. [ACT IV. Come, sir, you hate me ; yet for all your hate You cannot have such heart. DARNLEY. What sort of heart ? I have no heart to be used shamefully If you mean that. QUEEN. Would God I loved you not ; You are too hard to be used lovingly. DARNLEY. You are moved too much for such a little love As you bear me. QUEEN. God knows you do me wrong ; God knows the heart, sweet, that I love you with. Hark you, fair sir, I'd have all well with you ; Do you not fear at sick men's time of night What end may come ? are you so sure of heart ? Is not your spirit surprisable in sleep? Have you no evil dreams ? Nay, look you, love, SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 151 I will not be flung off you heart and hand, I am no snake : but tell me for your love Have you no fancies how these things will end In the pit's mouth ? how all life-deeds will look At the grave's edge that lets men into hell 1 For my part, who am w^eak and woman-eyed, It turns my soul to tears : I doubt this blood Fallen on our faces when we t\vain are dead Will scar and burn them : yea, for heaven is sweet, And loves sweet deeds that smell not of spilt blood. Let us not kill •. God that made mercy first Pities the pitiful for their deed's sake. DAENLEY. Get you some painting ; with a cheek like this You'll find no faith in listeners. QUEEN. How, fair lord? DARNLEY. I say that looking with this face of yours None shall believe you holy ; what, you talk, 152 CHASTELARD. [ACT IV. Take mercy in your mouth, eat holiness, Put God under your tongue and feed on heaven. With fear and faith and — faith, I know not what — And look as though you stood and saw men slain To make you game and laughter : nay, your eyes Threaten as unto blood. What will you do To make men take your sweet word 1 pitiful — You are pitiful as he that's hired for death And loves the slaying yet better than the hire. QUEEN. You are wise that live to threat and tell me so ; Do you love life too much 1 DARNLEY. 0, now you are sweet, Right tender now : you love not blood nor death. You are too tender. QUEEN. Yea, too weak, too soft : Sweet, do not mock me, for my love's sake ; see SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 153 How soft a thing I am. Will you be hard ? The heart you have, has it no sort of fear ? DARNLEY. Take off your hand and let me go my way And do my deed, and when the doing is past I will come home and teach you tender things Out of my love till you forget my wrath. I will be angry when I see good need, And will grow gentle after, fear not that ; You shall get no wrong of my wrongdoing. So I take leave. QUEEN. Take what you will; take all; You have taken half my heart away with words : Take all I have, and take no leave ; I have No leave to give : yea, shortly shall lack leave, I think, to live ; but I crave none of you ; I would have none : yet for the love I have. If I get ever a mean to show it you, I pray God put you some day in my hand That you may take that too. 154 CHASTELAED. [ACT IV. DABNLEY. Well, as he please ; God keep you in such love ; and so farewell. [Exit. QUEEN. So fare I as your lover, but not well. — Ah sweet, if God be ever good to me To put you in my hand ! I am come to shame ; Let me think now, and let my wits not go ; God, for dear mercy, let me not forget Why I should be so angry ; the dull blood Beats at my face and blinds me — ^ I am chafed to death, And I am shamed ; I shall go mad and die. Truly I think I did kneel down, did pray, Yea, weep (who knows ?) it may be — all for that. Yea, if I wept not, this was blood brake forth And burnt mine eyelids ; I will have blood back. And wash them cool in the hottest of his heart. Or I will slay myself : I cannot tell : I have given gold for brass, and lo the pay Cleaves to my fingers : there's no way to mend — Not while life stays : would God that it were gone ! SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 155 The fool will feed upon my fame and laugh ; Till one seal up his tongue and lips with blood, He carries half my honour and good name Between his teeth. Lord God, mine head will fail ! When have I done thus since I was alive ? And these ill times will deal but ill with me — My old love slain, and never a new to help, And my wits gone, and my blithe use of life. And all the grace was with me. Love — perchance If Lsave love I shall well save myself. I could find heart to bid him take such fellows And kill them to my hand. I was the fool To sue to these and shame myself : God knows I was a queen born, I will hold their heads Here in my hands for this. Which of you waits ? Enter Mary Beaton and Maey Carmichael. No maiden of them? — what, no more than this] MARY CARMICHAEL. Madam, the lady Seyton is gone forth; She is ill at heart with watching. 156 CHASTELARD. [ACT IV. QUEEN. Ay, at heart — All girls must have such tender sides to the heart They break for one night's watching, ache to death For an hour s pity, for a half-hour s love — Wear out before the watches, die by dawn, And ride at noon to burial. God's my pity ! Where's Hamilton ? doth she ail too ? at heart, I warrant her at heart. MARY BEATON. I know not, madam. QUEEN. What, sick or dead 1 I am well holpen of you : Come hither to me. What pale blood you have — Is it for fear you turn such cheeks to me 1 Why, if I were so loving, by my hand, I would have set my head upon the chance, And loosed him though I died. What will you do? Have you no way ? SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 157 MARY BEATON. None but your mercy. QUEEN. Ay? Why then the thing is piteous. Think, for God's Is there no loving way to fetch him forth ? Nay, what a white thin-blooded thing is love, To help no more than this doth ! Were I in love, I would unbar the ways to-night and then Laugh death to death to-morrow, mock him dead; I think you love well with one half your heart, And let fear keep the other. Hark you now, You said there was some friend durst break my bars- Some Scotch name — faith, as if I wist of it ! Ye have such heavy wits to help one with — Some man that had some mean to save him by — Tush, I must be at pains for you ! MARY BEATON. Nay, madam. It were no boot ; he will not be let forth. 158 CHASTELAED. [act IV. QUEEN. I say, the name. 0, Eobert Erskine — yea, A fellow of some heart : what saith he ? MARY BEATON. Madam, The thing was sound all through, yea, all went well. But for all prayers that we could make to him He would not fly : we cannot get him forth. QUEEN. Great God ! that men should have such wits as this ! I have a mind to let him die for that; And yet I wot not. Said he, he loathed his life 1 MARY BEATON. He says your grace given would scathe yourself, And little grace for such a grace as that Be with the little of his life he kept To cast off some time more unworthily. QUEEN. God help me ! what should wise folk do with him ? SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 159 These men be weaker-witted than mere fools When they fall mad once ; yet by Mary's soul I am sorrier for him than for men right wise. God wot a fool that were more wise than he Would love me something worse than Chastelard, Ay, and his own soul better. Do you think (There's no such other sort of fool alive) That he may live 1 MAKY BEATON. Yea, by God's mercy, madam, To your great praise and honour from all men If you should keep him living. QUEEN. By God's light, I have good will to do it. Are you sure, If I would pack him with a pardon hence, He would speak well of me — not hint and halt, Smile and look back, sigh and say love runs out. But times have been — with some loose laugh cut short. Bit off at lip— eh 1 160 CHASTELARD. [ACT IV. MARY BEATON. No, by heaven he would not. QUEENo You know how quickly one may be belied — Faith, you should know it — I never thought the worst, One may touch love and come with clean hands off— But you should know it. What, he will not fly — Not though I wink myself asleep, turn blind — Which that I will I say not 1 MARY BEATON. Nay, not he ; We had good hope to bring him well aboard, Let him slip safe down by the firths to sea. Out under Leith by night-setting, and thence Take ship for France and serve there out of sight In the new wars. QUEEN. Ay, in the new French wars — SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 161 You wist thereof too, madam, with good leave — A goodly bait to catch mine honour with And let me wake up with my name bit through. I had been much bounden to you twain, methinks, But for my knight's sake and his love's ; by God, He shall not die in God's despite nor mine. Call in our chief lords ; bid one see to it : Ay, and make haste. [Exeunt Mary Beaton and Mary Carmichael. Now shall I try their teeth : I have done with fear ; now nothing but pure love And power and pity shall have part in me ; I will not throw them such a spirit in flesh To make their prey on. Though he be mad indeed, It is the goodliest madness ever smote Upon man's heart. A kingly knight — in faith, Meseems my face can yet make faith in men And break their brains with beauty : for a word, An eyelid's twitch, an eye's turn, tie them fast And make their souls cleave to me. God be thanked, This air has not yet curdled all the blood 162 CHASTELAKD. [ACT IV. That went to make me fair. An hour agone, I thought I had been forgotten of men's love More than dead women's faces are forgot Of after lovers. All men are not of earth : For all the frost of fools and this cold land There be some yet catch fever of my face And burning for mine eyes' sake. I did think My time was gone when men would dance to death As to a music, and lie laughing down In the grave and take their funerals for their feasts, To get one kiss of me. I have some strength yet, Though I lack power on men that lack men's blood. Yea, and God wot I will be merciful ; For all the foolish hardness round my heart That tender women miss of to their praise, They shall not say but I had grace to give Even for love's sake. Why, let them take their way : What ails it them though I be soft or hard ? Soft hearts would weep and weep and let men die SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 163 For very mercy and sweet-heai'tedness ; I that weep little for my pity's sake, I have the grace to save men. Let fame go — I care not much what shall become of fame, So I save love and do mine own soul right ; 111 have my mercy help me to revenge On all the crew of them. How will he look, Having my pardon ! I shall have sweet thanks And love of good men for my mercy's love — Yea, and be quit of these I hate to death. With one good deed. Enter the Maries. MARY BEATON. Madam, the lords are here. QUEEN. Stand you about me, I will speak to them. I would the whole world stood up in my face And heard what I shall say. Bid them come in. M 2 164 CHASTELARD. [ACT IV. Enter MuREAY, Eandolph, Morton, Lindsay, and other Lords. Hear you, fair lords, I have a word to you ; There is one thing I would fain understand — If I be queen or no ; for by my life Methinks I am growing unqueenly. No man speak ? Pray you take note, sweet lord ambassador, I am no queen : I never was bom queen ; Alack, that one should fool us in this wise ! Take up my crown, sir, I will none of it Till it hath bells on as a fool's cap hath. • Nay, who will have it 1 no man take it up ? Was there none worthy to be shamed but I ? Here are enow good faces, good to crown ; Will you be king, fair brother? or you, my lord? Give me a spinner's curch, a wisp of reed, Any mean thing ; but, God's love, no more gold, And no more shame : let boys throw dice for it, Or cast it to the grooms for tennis-play. For I will none. SCENE I.] CHASTELAED. 165 MUEEAY. What would your highness have ? QUEEN. Yea, yea, I said I was no majesty ; I shall be shortly fallen out of grace. What would I have ? I would have leave to live ; Perchance I shall not shortly : nay, for me That have no leave to respite other lives To keep mine own life were small praise enow. MUEEAY. Your majesty hath power to respite men, As we well wot ; no man saith othei*wise. QUEEN. What, is this true ? 'tis a thing wonderful — So great I cannot be well sure of it. Strange that a queen should find such grace as this At such lords' hands as ye be, such great lords : I pray you let me get assured again, Lest I take jest for truth and shame myself 166 CHASTELARD. [ACT IV. And make you mirth : to make your mirth of me, God wot it were small pains to you, my lords, But much less honour. I may send reprieve — With your sweet leaves I may ? MURRAY. Assuredly. QUEEN. Lo, now, what grace is this I have of you ! I had a will to respite Chastelard, x\nd would not do it for very fear of you : Look you, I wist not ye were merciful. MORTON. Madam — QUEEN. My lord, you have a word to me ? Doth it displease you such a man should live 1 MORTON. 'Twere a mad mercy in your majesty To lay no hand upon his second fault And let him thrice offend you. SCENE I.] CHASTELAED. 167 QUEEN. Ay, my lord ] MORTON. It were well done to mulSle lewd men's mouths By casting of his head into their laps : It were much best. QUEEN. Yea, truly were it so 1 But if I will not, yet I will not, sir, For all the mouths in Scotland. Now, by heaven, As I am pleased he shall not die but live, So shall ye be. There is no man shall die, Except it please me ; and no man shall say, Except it please me, if I do ill or well. Which of you now will set his will to mine 1 Not you, nor you I think, nor none of you, Nor no man living that loves living well. Let one stand forth and smite me with his hand, Wring my crown off and cast it underfoot, And he shall get my respite back of me. And no man else : he shall bid live or die. 168 CHASTELARD. [ACT IV. And no man else ; and he shall be my lord, And no man else. What, will not one be king 1 Will not one here lay hold upon my state 1 I am queen of you for all things come and gone. Nay, my chief lady, and no meaner one. The chiefest of my maidens, shall bear this And give it to my prisoner for a grace ; Who shall deny me 1 who shall do me wrong 1 Bear greeting to the lord of Chastelard, And this withal for respite of his life, For by my head he shall die no such way : Nay, sweet, no words, but hence and back again. [Exit Mary Beaton. Fai'ewell, dear lords ; ye have shown grace to me, And some time I will thank you as I may ; Till when think well of me and what is done. END OF THE FOURTH ACT. ACT V. CHASTELARD. SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. l7l Scene I. — Before Holyrood. A crowd of people ; among them Soldiers, Burgesses, a Preacher, d'c. 1st citizen. They are not out yet. Have you seen the man ? What manner of man ? 2nd citizen. Shall he be hanged or no 1 There was a fellow hanged some three days gone Wept the whole way : think you this man shall die In better sort, now ? 1st citizen. Eh, these shawm-players That walk before strange women and make songs ! How should they die well 1 3rd citizen. Is it sooth men say 172 CHASTELARD. [ACT V. Our dame was wont to kiss him on the face In lewd folk's sight ? 1st citizen. Yea, saith one, all day long He used to sit and jangle words in rhyme To suit with shakes of faint adulterous sound Some French lust in men's ears ; she made songs too, Soft things to feed sin's amorous mouth upon — Delicate sounds for dancing at in hell. 4th citizen. Is it priest Black that he shall have by him When they do come 1 3rd citizen. Ah ! by God's leave, not so ; If the knave show us his peeled onion's head And that damned flagging jowl of his — 2nd citizen. Nay, sirs, SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 173 Take heed of words ; moreover, please it you, This man hath no pope's part in him. 3ed citizen. I say That if priest whore's-friend with the lewd thief's cheek Show his foul blinking face to shame all ours, It goes back fouler ; well, one day helFs fire Will burn him black indeed. A WOMAN. What kind of man 1 'Tis yet great pity of him if he be Goodly enow for this queen's paramour. A French lord overseas 1 what doth he here, With Scotch folk here 1 1st citizen. Fair mistress, I think well He doth so at some times that I were fain To do as well. 174 CHASTELARD. [ACT V. THE WOMAN. Nay, then he will not .die. 1st citizen. Why, see you, if one eat a piece of bread Baked as it were a certain prophet's way, Not upon coals, now — you shall apprehend — If defiled bread be given a man to eat. Being thrust into his mouth, why he shall eat, And with gopd hap shall eat ; but if now, say, One steal this, bread and beastliness and all. When scarcely for pure hunger flesh and bone Cleave one to other — why, if he steal to eat. Be it even the filthiest feeding — though the man Be famine-flayed of flesh and skin, I say He shall be hanged. 3ed citizen. Nay, stolen said you, sir 1 See, God bade eat abominable bread. And freely was it eaten — for a sign This, for a sign— and doubtless as did God, SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 175 So may the devil ; bid one eat freely and live, Not for a sign. 2nd citizen. Will you think thus of her ? But wherefore should they get this fellow slain If he be clear toward her ] 3rd citizen. Sir, one must see The day comes when a woman sheds her sin As a bird moults ; and she being shifted so, The old mate of her old feather pecks at her To get the right bird back ; then she being stronger Picks out his eyes — eh ? 2nd citizen. Like enough to be ; But if it be — Is not one preaching there With certain folk about him 1 1st citizen. Yea, the same 176 CHASTELARD. [ACT V. Who preached a month since from Ezekiel Concerning these twain — this our queen that is And her that was, and is not now so much As queen over hell's worm. 3rd citizen. Ay, said he not, This was Aholah, the first one of these, Called sisters only for a type — being twain, Twain Maries, no whit Nazarene ? the first Bred out of Egypt like the water- worm With sides in wet green places baked with slime And festered flesh that steams against the sun ; A plague among all people, and a type Set as a flake upon a leper's fell. 1st citizen. Yea, said he, and unto her the men went in, The men of Pharaoh's, beautiful with red xA.nd with red gold, fair foreign-footed men, The bountiful fair men, the courteous men. The delicate men with delicate feet, that went SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 177 Curling their small beards Agag-fashion, yea Pruning their mouths to nibble words behind With pecking at God's skirts — small broken oaths Fretted to shreds between most dainty lips, And underbreath some praise of Ashtaroth Sighed laughingly. 2nd citizen. Was he not under guard For the good word 1 IST citizen. Yea, but now forth again. — And of the latter said he — there being two, The first Aholah, which interpreted — 3rd citizen. But, of this latter 1 1st citizen. Well, of her he said How she made letters for Chaldean folk 178 CHASTELAED. [ACT V. And men that came forth of the wilderness And all her sister's chosen men ; yea, she Kept not her lip from any sin of hers But multiplied in whoredoms toward all these That hate God mightily ; for these, he saith, These are the fair French people, and these her kin Sought out of England with her love-letters To bring them to her kiss of love ; and thus With a prayer made that God would break such love Ended some while ; then crying out for strong wrath Spake with a great voice after : This is she, Yea the lewd woman, yea the same woman That gat bruised breasts in Egypt, when strange men Swart from great suns, foot-burnt with angry soils And strewn with sand of gaunt Chaldean miles. Poured all their love upon her : she shall drink The Lord's cup of derision that is filled With drunkenness and sorrow, great of sides And deep to drink in till the dreg drips out : Yea, and herself with the twain shards thereof Pluck off her breasts ; so said he. SCENE I.] CHASTELARD. 179 4th citizen. See that stir — Are not they come ? 3rd citizen. There wants an hour of them. Draw near and let us hearken ; he will speak Surely some word of this. 2nd citizen. What saith he now ? THE PREACHEE. The mercy of a harlot is a sword ; And her mouth sharper than a flame of fire. N 2 180 CHASTELARD. [ACT V. Scene II. — In Prison, CHASTELARD. So here my time shuts up ; and the last hght Has made the last shade in the world for me. The sunbeam that was narrow like a leaf Has turned a hand, and the hand stretched to an arm^ And the arm has reached the dust on the floor, and made A maze of motes with paddling fingers. Well^ I knew not that a man so sure to die Could care so little ; a bride-night's lustiness Leaps in my veins as light fire under a wind ; As if I felt a kindling beyond death Of some new joys far outside of me yet ; Sweet sound, sweet smell and touch of things far out Sure to come soon. I wonder will death be Even all it seems now '] or the talk of hell And wretched changes of the worn-out soul SCENE II.] CHASTELARD. 181 Nailed to decaying flesh, shall that be true 1 Or is this like the forethought of deep sleep Felt by a tired man 1 Sleep were good enough — Shall sleep be all ? But I shall not forget For any sleep this love bound upon me — For any sleep or quiet ways of death. Ah, in my weary dusty space of sight Her face will float with heavy scents of hair And fire of subtle amorous eyes, and lips More hot than wine, full of sweet wicked words Babbled against mine own lips, and long hands Spread out, and pale bright throat and pale bright breasts, Fit to make all men mad. I do believe This fire shall never quite bum out to the ash And leave no heat and flame upon my dust For witness where a man's heart was burnt up. For all Christ's work this Yenus is not quelled. But reddens at the mouth with blood of men. Sucking between small teeth the sap o' the veins, Dabbling with death her little tender lips — A bitter beauty, poisonous-pearled mouth. 182 CHASTELAED. [ACT V. I am not fit to live but for love's sake, So I were best die shortly. Ah, fair love, Fair fearful Venus made of deadly foam, I shall escape you somehow with my death — Your splendid supple body and mouth on fire And Paphian breath that bites the lips with heat. I had best die. Enter Maky Beaton. What, is my death's time come. And you the friend to make death kind to me % 'Tis sweetly done ; for I was sick for this. MAEY BEATON. Nay, but see here ; nay, for you shall not die : She has reprieved you j look, her name to that, A present respite ; I was sure of her : You are quite safe : here, take it in your hands : I am faint with the end of pain. Eead there. CHASTELAED. Eeprieve? Wherefore reprieve ? Who has done this to me ? SCENE II.] CHASTELARD. 183 MARY BEATON. I never feared but God would have you live, Or I knew well God must have punished me ; But I feared nothing, had no sort of fear. What makes you stare upon the seal so hard 1 Will you not read now ? CHASTELARD. A reprieve of life — Reprieving me from living. Nay, by God, I count one death a bitter thing enougL MARY BEATON. See what she writes; your love; for love of you; Out of her love; a word to save your life : But I knew this too though you love me not : She is your love ; I knew that : yea, by heaven. CHASTELARD. You knew I had to live and be reprieved : Say I were bent to die now ] 184 CHASTELARD. [ACT V. MAKY BEATON, Do not die, For her sweet love's sake ; not for pity of me, You would not bear with life for me one hour ; But for hers only. CHASTELARD. Nay, I love you well, I would not hurt you for more lives than one. But for this fair-faced paper of reprieve, We'll have no riddling to make death shift sides : Look, here ends one of us. [^Tearing it. For her I love. She will not anger heaven with slaying me ; For me, I am well quit of loving her; For you, I pray you be well comforted, Seeing in my life no man gat good by me And by my death no hurt is any man's. MARY BEATON. And I that loved you 'i nay, I loved you ; nay, Why should your like be pitied when they love 1 SCENE IL] CHASTELARB. 185 Her hard heart is not yet so hard as yours, Nor God's hard heart. I care not if you die. These bitter madmen are not fit to Hve. I will not have you touch me, speak to me. Nor take farewell of you. See you die well, Or death will play with shame for you, and win. And laugh you out of life. I am right glad I never am to see you any more, For I should come to hate you easily ; I would not have you live. [Exit CHASTELARD. She has cause enow. I would this wretched waiting had an end. For I wax feebler than I was : God knows I had a mind once to have saved this flesh And made life one with shame. It marvels me This girl that loves me should desire so much To have me sleep with shame for bedfellow A whole life's space ; she would be glad to die To escape such life. It may be too her love Is but an amorous quarrel with herself. 186 CHASTELARD. [act V. Not love of me but her own wilful soul; Then she will live and be more glad of this Than girls of their own will and their heart's love Before love mars them : so God go with her ! For mine own love — I wonder will she come Sad at her mouth a little, with drawn cheeks And eyelids wrinkled up 1 or hot and quick To lean her head on mine and leave her lips Deep in my neck 1 For surely she must come; And I should fare the better to be sure What she will do. But as it please my sweet ; For some sweet thing she must do if she come, Seeing how I have to die. Now three years since This had not seemed so good an end for me ; But in some wise all things wear round betimes And wind up well. Yet doubtless she might take A will to come my way and hold my hands And kiss' me some three kisses, throat, mouth, eyes. And say some soft three words to soften death : I do not see how this should break her ease. Nay, she will come to get her warrant back : By this no doubt she is sorely penitent, SCENE II.] CHASTELAED. 187 Her fit of angry mercy well blown out And her wits cool again. She must have chafed A great while through for anger to become So like pure pity ; they must have fretted her Nigh mad for anger : or it may be mistrust, She is so false ; yea, to my death I think She will not trust me ; alas the hard sweet heart I As if my lips could hurt her any way But by too keenly kissing of her own. Ah false poor sweet fair lips that keep no faith. They shall not catch mine false or dangerous ; They must needs kiss me one good time, albeit They love me not at all. Lo, here she comes. For the blood leaps and catches at my face ; There go her feet and tread upon my heart ; Now shall I see what way I am to die. Enter the Queen. QUEEN. What, is one here ? Speak to me for God's sake ; Where are you lain 1 188 CHASTELARD. [ACT V. CHASTELAKD. Here, madam, at your hand. QUEEN. Sweet lord, what sore pain have I had for you And been most patient ! — Nay, you are not bound. If you be gentle to me, take my hand. Do you not hold me the worst heart in the world 1 Nay, you must needs ; but say not yet you do. I am worn so weak I know not how I live : Reach me your hand. CHASTELAKD. Take comfort and good heart ; All will find end ; this is some grief to you, But you shall overlive it. Come, fair love ; Be of fair cheer : I say you have done no wrong. QUEEN. I will not be of cheer : I have done a thing That will turn fire and burn me. Tell me not ; If you will do me comfort, whet your sword. SCENE II.] CHASTELARD. 189 But if you hate me, tell me of soft things, For I hate these, and bitterly. Look up ; Am I not mortal to be gazed upon 1 CHASTELAED. Yea, mortal, and not hateful. QUEEN. lost heart ! Give me some mean to die by. CHASTELAED. Sweet, enough. You have made no fault ; life is not worth a world That you should weep to take it : would mine were, And I might give you a world- worthier gift Than one poor head that love has made a spoil ; Take it for jest, and weep not : let me go, And think I died of chance or malady. Nay, I die well ; one dies not best abed. 190 CHASTELARD. [ACT V. QUEEN. My warrant to reprieve you — that you saw 1 That came between your hands ? CHASTELAED. Yea, not long since. It seems you have no will to let me die. QUEEN. Alas, you know I wrote it with my heart, Out of pure love ; and since you were in bonds I have had such grief for love's sake and my heart's — Yea, by my life I have — I could not choose But give love way a little. Take my hand ; You know it w^ould have pricked my heart's blood out To write reprieve with. CHASTELAED. Sweet, your hands are kind ; Lay them about my neck, upon my face. And tell me not of writing. SCENE II.] CHASTELAED, 191 QUEEN. Nay, by heaven, I would have given you mine own blood to drink If that could heal you of your soul-sickness. Yea, they know that, they curse me for your sake. Kail at my love — would God their heads were lopped And we twain left together this side death ! But look you, sweet, if this my warrant hold You are but dead and shamed ; for you must die, And they will slay you shamefully by force Even in my sight. CHASTELAED. Faith, I think so they will. QUEEN. Nay, they would slay me too, cast stones at me. Drag me alive — they have eaten poisonous words, They are mad and have no shame. CHASTELAED. Ay, like enough. 192 CHASTELARD. [ACT V. QUEEN. Would God my heart were greater ; but God wot I have no heart to bear with fear and die. Yea, and I cannot help you : or I know I should be nobler, bear a better heart : But as this stands — I pray you for good love. As you hold honour a costlier thing than Hfe — CHASTELAKD. Well? QUEEN. Nay, I would not be denied for shame ; In brief, I pray you give me that again. CHASTELARD. What, my reprieve ? . QUEEN. Even so ; deny me not, For your sake mainly : yea, by God you know How fain I were to die in your death's stead. For your name's sake. This were no need to swear. SCENE II.] CHASTELAED. 193 Lest we be mocked to death with a reprieve, And so both die, being shamed. What, shall 1 swear ] What, if I kiss you 1 must I pluck it out 1 You do not love me : no, nor honour. Come, I know you have it about you : give it me. CHASTELARD. I cannot yield you such a thing again ; Not as I had it. QUEEN. A coward ] what shift now 1 Do such men make such cravens 1 CHASTELARD. Chide me not : Pity me that I cannot help my heart. QUEEN. Heaven mend mine eyes that took you for a man ! What, is it sewn into your flesh 1 take heed — Nay, but for shame — what have you done with it ? 194 CHASTELARD. [ACT V. CHASTELARD. Why, there it lies, torn up. QUEEN. God help me, sir ! Have you done this ? <> CHASTELARD. Yea, sweet ; what should I do ? Did I not know you to the bone, my sweet ? God speed you well ! you have a goodly lord. QUEEN. My love, sweet love, you are more fair than he, Yea, fairer many times : I love you much, Sir, know you that ] CHASTELARD. I think I know that well. Sit here a little till I feel you through In all my breath and blood for some sweet while. gracious body that mine arms have had. SCENE II.] CHASTELARD. 195 And hair my face has felt on it ! grave eyes And low thick lids that keep since years agone In the blue sweet of each particular vein Some special print of me ! I am right glad That I must never feel a bitterer thing Than your soft curie d-up shoulder and amorous arms From this time forth ; nothing can hap to me Less good than this for all my whole life through. I would not have some new pain after this Come spoil the savour. 0, your round bird's throat, More soft than sleep or singing ; your calm cheeks, Turned bright, turned wan with kisses hard and hot ; The beautiful colour of your deep curved hands, Made of a red rose that had changed to white ; That mouth mine own holds half the sweetness of, Yea, my heart holds the sweetness of it, whence My life began in me ; mine that ends here Because you have no mercy, nay you know You never could have mercy. My fair love, Kiss me again, God loves you not the less ; u 2 1% CHASTELARD. [ACT V. Why should one woman have all goodly things 1 You have all beauty ; let mean women's lips Be pitiful, and speak truth : they will not be Such perfect things as yours. Be not ashamed That hands not made like these that snare men's souls Should do men good, give alms, relieve men's pain ; You have the better, being more fair than they, They are half foul, being rather good than fair ; You are quite fair : to be quite fair is best. Why, two nights hence I dreamed that I could see In through your bosom under the left flower, And there was a round hollow, and at heart A little red snake sitting, without spot. That bit — like this, and sucked up sweet — like this. And curled its lithe light body right and left, And quivered like a woman in act to love. Then there was some low fluttered talk i' the lips, Faint sound of soft fierce words caressing them — Like a fair woman's when her love gets way. Ah, your old kiss — I know the ways of it : SCENE II.] CHASTELARD. 197, Let the lips cling a little. Take them oif, And speak some word or I go mad with love. QUEEN. Will you not have my chaplain come to you ? CHASTELAED. Some better thing of yours — some handkerchief, Some fringe of scarf to make confession to — You had some book about you that fell out — QUEEN. A little written book of Eonsard's rhymes, His gift, I wear in there for love of him — See, here between our feet. CHASTELAED. Ay, my old lord's — The sweet chief poet, my dear friend long since ? Give me the book. Lo you, this verse of his : With coming lilies in late April came Her body y fashioned whiter for their shame; «198 CHASTELARD. [ACT V. And roses, touched with blood since Adon bled, From her fair colour filled their lips with red : A goodly praise : I could not praise you so. I read that while your marriage-feast went on. Leave me this book, I pray you : I would read The hymn of death here over ere I die ; I shall know soon how much he knew of death When that was written. One thing I know now, I shall not die with half a heart at least, Nor shift my face, nor weep my fault alive, Nor swear if I might live and do new deeds I would do better. Let me keep the book. QUEEN. Yea, keep it : as would God you had kept your life Out of mine eyes and hands. I am wrung to the heart : This hour feels dry and bitter in my mouth, As if its sorrow were my body's food More than my soul's. There are bad thoughts in me — Most bitter fancies biting me like birds That tear each other. Suppose you need not die ? SCENE II.] CHASTELARD. 199: CHASTELARD. You know I cannot live for two hours more. Our fate was made thus ere our days were made : Will you fight fortune for so small a grief 1 But for one thing I were full fain of death. QUEEN. What thing is that 1 CHASTELARD. No need to name the thing. Why, what can death do with me fit to fear ? For if I sleep I shall not w^eep awake ; Or if their saying be true of things to come, Though hell be sharp, in the worst ache of it I shall be eased so God will give me back Sometimes one golden gracious sight of you — The aureole woven flowerlike through your hair, And in your lips the little laugh as red As when it came upon a kiss and ceased, Touching my mouth. 200 CHASTELABD. [ACT V. QUEEN. As I do DOW, this way, With my heart after : would I could shed tears. Tears should not fail when the heart shudders so. But your bad thought 1 CHASTELARD. Well, such a thought as this : It may be, long time after I am dead. For all you are, you may see bitter days ; God may forget you or be wroth with you : Then shall you lack a little help of me, And I shall feel your sorrow touching you, A happy sorrow, though I may not touch : I that would fain be turned to flesh again, Fain get back life to give up life for you, To shed my blood for help, that long ago You shed and were not holpen : and your heart Will ache for help and comfort, yea for love. And find less love than mine — for I do think You never will be loyed thus in your life. SCENE II.] CHASTELABD. 201 QUEEN. It may be man will never love me more ; For I am sm-e I shall not love man twice. CHASTELABD. I know not : men must love you in life's spite ; For you will always kill them ; man by man Your lips will bite them dead ; yea, though you would, You shall not spare one ; all will die of you ; I cannot tell what love shall do with these, But I for all my love shall have no might To help you more, mine arms and hands no power To fasten on you more. This cleaves my heart, That they shall never touch your body more. But for your grief — you will not have to grieve ; For being in such poor eyes so beautiful It must needs be as God is more than I So much more love he hath of you than mine ; Yea, God shall not be bitter with my love. Seeing she is so sweet. 202 CHASTELARD. [ACT V. QUEEN. Ah my sweet fool, Think you when God will ruin me for sin My face of colour shall prevail so much With him, so soften the toothed iron's edge To save my throat a scar 1 nay, I am sure I shall die somehow sadly. CHASTELARD. This is pure grief; The shadow of your pity for my death, Mere foolishness of pity : all sweet moods Throw out such little shadows of themselves. Leave such light fears behind. You, die like me f Stretch your throat out that I may kiss all round Where mine shall be cut through : suppose my mouth The axe-edge to bite so sweet a throat in twain With bitter iron, should not it turn soft As lip is soft to lip 1 QUEEN. I am quite sure SCENE II.] CHASTELAKD. 203 I shall die sadly some day, Chastelard ; I am quite certain. CHASTELARD. Do not think such things ; Lest all my next world's memories of you be As heavy as this thought. QUEEN. I will not grieve you ; Forgive me that my thoughts were sick with grief. What can I do to give you ease at heart ? Shall I kiss now ? I pray you have no fear But that I love you. CHASTELARD. Turn your face to me ; I do not grudge your face this death of mine ; It is too fair — by God, you are too fair. What noise is that 1 QUEEN. Can the hour be through so soon 1 204 CHASTELARD. [ACT V. I bade them give me but a little hour. Ah ! I do love you ! such brief space for love ! I am yours all through, do all your will with me ; What if we lay and let them take us fast, Lips grasping lips ? I dare do anything. CHASTELAKD. Show better cheer : let no man see you mazed ; Make haste and kiss me ; cover up your throat Lest one see tumbled lace and prate of it. Enter the Guard : Mueeay, Darnley, Mary Hamilton, Mary Beaton, and others with them. DARNLEY. Sirs, do your charge ; let him not have much time. MARY HAMILTON. Peace, lest you chafe the queen : look, her brows bend. CHASTELARD. Lords, and all you come hither for my sake, SCENE II.] CHASTELARD. 205 If while my life was witli me like a friend That I must now forget the friendship of, I have done a wrong to any man of you, As it may be by fault of mine I have ; Of such an one I crave for courtesy He will now cast it from his mind and heed Like a dead thing ; considering my dead fault Worth no remembrance further than my death. This for his gentle honour and goodwill I do beseech him, doubting not to find Such kindliness if he be nobly made And of his birth a courteous race of man. You, my lord James, if you have aught toward me — Or you, Lord Damley — I dare fear no jot, Whate'er this be wherein you were aggrieved, But you will pardon all for gentleness. DARNLEY. For my part — ^yea, well, if the thing stand thus, As you must die — one would not bear folk hard — And if the rest shall hold it honourable, Why, I do pardon you. 206 CHASTELAKD. MUERAY. Sir, in all things We find no cause to speak of you but well : For all I see, save this your deadly fault, I hold you for a noble perfect man. CHASTELAKD. I thank you, fair lord, for your nobleness. You likewise, for the courtesy you have I give you thanks, sir ; and to all these lords That have not heart to load me at my death. Last, I beseech of the best queen of men And royallest fair lady in the world To pardon me my grievous mortal sin Done in such great offence of her : for, sirs, If ever since I came between her eyes She hath beheld me other than I am Or shown her honour other than it is, Or, save in royal faultless courtesies. Used me with favour ; if by speech or face. By salutation or by tender eyes, She hath made a way for my desire to live, SCENE II.] CHASTELARD. 207 Given ear to me or boldness to my breath ; I pray God cast me forth before day cease Even to the heaviest place there is in hell. Yea, if she be not stainless toward all men, I pray this axe that I shall die upon May cut me off body and soul from heaven. Now for my soul's sake I dare pray to you ; Forgive me, madam. QUEEN. Yea, I do, fair sir : With all my heart in all I pardon you. CHASTELARD. God thank you for great mercies. Lords, set hence ; I am right loth to hold your patience here ; I must not hold much longer any man's. Bring me my way and bid me fare well forth. [As they pass out the Queen stays Mary Beaton. QUEEN. Hark hither, sweet. Get back to Holyrood 208 CHASTELARD. [ACT V. And take Carmicliael with you : go both up In some chief window whence the squares He clear — Seem not to know what I shall do — mark that — And watch how things fare under. Have good cheer ; You do not think now I can let him die 1 Nay, this were shameful madness if you did, And I should hate you. MAKY BEATON. Pray you love me, madam. And swear you love me and will let me live, That I may die the quicker. QUEEN. Nay, sweet, see, Nay, you shall see, this must not seem devised ; I will take any man with me, and go ; Yea, for pure hate of them that hate him : yea. Lay hold upon the headsman and bid strike Here on my neck ; if they will have him die. Why, I will die too : queens have died this way For less things than his love is. Nay, I know SCENE II.] CHASTELARD. 209 They want no blood ; I will bring swords to boot For dear love's rescue though half earth were slain; What should men do with blood 1 Stand fast at watch ; For I will be his ransom if I die. [Exeunt 210 CHASTELARD. [act V. Scene III. — Tlie Upper Chamber in Holyrood. Maky Beaton seated ; Maey Carmichael at a window. MARY BEATON. Do you see nothing 1, MARY CARMICHAEL. Nay, but swarms of men And talking women gathered in small space, Flapping their gowns and gaping with fools' eyes : And a thin ring round one that seems to speak, Holding his hands out eagerly ; no more. MARY BEATON. Why, I hear more, I hear men shout The queen. MARY CARMICHAEL. Nay, no cries yet. SCENE III.] CHASTELARD. 211 MAEY BEATON. Ah, they will cry out soon When she comes forth ; they should cry out on her; I hear their crying in my heart. Nay, sweet, Do not you hate her ] all men, if God please, Shall hate her one day ; yea, qne day no doubt I shall worse hate her. MARY CARMICHAEL. Pray you, be at peace ; You hurt yourself : she will be merciful ; What, could you see a true man slain for you? I think I could not ; it is not like our hearts To have such hard sides to them. MAEY BEATON. 0, not you. And I could nowise ; there's some blood in her That does not run to mercy as ours doth : 212 CHASTELARD, [ACT V, That fair face and the cursed heart in her Made keener than a knife for manslaying Can bear strange things. MARY CARMICHAEI*. Peace, for the people come. Ah — Murray, hooded over half his face With plucked-down hat, few folk about him, ejg;es Like a man angered ; Daraley after him, Holding oiu" Hamilton above her wrist, His mouth put near her hair to whisper with — And she laughs softly, looking at his feet. MARY BEATON. She will not live long ; God hath given her Few days and evil, full of hate and love, I see well now. MARY CARMICHAEL. Hark, there's their cry — The queen ! Fair life and longy and good days to the queen. SCENE III.] CHASTELARD. 213 MARY BEATON. Yea, but God knows. I feel such patience here As I were sure in a brief while to die. MAEY CARMICHAEL. She bends and laughs a little, graciously, And turns half, talking to I know not whom — A big man with great shoulders ; ah, the face, You get his face now — wide and duskish, yea The youth burnt out of it. A goodly man, Thewed mightily and sunburnt to the bone ; Doubtless he was away in banishment. Or kept some march far off. MARY BEATON. Still you see nothing ? MARY CARMICHAEL. Yea, now they bring him forth with a great noise. The folk all shouting and men thrust about Each way from him. 214 CHASTELARD. [ACT V. MAKY BEATON. Ah, Lord God, bear with me, Help me to bear a little with my love For thine own love, or give me some quick death. Do not come down ; I shall get strength again, Only my breath fails. Looks he sad or blithe 1 Not sad I doubt yet. MAKY CAKMICHAEL. Nay, not sad a whit, But like a man who losing gold or lands Should lose a heavy sorrow ; his face set, The eyes not curious to the right or left, And reading in a book, his hands unbound, With short fleet smiles. The whole place catches breath, Looking at him ; she seems at point to speak : Now she lies back, and laughs, with her brows drawn And her lips drawn too. Now they read his crime — I see the laughter tightening her chin : Why do you bend your body and draw breath ? SCENE III.] CHASTELARD. 215 They will not slay him in her sight ; I am sure She will not have him slain. • MARY BEATON. Forth, and fear not : I was just praying to myself — one word, A prayer I have to say for her to God If he will mind it. MARY CARMICHAEL. Now he looks her side ; Something he says, if one could hear thus far : She leans out, lengthening her throat to hear And her eyes shining. MARY BEATON. Ah, I had no hope ; Yea thou God knowest that I had no hope. Let it end quickly. MARY CARMICHAEL. Now his eyes are wide 216 CHASTELAED. [ACT V. And his smile great ; and like another smile The blood fills all his face. Her cheek and neck Work fast and hard ; she must have pardoned him, He looks so merrily. Now he comes forth Out of that ring of people and kneels down ; Ah, how the helve and edge of the great axe Turn in the sunlight as the man shifts hands — It must be for a show : because she sits And hardly moves her head this way — I see Her chin and lifted lips. Now she stands up, Puts out her hand, and they fall muttering ; Ah! MARY BEATON. It is done now 1 MART CARMICHAEL. For God's love, stay there ; Do not look out. Nay, he is dead by this ; But gather up yourself from off the floor ; Will she die too ? I shut mine eyes and heard — SCENE III.] CHASTELARD. 217 Sweet, do not beat your face upon the ground. Nay, he is dead and slain. MARY BEATON. What, slain indeed ? I knew he would be slain. Ay, through the neck : I knew one must be smitten through the neck To die so quick : if one were stabbed to the heart. He would die slower, MARY CARMICHAEL. Will you behold him dead ? MARY BEATON. Yea : must a dead man not be looked upon That living one was fain of 1 give me way. Lo you, what sort of hair this fellow had ; The doomsman gathers it into his hand To grasp the head by for all men to see ; I never did that. Q 218 CHASTELARD. [ACT V. MARY CARMICHAEL. For God's love, let me go. MARY BEATON. I think sometimes she must have held it so, Holding his head back, see you, by the hair To kiss his face, still lying in his arms. •A-y, go and^weep : it must be pitiful If one could see it. What is this they say 1 So perish the queens traitors ! Yea, but so Perish the queen ! God, do thus much to her For his sake only : yea, for pity's sake Do thus much Avith her. MARY CARMICHAEL. Prithee come in with me Nay, come at once. MARY BEATON. If I should meet with her And spit upon her at her coming in SCENE III.] CHASTELARD. 219 But if I live then shall I see one day When God will smite her lying harlot's mouth — Surely I shall. Come, I will go with you ; We will sit down together face to face Now, and keep silence ; for this life is hard, And the end of it is quietness at last. Come, let us go : here is no word to say. AN USHER. Make way there for the lord of Bothwell ; room — Place for my lord of Bothwell next the queen. EXPLICIT. BRADBURY AND EVANS, PRINTERS, WHITEFRIARS. :m '••» r-ki^-.' ^^ '>'.hvf^,|:t'''t,;. , j!) jl Mil! ';f!! iilii! iisjif!)