Lords of the Council, Gentlemen, Guards, Women, and Attendants.

LADY JANE GRAY.

The court.

ACTI. SCENE 1.

Enter the Duke of NORTHUMBERLAND, Duke of SUFFOLK, and Sir JOHN GATES.

Northumberland.

'Tis all in vain; heav'n has requir'd its pledge, And he must die.

Suff. Is there an honest heart,

That loves our England, does not mourn for Edward?

The genius of our isle is shook with sorrow,

"He bows his venerable head with pain,

"And labours with the sickness of his lord."

Religion melts in ev'ry holy eye;

"All comfortless, afflicted, and forlorn,
"She sits on earth, and weeps upon her cross,
"Weary of man, and his detested ways:

"Ev'n now she seems to meditate her flight, "And waft her angels to the thrones above."

North. Ay, there, my lord, you touch our heaviest
loss.

With him our holy faith is doom'd to suffer;
With him our church shall veil her sacred front,
"That late from heaps of Gothic ruins rose,
"In her first native simple majesty ;

"The toil of saints, and price of martyrs' blood,
"Shall sail with Edward, and again Old Rome
"Shall spread her banners; and her monkish host,”
Pride, ignorance, and rapine, shall return;
Blind bloody zeal, and cruel priestly power,

Shall scourge the land for ten dark ages more.
Sir J. G. Is there no help in all the healing art,
No potent juice or drug to save a life

So precious, and prevent a nation's fate?

North. What has been left untry'd that art could

do?

"The hoary wrinkled leech has watch'd and toil'd, "Try'd ev'ry health-restoring herb and gum,

"And weary'd out his painful skill in vain.

"Close, like a dragon folded in his den,
"Some secret venom preys upon his heart;
"A stubborn and unconquerable flame

"Creeps in his veins, and drinks the streams of life;”*
His youthful sinews are unstrung, cold sweats
And deadly paleness sit upon his visage,

And every gasp we look shall be his last.

Sir J. G. Doubt not, your graces, but the Popish

faction

Will at this juncture urge their utmost force.
All on the princess Mary turn their eyes,
Well hoping she shall build again their altars,
And bring their idol-worship back in triumph.
"North. Good heav'n, ordain some better fate for
England!

"Suff. What better can we hope, if she should reign ?

"I know her well, a blinded zealot is she, "A gloomy nature, sullen and severe. "Nurtur'd by proud presuming Romish priests, "Taught to believe they only cannot err, "Because they cannot err; bred up in scorn "Of reason, and the whole lay world; instructed To hate whoe'er dissent from what they teach, "To purge the world.from heresy by blood, "To massacre a nation, and believe it

"An act well pleasing to the Lord of Mercy:

"These are thy gods, oh, Rome, and this thy

faith!"

North. And shall we tamely yield ourselves to bondage?

Bow down before these holy purple tyrants,
And bid 'em tread upon our slavish necks?
let this faithful free-born English hand

No;
First dig my grave in liberty and honour;

And though I found but one more thus resolv'd,
That honest man and I would die together.

Suff. Doubt not, there are ten thousand and ten

thousand,

To own a cause so just.

Sir J. G. The list I gave

Into your grace's hand last night, declares

My power and friends at full.

North. Be it your care,

[To Northumb.

Good Sir John Gates, to see your friends appointed

And ready for the occasion. Haste this instant,
Lose not a moment's time.

Sir J. G. I go, my lord.

[Exit Sir J. Gates.

North. Your grace's princely daughter, lady Jane,

Is she yet come to court?

Suff. Not yet arriv'd,

But with the soonest I expect her here.

I know her duty to the dying king,

Join'd with my strict commands to hasten hither,

Will bring her on the wing.

North. Beseech your grace,

To speed another messenger to press her;

For on her happy presence all our counsels

Depend, and take their fate.

Suff. Upon the instant

Your grace shall be obey'd. I go to summon her.

[Exit Suffolk. North. What trivial influences hold dominion O'er wise men's counsels, and the fate of empire! "The greatest schemes that human wit can forge, "Or bold ambition dares to put in practice, "Depend upon our husbanding a moment,