"And melts that frost of death which hung about

me."

But haste! Inform my daughter of our pleasure: "Let thy tongue put on all its pleasing eloquence. "Instruct thy love to speak of comfort to her, "To sooth her griefs, and cheer the mourning maid."

North. All desolate and drown'd in flowing tears, By Edward's bed the pious princess sits; "Fast from her lifted eyes the pearly drops

"Fall trickling o'er her cheek, while holy ardour "And fervent zeal pour forth her lab'ring soul;" And ev'ry sigh is wing'd with pray'rs so potent, As strive with Heav'n to save her dying lord.

Duch. Suff. From the first early days of infant life,
A gentle band of friendship grew betwixt 'em ;
And while our royal uncle Henry reign'd,
As brother and as sister bred together,

Beneath one common parent's care they liv'd.
North. A wondrous sympathy of souls conspir'd
To form the sacred union. “ Lady Jane

"Of all his royal blood was still the dearest ;
"In ev'ry innocent delight they shar'd,

"They sung, and danc'd, and sat, and walk'd together;

"Nay, in the graver business of his youth,

"When books and learning call'd him from his

sports,

"Ev'n there the princely maid was his companion. "She left the shining court to share his toil,

"To turn with him the grave historian's page,
"And taste the rapture of the poet's song;
"To search the Latin and the Grecian stores,
"And wonder at the mighty minds of old.”

Enter Lady JANE GRAY, weeping.

L. J. Gray. Wo't thou not break, my heart!-
Suff. Alas! What mean'st thou ?

Guil. Oh! speak!

Duch. Suff. How fares the king?

North. Say, Is he dead?

L. J. Gray. The saints and angels have him.
Duch. Suff. When I left him,

He seem'd a little cheer'd, "just as you enter’d—”
L. J. Gray. As I approach'd to kneel and pay my

duty,

He rais'd his feeble eyes, and faintly smiling,
Are you then come? he cry'd: I only liv'd,
To bid farewell to thee, my gentle cousin ;

"To speak a few short words to thee, and die.”
With that he prest my hand, and, oh!-he said,
When I am gone, do thou be good to England,
Keep to that faith in which we both were bred,
And to the end be constant. More I wou'd,
But cannot- -There his falt'ring spirits fail'd,
"And turning ev'ry thought from earth at once,
"To that best place where all his hopes were fix'd,
"Earnest he pray'd ;-Merciful, great defender !
"Preserve thy holy altars undefil'd,

"Protect this land from bloody men and idols,

"Save my poor people from the yoke of Rome,
"And take thy painful servant to thy mercy."
Then sinking on his pillow, with a sigh,

He breath'd his innocent and faithful soul
Into his hands who gave it.
"Guil. Crowns of glory,

"Such as the brightest angels wear, be on him:
“ Peace guard his ashes here, and paradise
"With all its endless bliss be open to him."
North. Our grief be on his

duty

grave. Our present

Enjoins to see his last commands obey'd.
I hold it fit his death be not made known
To any but our friends. To-morrow early
The council shall assemble at the Tower.
Mean while, I beg your grace wou'd strait inform

[To the duchess of Suffolk.

Your princely daughter of our resolution ;

Our common interest in that happy tie,

Demands our swiftest care to see it finish'd.

Duch. Suff. My lord, you have determined well.
Lord Guilford,

Be it your task to speak at large our purpose.
Daughter, receive this lord as one whom I,
Your father, and his own, ordain your husband:
What more concerns our will and your obedience,
We leave you to receive from him at leisure.

[Exeunt Duke and Duchess of Suffolk, and duke of
Northumberland.

Guil. Wo't thou not spare a moment from thy

sorrows.

"And bid these bubbling streams forbear to flow? "Wo't thou not give one interval to joy;"

One little pause, while humbly I unfold

The happiest tale my tongue was ever blest with?
L. J. Gray. My heart is dead within me, ev'ry

sense

Is dead to joy; but I will hear thee, Guilford,
"Nay, I must hear thee, such is her command,
"Whom early duty taught me still t'obey."
Yet, oh! forgive me, if to all the story,

Though eloquence divine attend thy speaking,

"Though ev'ry muse and ev'ry grace do crown thee;"

Forgive me,

if I cannot better answer,

Than weeping

-thus, and thus

Guil. If I offend thee,

Let me be dumb for ever: "Let not life
"Inform these breathing organs of my voice,
"If any sound from me disturb thy quiet.
"What is my peace or happiness to thine ?"
No; tho' our noble parents had decreed,
And urg'd high reasons which import the state,
This night to give thee to my faithful arms,
My fairest bride, my only earthly bliss..

L. J. Gray. How! Guilford! on this night?
Guil. This happy night :

Yet if thou art resolv'd to cross my fate,

If this my utmost wish shall give thee pain,

ES

Now rather let the stroke of death fall on me, And stretch me out a lifeless corpse before thee: "Let me be swept away with things forgotten, "Be huddled up in some obscure blind grave, "Ere thou shouldst say my love has made thee wretched,

"Or drop one single tear for Guilford's sake."

L. J. Gray. Alas! I have too much of death already,

And want not thine to furnish out new horror. "Oh! dreadful thought, if thou wert dead indeed, "What hope were left me then? Yes, I will own, "Spite of the blush that burns my maiden cheek, "My heart has fondly lean'd towards thee long : "Thy sweetness, virtue, and unblemish'd youth, "Have won a place for thee within my bosom : "And if my eyes look coldly on thee now, "And shun thy love on this disastrous day, "It is because I would not deal so hardly, "To give thee sighs for all thy faithful vows, "And pay thy tenderness with nought but tears. "And yet 'tis all I have.

"Guil. I ask no more;"

Let me but call thee mine, confirm that hope, To charm the doubts which vex my anxious soul; For all the rest, do thou allot it for me,

And at thy pleasure portion out my blessings. "My eyes shall learn to smile or weep from thine, "Nor will I think of joy while thou art sad.

"Nay, couldst thou be so cruel to command it,

D