The needful bits and curbs to headstrong steeds,

And I beseech you, let her be condemn'd to die.
Let not this childishness move you; it is

But a soft murmur, and confused sound

Of senseless words, which his reason doth impeach,

For guiltiness will speak, though tongues were out of use. The deeds committed 'gainst the commonwealth

By this red plague, may not be razèd out

Nor longer borne.

She is a murderer; her childhood stain'd,
With blood remov'd but little from her own;
And now doth she stain our great sovereignty,
And hath, in likeness of the adder, stung

(By the very pangs of malice) our wise Queen,

And will, like an eagle in a dove-cote, strike our people.
If thus forewarned, in due prevention

You default, you are not guiltless of crime,
And evermore, all of you deserve blame.
Immediate sentence then, and sequent death,
In reverence of Elizabeth's noble name I beg.
Again I pray you, purge all infection

From our air; let not her cheeks make soft

Your trenchant swords, and spare not her, whose dimpled

smiles

From fools exhaust their mercy; let not this

Hog in sloth, wolf in greediness, dog in madness,
Lion in prey, plague you with incessant wars.
Do not in obstinacy, cavil at this course;
Ten to one we shall not find like opportunity
Again; therefore, take ye this flattering sin,
Foul as she is and full of sinful blame,

And like true subjects, sons of your progenitors,

Absolve her with the axe.

L. C. My lords, what say you?

All. Guilty! guilty!

Kent. Quick, quick, my lord! I long

To write my name, to urge her punishment
And loudly call for judgment.

Bur. Oh, how joyful am I made by this:
So shall our Queen's wrongs be recompens'd. 30

(Exeunt.)

Actus Quintus. Scena Prima.

(Palace of the Queen.)

QUEEN ELIZABETH and her train.

Queen Elizabeth. Fie! what a slug
Is Warwick, that he comes not to tell us

Whether they will that she shall die or no!

Ah! in good time here comes the sweating lord!

(Enter Warwick.) Welcome my lord: what will my lords? what is the judgment?

Warwick. Your highness, give me leave to breathe; I have outrun my breath.

30. "Thus after many hours of speeches they did set forth the true way for the expiation and purging of the diseased soul, that deserved to die. The city of London, on receiving the report, in the very demonstration and fulness of their cry, put an end to the false report that they advised the counsel to spare her, and in their zeal, when they heard she was condemned to lose her head, did hail the sentence with such vehemency, that it was like to madness. The Queen in the palace staid the coming of the verdict:

Q. E. Strive man and speak.

War. England hath put a face of gladness on, Triumphant London doth sing peans loud,

And holy tunes, and sacrifice of thanks

In honor of your name.

Q. E. Think of thy message, sir, and haste thy tongue.

War. The hideous law, as mice by lions did, Hath picked out an act, under whose heavy sense, Her life falls into forfeit:

She's condemn'd, upon the act, to die.

Q. E. It is impossible!

War. Your grace, I tell you true.

Q. E. She is sentenced then to die!
We will proclaim it, and let our subjects see
And know the justice of our court.

War. Your grace, here comes the rest,
Whom, in my haste I left behind.

(Enter Lords of Council.)

Q. E. My Lord Chancellor, and Lords,
Thank God, in pity of our hard distress,
And wary in thy studious care, ye have,
In politic council, fixed the Houses

Of Lancaster and York, like a mountain

Not to be removed; our mother's honor ye've redeem'd,

And have again install'd me in the diadem;

Our love and largest bounty we extend to you,

Who are sealed in approbation for thy kind pains.

L. C. Your grace,

Here is the warrant for her death,

Which I tender to your grace, to receive

Your approbation, and may it please you here

To write your princely name.

Q. E. My lord, I promise

To note it cunningly-but hither come

Th' ambassadors of our brothers of France and Spain.
I know their embassy, and can with ready guess
Declare it, before the Frenchmen speak a word of it.
They crav'd audience, and the hour I think is come
To give them hearing. Is it four o'clock?

L. C. It is.

Q. E. Well then, upon this instant we will hear them. (Enter Ambassadors.)

Welcome, my noble lords; you're come to us

In happy hour! Heard you the happy tidings,

How mine honest Council have this day, prov'd their virtues,

And after trial, have condemn'd injurious Mary

To the sharpest kind of justice? Heard you that?

French Ambassador. Indeed, 'tis true it hath been told

me.

Q. E. What think you of it?

Fr. Am. Alas, I know not what to say.

Q. E. Answer in the effect of your reputation

And satisfy us, sir.

Fr. Am. Oh, royal Queen,

In my King's name I am commanded,

By your leave and favor, humbly to kiss your hand;
And if you'll condescend to give me liberty

To speak, I will answer your grace.

Q. E. Speak what thou wilt. We did expect thy coming.

Fr. Am. Madam, thus speaks my King:

Treason is a vice that most I do abhor,

And most desire should meet the blow of justice,
For which I would not plead, but that I must,

For which I must not plead, but that I am

At war 'twixt will, and will not.

Now you are heir to England's throne, therefore enjoy it:
But I do fear, the rigour of the statute

Too close you follow, to make example of her.
Your right depends not on her life or death;
Then seeing this, with reverence be it said,

It resteth in your grace quietly to enjoy your own,
Free from oppression and the stroke of war;
For, if you please, I'll undertake your grace
Shall well and quietly enjoy your realm,
Upon condition I may ransom her; and so
Shall you be happy, free, as England's royal Queen.
Q. E. That is, if we deliver her up to Henry?

We give thee kingly thanks!

To be a queen in bondage, is more vile
Than is a slave in base humility.

Dost thou not know the army of this Queen

Means to besiege us? Dost thou not know

That naught but gall, venom and wicked words,

That God and men offend, is in her lying tongue,

Which in two parts divided is, and both the parts do speak?

And as her tongue, so is her heart,

That never thought one thing but doubly.

Therefore, the bloody knife shall play the umpeere,

Arbitrating 'twixt our extremes and us!

(Enter Messenger.)

But stay! what news? Why comest thou in such post?

Mess. It is rumor'd the King of Spain's great navy Doth land at Milford Haven.