A wholesome taste again: alas! I know, sir, Great Huntley's daughter's birth and Dalyell's fortunes; She's the king's kinswoman, placed near the crown, A princess of the blood, and I a subject. Hunt. Right; but a noble subject; put in that too. Dal. I could add more; and in the rightest line, Derive my pedigree from Adam Mure, A Scottish knight; whose daughter was the mother But kindreds are not ours, when once the date Neighbouring too near the ocean, are supp'd up Hunt. Now, by Saint Andrew, A spark of metal! he has a brave fire in him. This will not do yet; if the girl be headstrong, 1A lively, leaping, nimble French dance; from gaillard, gay.— NARES'S GLOSSARY. Dalyell, thy hand, we are friends: follow thy court ship, Take thine own time and speak; if thou prevail'st With passion, more than I can with my counsel, She's thine; nay, she is thine: 't is a fair match, Free and allow'd. I'll only use my tongue, Without a father's power; use thou thine; Self do, self have-no more words; 'win and wear her. Dal. You bless me; I am now too poor in thanks Το pay the debt I owe you. Hunt. Nay, thou 'rt poor enough.— I love his spirit infinitely.-Look ye, Enter KATHERINE and JANE. Kath. The king commands your presence, sir. This, this, this lord, this servant, Kate, of yours, Kath. I acknowledge him A worthy friend of mine. Dal. Your humblest creature. Hunt. So, so; the game's a-foot, I'm in cold hunting, The hare and hounds are parties. Dal. Princely lady, How most unworthy I am to employ My services, in honour of your virtues, How hopeless my desires are to enjoy Your fair opinion, and much more your love; Are only matters of despair, unless [Aside. Your goodness gives large warrants to my boldness, My feeble-wing'd ambition. Hunt. This is scurvy. Kath. My lord, I interrupt you not. Hunt. Indeed! [Aside. Now on my life she'll court him.-[Aside.]—Nay, nay, on, sir. Dal. Oft have I tuned the lesson of my sorrows To sweeten discord, and enrich your pity, But all in vain: here had my comforts sunk [Aside. Dal. After some fit disputes of your condition, Your highness and my lowness, given a license Which did not more embolden, than encourage My faulting tongue. Hunt. How, how? how's that? embolden? Encourage? I encourage ye! d'ye hear, sir? A subtle trick, a quaint one.-Will you hear, man? What did I say to you? come, come, to the point. Kath. It shall not need, my lord. Hunt. Then hear me, Kate!→ Keep you on that hand of her; I on this.- Thou canst but make one choice; the ties of marriage Consider whose thou art, and who; a princess, His person; wherefore, Kate, as I am confident 1 i. e. to equal, to stand in equal place with. My lord of Dalyell, young in years, is old [N]or in estate, that may support or add to Dal. Oh! you are all oracle, The living stock and root of truth and wisdom. To choose without direction of example: Hunt. Kate, Kate, thou grow'st upon my heart, like peace, Creating every other hour a jubilee. Kath. To you, my lord of Dalyell, I address Some few remaining words: the general fame That speaks your merit, even in vulgar tongues, Proclaims it clear; but in the best, a precedent. Hunt. Good wench, good girl, i' faith! i I have done.] And done well too! What authority the poet had for the histrionic character of this nobleman I know not; but if the princely family of the Gordons ever numbered such a person as this among their ancestors let them be justly proud of him; for neither on the stage nor in the great drama of life will there be easily found a character to put in competition with him.-GIFFORD, Kath. For my part, trust me, I value mine own worth at higher rate, 'Cause you are pleas'd to prize it: if the stream Run in a constancy, more than a compliment, Leads you to worthy actions; and these guide you So every virtuous praise, in after-ages, Shall be your heir, and I, in your brave mention, That glorious issue. Hunt. Oh, that I were young again! She'd make me court proud danger, and suck spirit From reputation. Kath. To the present motion, Here's all that I dare answer: when a ripeness Than such as lives in you; meantime, my hopes are Dal. You are a blessed lady, and instruct Than in the perfum'd air of your soft voice.- And for it shall command your humblest servant. Hunt. Enough: we are still friends, and will continue A hearty love.-Oh, Kate! thou art mine own.- Enter CRAWFORD.1 Craw. From the king 1 Enter Crawford.] This is probably (for I speak with great hesitation on the subject) John, second son of David, fourth Earl of Craw ford. If I am right in this conjecture, he stood in some kind of relation |