You would not fhun with more precipit hafte,
If I fhould Name the Perfon, yet even there,
Amidft the toil and anguifh of her life,
A happy Moment did prefent it felf,
To make her be the lucky Meffenger
Of health to you, tho' fhe muft ever linger.
Mount. Il fpare the trouble of
your blushes,

Lady;

For I've a Soul to tender of the Sex,
Skill'd in the little Niceties of Love,
As fhall prevent the Torture of Confeifion,
And do you Juftice.

(Takes her by the Hand, which he pulls from him. Maria. You wrong your Judgment, and you cenfure ill :

I came not hither, Sir, on that Account:
No loose Defires, the Product of ill Blood,
Can blaft the Reputation of my Life:
My Honour guards me from that Infamy;
But I am hurry'd hither by my Fate,
And bring a Secret of great Importance,
The Service poflibly may merit Pity;
Which if I meet with, I am well rewarded.
Mount. I do believe it, and accept the Offer
Come, wave this Woman's Method to allure us;
You're fafe and fecret here-none can difturb us:
And I will give you fuch Returns of Love;
Such hearty Proof, thou shalt be foon convin'd,
Tho' it be Infant born, it Rivals thine.

Maria. Away! How have I err'd! Are all
Men thus?

Thus full of Guilt?-My Senfes do recover, And I begin to loath the Tempter's Charms Read that [Gives a Paper.] for I muft -oh, my Heart!

leave you

If thou wou'd'ft be my Friend, beat fafter on,

And force thy Paffage thro' these feeble Walls.

Mount. Yet ftay

what have I here?

By all that's Sacred! peremptory Orders
For my Deftruction! Mortimer's Hand to't!

How came fhe by this?

Now, I recollect;

She

She told me that her Fate had fix'd her where
I fhou'd deteft the Naming, if I knew it.

It must be fo

I thank you

well my Deliverer,
hy my Honour, I'm fincere!

This Scroll which thou haft given speaks thy
Kindness,

And fays, thou art all Goodness, tho' the Place
Of thy Abode be with the worft of Men.

Nor will I lag in making a Return,

[Offers Money, which he refufes.
Tho' at the prefent I am loft in Thought.
Maria. I am rewarded, Sir, and have my End.
If you apply this Caution

To the right Ufe, you may efcape the Snare;
But if you flight it, then I know the worit;
For tho' I am no fuitable Companion

are

In Life, yet in the Grave, we undiftinguished
May mingle Afhes, tho' our Souls diftant.

Mount. You muft not leave me? I have much to fay.

The Injury I have done you by fufpicion, When my rude Thoughts led me into an Error, I must attone.

Maria. This Language do's not fuit my humble Character ;

Nor is it noble to defpife my Sufferings.

Mount. By all my hopes of Credit I am real! There's fomething from thy Eyes hath shot my Soul,

And I could gaze for ever on fuch Goodness.

Maria. Alas! my Lord, my Wishes stoop to fear: Your Dignity and Honour intervene.

Mount. What will not Gratitude with Love conjoin'd,

Remove? tell me no more of Honour, Dignity: . When Charms like thine appear, all muft give place.

Maria. My Lord, I had a Father, and a noble

one,

Whofe Memory yet lives, tho' he is dead.

Men

Men spoke him brave, if Loyalty can plead
In his behalf-'twas Colonel Stapleton.
Mount. Thou charm'ft me more
Loyalty's a Jem

Fit for a Prince's Crown.

I knew thy Father; gallant, worthy, Man!
His Suffering was remarkable and noble;

And thou art, Fair One, richer fprung from that,
Than had a Traytor, blefs'd with Millions, got

thee

I'll to the King, and will acquaint him with thy

Goodness.

SCENE changes to Serjeant Eitherfide's.

Enter Mortimer and Eitherfide.

Mort. Thy Patent's ready-the Queen and I have thought thee deferving of it.

Serj. Oh, Lord! how fhall I fpeak my Gratitude for fuch heav'nly Goodness! A Lord Chief Juftice! Lud! I can't contain my felf.

Mort. But the other Affair muft be done to Night.

Serj. To Night muft it be done?

Mort. This Night, the Queen's gone to her

Son,

Who is in Council with thefe Men we've men

tion'd.

At dead of Night the Guards fhall seize 'em all; And when they once are Pris'ners fee you take

care,

That nothing frees 'em but an Ax or Gibbet.

Serj. But pray, what Evidence has your Lordfhip against 'em?

Mort. Dull wretch! Have I against them? Law and Religion fure are useless grown, When Priests want vouchers, or a Judge infor

mers.

Think of the management in Edward's Tryal,
And give thefe Lords his Fate.

Serj.

Serj. Well, well, my Lord, their Bufinefs thall be done. Mort. Or they'll do oursI know their Subtleties They're filent Setters all, and close;

Not apt to queft, and give their Quarry Notice"Tis then the Net draws certain to Destruction.

Serj. Fear not my Diligence in difpatching an Enemy; but 'twould do well to get the Queen to pafs an Order under the Broad-feal for the fpeedy removing 'em to London, and let her Son be kept here 'till they're difpatch'd. Mort. It fhall be done Is there ought elfe?"

Serj. That's all and I'll send up my Creatures beforehand to purchase a Jury for them. As for Evidence, there are poor Rogues in Abundance, and the larger the Bribe, the stronger the Oath-fo adieu, my Lord! You'll find Maria in her own Room I reckon by this I hope fhe'll divert your Lordship in the mean-timeLud! Chief Juftice!

Oh,

[Exit.

Mort. What a Bundle of Self-Intereft art thou! Tho' I love it in myself, I wonder at it in others Well, now fure, I have nothing to fear either from her Refiftance, the Surprize of a faucy Interruption, or my own Impotency; but may revel fafely 'till the deftin'd Hour, that always raifes me to Sov'reignty.

[Exit.

SCENE changes to the Palace, difcovers the King, Leicester, Mountacute, Berkley, Sir Tho. Delamore, Holland and Exeter, at Council.

King. What will ye farther? This Scroll of Mounta

cute's

Fully expreffes the dire Fiend's Defign.
Leiceft. Time muft fuit the reft-
Nor may we trifle dangerous Distempers:
If they not meet a fudden Oppofition,
They baffle all Prefeription when too late,
And render Phyfick useless.

Exeter. "Tis thoroughly advifed-purfue it, Sir.
Sir Tho. Dela.

Your murder'd Father, whom we

oft' admonish'd,

Nay, told him plainly what hath fince enfu'd,
Laugh'd at our Cautions: Sir, you must be careful,
Or all is loft beyond Recovery.

Exeter. If you perfift in what you feem to like,

Safety and Glory you will find attend it;

But if the Queen fhould change you, farewel Power!
Let Mortimer the Place of Edward fill
Ꮐ

We

We are content to fall, if you are fo.

King, I will obferve Directions; weigh each Word; Not vary from a 'Tittle- -My Safety

Is with yours, as yours with mine, united.

Sure never Prince was fav'd from greater Hazards,
Under the fpecious Shew of Zeal to ferve me.

What must I call you? Friends! that Name's too poor;
But yet a Friend will venture wond'rous Things,
When what we love is compafs'd round with Danger.
Let me embrace ye all, and tell the World,

No Prince can match the Council I am blefs'd with.
(Within) I muft acquaint the Prince, e'er I admit your
Queen. Traytor!

(Majefty. Enter a Waiter, driven in by the Queen.

King. What means this Noife?

They all rife, she walks round 'em, comes to the
Front and Speaks.

Queen. The Rumour then is true! I find it now;
But I much wonder, Ye audacious Men,
That Ye affemble here without my Leave;
You who had fell, and justly for your Crimes,
Had not my Clemency excus'd your Lives.
Has Mercy harden'd your prefumptuous Hearts?
Or are you past Reproof?

Sir 7 ho. Delam. Madam, what we have done
Queen. There is a better Man to answer me
Than Delamore, thou Ufher to thefe Schoolmen,
Who in their Abfence fets my Son fuch Leffons.
Mount. Then fince your Majefty.

Queen. Boys I could never liften to Go, prattle with my Page.

Leiceft. If I may fpeak

Queen. Age is a Changling,

And languishes for Hofpitals

You Sirs! I fpeak

To Exeter and Berkley, who draw together

In the Team of Politicks; who fent for you?

Be brief, and anfwer juftly, as ye love your Lives.
Berk. That we esteem our Lives is very plain:
Our Care o'th' King confirms it:

It is by his Command we here are met,
To argue his Propofals, folve his Queftions,
And, to the utmost of our Thoughts and Duty,
Preserve the King in Grandeur, Peace and Safety.

Queen.