Queen Mary; and, Harold Part 2

O, kind and gentle master, the Queen's Officers Are here in force to take you to the Tower.

CRANMER. Ay, gentle friend, admit them. I will go.

I thank my G.o.d it is too late to fly.

[_Exeunt_.

SCENE III.--ST. PAUL'S CROSS.

FATHER BOURNE _in the pulpit_. A CROWD. MARCHIONESS OF EXETER, COURTENAY. _The_ SIEUR DE NOAILLES _and his man_ ROGER _in front of the stage. Hubbub_.

NOAILLES. Hast thou let fall those papers in the palace?

ROGER. Ay, sir.

NOAILLES. 'There will be no peace for Mary till Elizabeth lose her head.'

ROGER. Ay, sir.

NOAILLES. And the other, 'Long live Elizabeth the Queen!'

ROGER. Ay, sir; she needs must tread upon them.

NOAILLES. Well.

These beastly swine make such a grunting here, I cannot catch what Father Bourne is saying.

ROGER. Quiet a moment, my masters; hear what the shaveling has to say for himself.

CROWD. Hush--hear!

BOURNE.--and so this unhappy land, long divided in itself, and sever'd from the faith, will return into the one true fold, seeing that our gracious Virgin Queen hath----

CROWD. No pope! no pope!

ROGER (_to those about him, mimicking_ BOURNE).--hath sent for the holy legate of the holy father the Pope, Cardinal Pole, to give us all that holy absolution which----

FIRST CITIZEN. Old Bourne to the life!

SECOND CITIZEN. Holy absolution! holy Inquisition!

THIRD CITIZEN. Down with the Papist!

[_Hubbub_.

BOURNE.--and now that your good bishop, Bonner, who hath lain so long under bonds for the faith-- [_Hubbub_.

NOAILLES. Friend Roger, steal thou in among the crowd, And get the swine to shout Elizabeth.

Yon gray old Gospeller, sour as midwinter, Begin with him.

ROGER (_goes_). By the ma.s.s, old friend, we'll have no pope here while the Lady Elizabeth lives.

GOSPELLER. Art thou of the true faith, fellow, that swearest by the ma.s.s?

ROGER. Ay, that am I, new converted, but the old leaven sticks to my tongue yet.

FIRST CITIZEN. He says right; by the ma.s.s we'll have no ma.s.s here.

VOICES OF THE CROWD. Peace! hear him; let his own words d.a.m.n the Papist. From thine own mouth I judge thee--tear him down!

BOURNE.--and since our Gracious Queen, let me call her our second Virgin Mary, hath begun to re-edify the true temple----,

FIRST CITIZEN. Virgin Mary! we'll have no virgins here--we'll have the Lady Elizabeth!

[_Swords are drawn, a knife is hurled and sticks in the pulpit. The mob throng to the pulpit stairs_.

MARCHIONESS OF EXETER. Son Courtenay, wilt thou see the holy father Murdered before thy face? up, son, and save him! They love thee, and thou canst not come to harm.

COURTENAY (_in the pulpit_). Shame, shame, my masters! are you English-born, And set yourselves by hundreds against one?

CROWD. A Courtenay! a Courtenay!

[_A train of Spanish servants crosses at the back of the stage_.

NOAILLES. These birds of pa.s.sage come before their time: Stave off the crowd upon the Spaniard there.

ROGER. My masters, yonder's fatter game for you Than this old gaping gurgoyle: look you there-- The Prince of Spain coming to wed our Queen!

After him, boys! and pelt him from the city.

[_They seize stones and follow the Spaniards.

Exeunt on the other side_ MARCHIONESS OF EXETER _and_ ATTENDANTS.

NOAILLES (_to_ ROGER).

Stand from me. If Elizabeth lose her head-- That makes for France.

And if her people, anger'd thereupon, Arise against her and dethrone the Queen-- That makes for France.

And if I breed confusion anyway-- That makes for France.

Good-day, my Lord of Devon; A bold heart yours to beard that raging mob!

COURTENAY. My mother said, Go up; and up I went.

I knew they would not do me any wrong, For I am mighty popular with them, Noailles.

NOAILLES. You look'd a king.

COURTENAY. Why not? I am king's blood.

NOAILLES. And in the whirl of change may come to be one.

COURTENAY. Ah!