Chastelard, a Tragedy (Paperback)

Excerpt: ...you- Ho, sirs, come in. Enter some with the Guard. QUEEN. Lay hold upon that man; Bear him away, but see he have no hurt. CHASTELARD. Into your hands I render up myself With a free heart; deal with me how you list, But courteously, I pray you. Take my sword. Farewell, great queen; the sweetness in your look Makes life look bitter on me. Farewell, sirs. He is taken out. DARNLEY. Yea, pluck him forth, and have him hanged by dawn; He shall find bed enow to sleep. God's love That such a knave should be a knight like this QUEEN. Sir, peace awhile; this shall be as I please; Take patience to you. Lords, I pray you see All be done goodly; look they wrong him not. Carmichael, you shall sleep with me to-night; I am sorely shaken, even to the heart. Fair lords, I thank you for your care. Sweet, stay by me. END OF THE THIRD ACT. ACT IV. MURRAY. SCENE I.-The Queen's Lodging at St. Andrew's. The QUEEN and the four MARIES. QUEEN. Why will you break my heart with praying to me? You Seyton, you Carmichael, you have wits, You are not all run to tears; you do not think It is my wrath or will that whets this axe Against his neck? MARY SEYTON. Nay, these three weeks agone I said the queen's wrath was not sharp enough To shear a neck. QUEEN. Sweet, and you did me right, And look you, what my mercy bears to fruit, Danger and deadly speech and a fresh fault Before the first was cool in people's lips; A goodly mercy: and I wash hands of it.- Speak you, there; have you ever found me sharp? You weep and whisper with sloped necks and heads Like two sick birds; do you think shame of me? Nay, I thank God none can think shame of me; But am I bitter, think you, to men's faults? I think I am too merciful, too meek: Why if I could I would yet save this man; 'T is just boy's madness; a soft stripe or two Would do to scourge...