Of majesty, thus rudely dares intrude Into my private scenes?
The hour is fled, That saw thy wanton tyranny impose The galling yoke-Yes, I am come to wrest The prostituted sceptre from thy hand, And drag thee fetter'd to the royal throne Of Walter, whom I serve.
Grown old in treachery! whose soul untam'd,
No mercy softens, and no laws restrain!
Thy life thrice forfeited, my pity thrice
From justice hath redeem'd; yet art thou found
Still turbulent-a rugged rebel still,
Unaw'd, and unreclaim'd!-
This ambient air, and tread this Earth at will,
Not to thy mercy but thy dread I owe.-
Wrong'd as I was my old possessions reft
By thy rapacious power, my limbs enchain'd
Within a loathsome dungeon, and my name
Thy loud reproach thro' all the groaning land;
Thou durst not shed my blood!-the purple stream
Had swell'da tide of vengeance! and o'erwhelm'd
The proud oppressor.―
Traitor to thy prince, And for perverse to truth!-how full thy crimes, Thy doom how just-my pardon how humane, Thy conscious malice knows-But let me not Degrade my name, and vindicate to thee The justice of my reign.
Vain were th' attempt With artifice of words to sooth my rage, More deaf to mercy, than the famish'd wolf That tears the bleating kid!-My starv'd revenge Thy blood alone can satiate!-Yield thee then: Or sink beneath mine arm.
A deed so abject vilify my name—
While yet I wield this sword, and the warm blood
Still streams within my veins; my courage soars
Superior to a ruffian's threats.-
[King, Ramsay, and attendants drive of Grime and his followers; but are afterwards overpowered and dis
Wilt thou yet maintain Thy dignity of words?-Where are thy slaves, Thy subjects, guards and thunder of thy throne, Reduc'd usurper?-Guard these captives.
[Exeunt King, Ramsay, &c. guarded. Is there no gentle remedy to sooth
The soul's disorder; lull the jarring thoughts,
And with fair images amuse the mind?
-Come, smiling Hope-divine illusion! come
In all thy pride of triumph o'er the pangs
Of misery and pain!
Have our misfortunes plung'd us; when no gleam
Of wand'ring hope, how vain soc'er or false,
Our invocation flatters!-When-O when
Will death deliver me? Shall I not rest
Within the peaceful tomb, where may I sleep
In calm oblivion, and forget the wrecks
Of stormy life!-No sounds disturb the grave
Of murder'd husbands!-Or the dismal scream
Of infants perishing.-Ha! whither leads
Imagination!-Must ye perish then,
Ye tender blossoms?-Must the lofty oak
That gave you life, and shelter'd you from harm,
Yield to the traitor's axe?-O agony
Of fond distraction!
Ha!-behold where comes The warlike son of March!-What, if he brings The news of victory!
With eagerness and terrour waits her doom!
Say, youth, how fares the king!
Fair princess, hail! To you my duty and my speed were bentYour royal consort triumphs.
Lives he, deliver'd from the fatal snares
Which had enclos'd him!
The vanquish'd rebels curse his conqu'ring arm-
He bade me fly before him to the queen;
With the glad tidings cheer her drooping soul;
And bear his kindest wishes to the shrine
Himself will soon adore.
Will he then come And wipe the tear of sorrow from my cheek!— Ah, no-thy pity flatters me in vain!
Let me not dally with my queen's distress.-
What were it, but to lift incumbent woe,
That it might fall more grievous.—By the faith
Of my allegiance, hither speeds the king,
By love attended, and by conquest crown'd.
O welcome messenger!-How sweetly sounds
Thy prelude!-Thus, the warbler of the morn,
To the sick wretch who moan'd the tedious night,
Brings balmy slumber, ease and hope and health!
wondrous destiny!
Than thou, heroic youth!-Th' insulting foe,
In spite of fresh supplies, with slaughter driven
To the steep hills that bound the plain, have sent
An herald, in their turn, to sue for peace.-
An audience have I promis'd.-Ere the hour
Arrives, I will retire, and in the bath
Refresh my weary'd limbs.—
Thou hast been always dutiful, and mild
As the soft breeze that fans the summer eve!
[Exeunt King, Queen, attendants. Such innocence endearing gently stole
Has lavish'd all her honours on thy head.
What boots it, that my fortune decks me thus
With unsubstantial plumes; when my heart groans
Beneath the gay caparison, and love
With unrequited passion wounds my soul!
Is unpropitious love unknown to me?
To me for ever doom'd (alas!) to nurse
The slow-consuming fire.-
Heav'n's! what are all
The boasted charms, that with such wond'rous
Attach thee to my rival?-Far from me [power
Be the vain arrogance of pride, to vaunt
Excelling talents; yet 1 fain would learn,
On what admir'd accomplishment of Stuart,
Thy preference is fix'd.-
My judgment, weak and erring as it is,
Too well discerns on whom I should bestow
My love and my esteem:-But trust me, youth,
Thou little know'st how hard it is to wean
The mind from dari ng habits long indulg'd!
I know that Stuart sinks into reproach:
Immers'd in guilt, and, more than once, subdu'd
By thy superior merit and success:
Yet ev'n this Stuart, for I would not wrong
Thine expectation,-still retains a part
Of my compassion-nay, I fear, my love! [kings,
Would'st thou, distinguish'd by th' applause of
Disgrace thy qualities, and brook the prize
Of a divided heart?-
Into my youthful bosom, and awak'd
Love's tender languishinent, when to my view
Thy mother first display'd her virgin bloom!
[Turning to Dunbar,
Come to my arms, Dunbar!-To shield from death
A parent, is the venerable act
Of the most pious duty.-Thus adopted,
Henceforward be my son!-The rebel chiefs
Secure in my safe conduct, wait without
The promis'd audience.-To the king repair,
And signify their presence.—
SCENE VI.
ANGUS, ELEONORA.
With rigid power
I would not bridle thy reluctant thought:
Yet, let me, with parental care, commend
The passion of Dunbar.-
A fairer garb His title could not wear:-But when I think What rocks in secret lie-what tempests rise On love's deceitful voyage; my timid soul Recoils affrighted, and with horrour shuns Th' inviting calm!
Retire, my child, and weigh The diffrent claims.-Here, glory, love, and truth
The sword of Athol Was never drawn but to redress the wrongs
By Heav'n! their flush'd intemperance will yield His country suffer'd.-
Occasion undisturb'd.-For while they lie, [lurk
With wine and sleep o'erwhelm'd, the clans that
Behind th' adjacent hills, shall, in the dark,
Approach the gate when our associate Cattan
Commands the guard; then, introduc'd by him,
We take, with ease, possession of the town,
And hither move unmark'd.-
Dar'st thou to my face
Impeach my conduct, baffled as thou art,
Ungrateful traitor? Is it thus thy guilt
My clemency implores?
O wretched plea!
To which thy blasted guilt must have recourse!
Had thy design been laudable, thy tongue
With honest freedom boldly should have spoke
Thy discontent.-Ye live not in a reign
Where truth, by arbitrary pow'r depress'd,
Dares not maintain her state.-I charge thee, say
What lawless measures has my pow'r pursu'd?
I come, to mitigate your royal wrath
With sorrow and sub.nission; not to sum
The motives which compell'd me to the field.--
I found your miserable state reduc'd
To ruin and despair:-your cities drench'd
In mutual slaughter, desolate your plains:
All order banish'd, and all arts decay'd:-
No industry, save what with hands impure
Distress'd the commonwealth:-no laws in force,
To screen the poor and check the guilty great;
While squalid Famine join'd her sister fiend,
Devouring Pestilence, to curse the scene!-
I came-I toil'd-reform'd-redress'd the whole:
And lo! my recompense!-But I relapse.-
What is your suit?-
Thou dwell'st on that too much.-Few live exempt
From disappointment and disgrace, who run
Ambition's rapid course.-Inur'd to pain,
The harden'd soul, at last, forgets to feel
We sue, my liege, for peace. The scourge of fate; and fearless rushes on
To deeds advent'rous.-
Because the loins, from whence my father sprung,
On thee too life bestow'd; enjoy the gift.—
I pardon what is past.-In peace consume
The winter of thy days.-But, if ye light
Who shall frame th' attempt That Stuart dreads t' achieve?-Not pestilence, Not raging seas, nor livid flames can bound My dauntless undertaking!-Tell me, Grime, For thou wast train'd to feats of horrid proof, Since, not the voice of Heav'n itself can lure My honour back again-what pow'r of Hell Shall I invoke to deepen my revenge?
Ha! didst thou say revenge?-Hail, sable pow'r,
To me more dear than riches or renown!
What gloomy joy, to drench the dagger deep
In the proud heart of him who robb'd my fame!
My fortune thwarted; or essay'd by fraud
To poison my delights!-
Th'extinguish'd brand again, and brave my throne The scorpion-thought that stings me!—
With new commotions-by th' eternal power!
No future guile, submission, or regard
Shall check my indignation!-I will pour
My vengeance in full volley; and the earth
Shall dread to yield you succour or resource!
Of this, no more.-Thy kinsman shall remain
With us, an hostage of thy promis'd faith.-
So shall our mercy with our prudence join,
United brighten, and securely shine.
THIS Solitude but more foments despair!
Recals compares-and to th' incessant pangs
Of spite, revenge, and shame, condemns my soul!
O! what a miserable slave am I !—
Precipitated from the tow'ring hope
Our baffled cause could not alarm me thus:
If conquest for the foe declar'd to day,
Our arms again the vagrant might compel,
And chain her to our side.—But know, my love
Has been defrauded!-Eleonora's heart
That wretch invades.-That ravisher, who cropp'd
My budding fame and sunk me to reproach!
He, whom my jealousy, in all its rage,
Hath singled for destruction!-
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