Languages & literature > Albion queens, or, The death of Mary Queen of Scots

S9
THE ALBION QUEENS.
Soft mujic here.
A Table at the upper end of the Stage.
Queen Mary difcovered kneeling, with a book in her hand;
her Women kneeling by her.
Enter to them Dowglas, and Men Servants.
Dow. Behold her kneeling—-Oh, ye immortal Powers !
Ye Powers that help fo good and mild as (he,
Send hoftsof cherubs down, to waft thofe fighs!
[ Sure all the world’s remember’d in thofe prayers.
And in thofe tears thy guilty foes are wafli’d.
!$u. M. Come all of ye, draw near.
[Queen comes forward.
How goes the day ?
| .Dow.The fun’s now ris’n, whofe fetting you’ll ne’er fee.
^u. M. Suppofe I’ve but an hour of life, that were
The diftance up to heav’n tho’t feems fo great, [enough ;
Yet ’tis fo nigh, and mercy flies fo fall,
That in lefs while than fwifteft lightning falls,
\ It faves the poor delinquent at the bottom,
t That has been ages tumbling to perdition.
Dow. Oh, ye dread Fates! ye fovereign guard of kings!
I Muft that bright head be fnatch’d oft'by an axe,
{ Upon whofe brow’s a crown, a facred crown ?
^u. M. What matters it how we die ?
When dead we’re all the fame ; there’s no diftindlioa
Betwixt a prince that on his gorgeous bed
Gives up a pamper’d ghoft, and ‘ me,’
The poor criminal condemn'd to die upon
A fcaffold ; and with that impartial judge,
That holds the fteady equal beams of juftice,
A crown weighs light with virtue in the balance.
Dow. How d’ye, and how bears that precious heart,
Th’ expeited moment of its body’s fate l
Qu. M. Ne’er better; for my maids can bear me witnefs,
1 laid me down to reft, and all the night
Slept like a thoughtlefs infant,
* With fmiles imprinted on its lovely cheeks,*
And wak’d with joy to drefs me for my travel:
‘ Like one who on a May-day morn fets out.
Pleas’d