Mary Stuart: A Tragedy Part 37

When I was offered up to the oppression Of my proud enemy, was forced to suffer Ign.o.ble taunts, and insults most unfitting A free and sovereign queen, then was the time To weep for me; but as an earnest friend, Beneficent and healing death approaches.

All the indignities which I have suffered On earth are covered by his sable wings.

The most degraded criminal's enn.o.bled By his last sufferings, by his final exit; I feel again the crown upon my brows.

And dignity possess my swelling soul!

[Advancing a few steps.

How! Melvil here! My worthy sir, not so; Arise; you rather come in time to see The triumph of your mistress than her death.

One comfort, which I never had expected, Is granted me, that after death my name Will not be quite abandoned to my foes; One friend at least, one partner of my faith, Will be my witness in the hour of death.

Say, honest Melvil, how you fared the while In this inhospitable, hostile land?

For since the time they tore you from my side My fears for you have oft depressed my soul.

MELVIL.

No other evil galled me but my grief For thee, and that I wanted power to serve thee.

MARY.

How fares my chamberlain, old Didier?

But sure the faithful servant long has slept The sleep of death, for he was full of years.

MELVIL.

G.o.d hath not granted him as yet this grace; He lives to see the grave o'erwhelm thy youth.

MARY.

Oh! could I but have felt before my death, The happiness of pressing one descendant Of the dear blood of Stuart to my bosom.

But I must suffer in a foreign land, None but my servants to bewail my fate!

Sir; to your loyal bosom I commit My latest wishes. Bear then, sir, my blessing To the most Christian king, my royal brother, And the whole royal family of France.

I bless the cardinal, my honored uncle, And also Henry Guise, my n.o.ble cousin.

I bless the holy father, the vicegerent Of Christ on earth, who will, I trust, bless me.

I bless the King of Spain, who n.o.bly offered Himself as my deliverer, my avenger.

They are remembered in my will: I hope That they will not despise, how poor soe'er They be, the presents of a heart which loves them.

[Turning to her servants.

I have bequeathed you to my royal brother Of France; he will protect you, he will give you Another country, and a better home; And if my last desire have any weight, Stay not in England; let no haughty Briton Glut his proud heart with your calamities, Nor see those in the dust who once were mine.

Swear by this image of our suffering Lord To leave this fatal land when I'm no more.

MELVIL (touching the crucifix).

I swear obedience in the name of all.

MARY.

What I, though poor and plundered, still possess, Of which I am allowed to make disposal, Shall be amongst you shared; for I have hope In this at least my will may be fulfilled.

And what I wear upon my way to death Is yours--nor envy me on this occasion The pomp of earth upon the road to heaven.

[To the ladies of her chamber.

To you, my Alice, Gertrude, Rosamund, I leave my pearls, my garments: you are young, And ornament may still delight your hearts.

You, Margaret, possess the nearest claims, To you I should be generous: for I leave you The most unhappy woman of them all.

That I have not avenged your husband's fault On you I hope my legacy will prove.

The worth of gold, my Hannah, charms not thee; Nor the magnificence of precious stones: My memory, I know, will be to thee The dearest jewel; take this handkerchief, I worked it for thee, in the hours of sorrow, With my own hands, and my hot, scalding tears Are woven in the texture:--you will bind My eyes with this, when it is time: this last Sad service I would wish but from my Hannah.

KENNEDY.

O Melvil! I cannot support it.

MARY.

Come, Come all and now receive my last farewell.

[She stretches forth her hands; the WOMEN violently weeping, fall successively at her feet, and kiss her outstretched hand.

Margaret, farewell--my Alice, fare thee well; Thanks, Burgoyn, for thy honest, faithful service-- Thy lips are hot, my Gertrude:--I have been Much hated, yet have been as much beloved.

May a deserving husband bless my Gertrude, For this warm, glowing heart is formed for love.

Bertha, thy choice is better, thou hadst rather Become the chaste and pious bride of heaven; Oh! haste thee to fulfil thy vows; the goods Of earth are all deceitful; thou may'st learn This lesson from thy queen. No more; farewell, Farewell, farewell, my friends, farewell for ever.

[She turns suddenly from them; all but MELVIL retire at different sides.

SCENE VII.

MARY, MELVIL.

MARY (after the others are all gone).

I have arranged all temporal concerns, And hope to leave the world in debt to none; Melvil, one thought alone there is which binds My troubled soul, nor suffers it to fly Delighted and at liberty to heaven.

MELVIL.

Disclose it to me; ease your bosom, trust Your doubts, your sorrows, to your faithful friend.

MARY.

I see eternity's abyss before me; Soon must I stand before the highest Judge, And have not yet appeased the Holy One.

A priest of my religion is denied me, And I disdain to take the sacrament, The holy, heavenly nourishment, from priests Of a false faith; I die in the belief Of my own church, for that alone can save.

MELVIL.

Compose your heart; the fervent, pious wish Is prized in heaven as high as the performance.

The might of tyrants can but bind the hands, The heart's devotion rises free to G.o.d, The word is dead--'tis faith which brings to life.

MARY.

The heart is not sufficient of itself; Our faith must have some earthly pledge to ground Its claim to the high bliss of heaven. For this Our G.o.d became incarnate, and enclosed Mysteriously his unseen heavenly grace Within an outward figure of a body.

The church it is, the holy one, the high one, Which rears for us the ladder up to heaven:-- 'Tis called the Catholic Apostolic church,-- For 'tis but general faith can strengthen faith; Where thousands wors.h.i.+p and adore the heat Breaks out in flame, and, borne on eagle wings, The soul mounts upwards to the heaven of heavens.

Ah! happy they, who for the glad communion Of pious prayer meet in the house of G.o.d!

The altar is adorned, the tapers blaze, The bell invites, the incense soars on high; The bishop stands enrobed, he takes the cup, And blessing it declares the solemn mystery, The transformation of the elements; And the believing people fall delighted To wors.h.i.+p and adore the present G.o.dhead.

Alas! I only am debarred from this; The heavenly benediction pierces not My prison walls: its comfort is denied me.

MELVIL.

Yes! it can pierce them--put thy trust in Him Who is almighty--in the hand of faith, The withered staff can send forth verdant branches And he who from the rock called living water, He can prepare an altar in this prison, Can change---- [Seizing the cup, which stands upon the table.

The earthly contents of this cup Into a substance of celestial grace.

MARY.

Melvil! Oh, yes, I understand you, Melvil!

Here is no priest, no church, no sacrament; But the Redeemer says, "When two or three Are in my name a.s.sembled, I am with them,"

What consecrates the priest? Say, what ordains him To be the Lord's interpreter? a heart Devoid of guile, and a reproachless conduct.

Well, then, though unordained, be you my priest; To you will I confide my last confession, And take my absolution from your lips.