Cross'd and divided by strange-colour'd clouds. [Exit. ACT III. SCENE I. A Court, &c. as before. Enter Anna. Anna. THY vassals, grief, great nature's order break, Enter Servant. Ser. One of the vile assassins is secur'd. We found the villain lurking in the wood : With dreadful imprecations he denies All knowledge of the crime. But this is not In the most secret places of his garment; These are no vulgar jewels. Guard the wretch. Enter Servants with a Prisoner. 21 [Exit Anna. Pris. I know no more than does the child unborn Of what you charge me with. 1st Ser. You say so, Sir! But torture soon shall make you speak the truth. Enter Lady RANDOLPH and ANNA. Anna. Summon your utmost fortitude, before You speak with him. Your dignity, your fame, Are now at stake. Think of the fatal secret, Which in a moment from your lips may fly. Lady R. Thou shalt behold me, with a desperate heart, Hear how my infant perish'd. See, he kneels. [The Prisoner kneels. Pris. Heav'n bless that countenance so sweet and mild! A judge like thee makes innocence more bold. Who have attack'd and seiz'd me; who accuse For mercy at the judgment-seat of Heaven, 40 Lady R. Of this man's guilt what proof can ye pro duce? 1st Ser. We found him lurking in the hollow glynn. When view'd and call'd upon, amaz'd he fled, We overtook him, and enquir'd from whence And what he was: he said he came from far, And was upon his journey to the camp. Not satisfied with this, we search'd his clothes, And found these jewels, whose rich value plead Most pow'rfully against him. Hard he seems, And old in villainy. Permit us try His stubbornness against the torture's force. Pris. Oh, gentle lady! by your lord's dear life; Which these weak hands, I swear, did ne'er assail; And by your children's welfare, spare my age! Let not the iron tear my ancient joints, And my grey hairs bring to the grave with pain. Lady R. Account for these; thine own they cannot be; For these, I say: be stedfast to the truth; Detected falshood is most certain death. 60 [Anna removes the Servants and returns.] Pris, Alas! I'm sore beset! let never man, For sake of lucre, sin against his soul! Eternal justice is in this most just! I, guiltless now, must former guilt reveal. Lady R. Oh! Anna hear!—once more I charge thee speak The truth direct; for these to me foretel And certify a part of thy narration; With which, if the remainder tallies not, Sent down to search the secret sins of men: Some eighteen years ago I rented land Of brave Sir Malcolm, then Balarmo's lord; All that I had, and then turn'd me and mine, Received us: there hard labour, and the skill Beneath the ford, us'd oft to bring within 80 Had caught. The voice was ceas'd; the person lost; But looking sad and earnest on the waters, By the moon's light I saw, whirl'd round and round, A basket soon I drew it to the bank, And nestled curious there an infant lay. Pris. He was. Lady R. Inhuman that thou art! 100 How couldst thou kill what waves and tempests spared? Pris. I am not so inhuman. Lady R. Didst thou not? Anna. My noble mistress, you are mov'd too much: This man has not the aspect of stern murder; Let him go on, and you, I hope, will hear Good tidings of your kinsman's long-lost child. Pris. The needy man who has known better days, One whom distress has spited at the world, Is he whom tempting fiends would pitch upon To do such deeds as make the prosperous men Lift up their hands and wonder who could do them. And such a man was I; a man declin❜d, Who saw no end of black adversity: Yet, for the wealth of kingdoms, I would not Have touch'd that infant with a hand of harm. Lady R. Ha! dost thou say so; then perhaps he lives! Pris. Not many days ago he was alive. Lady R. O God of Heav'n! did he then die so lately? Him, flourishing in youth, and health, and beauty. Pris. Alas! I know not where. 121 |