Mary Stuart

SCENE XIII.

Enter SHREWSBURY.

ELIZABETH.

Welcome, my noble lord. What tidings; say

It cannot be a trifle which hath led

Your footsteps hither at so late an hour.

SHREWSBURY.

My liege, the doubts that hung upon my heart,

And dutiful concern for your fair fame,

Directed me this morning to the Tower,

Where Mary's secretaries, Nau and Curl,

Are now confined as prisoners, for I wished

Once more to put their evidence to proof.

On my arrival the lieutenant seemed

Embarrassed and perplexed; refused to show me

His prisoners; but my threats obtained admittance.

God! what a sight was there! With frantic looks,

With hair dishevelled, on his pallet lay

The Scot like one tormented by a fury.

The miserable man no sooner saw me

Than at my feet he fell, and there, with screams,

Clasping my knees, and writhing like a worm,

Implored, conjured me to acquaint him with

His sovereign's destiny, for vague reports

Had somehow reached the dungeons of the Tower

That she had been condemned to suffer death.

When I confirmed these tidings, adding, too,

That on his evidence she had been doomed,-

He started wildly up,-caught by the throat

His fellow-prisoner; with the giant strength

Of madness tore him to the ground and tried

To strangle him. No sooner had we saved

The wretch from his fierce grapple than at once

He turned his rage against himself and beat

His breast with savage fists; then cursed himself

And his companions to the depths of hell!

His evidence was false; the fatal letters

To Babington, which he had sworn were true,

He now denounced as forgeries; for he

Had set down words the queen had never spoken;

The traitor Nau had led him to this treason.

Then ran he to the casement, threw it wide

With frantic force, and cried into the street

So loud that all the people gathered round:

I am the man, Queen Mary's secretary,

The traitor who accused his mistress falsely;

I bore false witness and am cursed forever!

ELIZABETH.

You said yourself that he had lost his wits;

A madman's words prove nothing.

SHREWSBURY.

Yet this madness

Serves in itself to swell the proof. My liege,

Let me conjure thee; be not over-hasty;

Prithee, give order for a new inquiry!

ELIZABETH.

I will, my lord, because it is your wish,

Not that I can believe my noble peers

Have in this case pronounced a hasty judgment.

To set your mind at rest the inquiry shall

Be straight renewed. Well that 'tis not too late!

Upon the honor of our royal name,

No, not the shadow of a doubt shall rest.