English

To them — Enter E DMUND , C EFRID , K ENELM , British Lords.

EDMUND.

'Tis enough, my Friends,
These were the virtues of your great forefathers.
Thus did they cherish, in their constant bosoms,
The sacred flame of Truth and Loyalty.
Yet check this wild extreme.

CEFRID.

Worth great as thine
Demands such grief.

EDMUND.

Affection's servent pause

Enter C ANUTUS and T URKILL .

CANUTUS.

Oh! Turkill, urge no more.
Can I, as King, endure the harsh condition?
Resign my conquest? — my indignant blood
Mounts at the thought. Implore the love of Edmund?
O meanness! — never — Emma, I resign thee;
And, loathing further life, now seek to die
At least with honour.

TURKILL.

Who can blame thy love,
That looks on Merit with approving eye?

ACT IV.

Scene I. — A Plain.

Enter H AROLD , and Danish Lords.

First Lord .

Th' important moment comes, when Denmark's fate
Rests on the vigour of her Monarch's arm.
Ye sainted Guardians, of our country, smile
Propitious now!

Second Lord .

Our King scarce brooks a rival
In regal pow'r; but in high feats of arms,

Scene VI. — Small distance from the Castle.

Enter E DRICK and A LLWYN .

ALLWYN.

M Y Lord, a rumour spreads throughout your troops,
That stern Canutus and your mightly Brother,
By single combat will, this day, decide
The issue of the war.

EDRICK.

I know it, Allwyn;
And, trust me, Fortune now, with kindest aspect,
Looks on our hopes. Let daring Royalty
Expose its breast to danger's furious shock,

Enter E LGIVA .

ELGIVA.

Then 'tis too true;
To dangerous fight he goes — he bleeds! he dies!
Oh! Elgiva, how wilt thou bear the sight,
When he returns, by weeping soldiers borne?
When the stern heart, that's steel'd by battle, yearns?
How wilt thou rave! how tear thy braided locks,
And almost menace Heaven!

EDMUND.

For pity, cease!
A nation's fate depends on Edmund's arm.

Enter HAROLD.

Canutus sends to Edmund friendly greeting.

EDMUND.

I thank his courtesy. What wills he now?

HAROLD.

Thus saith the King: Too long has surly war,
Stern foe to social ties and gentle virtues,
Enslav'd and ravag'd this once fertile land;
'Tis time, at length, to give the mourner rest. — —

EDMUND.

Ill fare the wretch, whose curs'd ambition caused

Enter E DRICK .

EDMUND.

What hath thy Lord, the Dane, to ask of Edmund?

EDRICK.

Hast thou forgot me?

EDMUND.

Thou wert once my brother,
But thou art now my foe.

EDRICK.

How just thy taunts!
Give vent to thy upbraidings. Curse me, Edmund;
I have deserv'd it all.

Scene II.

Enter EDMUND.

Yon wood will screen an ambush, Kenelm. Haste,
Instant let Sigbert, with an hundred soldiers,
Secure that post, and when the battle joins,
Fall on the Danish rear. — I think he's honest.

O Cefrid, wherefore, diff'rent from the World,
Serv'st thou the Son of beggar'd Misery?
These small domains are now thy master's all.

CEFRID.

I ask no gift, I harely do my duty.

ACT III.

Scene I. — Gloucester Castle,

Enter C EFRID and K ENELM .

KENELM.

Cefrid, the soldier's vestment well becomes
Thy aged limbs. Such zealous loyalty,
Conters new honors on thy silver hairs,
Restores thy youth, and makes thy person sacred.

CEFRID.

Oh! name them not. My deeds are all too poor
To pay my debt of gratitude. 'Twas Edmund

Enter T TURKILL and B IRTHA .

EMMA.

Bear this, my answer, to your gen'rous Lord.
Crowns may have charms for some, but he that sues
For Emma's true esteem, must offer more.

TURKILL.

Impossible! the world affords no joy.
Surpassing Empire, Pomp, and happy Love.

EMMA.

Thou talk'st like one, whose views Creation bounds;
Know, these, when Honor bids, I greatly scorn.