English

Enter TURKILL,

Hail Princess! happy, if thy will assents?
Canutus, Lord of many a potent realm,
Fortune's belov'd, the paragon of Virtue,
Resigns the style, that suits a Conqueror,
To breathe the vows of heart-selt tenderness,
Charm'd, by your peerless fame, he nobly offers
His Hand, his Crown.

EMMA.

I thank the gen'rous Prince!
But oh! that Hand is stain'd with British blood;
That Crown is wrested from great Edmund's brow,

Scene V. Gloucester Castle.

Enter BIRTHA.

Hast thou, O Misery! torture more severe,
Than still to love, to love one lost to honour?
To dote, and yet despise; to glow with shame,
Hearing the deeds of him we idolize?
Such tortures rend my heart. Persidious Edrick!
Why hast thou sham'd the promise of thy youth
By crimes, most horrid, most detestable?
Hypocrify was deem'd of alien growth.
Oh! that its baleful foliage should o'ershade

Scene IV.

Enter HAROLD,

Cefrid, my Lord, already has obtain'd
Admission in the Castle. So Prince Edrick,
Informs me. He requests to be admitted
To pay obeisance.

CANUTUS.

Ha! what wants the traitor?
Down, swelling heart! I must conceal resentment,

Enter EDRICK.

Oh! thou, whose more than mortal worth constrains
All hearts to lowly rev'rence, suffer Edrick

Scene III.

Enter C ANUTUS .

Hail! Canutus,
Noblest of Men, of Monarchs, hail!

CANUTUS.

I thank you.
O that my future deeds may justify
This sounding acclamation! Do thou, Harold,
Encamp thy horse upon yon hill. Our foe
Expects assistance from the Earl of Mercia;
Watch thou and intercept it. Go, brave Oswald,
Restrain the fury of the foragers.
Command them on their peril not to snatch,

Scene II. — The Danish Army.

Enter H AROLD , T URKILL , and Lords.

HAROLD.

Erect the royal Standard on the slope
Of this declining hill. See, Friends, yon Castle!
Doth it not proudly seem to threat our force?
There, certain spies inform us, the fall'n Edmund
Hath fled for safety. May we not expect
To-morrow's sun will terminate our toil,
And crown our great Canutus, King of England?

First Lord .

ACT II.

Scene I. — A Field.

Enter E DRICK and A LLWYN .

EDRICK.

Allwyn, the Danish trumpet thrice hath sounded,
And the tired army halts. The King intends
Here to encamp. Be thine th' intrusted care
T' intrench the British forces on the left,
At ample distance. When the weary Danes
Repair with sleep the waste of labour, then,
Close by the covert of that shadowy wood,

Scene V.

Enter E DMUND .

ELGIVA.

Thou, whom my soul for many tedious days
Hath sadly mourn'd — my life, my Edmund, welcome!
Oh! be not sad; forget thy wrongs awhile,
And to the Father and the Husband give
The present hour.

EDMUND.

Can I forget my wrongs?
My only treasure! since we met, this heart
Hath been bereav'd of all its dearest hopes.

Scene IV.

Enter E LGIVA and B IRTHA .

ELGIVA.

How fares the King?

KENELM.

He lives.

ELGIVA.

He lives! 'Tis well,
But yet thy pallid cheek, thy down-cast eye,
Reveal a truth as terrible as Death.
Lives he a prisoner?

KENELM.

No.

ELGIVA.

Scene III. Before the Castle.

Enter K ENELM , meeting an Officer.

KENELM.

How fares our royal Mistress Elgiva?

OFFICER.

Oh! if thou bring'st intelligence of Edmund,
Thou art thrice welcome. Since he went to battle,
Soft sleep forsakes her eye, and ev'ry charm
Flies from her fading face. Are we victorious?

KENELM.

Look round the Castle: 'Tis brave Edmund's all.

Scene II.

Enter E LGIVA .

Royal Mourner,
Yet turn, yet lift, thy melancholy eyes;
Think of the victories that grace thy Lord,
And let the thought breathe comfort to thy soul.

ELGIVA.

Talk not of comfort, for my soul is griev'd
By long suspence. No tidings yet from Edmund.
The moon has wax'd and wan'd since last we parted.
In war for speed he used to imitate
The darting lightning. If success were ours,