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.

EDMUND.

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.

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
The royal plant I nourish'd with such care.

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,
Without due recompence, the little store

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 .

Edmund was once most terrible in arms;