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,
Conduct thy troops to the extremest bound

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.

Why tremble still?

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,
The welcome tidings had been soon despatched

A Tragedy.

ACT I.

Scene I. — Gloucester Castle Garden.

Enter Emma and B IRTHA .

EMMA.

H ERE distant from the cruel rage of war,
Securely placed in peaceful solitude,
We know but little of the gen'ral sorrow.
Yon venerable grove of spreading oaks
Kindly immures this antiquated castle
From proud Ambition's eye. It seems to court
Neglected worth and ruin'd majesty,
To sly for shelter here.

Song III

1

Whil'st we are here on Earth
We're dying every day:
Each day brings some new woe or grief
Whilst we are cloth'd with Clay.
We dwell in midst of Deaths
And Death amidst us dwells,
As too too well appeareth by
These daily doleful Knells

2

Now one dear Friend departs,

Song II

1

This then is Life in Death,
That Death will set us free
From Sin, which is our spiritual Death,
And greatest miserie.
We shall no more be griev'd
With minds that are so vain.
Of Pride, or Sloth, or Worldiness,
We shall no more complain

2

Our Ignorance shall cease

Song I

1

This World's Wilderness.
To God's afflicted Saints:
A place of Dangers, Fears, and Foes;
A place of Woes and Wants.
This Life's a very Death,
At least a dying life:
For this is Death in Life, to find
Sin in our Hearts so rife.

2

That we not only are
Encompassed with Foes:

What Mystery is this
To seek for Life in Death,
The great Destroyer of the Sons
Of Adam and of Soth?
Can Death beget sweet Life?
Can such an Honey-comb,
So sweet and precious, come forth
Of Death's devouring Womb?

Yes: Christ hath broke the Teeth
And ta'ne away the Sting
Of Cruel Death, that Death is now