Mary Stuart: A Tragedy Part 7

Lord Burleigh brings it; therefore do I know it.

PAULET.

[It would become you better, Lady Stuart, To listen less to hatred.

MARY.

I but name My enemy: I said not that I hate him.]

But to the matter, sir.

BURLEIGH.

You have acknowledged The jurisdiction of the two-and-forty.

MARY.

My lord, excuse me, if I am obliged So soon to interrupt you. I acknowledged, Say you, the competence of the commission?

I never have acknowledged it, my lord; How could I so? I could not give away My own prerogative, the intrusted rights Of my own people, the inheritance Of my own son, and every monarch's honor [The very laws of England say I could not.]

It is enacted by the English laws That every one who stands arraigned of crime Shall plead before a jury of his equals: Who is my equal in this high commission?

Kings only are my peers.

BURLEIGH.

But yet you heard The points of accusation, answered them Before the court----

MARY.

'Tis true, I was deceived By Hatton's crafty counsel:--he advised me, For my own honor, and in confidence In my good cause, and my most strong defence, To listen to the points of accusation, And prove their falsehoods. This, my lord, I did From personal respect for the lords' names, Not their usurped charge, which I disclaim.

BURLEIGH.

Acknowledge you the court, or not, that is Only a point of mere formality, Which cannot here arrest the course of justice.

You breathe the air of England; you enjoy The law's protection, and its benefits; You therefore are its subject.

MARY.

Sir, I breathe The air within an English prison walls: Is that to live in England; to enjoy Protection from its laws? I scarcely know And never have I pledged my faith to keep them.

I am no member of this realm; I am An independent, and a foreign queen.

BURLEIGH.

And do you think that the mere name of queen Can serve you as a charter to foment In other countries, with impunity, This b.l.o.o.d.y discord? Where would be the state's Security, if the stern sword of justice Could not as freely smite the guilty brow Of the imperial stranger as the beggar's?

MARY.

I do not wish to be exempt from judgment, It is the judges only I disclaim.

BURLEIGH.

The judges? How now, madam? Are they then Base wretches, s.n.a.t.c.hed at hazard from the crowd?

Vile wranglers that make sale of truth and justice; Oppression's willing hirelings, and its tools?

Are they not all the foremost of this land, Too independent to be else than honest, And too exalted not to soar above The fear of kings, or base servility?

Are they not those who rule a generous people In liberty and justice; men, whose names I need but mention to dispel each doubt, Each mean suspicion which is raised against them?

Stands not the reverend primate at their head, The pious shepherd of his faithful people, The learned Talbot, keeper of the seals, And Howard, who commands our conquering fleets?

Say, then, could England's sovereign do more Than, out of all the monarchy, elect The very n.o.blest, and appoint them judges In this great suit? And were it probable That party hatred could corrupt one heart; Can forty chosen men unite to speak A sentence just as pa.s.sion gives command?

MARY (after a short pause).

I am struck dumb by that tongue's eloquence, Which ever was so ominous to me.

And how shall I, a weak, untutored woman, Cope with so subtle, learned an orator?

Yes truly; were these lords as you describe them, I must be mute; my cause were lost indeed, Beyond all hope, if they p.r.o.nounce me guilty.

But, sir, these names, which you are pleased to praise, These very men, whose weight you think will crush me, I see performing in the history Of these dominions very different parts: I see this high n.o.bility of England, This grave majestic senate of the realm, Like to an eastern monarch's vilest slaves, Flatter my uncle Henry's sultan fancies: I see this n.o.ble, reverend House of Lords, Venal alike with the corrupted Commons, Make statutes and annul them, ratify A marriage and dissolve it, as the voice Of power commands: to-day it disinherits, And brands the royal daughters of the realm With the vile name of b.a.s.t.a.r.ds, and to-morrow Crowns them as queens, and leads them to the throne.

I see them in four reigns, with pliant conscience, Four times abjure their faith; renounce the pope With Henry, yet retain the old belief; Reform themselves with Edward; hear the ma.s.s Again with Mary; with Elizabeth, Who governs now, reform themselves again.

BURLEIGH.

You say you are not versed in England's laws, You seem well read, methinks, in her disasters.

MARY.

And these men are my judges?

[As LORD BURLEIGH seems to wish to speak.

My lord treasurer, Towards you I will be just, be you but just To me. 'Tis said that you consult with zeal The good of England, and of England's queen; Are honest, watchful, indefatigable; I will believe it. Not your private ends, Your sovereign and your country's weal alone, Inspire your counsels and direct your deeds.

Therefore, my n.o.ble lord, you should the more Distrust your heart; should see that you mistake not The welfare of the government for justice.

I do not doubt, besides yourself, there are Among my judges many upright men: But they are Protestants, are eager all For England's quiet, and they sit in judgment On me, the Queen of Scotland, and the papist.

It is an ancient saying, that the Scots And England to each other are unjust; And hence the rightful custom that a Scot Against an Englishman, or Englishman Against a Scot, cannot be heard in judgment.

Necessity prescribed this cautious law; Deep policy oft lies in ancient customs: My lord, we must respect them. Nature cast Into the ocean these two fiery nations Upon this plank, and she divided it Unequally, and bade them fight for it.

The narrow bed of Tweed alone divides These daring spirits; often hath the blood Of the contending parties dyed its waves.

Threatening, and sword in hand, these thousand years, From both its banks they watch their rival's motions, Most vigilant and true confederates, With every enemy of the neighbor state.

No foe oppresses England, but the Scot Becomes his firm ally; no civil war Inflames the towns of Scotland, but the English Add fuel to the fire: this raging hate Will never be extinguished till, at last, One parliament in concord shall unite them, One common sceptre rule throughout the isle.

BURLEIGH.

And from a Stuart, then, should England hope This happiness?

MARY.

Oh! why should I deny it?

Yes, I confess, I cherished the fond hope; I thought myself the happy instrument To join in freedom, 'neath the olive's shade, Two generous realms in lasting happiness!

I little thought I should become the victim Of their old hate, their long-lived jealousy; And the sad flames of that unhappy strife, I hoped at last to smother, and forever: And, as my ancestor, great Richmond, joined The rival roses after b.l.o.o.d.y contest, To join in peace the Scotch and English crowns.

BURLEIGH.

An evil way you took to this good end, To set the realm on fire, and through the flames Of civil war to strive to mount the throne.

MARY.

I wished not that:--I wished it not, by Heaven!

When did I strive at that? Where are your proofs?

BURLEIGH.

I came not hither to dispute; your cause Is no more subject to a war of words.

The great majority of forty voices Hath found that you have contravened the law Last year enacted, and have now incurred Its penalty.

[Producing the verdict.

MARY.

Upon this statute, then, My lord, is built the verdict of my judges?

BURLEIGH (reading).

Last year it was enacted, "If a plot Henceforth should rise in England, in the name Or for the benefit of any claimant To England's crown, that justice should be done On such pretender, and the guilty party Be prosecuted unto death." Now, since It has been proved----

MARY.

Lord Burleigh, I can well Imagine that a law expressly aimed At me, and framed to compa.s.s my destruction May to my prejudice be used. Oh! Woe To the unhappy victim, when the tongue That frames the law shall execute the sentence.

Can you deny it, sir, that this same statute Was made for my destruction, and naught else?

BURLEIGH.