That I might sit all night, and watch with you: Hub. His words do take possession of my bosom.Read here, young Arthur. [Showing the paper.] How now, foolish rheum! Turning dispiteous torture out of door! Arth. Too fairly, Hubert, for so foul effect: Must you with hot irons burn out both mine eyes? Arth. And will you? Hub. And I will. [Aside. Arth. Have you the heart? When your head did butake, I knit my handkerchief about your brows, (The best I had, a princess wrought it me,) And I did never ask it you again: And with my hand at midnight held your head; Saying, What lack you? and, Where lies your grief? But you at your sick service had a prince. If heaven be pleas'd that you must use me ill, Hub. I have sworn to do it; And with hot irons must I burn them out. Arth. Ah, none, but in this iron age, would do it! Approaching near these eyes, would drink my tears, Even in the matter of mine innocence: Nay, after that, consume away in rust, And told me, Hubert should put out mine eyes, [Stamps. Re-enter Attendants, with cord, irons, &c. Arth. O, save me, Hubert, save me! my eyes are out, Even with the fierce looks of these bloody men. Hub. Give me the iron, I say, and bind him here. I will not stir, nor wince, nor speak a word, Thrust but these men away, and I'll forgive you, Hub. Go, stand within; let me alone with him. He hath a stern look, but a gentle heart : Let him come back, that his compassion may Give life to yours. Hub. Come, boy, prepare yourself. Arth. Is there no remedy? Hub. None, but to lose your eyes. Arth. O heaven!—that there were but a mote in yours, A grain, a dust, a gnat, a wand'ring hair, Any annoyance in that precious sense! Then, feeling what small things are boist'rous there, Hub. Is this your promise? go to, hold your tongue. So I may keep mine eyes; O, spare mine eyes; Hub. I can heat it, boy.. Arth. No, in good sooth; the fire is dead with grief, Being create for comfort, to be us'd In undeserv'd extremes: See else yourself; Hub. But with my breath I can revive it, boy. Hub. Well, see to live; I will not touch thine Yet am I sworn, and I did purpose, boy, With this same very iron to burn them out. eyes Arth. O, now you look like Hubert! all this while You were disguised. Hub. Peace: no more. Adieu; Your uncle must not know but you are dead: Arth. O heaven!-I thank you, Hubert. Hub. Silence; no more: Go closely in with me; Much danger do I undergo for thee. [Exeunt. I hope your warrant will bear out the deed. I hope you act in this bloody business, by some higher authority than your own cruelty or selfishness. It is necessary that poor men, in the service of arbitrary princes, should act their wicked wills. If you do as you are commanded, you are not so guilty as if you devised of your own heart such horrible deeds; but if you do this without some such justification-dread the punishment due to your cruelty. All this is implied in this passage. "The par Heat.-Heated is the modern participle. ticiple heat, though now obsolete, was in use in our author's time. So in the sacred writings: He commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heat.' Dan. iii. 19.” Tarre-stimulate, set on. SCENE III. ARTHUR on the castle wall. Arth. The wall is high; and yet will I leap down: If I get down, and do not break my limbs, As good to die, and go, as die, and stay. Oh me! my uncle's spirit is in these stones:- [Seeing ARTHur. Pem. O death, made proud with pure and princely beauty! The earth hath not a hole to hide this deed. Sal. Murder, as hating what himself hath done, Doth lay it open, to urge on revenge. Big. Or, when he doom'd this beauty to a grave, Found it too precious-princely for a grave. Sal. Sir Richard, what think you? Have you beheld, Or have you read, or heard?" or could you think? The height, the crest, or crest unto the crest, That ever wall-ey'd wrath, or staring rage, Pem. All murders past do stand excus'd in this.- The graceless action of a heavy hand, If that it be the work of any hand. : Sal. If that it be the work of any hand?- Pem. Big. Our souls religiously confirm thy words. Revenge, to a certain extent, is the love of justice. It has been shown, in the brief sketch which was given of the origin and principal object of Chivalry, that its purpose was not only to defend innocence, but to punish those who should injure the weak and unprotected. The Knights of that age, not only made a vow to serve God, and the interests of humanity, when they were initiated, but, on setting out upon a special enterprize, they solemnly devoted themselves to the work before them.--In conformity to this practice, Salisbury kneels beside the dead body of Arthur, and vows never to take pleasure or rest till he has punished the wretches who wrought his death. |