My royal mistress, casts me off; nay, joins
With Cecil to destroy my life and fame.

Qu. Eliz. Presuming wretch! Audacious traitor!
Essex. Traitor!

Qu. Eliz. Hence from my sight, ungrateful slave,
and learn

At distance to revere your queen.

Essex. Yes; let

Me fly beyond the limits of the world,

And nature's verge, from proud oppression far,
From malice, tyranny, from courts, from you.
Qu. Eliz. Traitor! villain!

Esser. Confusion! what, a blow!

[Strikes him.

Restrain, good Heaven! down, down, thou rebel pas

sion,

And, judgment, take the reins.

Your soldier falls degraded ;

Madam, 'tis well

His glory's tarnish'd, and his fame undone.
O, bounteous recompence from royal hands!
But you, ye implements, beware, beware,

What honour wrong'd, and honest wrath can act.
Qu. Eliz. What would th' imperious traitor do?
My life

Beyond thy wretched purpose stands secure.
Go, learn at leisure what your deeds deserve,
And tremble at the vengeance you provoke.

[Exeunt all but ESSEX and SOUTHAMPTON. Essex. Disgrac'd and struck! Damnation! Death were glorious!

Revenge! revenge!

South. Alas, my friend! what would
Thy rage attempt? Consider well the great
Advantage now your rash, ungovern'd temper
Affords your foes. The queen, incens'd, will let
Their fury loose.—I dread the dire event!

Essex. Has honest pride no just resentment left?
Nor injur'd honour, feeling?-Not revenge!
High Heaven shall hear, and earth regret, my wrongs.

Hot indignation burns within my soul.

I'll do some dreadful thing!—I know not what;
Some deeds, as horrid as the shame I feel,
Shall startle nature, and alarm the world.
Then hence, like lightning, let me furious fly,
To hurl destruction at my foes on high;
Pull down oppression from its tyrant seat,
Redeem my glory, or embrace my fate.

[Exeunt.

ACT THE FOURTH.

SCENE I.

The Palace.

Enter QUEEN ELIZABETH and NOTTINGHAM.

Qu. Eliz. Not taken yet?

Not. No, madam: for the Earl

Of Essex, leagu'd with desperate friends, made strong And obstinate resistance; till, at length,

O'erpower'd by numbers, and increasing force,

He fled for shelter to a small retreat,

A summer house, upon the Thames; resolv'd

To perish, rather than submit to power.

Qu. Eliz. Oh, where shall majesty bestow its fa

vours,

Since Essex has a traitor prov'd to me,

Whose arm hath rais'd him up to power and great

ness;

Whose heart has shar'd in all his splendid triumphs,

M