SCENE 1. _Room in the earl of Pembroke's castle. Pembroke in bed.

Richford and Albemarle attending._

_Pem._ The king has come?

_Alb._ He waits upon your grace As a good servant; with demeanor speaks True sorrow you are brought so low.

_Pem._ [_Stoutly_] Ha! Low?

_Alb._ Sir, but in body. Pembroke's mounting mind Can never be struck down.

_Pem._ He's sad, you say?

_Alb._ In tears, your grace. He weeps more like a son Than sovereign.

_Pem._ A son! Where is the son Would weep for Pembroke?

_Rich._ Here, my dearest father! Here are the tears would water thy affliction Till it be washed from thy endangered body. Here is the heart would give its younger blood To make thine leap with health. Without you, sir, I am no more than is the gaudy bloom Of some stout tree the axe has brought to ground. O, wilt forgive the many pains I've cost thee?

_Pem._ First touch my hand and swear by highest God That you will serve the king.

_Rich._ O, slight condition! I take this noble hand that ne'er was raised 'Gainst country, throne or God, and by that God, I vow to serve the king.

_Pem._ For the last time I'll trust and pardon you. If you make black Your soul with violation of this oath, I, safe beyond the stars, shall know it not, Nor die again to think on 't. Men, weep not That ye lack sons, but weep when your wives bear them!

_Alb._ I'll vouch for him, your grace.

_Pem._ Thanks, Albemarle.

_Rich._ Will you, my kindest father, say a word To bring me to the graces of the king?

_Pem._ Ay, son.

_Rich._ Now, sir?

_Pem._ Nay, I'm not dying yet, And wish to keep my last words for his ears. There's holy magic in the passing tongue That stamps its truth unrasurable. So Would I grave Henry's heart.

_Rich._ But, sir----

_Pem._ I'll wait My hour. Who comes with him?

_Alb._ The legate, Gualo, To-day arrived from Rome.

_Pem._ And I not told? Already I am dead. These ears, that kings Engaged, are now contracted to the worm Permits no forfeiture. Well, well, his message?

_Alb._ The cardinal assures us that the pope Will cast his power with Henry. Though he loves This praying Louis, well he knows our right.

_Pem._ The pope our friend? I thank thee, Heaven! England, take up thy heart! Thou yet mayst hope! [_Enter bishop of Winchester_]

_Win._ God save great Pembroke!

_Pem._ He alone can do it. Lord Albemarle, and my new-graced son, Will 't please you walk within?

_Alb._ We are your servants. [_Exeunt Richford and Albemarle, left_]

_Pem._ Now, Winchester?

_Win._ You sent for me, your grace. I have made haste.

_Pem._ Ay, you'd trot fast enough To see me die.

_Win._ Nay, sir, I hope you've called Me to your service.

_Pem._ So I have, my lord. A task unfinished I must leave to you. Here is the key to yonder cabinet. Pray you unlock it ... and take out the packet Your eye's now on.

_Win._ This, sir?

_Pem._ Ay, that is it. 'Twas Henry Second, grandsire of this Henry, Gave me that packet. Sir, you know the tale Of princess Adelais who journeyed here As the betrothed of Richard, Henry's son. Alack, she never was his bride. Some say That Henry loved her ... I know not ... but she Returned to France, her reason wandering. "If she recover," said the king to me, "Give her this packet; should she die, break seal And learn what you shall do." She did not die, Nor can I say she lives, so sad her state. Her age was bare fifteen when she left England, Her face a lily and her eyes a flood; She now must be midway her fifth decade, A time, I've heard, when subtle changes work Within the mind. A beauteous soul! O God, Restore her now, or lift her e'en to thee! ... Take you the packet, and the king's command. But first your oath. Deceit has sapped my faith So oft I could believe the devil himself Wears gown and mitre. Peter des Roches, will you Be true?

_Win._ I swear by Heaven.

_Pem._ That is done, As well as't can be done. Call in my son And Albemarle.

_Win._ My lords!

[_Re-enter Richford and Albemarle_]

_Pem._ Now let us talk Of England. O, this fleet, this fleet, rigged out By warlike Constance in monk Louis' name! I see it nearing now, leaping the waves, On, on, and none to meet it! Cowards all. What do ye here, ye three, loitering about A sick man's bed? A man almost a corpse. I would not have a servant waste himself To give me drink while England needs his sword.

_Rich._ My father lord, we have our men abroad Rousing the country for a stout defence. To meet the French with our poor ships were madness; But let them land we'll give them such a rap----

_Pem._ What? Land your enemy? O, fools and cowards! ... I've given my life for England. Now you'll cast My heart-dear bargain into Louis' hand As 'twere a snood slipped from an easy maid. Fool man! to puff his days out jousting Fate, Who waits but his bare death to start her mock Of horrid pleasantries. Then does she make Dice of the miser's bones, carousal cups Of the ascetic's skull, a hangman's scoff Of clerics' prayer-fed sons; and proudest sires, Who sentried their blue blood, peer back through dust To see all Babylon pour to their line. And now she'll bid my war-ghost eyes behold The land held with my life become a field For foes at holiday!

_Win._ Compose yourself, your grace.

_Pem._ Gualo has come, but where is he will set This power its task, and play it for this isle? I can not say that wisdom dies with me, But I could wish more proof of sager mind Than e'er I've had from this small audience. Lord Bishop, you are left custodian Of Henry's ripening youth.

_Win._ Nor shall I fail To be your worthy heir in this high duty, For still I shall consult with your great spirit, Praying your ghost be mover of my deeds.

_Pem._ I've spoken to the king. He'll give you love For love. But who shall be lord chancellor? There's little choice. And yet there's one, De Burgh, If camp and field could spare him----

_Alb._ Sir, a man No older than our sons?

_Pem._ By your good leave, Age is no patent to respect and place If virtue go not with it. Whitened hairs Make honor radiant, but vice thereby Is viler still. Ay, there are some----

_Rich._ Peace, father, And save thy strength for us.

_Pem._ Ah, son, I've been A careless holder all my life, and still With my last hour play spendthrift. Well, here be Three friends of England--Gualo makes a fourth-- And trusting you I ease my bones to death.

[_Enter attendant with a letter, which he gives to Pembroke_]

_Pem._ [_After reading_] De Burgh! O gallant soul! Now am I young! With forty ships he'll meet the fleet of France! I live again, for courage is not dead! [_Sinking_] Nay--help--ah, I am gone. I'll hasten on And plead in Heaven for his victory. [_Seems to die_]

_Alb._ Ah ... dead?

_Rich._ In truth.

_Win._ I'll go and tell the king. [_Aside, going_] My joyful tears he will translate to grief, And think I weep a friend's death, not a foe's Whose only act of friendship was to die. [_Exit_]

_Alb._ How now, my lord? Does your good purpose hold?

_Rich._ It has the falling sickness, Albemarle, And now lies low as earth.

_Alb._ Then set thy foot Upon it that it rise no more.

_Rich._ 'Tis done.

_Alb._ What fools are they who think that dying men Speak oracles to pivot action on, When death's decay so blurs each fading sense They know but darkly of the world about, And of realities all plain to us Build visions substanceless to gull our faith. Grant that they do take note of things unseen, 'Tis with their faces to another world, And what they speak is strange and ill advice To us whose work is still 'mong men of earth.

_Rich._ You need not clear your way to me. I've not A scruple in my soul would trip a gnat. Speak out your heart.

_Alb._ You are great Pembroke now. But Richford took an oath to serve the king.

_Rich._ And he--is Louis.

_Alb._ Till we find hour fit To cast his yoke and take a sovereign Of our election.

_Rich._ _Royal Albemarle!_

_Alb._ Here stand we then. De Burgh we count as dead. Le Moine has orders to strike off his head Soon as he's taken. Now we get the king To Dover fort, on pretence to defend it. There the besieging French will take him prisoner, And ship him straight to Calais--or to Heaven.

_Pem._ [_Half rising_] Devils! dogs! beasts! Now these devoted bones Will never lie at peace in English earth. My country! Must the foreign foot be set Once more upon thy neck, and thine own sons Pour sulphur to thy wounds? The king! the king! What, vipers, do you hear? Call in the king!

_Alb._ We must not, sir.

_Pem._ Ho, here! The king!

[_Rises from bed, starts forward and falls back speechless. Enter Henry, Gualo, Winchester, and attendants. Albemarle and Richford stand together. Pembroke dies pointing to them and gazing at the king._]

_Hen._ My lords, what does this mean?

_Alb._ This noble man Wished much to say a word of grace for me And his forgiven son. Alas, black death Has stolen the balm that might have eased our way Into your heart.

_Hen._ Fear not, my lords. I'll trust you, Even as he wished. [_Kneels by bed_] O, Pembroke, couldst thou leave me?

* * * * *

[_Curtain_]