ke him
Away!

_Eliz._ My veins thrill! Parted?--No! No! No!
Perish the mean thought--
Let me aid them, though
I die; then o'er my quiet grave, my thought
Doth sculpture them in prayer--
[_To Cromwell._] He is innocent,
My father! Let him go--Do you not see
They love each other?--

_Crom._ Art thou not ashamed?
Thou wanton girl!

_Arth._ My Florence! I am happy
Since thou dost love me. I know nought of that
With which he charges me--

_Flor._ I know thou dost not:
Thou shalt not die!
O man of blood, beware! [_To Cromwell._]
If thou'rt deceived, repentance comes too late.
Is that a traitor's look! Thou canst not quell it
Back'd by an army.
Thou hast bitter moments
E'en now. The king--

_Crom._ I'll hear no more--remove him. [_A pause._]
Yet I will give three days, if in that time
Ye prove him innocent, 'tis well--If not,
He dies the death!

[_ARTHUR is seized; ELIZABETH clings to her
Father, who looks on her with an expression
of anger, which gradually softens into
affection. Exeunt, on the one side, ARTHUR, L. with
his Guards, on the other, CROMWELL, with his
Family, &c., R._]

_Enter WILLIAM and HOST, U.E.R._

_Will._ Come on, I tell thee they are all gone. Have
I not liberty here?

_Host._ Hem! Did'st thou notice how that young imp
of a page flouted thee, when thou did'st civilly inquire
the hour of the day? Thou wert welcome as a wet
Sunday to his new feather. I doubt whether I
myself will continue to know thee.

_Will._ Is there no way to save him? If now it
were the marriage of his heart something might
occur; but I never yet heard of an accident on the
road to a gallows.

_Host._ Cheer up! cheer up! we must all die, young
and old. I have had my trials. In these wars I have
known very estimable men die that owed me money.
There is your true trial now.

_Will._ If he had been slain on the right side, and
died comely with a love-lock as a gentleman should.
But to perish by the false canting rebel that he served.
He a traitor! My master! The innocentest youth
alive. Why even I, that have some claim, could not
find it in my heart to cheat him. It would have been
an insult to my understanding to impose upon him that
had no suspicions, and would leave out his doublet
in the morning to be cleaned unemptied, when he had
won uncounted pieces of gold at night--Alas! Alas!

_Host._ Come along, thou mayest as well drink; for
weeping will not mend thee. Besid