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king？ Will not one here lay hold upon my state？ I am queen of you for all
things come and gone。 Nay； my chief lady； and no meaner one； The
chiefest of my maidens； shall bear this And give it to my prisoner for a
grace； Who shall deny me？ who shall do me wrong？ Bear greeting to the
lord of Chastelard； And this withal for respite of his life； For by my head
he shall die no such way： Nay； sweet； no words； but hence and back again。
＇Exit MARY BEATON。＇
Farewell； dear lords； ye have shown grace to me； And some time I will
thank you as I may； Till when think well of me and what is done。
END OF THE FOURTH ACT。
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Algernon Charles Swinburne； _Chastelard； a tragedy_ 。 Boston： E。P。 Dutton； 1866。
ACT V。
CHASTELARD。
SCENE I。…Before Holyrood。
A crowd of people； among them Soldiers； Burgesses； a Preacher； &c。
1ST CITIZEN。 They are not out yet。 Have you seen the man？ What
manner of man？
2D CITIZEN。 Shall he be hanged or no？ There was a fellow hanged
some three days gone Wept the whole way： think you this man shall die In
better sort； now？
1ST CITIZEN。 Eh； these shawm…players That walk before strange
women and make songs！ How should they die well？
3D CITIZEN。 Is it sooth men say Our dame was wont to kiss him on
the face In lewd folk's sight？
1ST CITIZEN。 Yea； saith one； all day long He used to sit and jangle
words in rhyme To suit with shakes of faint adulterous sound Some French
lust in men's ears； she made songs too； Soft things to feed sin's amorous
mouth upon… Delicate sounds for dancing at in hell。
4TH CITIZEN。 Is it priest Black that he shall have by him When they
do come？
3D CITIZEN。 Ah！ by God's leave； not so； If the knave show us his
peeled onion's head And that damned flagging jowl of his…
2D CITIZEN。 Nay； sirs； Take heed of words； moreover； please it you；
This man hath no pope's part in him。
3D CITIZEN。 I say That if priest whore's friend with the lewd thief's
cheek Show his foul blinking face to shame all ours； It goes back fouler；
well； one day hell's fire Will burn him black indeed。
A WOMAN。 What kind of man？ 'T is yet great pity of him if he be
Goodly enow for this queen's paramour。 A French lord overseas？ what
doth he here； With Scotch folk here？
1ST CITIZEN。 Fair mistress； I think well He doth so at some times
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Algernon Charles Swinburne； _Chastelard； a tragedy_ 。 Boston： E。P。 Dutton； 1866。
that I were fain To do as well。
THE WOMAN。 Nay； then he will not die。
1ST CITIZEN。 Why； see you； if one eat a piece of bread Baked as it
were a certain prophet's way； Not upon coals； now…you shall apprehend… If
defiled bread be given a man to eat； Being thrust into his mouth； why he
shall eat； And with good hap shall eat； but if now； say； One steal this；
bread and beastliness and all； When scarcely for pure hunger flesh and
bone Cleave one to other…why； if he steal to eat； Be it even the filthiest
feeding…though the man Be famine…flayed of flesh and skin； I say He shall
be hanged。
3D CITIZEN。 Nay； stolen said you； sir？ See； God bade eat abominable
bread； And freely was it eaten…for a sign This； for a sign…and doubtless as
did God； So may the devil； bid one eat freely and live； Not for a sign。
2D CITIZEN。 Will you think thus of her？ But wherefore should they
get this fellow slain If he be clear toward her？
3D CITIZEN。 Sir； one must see The day comes when a woman sheds
her sin As a bird moults； and she being shifted so； The old mate of her old
feather pecks at her To get the right bird back； then she being stronger
Picks out his eyes…eh？
2D CITIZEN。 Like enough to be； But if it be…Is not one preaching
there With certain folk about him？
1ST CITIZEN。 Yea； the same Who preached a month since from
Ezekiel Concerning these twain…this our queen that is And her that was；
and is not now so much As queen over hell's worm。
3D CITIZEN。 Ay； said he not； This was Aholah； the first one of these；
Called sisters only for a type…being twain； Twain Maries； no whit Nazarine？
the first Bred out of Egypt like the water…worm With sides in wet green
places baked with slime And festered flesh that steams against the sun； A
plague among all people； and a type Set as a flake upon a leper's fell。
1ST CITIZEN。 Yea； said he； and unto her the men went in； The men of
Pharaoh's； beautiful with red And with red gold； fair foreign…footed men；
The bountiful fair men； the courteous men； The delicate men with delicate
feet； that went Curling their small beards Agag…fashion； yea Pruning their
mouths to nibble words behind With pecking at God's skirts…small broken
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Algernon Charles Swinburne； _Chastelard； a tragedy_ 。 Boston： E。P。 Dutton； 1866。
oaths Fretted to shreds between most dainty lips； And underbreath some
praise of Ashtaroth Sighed laughingly。
2D CITIZEN。 Was he not under guard For the good word？
1ST CITIZEN。 Yea； but now forth again。… And of the latter said he…
there being two； The first Aholah； which interpreted…
3D CITIZEN。 But； of this latter？
1ST CITIZEN。 Well； of her he said How she made letters for Chaldean
folk And men that came forth of the wilderness And all her sister's chosen
men； yea； she Kept not her lip from any sin of hers But multiplied in
whoredoms toward all these That hate God mightily； for these； he saith；
These are the fair French people； and these her kin Sought out of England
with her love…letters To bring them to her kiss of love； and thus With a
prayer made that God would break such love Ended some while； then
crying out for strong wrath Spake with a great voice after： This is she； Yea
the lewd woman； yea the same woman That gat bruised breasts in Egypt；
when strange men Swart from great suns； foot…burnt with angry soils And
strewn with sand of gaunt Chaldean miles； Poured all their love upon her：
she shall drink The Lord's cup of derision that is filled With drunkenness
and sorrow； great of sides And deep to drink in till the dreg drips out： Yea；
and herself with the twain shards thereof Pluck off her breasts； so said he。
4TH CITIZEN。 See that stir… Are not they come？
3D CITIZEN。 There wants an hour of them。 Draw near and let us
hearken； he will speak Surely some word of this。
2D CITIZEN。 What saith he now？
THE PREACHER。 The mercy of a harlot is a sword； And her mouth
sharper than a flame of fire。
SCENE II。…In Prison。
CHASTELARD。 So here my time shuts up； and the last light Has
made the last shade in the world for me。 The sunbeam that was narrow
like a leaf Has turned a hand； and the hand stretched to an arm； And the
arm has reached the dust on the floor； and made A maze of motes with
paddling fingers。 Well； I knew now that a man so sure to die Could care so
little； a bride…night's lustiness Leaps in my veins as light fire under a wind：
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Algernon Charles Swinburne； _Chastelard； a tragedy_ 。 Boston： E。P。 Dutton； 1866。
As if I felt a kindling beyond death Of some new joys far outside of me
yet； Sweet sound； sweet smell and touch of things far out Sure to come
soon。 I wonder will death be Even all it seems now？ or the talk of hell And
wretched changes of the worn…out soul Nailed to decaying flesh； shall that
be true？ Or is this like the forethought of deep sleep Felt by a tired man？
Sleep were good enough… Shall sleep be all？ But I shall not forget For any
sleep this love bound upon me… For any sleep or quiet ways of death。 Ah；
in my weary dusty space of sight Her face will float with heavy scents of
hair And fire of subtle amorous eyes； and lips More hot than wine； full of
sweet wicked words Babbled against mine own lips； and long hands
Spread out； and pale bright throat and pale bright breasts； Fit to make all
men mad。 I do believe This fire shall never quite burn out to the ash And
leave no heat and flame upon my dust For witness where a man's h