Destructive scheme contrived to raise this lord,

And ruin Cecil. Oh, it is a subtile,

A deep-laid mischief, by the earl contrived

In hour malignant, to o'erturn the state,

And, horror to conceive! dethrone the queen!

Bur. These gladsome tidings fly beyond my hopes!

The queen will listen now, will now believe,

And trust the counsel of her faithful Burleigh.

Dispose them well, till kind occasion calls

Their office forth; lest prying craft meanwhile

May tamper with their thoughts and change their minds:

Let them, like batteries conceal'd, appear

At once, both to surprise and to destroy.

Ral. His headstrong friend, the bold Southampton, too,

Now finds his rash endeavours all defeated,

And storms at thee, and the impeaching commons.

Bur. Let him rave on, and rage. The lion, in

[Pg 11]

The toils entangled, wastes his strength, and roars

In vain; his efforts but amuse me now.—

 Prev. P 6/87 next