31'! Milman'i Anne Boleyn. [Mat 



alloyed by exaggeration and improbable violence. He thus commences : he 

 has just seen the service of the reformed cathedral. 



Angeh. 



They crossed me, and I needs must follow — to th' abbey, 



T' insult their fathers' graves ! to mock the saints, 



That from the liigh empurpled windows glare 



On the proud worshipjiers, whose secret hearts 



Disdain their intercession ; scarce a lamp 



Burnt on the ])rayerless shrines, and here and there 



Some wan, sad vot'ress in our Lady's chapel. 



Listening in vain for the full antliem, told 



Her beads, and shrank from her own lonely voice. 



But when I saw the arch-heretic, enrobed 



In the cope and pall of mitred Canterbury, 



Lift the dread Host with unbelieving hands, 



And heard another's voice profane read out, 



In their own dissonant and barbarous tongue. 



The living Word of God ; the choaking wrath 



Convulsed my throat, and hurrying forth, I sought 



A secret and uncchoing place, t' unload 



My burthened heart. (P. 13.) 



The Jesuit now meets Smeaton, whom he discovers to be an iniconscious 

 lover of the Queen. He urges him to the mention of Norreys, Brereton, 

 Weston, and Rochford, with whom Anne Boleyn was afterwards charged with 

 criminality. He finally suggests the possibility of the Queen's taking Sm'eatou 

 into the number of her favourites; and having sown this dangerous feeling, 

 leaves him, and thus exults in the approaching success of his scheme : 



Angela. 

 That warning was a master-stroke ; it brings 

 Th' impossible within the scope of thought. 

 We do forbid, but what may come to pass. 

 And he will brood on it, because forbidden. 

 Till his whole soul is madness. 



Cursed woman ! 



'Gainst whom remorselessness is loftiest duty, 



And mercy, sin beyond Heaven's grace, think'st thou 



To be a queen, and dare to be a woman ! — 



Play fool upon the dizzy jjrecipice ; 



Nor smile, nor word, nor look, nor thought, b>it's noted 



In our dark registers : each playful jest 



Is chronicled ; and we are ricli in all 



That's ocular (.') proof and circumstance of guilt 



To jealousy's distemper'd ear ! (P. 20.) 



Angelo now meets Bishop Gardiner, whom he urges to involve himself in the 

 purposes of Rome. The Bishop is cautious, and shrinks from revealing his 

 intentions. Tiie Jesuit plies him with alternate flattery and reproof. Gardiner 

 is at length disposed to listen. 



Gardiner. 

 Good father ! walls have ears — the treacherous air 

 With terrible delation wanders round 

 The thrones of kings. 



Angelo. 

 Thou think'st not I or Rome 

 Would urge a rashness, which might wreck our cause, 

 Would have thee cast this wise dissembling off, 

 By which thou hast won the easy confidence 

 Of foolisli heretics ; be supple still. 

 And seeming true, thou'rt worthier of our trust ; 

 We know thy heart our own, and lend awhile 

 Thy tongue, thy pen, to the proud king, t' abase hiin 

 To a more abject slave of thee and Rome. 

 Now hear me, prelate — glut thine ear with tidings. 



