1810.] 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
HAROLD anv TOSTI, 
A Tragedy, in three Acts, with Chorus. 
PERSONS OF THE PLAY! 
Enwavv; King of England, afterwards the 
Confessor. 
AROLD 
H ’ sons of GoonwiNy late Earl 
TostI, 
of Kent. 
EprtuHa, daughter of Tostt. 
Minstrels in the pay of Uarorp. 
The Scene,is in the castle of Harorp, at 
Pentaskeworth, in Monmouthshire. 
Scene.——The vestibule to a long Gothic ball, 
zubence the view extends between pillars over the 
whole room, at the farther end of which is 
situated the minstrels gallery. 
To EvitTna enters Haron. 
fi. (THE messenger I sent thee, to an- 
nounce 
That Edward, from his usual progress swerving, 
Would grace thy uncle’s castle with his 
presence, 
No doubt, arriv’d. 
Edi. He did 5 and thy Editha 
Has strewn the iishes for this royal visit 3 
Even the pomp-wont king shall own that 
Harold’s 
Magnificent and hospitable mansion 
Deserv’d his presence. 
ry Thank thee, gentle niece; 
Thy soft attentions 1 have long experienc’d, 
For which my gratitude is all thy gain. 
Edi. Is not my uncle’s love an ample 
payment ? 
H.. Since my Matilda, dying, to these 
hands 
Consign’d our infant son, thou art my 
comfort : 
*Twas thy soft hand that wip’d my falling 
tear 5 
Thy voice, thy presence, from these desert 
halls 
That chas’d the lonely silence, which my 
grief 
Awhile delighted in, but soon thought irk- 
some 3 
*Twas thou, who taught’st a cheerful sun to 
shine 
Upon Pentaskeworth. 
Edi. This is over-rating 
The weak endeavours of my bounden duty. 
Thou art not gay to-day. Hast seen thy 
child, 
And kiss’d a smile into his rosy face, 
Since thy arrival? 
H. T have clasp’d my darling, 
And the dear little Siegwin smil’d upon me; 
And, at my bidding, first to-day has call’d 
His father ‘‘ Harold.” Then I bade him 
utter 
The name of Tosti; but his foolish soul 
Shrunk as with sudden horror from the 
sound, 
He cried, and strove, and will not smile 
again. 
Montuix Mac. No. 197. 
Flarold and Tostt, a 
Tragedy. £09 
Are we not all like children, my 
good uncle 5 
Edi. 
Proneto mistrust and fear whate’er we Know 
not, 
Too prone perhaps to trust in he we 
know? 
H. Dost thou mistrust me, niece ? 
Edi. Thee, uncle; wherefore ? 
What hast thou done that should alarm me 
to it? 
fl. Introth, I know not. If had miscon- 
ceiv’d thee, 
My father, if I err not, has been 
with you 
In all this journey thro’ the gladden’d realm: 
He follows with the king ? 
H. I cannot say. 
Edi. How so? is he no longer of the train ? 
H. Tosti bas not a brother’s love for 
Narold. 
Some days ago, at Windsor, Edward mene 
tion’d 
His predecessor, Hardiknute the Dane, 
Who, as thou know’st, was poison’d by earl 
Osgold, 
Whose wife he had seduc’d. 
king 
Spoke with warm pity even of the tyrant 
Edi. 
The feeling 
That stood between him and the throne; — 
but Tosti 
Frown’d bitterly, and gnaw’d his sti if’ning 
lip 3 
Swore he weal dip his dagger in the breast: 
Of any man, that to his wife should whisper 
The prayer Ai wanton lust. Ismil’d in scorn. 
Art thou not pale, Editha? Wherefore 
tremble? 
Edi, I know the sternness of my FaHee 3 
anger 5 
The very picture chills me to the heart; 
But ’tis a noble soul that animates 
His boiling bosom. 
H. + °*Tisa rash, unruly, 
Unpardoning, soul, that dwells in his strong 
breast. 
It vex’d the king to be so rudely thwarted. 
Soon after, when I offer’d him my castle, 
Thy jealous father started up, and stamp’d; 
And, with swoln nostril, and a mouth all 
foam, 
His rolling eye-balls crimson with his wrath, 
Burst toward me, and seiz’d me by the hair, 
And dash’d me angrily upon the fleor, 
Then left us suddenly. 
Edi. My dear, dear father ! 
H. Thou’ weep’st: I too, when anger 
left me, wept 
To find a brother could be so unkind. 
The king, embitter’d that his sacred pre- 
sence 
Check’d not the rage of ‘Tosti, doom’d hig 
exile 5 
Resum’d his earldom of Northumberland, 
And gave it me. 
Edi. You will not take it, sir? 
H. Patience, Editha ; all may yet be well. 
2D Princes 
LN Se 
wee ee + ae 
Se at cage Sa ee 
SS Se SEIN Sr Pes Se as HSS 
= Som Rae ae a 
sare 
