Mary Stuart

Mary Stuart, by Frederich
Schiller

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Title: Mary Stuart A Tragedy
Author: Frederich Schiller
Release Date: October 26, 2006 [EBook #6791]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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STUART ***

Produced by Tapio Riikonen and David Widger

MARY STUART.
A TRAGEDY.
By Frederich Schiller

NOTE: The translation of MARY STUART is that by the late Joseph
Mellish, who appears to have been on terms of intimate friendship with
Schiller. His version was made from the prompter's copy, before the
play was published, and, like Coleridge's Wallenstein, contains many
passages not found in the printed edition. These are distinguished by
brackets. On the other hand, Mr. Mellish omitted many passages which
now form part of the printed drama, all of which are now added. The
translation, as a whole, stands out from similar works of the time (1800)
in almost as marked a degree as Coleridge's Wallenstein, and some
passages exhibit powers of a high order; a few, however, especially in
the earlier scenes, seemed capable of improvement, and these have
been revised, but, in deference to the translator, with a sparing hand.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE.
ELIZABETH, Queen of England. MARY STUART, Queen of Scots, a
Prisoner in England. ROBERT DUDLEY, Earl of Leicester. GEORGE
TALBOT, Earl of Shrewsbury. WILLIAM CECIL, Lord Burleigh,
Lord High Treasurer. EARL OF KENT. SIR WILLIAM DAVISON,
Secretary of State. SIR AMIAS PAULET, Keeper of MARY. SIR
EDWARD MORTIMER, his Nephew. COUNT L'AUBESPINE, the
French Ambassador. O'KELLY, Mortimer's Friend. COUNT
BELLIEVRE, Envoy Extraordinary from France. SIR DRUE DRURY,
another Keeper of MARY. SIR ANDREW MELVIL, her House
Steward. BURGOYNE, her Physician. HANNAH KENNEDY, her
Nurse. MARGARET CURL, her Attendant. Sheriff of the County.
Officer of the Guard. French and English Lords. Soldiers. Servants of
State belonging to ELIZABETH. Servants and Female Attendants of
the Queen of Scots.

ACT I.
SCENE I.

A common apartment in the Castle of Fotheringay.
HANNAH KENNEDY, contending violently with PAULET, who is
about to break open a closet; DRURY with an iron crown.
KENNEDY. How now, sir? what fresh outrage have we here? Back
from that cabinet!
PAULET. Whence came the jewel? I know 'twas from an upper
chamber thrown; And you would bribe the gardener with your trinkets.
A curse on woman's wiles! In spite of all My strict precaution and my
active search, Still treasures here, still costly gems concealed! And
doubtless there are more where this lay hid.
[Advancing towards the cabinet.
KENNEDY. Intruder, back! here lie my lady's secrets.
PAULET. Exactly what I seek. [Drawing forth papers.
KENNEDY. Mere trifling papers; The amusements only of an idle pen,
To cheat the dreary tedium of a dungeon.
PAULET. In idle hours the evil mind is busy.
KENNEDY. Those writings are in French.
PAULET. So much the worse! That tongue betokens England's enemy.
KENNEDY. Sketches of letters to the Queen of England.
PAULET. I'll be their bearer. Ha! what glitters here?
[He touches a secret spring, and draws out jewels from a private
drawer.
A royal diadem enriched with stones, And studded with the fleur-de-lis
of France.

[He hands it to his assistant.
Here, take it, Drury; lay it with the rest.
[Exit DRURY.
[And ye have found the means to hide from us Such costly things, and
screen them, until now, From our inquiring eyes?]
KENNEDY. Oh, insolent And tyrant power, to which we must submit.
PAULET. She can work ill as long as she hath treasures; For all things
turn to weapons in her hands.
KENNEDY (supplicating). Oh, sir! be merciful; deprive us not Of the
last jewel that adorns our life! 'Tis my poor lady's only joy to view This
symbol of her former majesty; Your hands long since have robbed us of
the rest.
PAULET. 'Tis in safe custody; in proper time 'Twill be restored to you
with scrupulous care.
KENNEDY. Who that beholds these naked walls could say That
majesty dwelt here? Where is the throne? Where the imperial canopy of
state? Must she not set her tender foot, still used To softest treading, on
the rugged ground? With common pewter, which the lowliest dame
Would scorn, they furnish forth her homely table.
PAULET. Thus did she treat her spouse at Stirling once; And pledged,
the while, her paramour in gold.
KENNEDY. Even the mirror's trifling aid withheld.
PAULET. The contemplation of her own vain image Incites to hope,
and prompts to daring deeds.
KENNEDY. Books are denied her to divert her mind.