Where were the service that could claim reward?
Keep you my counsel for my father's sake,
And if at Malpas when you meet the Witan
You hear a rumour of the Queen escaped,
Call it a misadventure and mischance.

Sigeric. Save what shall reach me when I'm gone from hence

I shall know nought. God send you well to fare!

Ruold. I thank you, worthy Sigeric. Farewell.
Elgiva! Royal mistress! Beautiful Queen!
I would the danger to my head were more,
Lest thou shouldst deem it but a politic cast,
And not a loyal venture.

[Exit.

Elgiva.

Re-enter ELGIVA.

My good Ruold,

'Twas Sigeric went from you, was it not? What tidings brought he ?

Ruold.

Madam, he confirms

Our yesterday's intelligence. The King

Is rescued by Earl Athulf. Dunstan is fled.
And there is this additional,-Ethilda
Is to Earl Athulf solemnly betroth'd,
Though yet the nuptials are not; for the Pope
To Dunstan only gave authority

The sentence which he utter'd to revoke ;

And whilst the Earl is excommunicate

The princess to the marriage rite demurs.

Elgiva. Her heart was ever scrupulous, and splits
Betwixt the Pope and Athulf. Notwithstanding,
Athulf will prosper. Ah! my
faithful Ruold,
Now must I put thy loyalty to proof.

The letters from Earl Leolf that were brought
Are full of comfort. He is in force at Audley;
And with a light and deftly mounted troop
In cover of the night could come to Tilston,
And me, there meeting him, could carry thence,

And pass the interspace of hostile ground
Ere break of day. No more of doubtful looks,
Dear, faithful Ruold; I must brush away

These cobwebs from thy brow-Ah, now 'tis clear,
Free, frank, and noble !-Well, what answer, Ruold?
Ruold. My Royal mistress, doubts if I have had,
They were not craven nor disloyal doubts;
They were but such as fear for you proposed,
Not for myself; and now my fears are less,
My faith the same; my answer is, then,—go,
Go at your gracious pleasure, if your flight
Be deem'd more safe than your captivity.

Elgiva. Oh! I am sick of safety in a prison.
Give me that dangerous liberty I seek,

And through the tossings of one turbulent night
Let me descry the harbour of

my

home,

With waving hands and welcomings of friends,
When mid the shoutings of the multitude
I shoot triumphant o'er the perilous bar
And pass at once to gladness and to peace.
Ruold. Ev'n be it as you will.

But stir not yet.

Wait till the lords have drawn their forces in

And gather'd to the Witenagemót.

Then shall you send to Leolf, and appoint
The period of your flight.

Elgiva.

'Twill not be long,

Good Ruold, will it? I will try to wait.

ACT V.

SCENE I.-A Heath in Hampshire.-DUNSTAN and GURMO in flight.

Dunstan. The night shall shield us like a raven's

Make forward still.

Hist! in the lull of the wind
On apace!

I hear the stroke of hammers.

It is a blacksmith's forge. I'll harbour there.

SCENE II-A Blacksmith's Forge.-The Blacksmith at work. Serfs and Boors dropping in, with a Monk and others. Blacksmith (blowing the bellows, and singing). But now I wax old,

Sick, sorry, and cold,

Like muck upon

mould

I widder away.

1st Boor. Look, thou horse-cobbler; call'st thou this a shoe?

I know thee; since the slaughter at the ford

Thou'rt warming old ones up.

Blacksmith.

Oh me, St. Giles!

2nd Boor. And mark this coulter; look you at

this mattock.

Monk. Repent and do thy work more workmanlike, Or in a twinkling thou shalt him behold

That came to holy Dunstan's forge unbid

And staid unwilling.
Would touch him not,
Through all the land.
3rd Boor.

Marry, sir, thy tongs
and he is roaming now

"Tis true; I saw myself 'Twas in Dame Umfrieg's garth,

The print of his hoof.
And Father Ægelpig discover'd it.
'Twas like a goat's.

Monk.

My son, he's there and here
And everywhere, since that most holy man,
The Abbot Dunstan, by the godless King
Was driven away.

4th Boor.

I've sent for Father Cridda

To bless and exorcise my cattle and swine.

Monk. Thou hast done well; but thy best safety lies In holy Dunstan's prayers. At Winchester Ye heard how in the west end of the church The night that Dunstan fled the Devil skipp'd And with great laughter in his roaring fashion Took up his O be joyful!' Who are these?

A brother of mine order is the one,

If I mistake not. Benedicite!

Enter DUNSTAN and GURMO.

Dunstan. God save you! holy brother: sons, and you!

We seek for shelter from the coming storm.

Blacksmith. Father, you're welcome.

Monk. Canst thou be so insensible to ask?

The holy Abbot Dunstan—where is he?

What fate attends him?

Lilla, the King's Gerefa of the shire,
Proclaim'd it far and wide.

Dunstan.

Give me thy hammer;
Thou canst not make a coulter so; look here;
Strike endways-thus-and thus. What said the shire
To Lilla's proclamation ? Was it welcomed ?
Monk. Torn down and trampled in the mud.
shire

Will yield them many a Peter with his sword,
But ne'er a Judas.

Dunstan.

In Dunstan's cause?

Monk.

Is the shire so hot

It kindles hourly. Nay
'Tis said that Lilla and his men were met
On Chilton-down by fifteen hundred boors
And scantly saved themselves by flight.

1st Boor.

This

'Tis true; 'Twas Titchburne township that turn'd out the first: But we of Droxford will be up betimes;

See if we be not.

Dunstan.

If ye be, my friends,

The Abbot will be presently amongst you;
For this way comes he, having in his mind
To cross the sea to Flanders. But, my friends,
be hearty in the cause of God

If

ye

Ye will not let him go. Shame to this shire,
Shame be to England and to Christendom,
If he that fasted and that watch'd for you,
And day by day to save your perishing souls
Flay'd his poor body streaming down with blood,—
Shame to your country and yourselves, if he
Should flee before the wicked!

Boors.

We'll rise! we'll rise!

It never shall be said. He shall not flee.

Dunstan. He will not, if ye stead him in his peril.

But ye must be alert. Go forth this night,
This very night go forth, and call your fellows
In all the hamlets round, to meet at Stoke