Downloaded from https://www.holybooks.com i Downloaded from https://www.holybooks.com Whitelocke placing the Crown before Cromwell. FRONTISPIECE Victor Hugo, Vol. XIX., p. 87. Downloaded from https://www.holybooks.com THE DRAMAS OF VICTOR HUGO CROMWELL Profusely Illustrated with Elegant Wood Engravings VOLUME NINETEEN NEW YORK PETER FENELON COLLIER, PUBLISHER Downloaded from https://www.holybooks.com Downloaded from https://www.holybooks.com DRAMATIS PERSON/E OLIVER CROMWELL. ELIZABETH BOURCHIER. MISTRESS FLEETWOOD. LADY FALCONBRIDGE. LADY CLEYPOLE. LADY FRANCES. RICHARD CROMWELL. LIEUTENANT-GENERAL FLEETWOOD. MAJOR-GENERAL DESBOROUGH. EARL OF WARWICK. THURLOE. LORD BROGHILL. WHITELOCKE, commissioner of the seal. EARL OF CARLISLE. STOUPE, secretary of state. SERGEANT MAYNARD. MR WILLIAM LENTHALL. COLONEL JEPHSON. COLONEL GRACE. WALLER. SIR CHARLES WOLSELEY. PIERPOINT. LIEUTENANT-GENERAL LAMBERT. COLONEL JOYCE. (5) Downloaded from https://www.holybooks.com DRAMATIS PERSONJE MAJOR-GENERAL HARRISON. LIEUTENANT-GENERAL LUDLOW. COLONEL OVERTON. COLONEL PRIDE. MAJOR WILDMAN. BAREBONE, currier. GARLAND, member of Parliament. PLINLIMMON, member of Parliament. LIVE-FOR-RESURREOTION-JEROBOAM- OF-EMER. PRAISE-GOD-PlMPLETON. DEATH-TO-SIN-PALMER SYNDERCOMB, soldier. LORD ORMOND. WILMOT, LORD ROCHESTER. LORD DROGHEDA. LORD ROSEBERRY. LORD CLIFFORD. SIR PETERS DOWNIE. SEDLEY. DAVENANT. DOCTOR JENKINS. SIR RICHARD WILLIS. SIR WILLIAM MURRAY. JOHN MILTON. CARR. MANASSES-BEN-ISRAEL. TRICK, ~) ^omwell's four fools. GRAMTiocH, \ ELESPURU, J DAME GUGGLIGOY. Downloaded from https://www.holybooks.com DRAMATIS PERSONS 7 DUKE DE CREQUI, embas- } sador France. their Suite. from [ MANCINI. ) DON Luis DE CARDENAS, embassador from Spain, and his Suite. FILIPPI, envoy from Christina of Swe- den^ and his Suite. Three Deputies from Vaud. Six Envoys from the United Prov- inces. HANNIBAL. SESTHEAD, cousin to the King of Denmark, and his two Pages. THE LORD MAYOR. THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF PAR- LIAMENT. THE CLERK OF THE HOUSE OF PARLIA- MENT. A Town Bailiff. THE HIGH SHERIFF. THE CHAMPION OF ENGLAND and his Suite. DOCTOR LOCKYER. Town Crier, Servants of the Town, Lords and Noblemen, Workmen, Body- Guards of the Protector, Archers, Halberdiers, Par- tisans, Pages, Sergeants-at-Arms, Citizens, the Parliament, the crowd. LONDON, 1657 Downloaded from https://www.holybooks.com Downloaded from https://www.holybooks.com CROMWELL ACT I THE CONSPIRATORS SCENE. Inn of the Three Cranes. Tables, chairs of rough wood. In the back- ground a door leading out into a square. Interior of an old house of the Middle Ages SCENE I LORD ORMOND, disguised as a Roundhead, hair cut very close, tall hat with large brim, black coat, breeches of black serge, high boots; he is seated at a table in a dark corner of the room. LORD BROG- HILL, elegant morning costume of a Cav- alier, hat with feathers, breeches and doublet of satin, slashed; small boots LORD BROGHILL (enters by the door in the back, which remains half open, disclosing the Square and the old houses lighted up by the dawn. He holds an open letter in his hand and reads it attentively). "To-morrow, on the twenty-fifth of June, Year sixteen hundred fifty-seven, one (9) Downloaded from https://www.holybooks.com 10 DRAMAS OF VICTOR HUGO Whom Lord Broghill once cherished tenderly Will be at the Three Cranes at early morn And wait for him near the wine market, at The corner of the streets." [He looks around.] This is the tavern The same place that Charles, whom God forsook At Worcester, in great stress to save his head, Chose, here in London, to escape Cromwell. [He turns to the letter again. Whence comes this letter I received last night? The writing LORD ORMOND (rising). May God keep Lord Broghill! LORD BROGHILL (examining him from head to foot ivith a contemptuous air). What! 'Tis you, my friend, who cause me to leave home For this smoke-smothered hole? What is your name? Whence come you? Why? From whom? What do you want? I've seen that fellow somewhere! LORD ORMOND. Lord Broghill! LORD BROGHILL. Well, answer, can't you? Knaves like you were made To ply your tricks for servants at our door. That's all the honor, sirrah, to pay you well, Which your degree in life can claim from ours. I find vou bold ! Downloaded from https://www.holybooks.com CROMWELL 11 LORD ORMOND. Without displeasing you, Do words like these become a mighty lord, The friend of Cromwell? LORD BROGHILL. The old Puritan, Should you rouse him by chance at such an hour, Would let you hang some twenty cubits high Till you had changed the color of your thoughts. LORD ORMOND (aside). I hope to make him sleep, not waken him ! LORD BROGHILL. When Cromwell's firmly seated on the throne, He will know how to punish insolence. LORD ORMOND. His throne's a scaffold, and his robes are blood. False servant of the Stuarts, you forget LORD BROGHILL. That look, that tone Who are you? LORD ORMOND. Broghill asks! Have you forgot the Irish wars, my lord? Together, in those days, we served the King. LORD BROGHILL. Lord Ormond, my old friend 'tis you! [Taking his hand affectionately. In London, And you come here the evening of that day Downloaded from https://www.holybooks.com I'-i DRAMAS OF VICTOR HUGO When Cromwell's to be crowned. A price is on Your head. Ah, if this visit should be known What brings you here, unhappy man? LORD ORMOND. My duty ! LORD BROGHILL. How is it possible I knew you not? That gloomy look, that ministerial dress, The years You are so changed ! LORD ORMOND. Less changed than you! You've bent the knee to Cromwell, Lord Brog- hill! You bow low down before this regicide. I've changed my clothes; you've changed your heart and soul. Can it be you, our mighty warrior ! You soared so high only to fall so low ! LORD BROGHILL. I I Proscribed, honor you ; vanquished, pity. But such words LORD ORMOND. They are less severe than just. However, you can make amends for all: Serve me LORD BROGHILL. With Cromwell! Willingly. I fly! Your life I can save, for it is proscribed. LORD ORMOND. Hold, friend ! Ask me to save your head instead. Downloaded from https://www.holybooks.com CROMWELL 13 Your insolent support, protector, king, Your Cromwell is more near his fall than I. LORD BROGHILL. What do I hear? LORD ORMOND. This truth: consumed by sadness, Weary of petty titles, such as highness Or lord protector, Cromwell wants to be Hailed on a royal throne as Majesty. Among the spoils, of which each claims his share, He asks the bloody heritage of Charles. He shall receive it all his throne; his shroud. The kingly regicide in that proud hour Shall learn that crowns are heavy, and although They may be seized by treachery, their weight Oft bends the head which wears them to the earth. LORD BROGHILL. What's this? LORD ORMOND. To-morrow just as Westminster Shall open to this king, by hell's will crowned, Upon that throne which his mad pride usurps He'll fall a bloody corpse beneath our swords. LORD BROGHILL. Rash man! The army's with him. He ne'er moves Without this living wall of iron for Defense. Know you the number of his guards? Break through three rows of halberds, if you can; Downloaded from https://www.holybooks.com 14 DRAMAS OF VICTOR HUGO Through heavy foot-guards, heralds, esquire beadles, Through his red cuirassiers, black musketeers! LORD ORMOND. They're ours! LORD BROGHILL. With what vain hope you drug yourself, To see Roundheads unite with Cavaliers ! LORD ORMOND. Here, in an instant, will come Royalists To mix with men of Parliament. It is Fanaticism which rules Puritans. They want no more of Oliver than Charles. If Cromwell makes himself a king, he dies. Lambert, his rival and their chief, is ours. He dares to think he can take Cromwell's place. That will be settled later. Spanish gold And Flemish gold have made us many friends Within these walls. In short, the time is ripe, The chances good, and we throw down the dice. LORD BROGHILL. Cromwell is skillful; you will risk your head. LORD ORMOND. God knows to whom to-morrow will bring joy. Our plot, Broghill, is certain of success. This morning Rochester will bring Sedley, Lord Clifford, Jenkins, Davenant the poet, Which last is charged with secret message from The King. To the same meeting will come Carr, Sir Richard Willis, Harrison. Downloaded from https://www.holybooks.com CROMWELL 16 LORD BROGHILL. But they Are all in prison; they're his enemies, Whom Cromwell has imprisoned in the Tower. LORD ORMOND. One word will answer- that. Among our friends, All urged by different motives, but all bent On crushing Cromwell, we have gained Bark- stead, The Regicide, the keeper of the Tower, Whom hope of pardon brings upon our side. See, with what art the plot has been matured. Within a giant net-work Cromwell's caught. He'll not escape; all parties have conspired To dig this precipice beneath his throne. 'Tis this which brings me from the Continent. I want to save you. In the name of Charles, My master, do you choose to die a traitor Or live a faithful subject? LORD BROGHILL. What say you? LORD ORMOND. Return beneath the royal standard ! LORD BROGHILL. Ah, I was a loyal subject once, my friend. In civil wars I've captured many castles; I have defended cities for our king. Hard fate has changed the soldier of the Stuarts To Cromwell's courtier. Well, let it be so. Leave a deserter to his gloomy fate. Downloaded from https://www.holybooks.com 16 DRAMAS OF VICTOR HUGO But you, in your turn, listen; be my judge.