The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1835-01-28

cxtOfted rom that masculine bosom, only by the
extremity of anguish She had not looked upon
that den drunk with the blood Of princess, since it
had been glutted with its last no5est victim. Es-
sex, the prncely the valiant the generous and the
noblc-Essex, thcfayorite of the people, the admir-
ed of men, the idol, the cherished idol, of Elizabeth,
had gone, few short moons before, through that
abhorred gaeway-had gone 10 die, had died by
her unwilling mandate. Bitter and long had been
the struggle between her wounded pride, and her
wrath against the rebel thrice had she signed the
fatal warrant, and often consigned to the flames
and when at length her Indignation prevailed, and
she fixed her name to the fell scroll, which once ex-
ecued she never smiled again, that Indignation was
excited not so much by the violence of his proceed
ngs against her crown, by his obstinate delay in
claiming pity and pardon from an offended but in
ldulgcnt mistress.
Onward onward they went. The barge was at
her moorings by the water gate Nottingham house
and the queen had made her way unannounced
and almost unattended, to the sick chamber Of the
aged countess.
! The sick woman had been for weeks wasting
away beneath slow and painful malady; her
strength had failed her, and for days, her end
had been almost daily expected. Still, with that
strange and unnatural tenacty,-through which the
dying sometimes cling to EARTH even after every ra-
tonal hope of days prolonged existence has been
extingushed-she had hovered as it were Oh the
confines of life and death, the vital flame flick
ering like that ofa lamp,-whose aliment has long
since been exhausted, d,-fitfully playing about the
wick, which can no longer support IT. Her reason,
which had been partially obscured during the latter
period of her maIady, had been restored to its full
vgor, on the preceding evening; but the only fruit
OF It's restoration was the utmost anguish Ot mental
suffering and conscientious rcmorse. From the
moment when the messenger, whose arrival we have
already witnessed, had been despatched on his noe
turnal mission, she had passed the time IN fearful
| Il Al Il Ill, L..
with the dark angel now pleading with the Al
mighty, and aburing him, by her suferngs, and by
her very sins, to spare her yet little while now
skrlckIng out the name of Elizabeth, calling her.
as she valued her SOULS salyatIOn to make no long
tarrying. In the opinion of the ceches, who watch
ed around her pillow and Of the terrified preacher
who communed with his own heart and still,
her life was kept up only by this fierce and feverlsh
excitement.
Alta glance she recognized the queen, before
another eye had marked her entrance IIah = she |
groancd in deep sepulchral tones She is come,
before whose coming my guilty soul had not power
to pass away! She Is come, to witness the damnaton
of an immortal spirit To hear tale of sin and
sorrow, that has parallel Hear my words, o
queen, hear my words now-and laugh-laugh if
you can--for by HIM who made us both and is now
dealing with me according TO my merits, never
never shall you laugh again Hereafter you shall
groan, and weep, and tremblc, and curse yourself
as do Laugh, say, Elizabeth of England laugh
now, never laugh again
For moment the spirit of the queen manly and
strong rs 1t was, beyond perhaps all precedent,
was fairly overcome and cowed, by the fierce in
cnsty the dying woman's manner. Not long,
however, could that proud soul quail to any created
thing.
'Forc God, woman'-shc cried thou art be-
witched, desperately wicked What in the iicnds
name mean ycG
In the iend's name truly-for he alone inspired
look here-and thcn--pardon me, Elizabeth
of England in Gods name, pardon me-
As she spoke, she held alolt, in her thin and
bird-lke fingers, massive ring of gold from which
a sapphire of rare price cleaned brilliantly, casting
II bright dancing specb of blue reflection upon her
hollow ghastly features know you'-she screamed )
this tokcnP
Where got you twoman! Speak say, speak
or curse you Where got you that same token 2
The proud queen shook and shuddered as she spoke
like one i'll an ague fit.
'Esscx!-sghed the diving coutess through her
set tecth-'thc murdered Essex!'
Murdered Gods death thou lest He was a
to death--0h God Oh Cod know
not what say !-and big tcardrop, the first in
many year, the first perhaps that ever had bedewed
that iron cheek, slid slowly down the face of Eliza
BETH and fell heavily the brow the glaring suf
ferer, who still held the ring aot her hand clasped
oloso III "'it"uO vi supP'lcauoh 'pcah -silc siu
again in milder accents speak, Nottingham, what
of-of EsscxP
THAT ring he gave me to bear to thy foot stool,
and to pray gracious mistress favor to crrng,
but grateful, servant
And thou-woman thou-absolutey shrieked the
Queen.
- Gave it not to thc-hat Essex might die, not
lwe'-was the steady reply Pardon me before
die-pardon me, as God shall pardon thee' .
God shall not pardon mo--woman-neither do :
pardon thee llE-an he w-may pardon thee :
but that will do never never! BY the life of :
the Eternal, NEVER and in the overpowerng fury .
and agitation of the moment, she seized the dying
sinner with an iron grip and shook her in the bed,
till the ponderous fabrck creaked and quivered.
Not another word not another sob passed the lips ;
of the old cnnntess-hnr frn,nn WIS shnknn hr S