LEI.  How cheers old Bruce?

YOUNG B. His soul to joy is fled,
His grief is in my bosom buried.

LEI.  His life was dearly bought; for my eyes saw
A shambles of dead men about his feet,
Sent by his sword into eternal shade. 
With honour bury him.  Cease tears, good Bruce.

YOUNG B, Tears help not, I confess, yet must I weep. 
Soldiers, your help to bear him to my tent.

[Exeunt cum BRUCE.

    Enter QUEEN and MATILDA.

MAT.  Be comforted, great queen:  forget my wrongs. 
It was my fortune, and no fault of yours.

QUEEN.  Is she thus mild? or doth she mock my chance?

LEI.  Queen Isabel,[331] are you a prisoner? 
See what it is to be a soldier. 
But what foul hand hath harm’d Matilda’s fair?[332]
Speak, honourable maid, who tore thy hair? 
Did Salisbury or the queen this violence?

MAT.  Ungentle grooms first took and tore me thus,
From whom old Salisbury, chastising their wrong,
Most kindly brought me to this gentle queen;
Who laid her soft hand on my bleeding cheeks,
Gave kisses to my lips, wept for my woe;
And was devising how to send me back,
Even when your last alarum frighted us,
And by her kindness fell into your hands.

LEI.  Which kindness we return:  Madam, be free. 
Soldiers, conduct the queen whither she please.

QUEEN.  Farewell, Matilda; if I live, believe
I will remember this.  O, how I grieve
That I should wrong so innocent a maid! 
Come, lady, old Fitzwater is not far: 
He’ll weep to see these scars, full well I know.

MAT.  Would I were from this woful world of war! 
Sure I will ’scape, and to some nunnery go.

[Exeunt.

SCENE V.

Enter KING, SALISBURY, HUBERT.

KING.  Had you her, then, had you her in your power?

SAL.  Ay, marry had we:  we had taken her.

KING.  O, had she been in mine, not all earth’s power
From my power should have freed her!

SAL.  You are a king, and high are princes’ thoughts: 
It may be, with your sight you could have chas’d
A host of armed men; it may be so: 
But we, your subjects, did the best we could. 
Yet Bruce the father, backing Bruce the son,
Scatter’d our troops, brought rescue to Matilda,
And took your peerless queen their prisoner.

KING.  On all the race of Bruces for this wrong
I will have vengeance!  Hubert, call in Brand. [Exit HUBERT. 
My Lord of Salisbury, give us leave awhile
To be alone.

SAL.  I will, my liege.  Be you comforted;
The queen will be recovered, do not fear,
As well as e’er she was.

KING.  Salisbury, forbear, I pray.

SAL.  Yet for the wrong she did unto Matilda,
I fear, I fear—­
                    [Exit.