STRAFFORD

ROBERT BROWNING

SIR THOMAS WENTWORTH was one of the English statesmen who opposed the doctrine of divine right. He believed that the life and liberty of the subject must be guarded against arbitrary power, but he was unwilling to follow the men who were aiming to render the king subordinate to Parliament. On the passing of the Petition of Right (1629), he broke with the reform party and offered his services to Charles. Wentworth was sent to Ireland as Lord Deputy, but returned to the king's side (1641) when the Covenanters were threatening an invasion of England. Finding that the Parliamentarians were carrying on negotiations with the Scotch, he offered to bring a loyal Irish army to the defence of the king. Charles rewarded his devotion by creating him Earl of Strafford and appointed him Lieutenant General of the English army with orders to suppress rebellion in any of the king's dominions. Indignant because of his treason to the popular cause, Pym and the reform party charged Strafford with attempting to "introduce an arbitrary and tyrannical government against law," and succeeded in forcing a bill of attainder through Parliament. Charles had promised Strafford upon the honor of a king "that he should not suffer in life, honor, or fortune," yet he signed the bill, hoping thus to avoid further trouble.

ACT I

SCENE I. A House near Whitehall.

Hampden,

Hollis, the younger Vane, Rudyard, Fiennes, and many of the Presbyterian Party; Loudon and other Scots Commissioners.

Vane.

Now, by Heaven

They may be cool who can, silent who will -

Some have a gift that way! Wentworth is here,
Here, and the King's safe closeted with him

Ere this. And when I think on all that's past
Since that man left us, how his single arm
Rolled the advancing good of England back
And set the woful past up in its place,-
Exalting Dagon where the Ark should be-
How that man has made firm the fickle King
(Hampden, I will speak out!)—in aught he feared
To venture on before; taught Tyranny
Her dismal trade, the use of all her tools,

To ply the scourge yet screw the gag so close
That strangled agony bleeds mute to death-
How he turns Ireland to a private stage
For training infant villainies, new ways
Of wringing treasure out of tears and blood,
Unheard oppressions nourished in the dark
To try how much man's nature can endure

- If he dies under it, what harm? if not,
Why, one more trick is added to the rest
Worth a king's knowing, and what Ireland bears
England may learn to bear: how all this while
That man has set himself to one dear task,
The bringing Charles to relish more and more
Power, power without law, power and blood too
Can I be still?

Hamp.

For that you should be still.

Vane. O Hampden, then and now! The year he

The People in full Parliament could wrest
The Bill of Rights from the reluctant King;
And now, he'll find in an obscure small room

A stealthy gathering of great-hearted men
That take up England's cause: England is here!
Hamp. And who despairs of England?
Rud.

That do I,
If Wentworth comes to rule her. I am sick
To think her wretched masters, Hamilton,
The muckworm Cottington, the maniac Laud,
May yet be longed-for back again. I say,
I do despair.

Vane.

And, Rudyard, I'll say thisWhich all true men say after me, not loud But solemnly and as you'd say a prayer! This King, who,treads our England under foot, Has just so much - it may be fear or craftAs bids him pause at each fresh outrage; friends, He needs some sterner hand to grasp his own, Some voice to ask, "Why shrink? —am I not by?" Now, one whom England loved for serving her, Found in his heart to say, "I know where best The iron heel shall bruise her, for she leans Upon me when you trample." Witness, you! So Wentworth heartened Charles, and England fell. But inasmuch as life is hard to take

From England

Many Voices. Go on, Vane! 'Tis well said, Vane! Vane. Who has not so forgotten Runnymead! Voices. 'Tis well and bravely spoken, Vane! Go on!

Vane. There are some little signs of late she knows The ground no place for her! She glances round,

Wentworth has dropped the hand, is gone his way On other service: what if she arise?

No! the King beckons, and beside him stands.

The same bad man once more, with the same smile And the same gesture. Now shall England crouch, Or catch at us and rise?

Voices.

Haman! Ahithophel!
Hamp.

The Renegade!

Gentlemen of the North,

It was not thus the night your claims were urged,
And we pronounced the League and Covenant,
The cause of Scotland, England's cause as well!
Vane, there, sat motionless the whole night through.
Vane. Hampden!

Fien.

Lou.

Stay, Vane!

Be just and patient, Vane! Vane. Mind how you counsel patience, Loudon ! you Have still a Parliament, and this your League

To back it; you are free in Scotland still:
While we are brothers, hope's for England yet.

But know you wherefore Wentworth comes? to quench

This last of hopes? that he brings war with him?
Know you the man's self? what he dares?

He would see Pym first; there were many more
Strong on the people's side and friends of his,
Eliot that's dead, Rudyard and Hampden here,
But for these Wentworth cared not; only, Pym
He would see Pym and he were sworn, 'tis said,
To live and die together; so, they met

--

At Greenwich. Wentworth, you are sure, was long,
Specious enough, the Devil's argument

Lost nothing on his lips; he'd have Pym own
A patriot could not play a purer part

Than follow in his track; they two combined

Might put down England. Well, Pym heard him out; One glance- you know Pym's eye-one word was all:

"You leave us, Wentworth! while your head is on, I'll not leave you."

ACT V

SCENE. The Tower. Pym, with Hampden and Vane, confronts Strafford, who is on the point of escape. Pym. Have I done well? Speak, England! Whose sole sake

I still have laboured for, with disregard

To my own heart, for whom my youth was made
Barren, my manhood waste, to offer up

Her sacrifice - this friend, this Wentworth here-
Who walked in youth with me, loved me, it may be,
And whom, for his forsaking England's cause,
I hunted by all means (trusting that she
Would sanctify all means) even to the block