set thy foote within Alphonsus land What art thou come to view thy wretched kings Whose traiterous heads bedeckt my tents so well Or else thou hearing that on top thereof There is a place left vacant art thou come To haue thy head possesse the highest seate If it be so lie downe and this my sword Shall presently that honor thee affoord If not pack hence or by the heauens I vow Both thou and thine shall verie soone perceiue That he that seekes to moue my patience Must yeeld his life to thee for recompence Amu. Why proud Alphonsus thinkst thou Amurack Whose mightie force doth terrefie the Gods Can ere be found to turne his heeles and flie Away for feare from such a boy as thou No no although that Mars this mickle while Hath fortified thy weake and feeble arme And Fortune oft hath viewd with friendly face Thy armies marching victors from the field Yet at the presence of high Amuracke Fortune shall change and Mars that God of might Shall succour me and leaue Alphonsus quight Alphon. Pagan I say thou greatly art deceiu'd I clap vp Fortune in a cage of gold To make her turne her wheele as I thinke best And as for Mars whom you do say will change He moping sits behind the kitchin doore Prest at commaund of euery Skullians mouth Who dares not stir nor once to moue a whit For feare Alphonsus then should stomack it Amu. Blasphemous dog I wonder that the earth Doth cease from renting vnderneath thy feete What froward fortune hapned on your side I hope your king in safetie doth abide Cro. I noble madam Amurack doth liue And long I hope he shall enioy his life But yet I feare vnles more succour come We shall both loose our king and soueraigne Fau. How so king Crocon dost thou speak in iest To proue if Fausta would lament his death Or else hath any thing hapt him amis Speake quickly Crocon what the cause might be That thou dost vtter forth these words to me Cro. Then worthie Fausta know that Amuracke Our mightie king and your approued spowse Prickt with desire of euerlasting fame As he was pressing in the thickest rankes Of Aragonians was with much adoo At length tooke prisoner by Alphonsus hands So that vnles you succour soone do bring You loose your spowse and we shall want our king Iphi. Oh haples hap oh dire and cruell fate What iniurie hath Amuracke my sire Done to the Gods which now I know are wrath Although vniustly and without a cause For well I wot not any other king Which now doth liue or since the world begun Did sway a scepter had a greater care To please the Gods then mightie Amuracke And for to quite our fathers great good will Seeke they thus basely all his fame to spill Fau. Iphigina leaue off these wofull tunes It is not words can cure and ease this wound But warlike swords not teares but sturdie speares High Amuracke is prisoner to our foes What then thinke you that our Amazones Ioynd with the forces of the Turkish troupe Are not sufficient for to set him free Yes daughter yes I meane not for to sleepe Vntill he is free or we him company keepe March on my mates Exeunt omnes Strike vp alarum flie Alphonsus follow Iphigina and say Iphi. How now Alphonsus you which neuer yet Could meete your equall in the feates of armes How haps it now that in such sudden sort You flie the presence of a sillie maide What haue you found mine arme of such a force As that you thinke your bodie ouerweake For to withstand the furie of my blowes Or do you else disdaine to fight with me For staining of your high nobilitie Alp. No daintie dame I wold not haue thee think That euer thou or any other wight Shall liue to see Alphonsus flie the field From any king or Keisar who some ere First will I die in thickest of my fo Before I will disbase mine honour so Nor do I scorne thou goddes for to staine My prowes with thee although it be a shame For knights to combat with the female sect But loue sweete mouse hath so benumbd my wit That though I would I must refraine from it Iphi. I thought as much when first I came to wars Your noble acts were fitter to be writ Within the Tables of dame Venus sun Then in God Mars his warlike registers When as your Lords are hacking helm es abroad And make their speares to shiuer in the aire Your mind is busied in fond Cupids toyes Come on I faith I le teach you for to know We came to fight and not to loue I trow Alph. Nay virgin stay and if thou wilt vouchsafe To entertaine Alphonsus simple sute Thou shalt ere long be Monarch of the world All christned kings with all your Pagan dogs Shall bend their knees vnto Iphigina The Indian soyle shal be thine at command Where euery step thou settest on the ground Shall be receiued on the golden mines Rich Pactolus that riuer of account Which doth descend from top of Tiuole mount Shall be thine owne and all the world beside If you will graunt to be Alphonsus bride Iphi. Alphonsus bride nay villain do not thinke That fame or riches can so rule my thoughts As for to make me loue and fancie him Whom I do hate and in such sort despise As if my death could bring to passe his baine I would not long from Plutoes port remaine Alph. Nay then proud pecock since thou art so stout As that intreatie will not moue thy minde For to consent to be my wedded spowse Thou shalt in spite of Gods and Fortune too Serue high Alphonsus as a concubine Iphi. I le rather die then euer that shall hap Alphon. And thou shalt die vnles it come to pas Alphonsus and Iphigina fight Iphigina flie follow Alphonsus Strike vp alarum Enter Alphonsus with his rapier Albinius Laelius Miles with their souldiers Amurack Fausta Iphigina Crocon and Faustus all bounde with their hands behind them Amuracke looke angerly on Fausta Enter Medea and say Med. Nay Amurack this is no time to iarre Although thy wife did in her franticke moode Vse speeches which might better haue bene sparde Yet do thou not iudge the same time to be A season to requite that iniurie More fitteth thee with all the wit thou hast To call to mind which way thou maist release Thy selfe thy wife and faire Iphigina Forth of the power of stout Alphonsus hands For well I wot since first you breathed breath You neuer were so nie the snares of death Now Amurack your high and kingly seate Your royall scepter and your stately Crowne Your mightie Countrey and your men at armes Be conquered all and can no succour bring Put then no trust in these same paltrie toyes But call to mind that thou a prisoner art Clapt vp in chaines whose life and deaths depends Vpon the hands of thy most mortall foe Then take thou heed that what some ere
of our royall Campe Vntill such time as froward fates we thought Although the fates ordaind it for our gaine Did send a straunger stout whose sturdie blowes And force alone did cause our ouerthrow But to our purpose this same martiall knight Did hap to hit vpon Flaminius And lent our King then such a friendly blow As that his gasping ghost to Lymbo went Which when I sawe and seeking to reuenge My noble Lords did hap on such a prize As neuer King nor Keisar got the like Mi. Laelius of force we must confesse to thee We wondred all when as you did perswade Vs to returne vnto the warres againe But since our maruell is increased much By these your words which sound of happinesse Therefore good Laelius make no tarrying But soone vnfolde thy happie chaunce to vs Lae. Then friends and fellow souldiers hark to me When Laelius thought for to reuenge his king On that same knight in steed of mortall foe I found him for to be our cheefest friend Mi. Our cheefest friend I hardly can beleeue That he which made such bloudie massacres Of stout Italians can in any poynt Beare friendship to the countrey or the King Lae. As for your king Miles I hold with you He beare no friendship to Flaminius But hated him as bloudie Attropos But for your countrey Laelius doth auowe He loues as well as any other land Yea sure he loues it best of all the world And for because you shall not thinke that I Do say the same without a reason why Know that the knight Alphonsus hath to name Both sonne and heire to olde Carinus whom Flaminius sire bereaued of his Crowne Who did not seeke the ruine of our host For any enuie he did beare to vs But to reuenge him on his mortall foe Which by the helpe of high celestiall Ioue He hath atchieu'd with honour in the field Mi. Alphonsus man I le nere perswaded be That ere Alphonsus may suruiue againe Who with Carinus many yeares agoe Was said to wander in the stigian fieldes Laeli. Truth Noble Miles these mine eares haue heard For certaintie reported vnto me That olde Carinus with his peerlesse sonne Had felt the sharpnesse of the sisters sheeres And had I not of late Alphonsus seene In good estate though all the world should say He is aliue I would not credit them But fellow souldiers wend you backe with me And let vs lurke within the secret shade Which he himselfe appointed vnto vs And if you find my words to be vntroth Then let me die to recompence the wrong Strike vp alarum Enter Albinius with his sword drawne and say Albi. Laelius make haste souldiers of Aragon Set lingring by and come and helpe your King I meane Alphonsus who whilest that he did Pursue Belinus at the very heeles Was suddenly enuironed about With all the troupes of mightie Millain land Mi. What newes is this and is it very so Is our Alphonsus yet in humane state Whom all the world did iudge for to be dead Yet can I scarce giue credit to the same Giue credit yes and since the Millain Duke Hath broke his league of friendship be he sure Ere Cynthia the shining lampe of night Doth scale the heauens with her horned head Both he and his shall very plainly see The league is burst that caused long the glee Lae. And could the traytor harbor in his brest Such mortall treason gainst his soueraigne As when he should with fire and sword defend Him from his foes he seekes his ouerthrow March on my friends I nere shall ioy at all Vntill I see that bloudie traytors fall Exeunt Strike vp alarum flie Belinus follow Laelius flie Fabius follow Albinius flie the Duke of Millaine follow Miles Act. 3. Strike vp alarum Enter Venus NO sooner did Alphonsus with his troupe Set on the souldiers of Belinus band But that the furie of his sturdie blowes Did strike such terror to their daunted mindes That glad was he which could escape away With life and limme forth of that bloudie fray Belinus flies vnto the Turkish soyle To craue the aide of Amuracke their King Vnto the which he willingly did consent And sends Belinus with two other Kings To know god Mahomets pleasure in the same Meane time the Empresse by Medeas helpe Did vse such charmes that Amuracke did see In soundest sleepe what afterward should hap How Amuracke did recompence her paine With mickle more this Act shall shew you plaine Exit Venus Enter one carrying two Crownes vpon a Crest Alphonsus Albinius Laelius and Miles with their souldiers Alph. Welcome braue youthes of Aragon to me Yea welcome Miles Lalius and the rest Whose prowesse alone hath bene the onely cause That we like victors haue subdued our foes Lord what a pleasure was it to my minde To see Belus which not long before Did with his threatnings terrefie the Gods Now scudde apace from warlike Lalius blowes The Duke of Millaine he increast our sport When doubting that his force was ouerweake For to withstand Miles thy sturdie arme Did giue more credence to his frisking skippes Then to the sharpnesse of his cutting blade What Fabius did to pleasure vs withall Albinius knowes as well as I my selfe For well I wot if that thy tyred steed Had bene as fresh and swift in foote as his He should haue felt yea knowne for certaintie To checke Alphonsus did deserue to die Breefly my friends and fellow peeres in armes The worst of you doo deserue such mickle praise As that my tongue denies for to set forth The demie parcell of your valiant deeds So that perforce I must by dutie be Bound to you all for this your curtesie Mi. Not so my Lord for if our willing armes Haue pleasured you so much as you do say We haue done nought but that becommeth vs For to defend our mightie soueraigne As for my part I count my labour small Yea though it had bene twise as much againe Since that Alphonsus doth accept thereof Alphon. Thankes worthie Miles least all the world Should count Alphonsus thanklesse for to be Laelius sit downe and Miles sit by him And that receiue the which your swords haue wonne Sit downe Laelius and Miles First for because thou Laelius in these broyles By martiall might didst proude Belinus chase From troupe to troupe from side to side about And neuer ceast from this thy swift pursute Vntill thou hadst obtaind his royall Crowne Therefore I say I le do thee nought but right And giue thee that which thou well hast wonne Set the Crowne on his head Here doth Alphonsus Crowne thee Laelius King Of Naples Towne with all dominions That earst belonged to our trayterous foe That proud Belinus in his regiment Sound Trumpets and Drummes Miles thy share the Millaine Dukedome is For well I wot thy sword deseru'd no lesse Set the Crowne on his head The which Alphonsus frankly giueth thee In presence of his warlike men at armes And if that any stomacke this my deed
Alphonsus can reuenge thy wrong with speed Sound Trumpets and Drummes Now to Albinius which in all my toyles I haue both faithfull yea and friendly found Since that the Gods and friendly Fates assigne This present time to me to recompence The sundry pleasures thou hast done to me Sit downe by them and on thy faithfull head Take the Crowne from thy owne head Receiue the Crowne of peerlesse Aragon Albi. Pardon deare Lord Albinius at this time It ill becomes me for to weare a Crowne When as my Lord is destitute himselfe Why high Alphonsus if I should receiue This Crowne of you the which high Ioue forbid Where would your selfe obtaine a Diadem Naples is gone Millaine possessed is And nought is left for you but Aragon Alphon. And nought is left for me but Aragon Yes surely yes my Fates haue so decreed That Aragon should be too base a thing For to obtaine Alphonsus for her King What heare you not how that our scattered foes Belinus Fabius and the Millaine Duke Are fled for succour to the Turkish Court And thinke you not that Amurack their King Will with the mightiest power of all his land Seeke to reuenge Belinus ouerthrow Then doubt I not but ere these broyles do end Alphonsus shall possesse the Diadem That Amurack now weares vpon his head Sit downe therefore and that receiue of mee The which the Fates appointed vnto thee Albi. Thou king of heauen which by thy power diuine Dost see the secrets of each liuers heart Beare record now with what vnwilling mind I do receiue the Crowne of Aragon Albinius sit downe by Laelius Miles Alphonsus set the Crowne on his head and say Alphon. A rise Albinius King of Aragon Crowned by me who till my gasping ghost Do part asunder from my breathlesse corpes Will be thy shield against all men aliue That for thy kingdome any way do striue Sound Trumpets and Drummes Now since we haue in such an happie houre Confirmd three kings come let vs march with speed Into the Citie for to celebrate With mirth and ioy this blisfull festiuall Exeunt omnes Enter Amurack the great Turke Belinus Fabius Arcastus King of Moores Claramount King of Barbery Baiazet a Lord with their train Amu. Welcome Belinus to thy cosens Court Whose late arriuall in such posting pace Doth bring both ioy and sorrow to vs all Sorrow because the Fates haue bene so false To let Alphonsus driue thee from thy land And ioy since that now mightie Mahomet Hath giuen me cause to recompence at full The sundry pleasures I receiu'd of thee Therefore Belinus do but aske and haue For Amurack doth grant what ere you craue Beli. Thou second sun which with thy glimsing beames Doest clarifie each corner of the earth Belinus comes not as earst Mydas did To mightie Bacchus to desire of him That what so ere at any time he toucht Might turned be to gold incontinent Nor do I come as Iuppiter did erst Vnto the Pallace of Amphitrion For any fond or foule concupiscence Which I do beare to Alcumenaes hew But as poore Saturne forst by mightie Ioue To flie his Countrey banisht and forlorne Did craue the aide of Troos King of Troy So comes Belinus to high Amurack And if he can but once your aide obtaine He turnes with speed to Naples backe againe Amu. My aide Belinus do you doubt of that If all the men at armes of Affrica Of Asia likewise will sufficient be To presse the pompe of that vsurping mate Assure thy selfe thy kingdome shal be thine If Mahomet say I vnto the same For were I sure to vanquish all our foes And find such spoiles in ransacking their Tents As neuer any Keisar did obtaine Yet would I not set foote forth of this land If Mahomet our iourney did withstand Beli. Nor would Belinus for King Craesus trash Wish Amurack to displease the Gods In pleasuring me in such à trifling toy Then mightie Monarch if it be thy will Get their consents and then the act fulfill Amu. You counsel well therefore Belinus haste And Claramount go beare him companie With King Arcastus to the Citie walles Then bend with speed vnto the darksome groue Where Mahomet this many a hundred yeare Hath prophesied vnto our auncesters Tell to his Priests that Amurack your King Is now selecting all his men at armes To set vpon that proud Alphonsus troupe The cause you know and can enforme him well That makes me take these bloudie broyles in hand And say that I desire their sacred God That Mahomet which ruleth all the skies To send me word and that most speedely Which of vs shall obtaine the victory Exeunt omnes preter Baiazet and Amurack You Baiazet go poste away apace To Siria Scythia and Albania To Babylon with Mesopotamia Asia Armenia and all other lands Which owe their homage to high Amurack Charge all their Kings with expedition To gather vp the choesest men at armes Which now remaine in their dominions And on the twentie day of the same month To come and wait on Amurack their King At his chiefe Citie Constantinople Tell them moreouer that who so doth faile Nought else but death from prison shall him baile Exit Baiazet Assoone as he is gone sound musicke within What heauenly Musicke soundeth in my eare Peace Amurack and hearken to the same Sound musicke hearken Amurack and fall a sleepe Enter Medea Fausta the Empresse Iphigina her daughter Medea Now haue our charmes fulfild our minds full well High Amurack is lulled fast a sleepe And doubt I not but ere he wakes againe You shall perceiue Medea did not gibe When as she put this practise in your mind Sit worthie Fausta at thy spowse his feete Fausta and Iphigina sit downe at Amuracks feete Iphigina sit thou on the other side What ere you see be not agast thereat But beare in mind what Amurack doth chat Medea do ceremonies belonging to coniuring and say Thou which wert wont in Agamemnons dayes To vtter forth Apolloes Oracles At sacred Delphos Calchas I do meane I charge thee come all lingring set aside Vnles the pennance you thereof abide I coniure thee by Plutoes loathsome lake By all the hags which harbour in the same By stinking Stix and filthie Flegeton To come with speed and truly to fulfill That which Medea to thee streight shall will Rise Calehas vp in a white Cirples and a Cardinals Myter and say Cal. Thou wretched witch when wilt thou make an end Of troubling vs with these thy cursed Charmes What meanst thou thus to call me from my graue Shall nere my ghost obtaine his quiet rest Me. Yes Calchas yes your rest doth now approch Medea meanes to trouble thee no more When as thou hast fulfild her mind this once Go get thee hence to Pluto backe againe And there enquire of the Destinies How Amurack shall speed in these his warres Peruse their bookes and marke what is decreed By Ioue himselfe and all his fellow Gods And when thou knowst the certaintie thereof By fleshlesse visions