THE Banish'd Duke OR THE TRAGEDY OF Infortunatus Acted at the Theatre Royal. Vivitur ingenio caetera mortis erunt Nil non mortale tenemus Pectoris exceptis ingeniique bonis Licensed and Entred according to Order LONDON Printed for R. Baldwin near the Oxford-Arms-Inn in Warwick-lane and Sold by the Booksellers of London and Westminster MDCXC Prologue GReat lofty Spirits clogg'd with Clouds of Air Soar high in hopes and drown in deep despair Whilst discontented they turn by disdain Their Theatre of Joy to Sorrow's Scene For proof we 'll demonstrations to you bring Of what befel a more than Popish King And shew you one ambitious for a Crown Aspire in Air and in a Cloud fall down We 'll shew you Passion such as ne're was seen Cast up and cancell'd in a Roman Queen We 'll treat you with a Monster in disguise Vail'd with pretence and yet not cheat your eyes And if you relish not our dainty food We 'll fill you up a Glass of Rebels blood Blood that was shed and sacrific'd to ease The rage of Rome and Queen Papissa please And to shut up the Feast at last you shall Have for a dish a Christian Cannibal Like Ens Rationis real that 's more rare Than any Show that 's been in Smithfield-Fair Then for Desert we 'll bring you from the Skyes A Child conceiv'd and swaddled up in lyes Whose Father was and is not seen unknown Who like the Ostridge doth his brood disown His Mothers have supposed real been This yet unknown that an Imperious Queen And lest we Tantalize your Expectation With Crabs that set on edge this fruitful Nation We 'll haste the Dishes in and feed your senses With Hocus pranks and Catholick pretences Then rouse your appetites above the Sphere Of Meat and Drink we 'll blow you up with Air Air that shall make you vomit up your Dishes Of Transubstantiate Deities and Fishes But lest your quasy Stomachs should cast up Your Dainties drinking of the Roman Cup We 'll fill you out a Dram of Orange-juice Will Antidote a Surfeit and make Spruce Your drowsie Spirits Then present your eye With th' end of Pride and Prodigality Whose vain Results have since the world began Prov'd false uncertain and a great Trepan From hence then Prudence learn and be content With what you have Distractions to prevent And we will Objects never brought to light First let you see and after bid Good Night The Names of the Actors Romanus King of Albion Infortunatus Nephew to King Romanus Banish'd for pretending Right to the Crown Don Alberlo General of King Romanus's Army Cancellarius a Timist Favourite and Councellour of King Romanus Manlius Clericus Chaplain in Ordinary to King Romanus Oxonius a Church-Weather cock Mountebank of State and King Romanus's Friend Petrus Impostor a Jesuit and Father Confessor to Queen Papissa Calamus Tremebundas a subtile Sycophant King Romanus's great Favourite Don Ferdinando a Banish'd Peer of Albion and pretended Friend to Infortunatus Belgicus a Collonel and Favourite of Infortunatus Ingenioso Secretary and Counsellour to Infortunatus Banish'd by King Romanus Flavius Chaplain to Infortunatus Rogerus a Clown Knighted by Infortunatus Richardus a Country Clown who refused to be Knighted by Infortunatus Papissa a rigid Catholick and Queen to King Romanus Poviaena Queen Papissa's great Favourite and Councellour Form sa Catholica a Proselite Popish Nâ—mph Penelope a Country Maid in Love with Roger the Clown Petrona an obscure Catholick The Ghost of Antonaius Calastrophus Mayor Constables Page Messengers Executioner Midwife Children The Banish'd Duke OR THE TRAGEDY OF Infortunatus ACT. I. The SCENE a Village in Belgium Enter Infortunatus Belgicus and Ingenioso Infortunat WHat Fate doth me thus to Subjection bring The Splendid Issue of a Potent King I by Exploits in Germany and France My Valour shew'd and Fortune did advance And for this Crime my Royal Father sent Me from his Face to suffer Banishment Ingrateful Cruel Romans served thus Brave Belisarius and Andronicus Yet I in spight of Mortals am design'd To live and dye a Monarch in my mind Belgic Better Brave Prince to live thus in Exile Than be Confin'd within Great Albion's Isle It is too small environ'd by the Main Your swelling Orb of Greatness to contain On Earth's Vast Continent then live content Tho for a while you suffer Banishment Exit Belgicus Enter Flavius Flav. Great Prince your Father 's lately dead and gone And now your Unkle do's possess his Throne A Popish Prince that 's neither just nor wise Seduc'd by Fopperies Hocus pranks and lyes Doubt not the Truth of what I do Relate Blame not Misfortune but submit to Fate Infort What Is it true And is my Father dead And now Romanus Crowned in his stead Strange News Methinks the People have more Sence Than to be govern'd by a Roman Prince Are they who like their Prince were always free So easily Reduc'd to Slavery Poor Souls who from their Courage now have fell May hence for ever in Repentance swell To think they 've lost the fit time to Rebel Rebel Is it Rebellion to Depose A Prince long since Deposed by the Laws True Protestants there only ought to Sway To whom all Subjects should Allegiance pay 'T is only such that should possess that Throne No Roman Successour should sit thereon O Nation by Submission quite undone Do they not know if Christians once but do Give Gifts to Turks they 're after forc'd thereto For once Obeying makes Obedience due What 's to be done Flav. Will you live thus in Banishment and be Kick'd from three Kingdoms by Conspiracy Must you who was Great Albion's Darling now Unto an Out-Law'd Romish Scepter bow It is below your Spirit therefore choose Rather One Head than Three Crowns thus to lose Infort I 'le haste to Albion tho' my power be small I 'le either stand up right or quite down fall Display my Courage when I come ashore I 'll fright the Priests and daunt the Scarlet Whore I 'll use no Eloquence but plead with Swords That Right with Magnanimity affords Enter Don Ferdinando Ferd. What Still in Meditation 't is in vain Better you lose your Limbs than crack your Brain Rouse up your Soul if you your Country love Or love your Self quick into Action move Do you not hear Romanus doth possess The Throne whilst you Exil'd live Kingdomless Do you not know your great Ambition Lately exprest was to enjoy your own I mean that poor griev'd and distressed Nation That 's now Impos'd upon by Usurpation To which you are true or supposed Heir Ingen. Many have said what never One durst swear Aside Ferd. And laying by your Interest it would be Since you with ease may set the Nation free One of the greatest Acts of Charity Infort Pray tell me what is' t you would have me do I cannot walk nor speak nor think for you For whether my Exercise be bad or good The well-bred Ferdinando doth intrude Ferd. Call but a
Go tell your Master in Segeia plain To the Messenger I 'll give him Battel tho I should be slain To morrow morning e're it be high noon I 'll gain or lose great Albions Royal Crown Go Ferdinando muster all our Force I shall command the Foot and you the Horse Ferdin I 'm set on edge to hear Alberlo boast He talks as we were ruined and lost His sawcy Letter either tear or burn Execunt Infort Belgicus and Flavius In clouds of smoak we 'll send him a return Messeng Are you Don Ferdinando Ferdin I am the Man Messeng Then I have here to you A Letter and a private Paper too I brought them from Alberlo in my Shooe Taketh the Letter out of his Shooe Ferdinando taketh the Letter and private Paper and readeth them in haste and then speaketh to the Messenger Ferdin Go quickly tell your Master that I 'm still His real Friend and will obey his will Let him draw up his Forces one and all And meet us tho his army should be small I can find out a Thousand pretty things That will undo and ruin Petty Kings I will do more not by my Sword but Wit Than I to Ink and Paper will commit Only go tell Alberlo that I will Prove his true Friend and humble Servant still Exit Messen The SCENE Alberlo's Quarters Enter Alberlo and Manlius Alber. I 'm vext that King Infortunatus thought That I for Gold or Greatness would be bought I value not Promotion whilst I Am Great enough unstain'd in Loyalty And tho Religion now doth lye at stake I 'll take no notice for Romanus sake Man By George and by this Py-bald coat of mine His Surpless I rather be a Duke than a Divine You 're great enough indeed but by my Miter I 'll prove in time of War as good a fighter Alb. You 're a couragious Rampant Church-man here And will on Service fight but in the Rear And scold at distance as a Cannoneer Enter Messenger in haste Mess I 've done your message and in haste do bring You back another from the start-up King To morrow morning e're it be high Noon He 'll give you Battle gain or lose his Crown His Forces are but few all torn and rent Ill disciplin'd his Ammunition's spent But he speaks Great and will unless he lye Romanus power and all his force defy And make your Army like the Dust to fly Alb. But what did old Don Ferdinando say Mess He vows that he his Master will betray Alber. May he prove true to me false to his King Manl. A Traytor is a necessary thing But once a Knave Rogue and a great Trapan Can ne're be trusted like an honest man Alber. If he be Rogue enough I will him bring Once more in Favour with Romanus King And if his Treason take a good Effect I from the Hangman's hands shall save his neck But wilâ— to morrow e're it be quite light Have all my men in readiness to fight ACT III. The SCENE Segeia Plain Enter Infortunatus with Officers and Souldiers and draw up in one side of the Scene in Battle array Armed and ready to fight Drums beating Trumpets sounding c. every one having a small green Bough for a Sign Infort NOW Brother Souldiers let us rather dye Upon the spot than from our Standard fly I fight my Head against a Royal Crown You fight for Greatness Honour and Renown Since time began ne're was a juster cause Than Lives Religion Liberty and Laws We fight for Heaven our Kingdom Church and State Submitting all we have to Divine Fate Better we stand and gain the Victory Than run and by the Hands of Papists dye Even those who to accomplish their Desire Did burn our Ancestors in Smithfield Fire Then let us fight with Courage Heart and Hand And none give o're whilst he hath strength to stand Enter Alberlo with his Forces and draw up against Infortunatus 's every one having a white Handerchief in his Hat for a Sign Alber. Now Gentlemen you see your fatal Doom Either to dye or gain the cause of Rome The Pope your King Romanus and his Queen As good a Roman Saint as e're was seen Will lose their Right both to our Church and State And be the Object of the Nations hate Rome's cause is lame I cannot well deny But what it wants in Money we 'll supply Then with a brazen Confidence out-do Those men who if not slain will conquer you Since whole Files will be troublesom and inconvenient and several Advancings Firings and Fallings back but superfluous three in a File the Muskets lin'd with Pikes may be enough to shew an Emblem of War and demonstrate to the curious Spectators the result of a bloody Fight Infortun and Alberlo Make ready Both at close Order Kneel stoop and stand Present Give Fire They on both sides flash their Pans Recover your Arms. Fall on fall on fall on Here the Souldiers on both sides club their Muskets and present their Pikes and come to a close Fight Flavius and Manlius two warlike Divines firing the Cannon Whilst Infortunatus driveth all before him Romanus 's Guards give ground whilst others come in to assist them The Body of Infortunatus 's Army after a sharp dispute is broke several being killed Infort Where is deceitful Ferdinando now A Rogue a Coward and Perfidious too Infortunatus with his Forces being beat marcheth off making good the Rear Whilst Alberlo pursueth The SCENE Alba Aula Regalis Enter Romanus Cancellarius Calamus Rom. I long to hear what news we 've from the West I must raise men and send them there in haste I hear Alberlo's beat and all his Force Is put unto the rout both Foot and Horse Calam If it be so the News will quickly fly But I suppose the Rumour 's but a Lye May it prove so else I shall quickly dye Enter Messenger in Haste Mess Great Sir the Deed is done the worst is past We have o'recome your Enemies at last That Myrmidonian Crew is brought to nought Which your Undoing and Confusion sought Rom. And is it so indeed Mess Yes truly so Rom. And what 's become of my late Mortal Foe Mess He 's fled but where he is there 's none doth know Rom. Tho he be fled he shall be quickly found Dead or alive if he be on the ground And he that finds him have five thousand pound But for your News which you have brought me now I will requite and likewise Knight you too Both rewardeth and Knighteth him Enter Manlius Manl. Great Sir I 'm come in haste the News to bring That we have beat and took the Western King With Ferdinando he in haste did fly Into a Field where both asleep did lye Where they were found secur'd and will be here Rom. Your News was always welcome to mine ear Their Lives are forfeit they 're already Dead And King Infortunate shall lose his Head Manl. Don Ferdinando did your Foes betray Through his Deceit Alberlo
Council and with them Advise A Council that 's both Godly Grave and Wise To them propose whatever you think fit And then let them Debate and Judge of it Delay no more Delays are ever curst And Long-Bill'd-Birds do always sing the worst Infor. I 'll take Advice of those who 're Good and True And Ferdinando I put Trust in you Ferd. Let me a Cuckold be my Wife turn Whore Let me ne'er Prosper as I 've heretofore Let me turn Coward and be bath'd in Sin Kiss my own Sisters when my Wife lies in If I on any terms whatever do Betray my Trust or e'er prove False to you Exeunt Omnes The SCENE King Romanus his Palace Enter Romanus and Petrus Impostor Rom. All my designs I cunningly have wrought This stubborn Nation to subjection brought I taught my Foes e're they were sick to dye Now I 'll profess the Art of Monarchy I 'll make Great Albion's Neck my Yoke to bear Who will not love me I 'll compel to fear I 'll keep no word with Hereticks till I O'rethrow their Church and set up Popery And all my trembling Subjects shall obey Without enquiring what I do or say Pet. His Holiness of Rome still influence Your undertakings and be your defence We 'll sacrifice our Gods and shall not fail To use all means to make the Church prevail Which I am sure can never well be done Unless you do contrive to get a Son This will secure your Kingdoms and your Crown And be a means to pull Usurpers down Rom. Come work this Miracle I love the thing To be the Father of a Popish King If thou 'lt do this I 'll certainly restore Rome's Revenues which we kept back before I 'll make my best and greatest Subjects go To Rome and kiss his Holiness's Toe Pet. Great Sir if you the Roman Church restore And make her sound as she was once before And all those wicked Hereticks but burn Who to the Romish Faith refuse to turn We 'll send you Relicks Pardons Holy Beads Paul's Teeth a Bushel two of Peter's Heads Your venial Sins Transgressions great and small Past Present and to come We 'll Pardon all And when you 're dead for Songs you shall not want We 'll canonize you for a Holy Saint And all who turn to Popery shall hove Power To Drink and Swear to Murder Steal and Whore Rom. The Devil 's in that Man that would ask for more Enter Papissa Pap. What Plots of Wit and Stratagems of War In Brains quite void of Sence do you prepare I am Great Albion's stately head and can Out-wit the Projects of an Ancient Man Without your Aid I quickly will pull down All Hereticks before my Royal Crown My Subjects I will to Subjection bring I 'm their whole Queen and will be half their King I'il wear the Royal Breeches and I 'll make Throweth by her Gown and sheweth a Pair of Scarlet Breeches All Protestants to tremble and to quake And if Romanus you offended be I 'll snatch the Sword and rule the Monarchy The Roman Church in Albion I 'll advance I 'll have but one Religion as in France I 'll tame my stubborn Subjects till they know The flaming fury of a Popish Foe Rom. Hold hold Papissa for I can't allow To bear the Sword and wear the Breeches too You would unking and pull me from my Throne But you had best make haste and get you gone Pap. How gone I hitherto my ground have stood I 'm come of more than Royal Holy Blood My Unkle is the lofty Pope of Rome That doth command all Kings in Christendom Then by our Lady and the Popes Great Toe She pulleth him by the Cravat and Perriwig You put me in a rage by saying so Rom. How Confidence This cannot be endur'd Call in the Guards and let her be secur'd Enter Cancellarius Canc. Great Madam I 'm asham'd to see such actions Which presage more and greater Court-distractions Pap. A King 's but like another Man to me Should he live Fopp I will an Empress be Rom. Was ever King Infortunate like me Who Married one below my Pedegree That now insults and hectors as you see Ex. Omnes The SCENE Infortunatus 's Chamber Enter Infortunatus Belgicus Ferdinando Flavius and Ingenioso Infor. The Members of my Council are but few Yet hope they 're Worthy Valiant Wise and True You know my Father 's lately dead and gone And now Romanus doth possess his Throne He was the Man that did undo us all Who Banish'd me and did contrive my Fall But I 'm resolv'd with all the speed I can To go for Albion and list every Man That will prove Faithful to my Cause and me And set oppressed wretched Albion free Yet I would know your mind e're we go hence In a design of so great consequence Belg. Brave Sir a clearer case was never known Than for a Prince to plead to have his own We 'll hast to Sea both Men and Arms prepare Your cause is just if you be Lawful Heir You shall have all the aid I can afford I 'll be the first Man that shall go on Board Ferd. There 's no necessity at such a time To clear our cause of any forged Crime Or to excuse our selves of Treason since Romanus ever was a Popish Prince Tho' Timists should be guilty and refuse Assistance to our Forces let them choose Yet no true Protestants can aid deny Unless Self-Interest give their Souls the lye Then rouse Brave Prince assure your self that we In all designs victorious will be The great Temptations that we do endure May drive us to so desperate a Cure We 're Banish'd Broke of all our Friends depriv'd Of Wives and Children too And now arriv'd In a strange Country of another Tongue E're we 'll live so our Foes shall eat their dung in great Passion We 'll unthrone Kings the Popish Priests o'rethrow And make the Pope himself subjection know We 'll drown Candaula in a Scarlet Flood I 'll dy my Sword in Babylonian Blood I long until I land on Albion's Shore To raise a Tempest of Blood Wounds and Gore Flav. Doubt not your success but put all your trust In Providence and in a Cause so just I 'll preach and pray the Heavens to influence Your Expedition and be your defence I will stir up all Protestants to fight For you who strives to keep them in their right I 'll raise my voice above the beat of Drum And whether Men will or not I 'll make them come Ingen. Hold Gentlemen I am not of your mind You waste your courage in a cloud of Wind. Romanus now is Albion's great defence Who covers all his projects with Pretence And Tongues of popish Princes are set out With guilded words but poyson'd at the Root His Subjects will believe him for a while And all accost him with a grateful Smile But e're a year go round they 'll find that he Will prove perfidious false like Popery Then
It is a Sin Petr. It is no sin at all For Fornication is but Venial But know you not that I can Pardon Sin Formos 'T is not the right way that you do begin Petr. If you be so strait-lac'd and will not do I 'll have ten pound for Pardoning of you Formos Than be a Whore I 'll twenty pay in Gold But how can Pardons thus be bought and sold Petr. I am a Journy-man and 't is my Trade To spend my Lungs to gain my Daily Bread But if you love your self with speed confess Your Mortal Sins and all your Wickedness She muttereth and confesseth Petr. O these are heinous sins and there is none That can forgive them but the Pope alone Formos What can be done then in so great a strait Since to confess my sins is now too late Petr. The Queen of Heaven doth hang upon this Pin Pointing at the Virgin Mary 's Picture And with a wink can pardon all your Sin If she a tear drop from her gracious eye You 're happy then to all Eternity If not you are undone then go and Pray And Ave-Maries to our Lady say She muttereth and maketh Mouths on the V. Maries Picture whilst he goeth behind the Hanging and squirteth water through its Eye which she perceiveth and in passion sayeth Formos Can this your Holy Church commit such things That doth Depose and set up Mighty Kings Is this one of the Miracles of Rome That to the World gives Laws and passeth Doom If this be your Religion I will choose Rather than be of it my life to lose Farewel Fare-ill Impostor I 'll be gone Of Proselited Papists I 'll be none He proffereth to detain her but she will not Exit he following ACT II. The SCENE Limia a Town in the West of Albion Enter Infortunatus with his Forces from Sea in a Gorgeous Scarlet Garb and a Feather in his Hat Infort NOW we are past the dangers of the Main And safe arriv'd to Albion again Now is the time of Honour and Renown Then have at all my Head against a Crown And tho' my present Forces be but small My Valours great and I shall Conquer all Go then provide Men Ammunition Arms Surprize this sleeping Island with Alarms Let Trumpets sound Drums beat and Cannons roar To tell the Kingdom that I 'm come ashore And set my Standard up that I may know who 'll come or stay who 's Friend and who is Foe Belg. We have no Standards they were lost at Sea With all the Train of our Artillery Infort That 's bad indeed Ferdin But we may quickly take Some Lady's Petticoat and Colours make Ingen. Sure from that Standard we shall never fly Whilst Mars and Venus are before our eye Enter Richardus and Rogerus in a Country Dress leading Penelope a Country Maid wearing a Scarlet Petticoat gazing on Infortunatus Infort What people 's those who boldly do intrude Within the Limits of my Latitude Roger. We and this Maid are only come to see Your Grace and wish you all prosperity Infort I thought that you in my designs did pry And might surprize me with some Treachery Penelop I am a Maid and have respect for you And if a Man would gladly serve you too Infort Fair Nymph I have a suit deny me not Lend me a while your Scarlet Petticoat And when the Wars are o'r I 'll do to you A greater favour and requite you too Penelop I 'll give you it the Complement's but small If you will have my Gown you likeways shall Giveth her Scarlet Petticoat to Ferdinando Ferd. To think of Maids now is a deadly crime But may accost you at another time Enter Mayor with a Mace carried before him Guarded by the Constable and his Long Staff Mayor Great Mighty Prince we heard you was come o'r From Belgium and Landed on our Shore Therefore we 're humbly come that we may do You humble service and attend you too Then let us know what is your Sacred Will I am the City's Mayor he Constable Infort Go soon proclaim me Albion's King that I May it restore again to Liberty For I 'm resolv'd to make all Papists quake And rescue Church and State which lye at stake And then invite my Subjects to come in To fight with me against the Man of Sin Mayor We will proclaim you King and Forces raise And sing Encomiums to your worthy praise We 'll hazard all we have to fight with you Our VVives and Children Lives and Fortunes too And we 'll extol your Valour if you dye VVith Monuments of Magnanimity Exeunt Mayor and Constab The Trumpet soundeth without Infortunatus is proclaimed King with several Huzza's and Plaudities Infort I 'm Albion's King and would at first embrace My Loving Subjects by my Acts of Grace I 'd rather they should love me for my Good Than fear and tremble for my shedding Blood And fair Nymph if you have a friend or two But bring them here I 'll Knight them both for you Pointeth at Penelope and Exit Penel. You Dick and Roger objects of my love Respect to you my passion now doth move I 'll beg the King to Knight you for my sake And afterwards both Officers to make Richard I am as much a Knight as he is King Till he this Nation to Subjection bring But if he 'll Knight and give me an Estate I 'll love and serve him then at any rate But till he give me fifty pounds per annm I 'll rather hold the Plough and serve my Grannum Rog. I 'll have no Honour for a Landless Knight Is like a Lanthorn that can give no light I 'll rather drive my Cart and be invited To fare that 's course and mean than so be slighted For Gentlemen who have not must not work For Honour's sake but fight against the Turk Pene. Roger if you 'll not Knighted be I vow I 'll neither love nor marry'd be to you But if you 'll Knighted be we 'll quickly wed And both in State go to our Marriage-Bed Whilst we 're advanc'd above our Pedegree I shall be MADAM you HIS HONOUR be Rog. Rather than lose my Love I 'll bid good night To Cart and Plough and turn a begging Knight Pen. Your Honour will afford you every thing And we 'll live great in presence of a King Enter Infortunatus Infort What is the Reason of so long a stay We do but trifle here our time away Pen. Great Sir these are my Friends whom here I bring To be advanc'd to Knighthood by their KING This is my Sweet-heart and that is my Brother Altho we do not favour one another Pointeth at Roger Richard Infort Madam I will do any thing for you I 'll give them Honour and Preferment too ROGER kisseth the Kings hand falleth on his Knee and is Knighted by King INFORTUNATUS Infort Rise up Sir Roger Henceforth ever be A Knight of Honour Loyal unto me And when I 'm settl'd on my Royal Throne You of my
Is Ferdinando whom for Truth and Zeal And mighty words no Age could parellel Become a Rogue and turn'd my mortal Foe Who 's been my Sharer both in Weal and Woe Go bring him back for this perfidious Plot Pointeth at Ingen. I 'll see the Rascal in my presence shot Exit Ingenioso Flav. In whom can Kings put confidence since he Pretending to so much Fidelity Brought to the Test is found a timerous Slave A Timist Traytor and a Turn-Coat Knave Infort His Death shall to succeeding Ages be Esteem'd a Monument of Treachery That all who curse with a vindictive hate May wish their Foes to meet with such a Fate Enter Ingenioso with Ferdinando guarded with Souldiers and his hands tyed behind him Infort Monster of men thou Judas in disguise Thou Devil vail'd with Perjuries and Lyes Perfidious wretch how durst thou once design Me to betray and ruin all that 's mine I never thought thee ill but ever good And in thy quarrel oft-times spent my Blood And dost thou thus require me who for thee Have run such hazards both by Land and Sea Come tye him to the Stake and let him know The fury of a Friend turn'd to a Foe I 'll see him shot to death that Traytors all May take example from his Tragick fall Two Souldiers tye him and make ready their Muskets to shoot him Ferd. Mercy O mercy I for mercy cry You need no shots here I for fear shall dye Infort Forbear awhile your Muskets both lay by Until we hear the Traytors Legacy The Souldiers lay by their Muskets Ferd. Some pity on me for your Goodness take Forgive me for my Wife and Childrens sake I swear by all that 's good I 'll prove to you Henceforth a Subject faithful good and true This is the first beginning of your Reign Stain not your hands with this poor blood of mine I have been still partaker of your losses And born the burden of your Royal crosses Now let your Candour and your Innocence Blot out my crime and cover my offence Infort I know you have been sharer in my Fate Also the object of my Unkle's hate But how could you like Judas go astray And proffer me so-basely to betray To Popish hands that ne're did Albion good But lov'd to shed and suck the Subjects Blood Ferd. This is the first time that I went astray Yet never did intend you to betray I with Alberlo seemingly combin'd Only to know the secrets of his mind Which suddenly I would have brought to you To be resolv'd the better what do Infort That 's more indeed than hitherto I knew Ferd. You may believe what I affirm is true Infort Then loose my Ferdinando let him be A faithful Friend and Councellour to me Flav. Where is the Sword of Justice such a King Is like a Honey-Bee without a Sting I 'd seldome save a Law-Condemned Man For sure the Rogue will hang me if he can Enter Belgicus Belg. Alberlo's Men are quartered here hard by By Two's and Threes in Villages they lye Come let us go in silence of the Night We 'll either kill or put them all to Flight Infort Your News is good and your Advice is better Than all the Wit in Ferdinando's Letter I ne'r was bred a Coward nor can kill Poor Men asleep that never did me ill Belg. There is another thing that we may do For Souldiers should be Wise and Valiant too We may surprize them in their Beds asleep And afterwards them in close Prison keep As Hostages which may in time augment Our Number and our Enemies prevent From being cruel ' gainst our men which they May Captives take and in their fury slay Flav. In policy it were a deadly a crime To slip th' occasion of so fit a time Wherein we may our Enemies o'recome Without the noise of Trumpet or of Drum Inge. Then let us go and with a Warlike Slight Confound our Foes which rob us of our Right 'T is fitter we them sleeping Captives take Than that they Hang us up when we 're awake Ferd. I will not condescend to any thing That stains the Reputation of my King It is below His Majesty to be Tainted with such Pusillanimity We 'll fight them fairly in the open field For on our side I 'm sure no man will yield Infort Let it be so your counsel I advance I 'll let them see some stratagems of France I 'll shew them Conduct both and Courage too And what Great Spirits if provok'd can do Exeunt Infortunatus Belgicus and Flavius Ingen. Thou wicked wretch that dost contrive our fall To Ferd. Thy cruel counsel will undo us all Thy heart doth always give thy tongue the lye Thou' rt void of Courage Wit and Honesty Come draw that bloody Sword wherewith you boast To Conquer all and kill Alberlo's Host I 'll try your Valour tho' you seem to be A Great Goliah in respect of me Ferd. I 'll neither fight nor yet contrive your fall But find a way how to outwit you all Ingen. Pretending Coward bane of Church and State Because thou wilt not fight I 'll break thy pate Striketh him several blows over the head till the blood runneth down Thou weather-cock thy base deceitful Head Will make thy name stink after thou art dead Ferdin Murder O murder hold your Sword else I Shall be uncivil and for fear will dye Enter Infortunatus and Belgicus in haste Infort What noise was this I heard Ingen. No noise at all My Friend did only act the General Enter Messenger from Alberlo Messeng Here I am from Alberlo come to bring A Letter to your late Proclaimed King Infort Come hither then for I am he whom you Receiv'd command to give the Letter too He taketh and readeth the Letter Since you are but an Ape of Majesty I know not by what Title to accost you being neither King nor Subject But in short notwithstanling all our former ties of Friendship I will not be induced to betray my Trust and undeserve that Confidence which King Romanus hath placed in me neither is it proper for me tho it were not too late to give you any advice but it had been better for you to have staid where you was than to have come over here to put the Nation both to expence and trouble and work your own overthrow with the ruin of those poor Men who have joined with you in so desperate an Adventure who will be reputed and suffer as Traytors for prosecuting your Treasonable Designs which really is both the grief and regret of Your once real Friend c. Infort And doth Alberlo thus requite me now For all my service done and favours too I was his Friend still in my Father's time To fight now for three Kingdoms is a crime I 'll make him feel my Rage and likewise know That hence I 'll prove his everlasting Foe I 'll give him Battle soon in open field And make him feel the Sword that ne'r did yield