coward they swear their children carry woodden daggers to play a prize with him and there 's no talk but of the arrant coward Velasco Velas. I care not let 'em talk Mop. Care not By these hilts I had rather then a hundred ducates I had but as much spirit as to have drawn upon a couple of men in Ginger-bread which a hucsters crook't legged whorson ape held up and swore they were two taller fellows then you are Lodov. Your readiest way were to get you into a cloyster for there 's no going to Court Mop: Yes to have our brains rubb'd out with the heel of a brown manchet Velas. As y' are my friend forbear to come more neer me Exit Velasco Lodov. Gone so quickly Mopas I 'll finde out this mystery and thou shalt be the instrument Mop. Shall I Why agreed let me alone for an instrument be it a winde or string'd instrument I 'll sound at one end or other I 'll warrant ye Exeunt Enter Alphonso Pynto Bufo Alph. Are all things ready as we gave charge Pyn. Yes all and the face of the heavens are passing favourable Alph. Bufo Be it thy care the watch word given To seize Petruchi suddenly Buf. If the Devil be not in him I 'll make him fast enough Alph. Mean time wee 'll take our place they are at hand Some sound our choisest musick t' entertain This Queen with all the seeming forms of State Loud Musick Enter Queen supported by Petruchi Herophil Collumello Almada and Muretto All All joy to Aragons great King Alph. You strive to act in words my lords but we our self Indeavor rather how to speak in act Now is a time of peace of amity The Queen is present Lady seat you here As neer as if we plac'd you in our heart Where you are deep inthron'd Qu. As you in mine So may I ever live in yours my Lord Alph. How so You are too charitable now That cover but equality in love A cold a frozen love for I must think The streams of your affections are dry'd up Or running from their wonted channels range In lawless paths of secresie and stealth Which makes us love you more Qu. I would your words Dissented not from your resolved thoughts For then if I mistake not you would feel Extremity of passion which indeed Is noble jealousie Alph. Are you so plain I thank you Madam lend me your fair hand What 's here O my presages Whence got you this ring Qu. This ring my lord Alph. This ring my lord By honours reverend crest 't is time to wake Art thou not pale Petruchi Petr. Gratious Sir This is the ring you sent me by Muretto Which 'cause it came from you the Queen would needs Exchange it for another of her own Alph. True 'cause it came from me I take it so And grant ye know the word 'T is won and lost Enter a Guard Bufo with them seize Petruchi Pynto the Queen Petr. What mean ye Helhounds Slaves let go my sword Buf. Keep in your chaps and leave scolding my small friend 't is now no time to wrangle or to rore Qu. Nay nay with what you please I am content Col. What means your Highness Alm. wronge not Majesty With such unnoble rigour Alph. O my lords The weight of all this shame falls heaviest here In my afflicted bosome Madman like I would not credit what mine ears had heard From time to time of that adulterous woman For this have I liy'd widowed from her bed Was deaf to proofs to oaths and ever thought That whoredom could not suit her self so trimly On vertues outside But Petruchi there Hath a loud speaking conscience can proclaim Her lust and my dishonour Petr. Grant me hearing Alph. Away with him to prison make him fast On pain of all your lives Buf. Come Sir there is no playing fast and loose which fit a ducat now Exit Bufo with Petruchi Col. But what now for the Queen Alph. As she deserves Alm. Our law requires a clear and open proof And a juditial trial Alph. Yes to subjects It does but who among you dares speak justice Against your natural Soveraign Not one Pyn. Your Majesty hath most wisely considered that point Muret. I have stood silent all this while and cannot but with astonishment and unutterable grief bear a share of sadness in these disasters But Madam be not altogether dejected on your part there is more mercy in this soveraign Prince then that you should any way distrust Qu. Nay even proceed and question me no more Alph. I will be gentle to you and the course That I will take shall merit your best thanks If in a moneth a Champion shall appear In single opposition to maintain Your honor I will be the man my self In person to avouch this accusation And which of us prevails shall end this strife But if none come then you shall lose your head Mean time your usage shall be like a Queen Muret. Now by the life of honour 't is a most Princely tryal and will be worth you eternal memory Qu. Where must I then be led Alph. No where but here In our own palace and as I am King None worse then I shall be her Guardian Alm. Madam Heaven is the Guardian of the just You cannot miss a Champion Qu. E're I go May I entreat a word Alph. O yes you may Qu. Collumello and Almado hear me I speak to you and to your felow Peers Remember both by oaths and by allegiance You are my subjects Both Madam true we are Qu. Then as you ever bore respect or truth To me as to your Soveraign I conjure ye Never to levy arms against the King Singly or openly and never else To justifie my right or wronge in this For if you do here I proclaim ye all Traytors to loyalty and me for surety I crave your oaths a new Both Since you enforce us We sware and heaven protect you Qu. Let me be gone Alph. Well as they please for that Muretto follow Exit all but Almada and Collummello Alm. Here is fine work my lord What 's to be done Col. Stand still while this proud Tyrant cuts our throats Alm. She 's wrong'd and this is onely but a plot Velasco now might binde his Country to him But he is grown so cowardly and base That boys and children beat him as they list Col. I have be thought me we with th' other Peers Will set a proclamation our assuring What worthy Knight soever undertakes By such a day as Champion for the Queen Shall have a hundred thousand ducats paid Withal what honors else he shall demand Alm. This must be speeded or 't will come to late Col. It shall be suddain Here our hope must stand Kings command Subjects Heav'n doth Kings command Exeunt Act IV. Enter Salassa and Shaparoon Salas. A coward 't is impossible Velasco a coward The brave man The wonder of the time Sure Shaparoon 't is a meer scandal rais'd by an enemy Shap.
Yonder sits A Queen as free from stain of your disgrace As you are fowle in urging it Alph. Thou talk'st couragiously I love thee for it And if thou canst make good what thou avouchest I 'le kneel to thee as to another nature Velas. We come not heer to chide My sword shall thunder The right for which I strike Qu. Traytor to loyalty Rash and unknown fool what desperate lunacy Hath led thee on to draw thy treacherous sword Against thy King upon a ground so giddy That thou art but a stranger in the cause Thou wouldst defend By all my royall blood If thou prevailst thy head shal answer it Coll. Madam you wrong his truth and your own fame Alm. You violate the liberty of armes Alph. Pish listen not to her 't is I 'me your man Qu. Why foolish Lords unsensible and false Can any drop of blood be drawn from him My Lord your King which is not drawn from me Velasco by the duty that thou ow'st me I charge thee to lay by thy armes Velas. I must not Unles this man whom you call king confess That he hath wrong'd your honor Qu. Wilt thou fight then When I command the contrary Velas. I will Qu. Velasco heare me once more thou were wont To be as pittifull as thou wert valiant I will entreat thee gentle kind Velasco A weeping Queen sues to thee Doe not fight Velasco every blow thou givest the King Wounds mee didst ever love Velasco hear me Alph. Shee must not be endur'd Velas. Nor can shee win me Blush you my Lord at this Qu. O let me dy Rather then see my Lord affronted thus Queen falls into a sound Velas. Hold up the Queen she swouns Alm. Madam Deare Madam Coll. Can you see her and not be toucht my Lord Was ever woman false that lov'd so truly Alph. 'T is all dissimulation Velas. You dishonour her To prove it I 'le fight both quarrels now Enter a herauld sounding a trumpett after him Petruchi arm'd head and all Lodov. Heydo here comes more work for mettall men Alm. Another who should he be Alph. Speake what art thou Petr. One that am summon'd from the power above To guard the innocence of that fair Queen Not more against the man that would accuse her Then all the world besides Th' art welcome too Velas. You come too late friend I am he alone Stand ready to defend that gracious beauty You may return Petr. Ther 's not a man alive Hath interest in this quarrel but my selfe I out of mine own knowledg can avouch Her accusation to be meerly false As hel it selfe Qu. What mortall man is he So wilfull in his confidence can sweare More then he knowes Petr. I swear but what I know Alph. Hast thou a name Petr. Yes helpe my beaver down D' ee know me now Lodovico discovers him Alph. Petruchi death of manhood I am plainly bought sold why wher 's Muretto Enter Muretto with a sword drawn Muret. Here as ready to stand in defence of that Miracle of chast women as any man in this presence Alph. Are all conspir'd against me what thou too Now by my fathers ashes by my life Thou art a villain a grosse rank'rous villain Did'st not thou only first inforce my thoughts to jealousy Muret. T is true I did Alph. Nay more Didst not thou feed those thoughts with fresh supplies Nam'd every circumstance Muret. All this I grant Alph. Dost grant it Dog slave Hel-hound Muret. Will you hear me Coll. Heare him good my Lord let us perswade ye Alph. What canst thou say Impostor speake and choake Muret. I have not deserv'd this my Lord and you shall find it 't is true I must confesse that I was the only instrument to incense you to this distemperature and I am prowd to say it and say it again before this noble presence that I was my selfe the only man Alph. Insufferable Devil Alm. Pray my Lord Muret. Wonder not my Lords but lend mee your attentions I saw with what violence he pursude his resolutions not more in detestation of the Queen in particular then of all her sex in generall That I may not weary your patience I bent all my Studies to devise which way I might do service to my country by reclayming the distraction of his discontents And having felt his disposition in every pulse I found him most addicted to this pestilence of jealosy with a strong persuasion of which I from time to time ever fed him by degrees till I brought the Queen and the noble Petruchi into the dangers they yet stand in But with all and herin I appeale to your Majesties own approbation I season'd my words with such an intermixing the praises of the Queens bewty that from jealosy I drew the King into a serious examination of her perfections Alph. Thus farr I must acknowledg he speaks truth Muret. At length having found him indeed surely affected I perceav'd that nothing but the suppos'd blemish of her dishonour could work a second divorce between them Alph. True truly fates own truth Muret. Now my Lords to cleer that imputation I knew how easie it would be by the apparent certainty it selfe In all which if I have erred it is the error of a loyall service Only I must ever acknowledg how justly I have deserved a punishment in drawing so vertuous a princesses honor into publick question and humbly referr my selfe to her gracious clemency and your noble constructions Alph. But can can this be so Muret. Let me ever else be the subject of your rage in the sufferance of any torture Alph. And is shee chast Petruchi Petr. Chast by vertue As is the new born virgin for ought I know Muret. I ever whisperd so much in your ears my Lord and told you that it was impossible such singular endowments by nature should yeild to the corruption so much as of an unworthy thought Did I not tell you so from time to time Alph. Lay by your arms my lords and joyn with me Let 's kneel to this what shall I call her Woman No she 's an Angel Glory of Creation All kneel Can you forget my wickedness Your Peers Your Senators your bravest men make suit on my behalf Why speak ye not my lords I am I know too vile to be remitted But she is merciful All Great Soveraign Lady Qu. Be not so low my lord in your own thoughts You are as you were Soveraign of my heart And I must kneel to you Alph. But will you love me Qu. 'T is my part to ask that will you love me Alph. Ever yours ever let this kiss new marry us What say Qu. It does and heaven it self can tell I never did nor will wrong our first loves Alph. Speak it no more Let 's rise now I am King Of two rich Kingdoms as the world affords The Kingdom of thy beauty and this land But what rests for Muretto Qu. I account my worthiest thanks his debt Alm. And he deserves all
with Officers Petr. Alphonso here 's the place and this the hour Your doom is past and now the sword of Law Must cut the vein that swell'd with such a frensy Of dangerous blood against your Queen and Country Prepare yourself 't is now too late to hope Alph. Petruchi what is done I did my ground Was pitty of my country not malice to 't I sought to free wrack'd Arragon from ruin Which a fond womans government must bring O had you and the nobles of this land A touch but of the miseries her weakness Must force ye of neceessity to feel You would with me have bent your naked swords Against this female Mistriss of the Crown And not have been such children to have fawn'd Upon a girles nodd Petr. You are distracted She is our lawful Soveraign we her Subjects Alph. Subjects Petruchi abjects and so live I come to die on to the execution Pyn. Here 's a high Saturnal spirit Captain Buf. Pox o'spirits when they mount a man to the Hangmans mercy I do not like such spirits Let me rather be a moon calf Velas. I come to bid farewel and in farewel To excuse my much ill fortune for beleeve Sir I hold my victory an overthrow To tell you how incessantly I ply'd Her Grace for your remission were as useless As was my suit I sorry for your youth Let 's part yet reconcil'd Alph. With all my heart It is my glory that I was reduc'd By the best man at arms that ever knighthood Hath stil'd a Souldier Alas What souls are those Now now in seeing them I die too late Buf. O brave General O noble General we are still the rags of the old Regiment The truth on 't is we were loth to leave thee till thy head and shoulders parted companies But sweet good dear General take courage what we are all mortal men and must every one pass this way as simple as we stand here Alph. Give me thy hand farewel the Queen is merciful in sparing you I have not ought to give thee but my last thanks Buf. Blirt o' giving our clothes are paid for and A day will come shall quit us all Alph. Art thou and thou there too well leave thy art And do not trust the fixions of the stars They spoke no truth by me My Lord Velasco That creature there Muretto is a man Of honest heart for my sake take him to you And now soft peace to all Pyn. I will burn my books forsware the liberal sciences and that is my resolution Buf. Go thy way for the arrantest General that ever led crew of brave Sketdreus Petr. Will you make ready Sir Alph. Petruchi yes I have a debt to pay 't is natures due Fellow before thou ask my pardon take it Be sure and speedy in thy fatal blow Hangm. Never fear clean shaving Sir Alph. May I have leave to meditate Petr. You may Lodov. A gallant resolution even in death Enter Queen Collummello Almada Herophil and attendants Col. Stay execution 't is her Highnes pleasure Aphonso rise ye and behold the Queen Alph. Beshrew the voice of Majesty my thoughts Were fixt upon an upper Region now And traffick not with Earth alas great woman What newer tyranny what doom what torments Are borrowed from the conclave of that hell Where legions of worse Devils then are in hell Keep revels a proud womans heart What plagues Are broacht from thence to kill me Pyn. The moon is now Lady of the ascendant and the man will dye raving Aside Alm. Fy Alphonso Will you commit another strange commotion With your unruly tongue And what you cannot Perform in act attempt to do in words A dying man be so uncharitable Alph. Cry mercy she is Queen of Arragon And would with her own eyes insteed of maskes And courtly sports behold an act of death Queen welcom Queen here quaff my blood like wine And live a brave she tyrant Qu. Alas poor man Alph. Poor man that looks on me delighted to destroy me Buf. Good boy i faith by this hand a' speaks just as I would do for all that he is so near being made puddings meat Qu. You are sorry For your late desperate rudeness Are you not Alph. By all my miseries these taunts are cruelty Worse then the Hangmans ax I am not sorry Nay more will not be sorry know from me I hate your sex in general not you As y' are a Queen but as y' are a woman Had I a term of life could last for ever And you could grant it yes and would yet all Or more should never reconcile my heart To any she alive are ye resolved Qu. His spirit flies out in his daring language Alphonso though the law require thy head Yet I have mercy where I see just cause You 'l be a new man Alph Oh! A womans tongue Is sharper then a pointed steel Tender Madam I kiss your Royal hand and call you fair Assure this noble this uncovered presence That richest vertue is your bosoms tenant That you are absolutely great and good I 'll flatter all the vices of your sex Protesting men are monsters women Angels No light ones but full weighty natures best I 'll proclaim lust a pitty pride a handsomness Deceit ripness of wit bold scandalous scolding A bravery of spirit bloody cruelty Masculine justice more I will maintain That Queens are chief for rule you chief of Queens If you 'l but give me leave to die in peace Pray give me leave to die Pray good now do What think ye 't is a Royal grant henceforth Heaven be the rest you chose but never come at A kinde farewel to all Col. Can you endure To let a Rebel prate off with his head And let him then dispute Petr. I should have us'd The priviledge of time had I known this You must not talk so loud Qu. My Lords a word What if we pardoned him I think the neerness of his arrival to the stroke of death Will ever be a warning to his Loyalty Alm. How pardon him What means your Majesty What can you hope from one so wholly drown'd In melancholy and sowre discontent That should he share the Crown a' would imploy On none but Apes and Flatterers Velas. Spare my Lord Such liberal censure rather reyn the fury Of Justice then so spur it on Great Mistris I will not plead my services but urge The glories you may challenge by your mercy It will be a most sweet becoming act To set you in the Chronicles of memory Qu. Velasco thou art not more brave in arms To conquer with thy valour then thy courtesie Alphonso take thy life who took thee prisoner Is now become thy spokesman Alph. Phew mock not Calamity so grosly Velas. You are too desperate The Queen hath freely pardoned you Qu. And more to purchase kinde opinion of thy Sex our self will lend our help Lords all your hands Lodov. But is the Queen in earnest Velas. It becomes her Mercy is God like Qu.
When by the Queen I was imploy'd against the late Commotioners Of whom the now King was chief Leader then In my return you pleas'd to entertain me Here in your house Salas. Much good may it do your lordship Velas. But then what conquest gain'd I by that conquest When here mine eyes and your commanding beauty Made me a prisoner to the truest love That ever warm'd a heart Salas. Who might that be Velas. You Lady are the deity I adore Have kneell'd too in my heart have vow'd my soul to In such a debt of service that my life Is tenant to your pleasure Salas. Phew my Lord It is not nobly done to mock me thus Velas. Mock you Most fair Salassa if e're truth Dwelt in a tongue my words and thoughts are twins Salas. You wrong your honor in so mean a choise Can it be though that that brave man Valasco Sole Champion of the world should look on me On me a poor lone Widow 'T is impossible Valas. I am poorer In my performance now then ever so poor That vows and protestations want fit credit With me to vow the least part of a service That might deserve your favour Salas. You are serious Velas. Lady I wish that for a present tryal Against the custome of so sweet a nature You would be somwhat cruel in commands You dare not sist the honor of my faith By any strange injunction which the speed Of my glad undertaking should not cheerfully Attempt or perish in the sufferance of it Salas. You promise Lordly Velas. You too much distrust The constancy of truth Salas. It were unnoble On your part to demand a gift of bounty More then the freedom of a fair allowance Confirm'd by modesty and reason's warrant Might without blushing yeeld unto Velas. Oh fear not For my affections aim at chast contents Not at unruly passions of desire I onely claim the title of your servant The flight of my ambitions soars no higher Then living in your grace and for incouragement To quicken my attendance now and then A kinde unravisht kiss Salas. That 's but a fee Due to a fair deserver but admit I grant it and you have it may I then Lay a light burthen on you Velas. What is possible For me to venture on by how much more It carries danger in 't by so much more My glorie 's in the atchievement Salas. I must trust ye Velas. By all the vertues of a Souldiers name I vow and sware Salas. Enough I take that oath And thus my self first do confirm your warrant Velas. I feel new life within me Salas. Now be Steward For your own store my lord and take possession Of what you have purchased freely Velas. With a joy As willing as my wishes can arrive at kisses her Salas. So I may claim your oath now Velas. I attend it Salas. Velasco I do love thee and am jealous Of thy spirit which is hourly apt To catch at actions if I must be Mistris Of thee and my own will thou must be subject To my improvements Velas. 'T is my souls delight Salas. Y' are fam'd the onely fighting Sir alive But what 's this if you be not safe to me Velas. By all Salas. you shall not sware take heed of perjury So much I fear your safety that I command For two years space you shall not wear a sword A dagger or stelletto shall not fight On any quarrel be it neer so just Velas. Lady Salas. Hear more yet if you be baffled Rail'd at scorn'd mock'd struck baffl'd kick'd Velas. O Lady Salas. Spit on revil'd challeng'd provok'd by fools Boyes anticks cowards Velas. 'T is intollerable Salas. I charge you by your oath not to reply In word deed look and lastly I conjure ye Never to shew the cause to any living By circumstance or by equivocation Nor till two years expire to motion love Velas. Why do you play the Tyrant thus Salas. 'T is common T' observe how love hath made a Coward valiant But that a man as daring as Velasco Should to express his duty to a Mistris Kneel to his own disgraces and turn Coward Belongs to me and to my glories onely I 'm Empress of this miracle Your oath Is past if you will lose your self you may How d' ee Sir Velas. Woman thou art vain and cruel Salas. Wil t please your lordship tast a cup of wine Or stay and sup and take a hard bed here Your friends think we have done strange things this while Come let us walk like Lovers I am pittiful I love no quarrels Velas. Triumph in my ruins There is no act of folly but is common In use and practise to a scornful woman Exeunt Act III Enter Alphonso Almada Muretto Bufo Pynto and attendants Alph. You have prevail'd yet e're you came my Lord Muretto here this right right honest man Confirm'd me throughly now to witness further With what a gratitude I love the Queen Reach me a bowle of wine Alm. Your Majesty more honors me in making me the Messenger of this most happy concord then addition of greatness can express Muret. I ever told you How you would his Grace inclin'd at last Pyn. The very Jove of benignity by whose gentle aspect the whole sphere of this Court and Kingdom are like the lesser orbes moved round in the harmony of affability Enter one with wine Alph. My Lord Almado health unto your Mistris A hearty health a deep one Alm. upon my knee My duty gladly answers drinks Alph. Give him wine There 's not a man whoever in our Court Greater or meaner but shall pledge this health In honor of our Queen our vertuous Queen Commend us and report us as you finde Alm. Great Sir I shall with joy Alph. Bufo and Pynto All in and drink drink deep let none be spar'd Comers or goers none Buf. Away my hearts Pyn. Wee 'll tickle it till the welkin blussle again and all the fixt Stars dance the old measures Muret. I shall attend to wait upon your lordship to the Caraoch Exeunt Manet Alphonso Alph. So so far reaching pollicy I adore thee Will hug thee as my dearling Shallow fools Dive not into the pitch of regular Statists Henceforth my Stratagem 's of scorn and hatred Shall kill in smiles I will not strike and frown But laugh and murther Enter Muretto Alph. Welcom are we safe Muret. Most free from interruption The Lord Velasco is newly entred the Court I have given the watch word that they ply him mainly the conclusion I know cannot but break off in hurleburly Alph Good good I hate him mortally 'T was he Slaved me to th' hangmans ax But now go on Petruchi is the man you say must stand The Champion of her lust Muret. There may be yet vertuous intention even in bad actions in lewd words I urge no further then likely-hoods may inform Alph. Phew that 's thy nobleness But now Muretto The eye of luxury speaks loud in silence Muret. Why look ye