University of Virginia Library

SCEN. 7.

Enter at one dore Albertus and Others, at another Phylanter, Lycespes, and Others.
Alb.
I should chide now, but the condition of your fortunes
Cannot be that way helpt, nor are you fit
For a disturbance, I hear you have succesless
Storm'd the house; Why stai'd you not till I arriv'd?
'Twas folly to attempt it with so few.

Phyl.
But that has hapned now which I then feared,
For I did ghesse supplies would come to them
As soon as you to us. Besides, who would have ghest,
Or now can think, how they come by their aid?
Had we proved fortunate, we might have made
Our own conditions.

Alb.
In that you have hit my thoughts, for now we must
Not lose our selves by fear or folly;
The one's too mean, the other but a madnesse.
And we must look on these we have
Without a hope of more, and on them
As an encreasing body; by this we are constrain'd
Upon the nick to make our compositions,
Or put it to the venture of a Day;
The first's the better, were the last the likelier.
For I believe that, passion laid aside
That first incited these rash thoughts and actions,
You look upon't as not to be pursu'd,
But fairly to be left. Men may erre,
It is the influence of Chance and Nature,
But to pursue it, is their own—Lycespes—
There is much due to you, you were still honest,
And most a friend in danger,
Who are in safety onely are their own.

Lyc.
My Lord, I always owed your son as much,
And did resolve to pay it, till I had cause
To leave, or feared to avow it.

Alb.
You are still noble. But Phylanter,
What certain intelligence have you?

Phyl.
We know, Sir, the Army of the King
Is hard at hand, they say the Princesse too
Is with them.

Alb.
I ghess'd as much, and for that reason
I left the Court, for I heard
That she was big with rage—Well,
The time's now short, and something must be done:
Let all be in a readinesse, and prepare
Nobly to reach successe, or ill to share.
In the mean time wee'l presently advise
The honorablest way for composition.
For to be safe and good is better far,
Than trust our crimes unto the chance of War.

[Exeunt.