 | The Siege and Surrender of Mons |  |
SCENE I.
The Curtain drawn, discovers the Prince de Bergue, with the Counts Fontagne and Ravillido, Brigadier Fagel, Marshal Spinosa, and other Officers in Council at the Stadt-Huys or Town-Hall of Mons, examining a Scout whom they had sent to observe the Motions of the French.Prince B.
But does the Army march directly hither?
Scout.
They seem, my Lord, to have no other aim,
For from the Hills I saw their Cavalry
Descend in so much order with their Trumpets,
Haut-bois and Drums in warlike Consort playing
As if instead of fighting they intended
A solemn Triumph in the Plains of Hainault.
Prince.
'Tis yet preposterous tho, to let such Joys
Soften their Souldiers Minds before Engagement,
Know you the Strength and Number of their Force?
Scout.
Reports, my Lord, are Various, yet 'tis thought
That Fifty thousand Men compose their Army.
Prince.
Let Fifty thousand swell to Fifty Millions,
As daring as their General Luxemberg;
And cruel as the Marquess de Bouffleers,
Yet Mons shall stand against their mighty Force,
My Lords, your thoughts of this bold Undertaking?
2
'Tis what we feared, what did I say we fear'd it?
Forgive the word—we know not what it means
This friendly Visit we have long expected,
But yet we hope with int'rest to repay it;
'Tis kindly done to let us know their coming,
That we get things ready for their welcome,
And not as once in the Disguise of Merchants,
Seize on our Gates, and let the Foes come in,
Myn Heer (speaking to Fagel)
you best the Towns Condition know.
Fagel.
If Art and Nature ever yet contriv'd,
A place to bear the worst attacks of Fortune,
'Tis surely Mons can make the justest claim,
If Horn-works, Bastions, Counterscarps, Redoubts,
With the united Force of Germans, Dutch,
Walloones and Spaniards both of Foot and Horse,
Bred in the Art of War and Blood since Infancy
Speak a place strong, then Mons will try their Valour.
Prince B.
Fagel, the Genius of a Martial Soul,
Dictates your thoughts, yet Caution is a Vertue,
For were our Bulwarks strong as walls of Brass,
And Ramparts which to time might bid defiance,
Yet were the Souldiers treacherous or disloyal,
The place would quickly yield to Gallick Force.
Fagel.
The Souldiers false? avert the thought kind Heaven!
My Lord, so very brave and stout the' appear,
As if one gallant and Heroick Soul
Did actuate of Men so great a Body,
The Burghers too have seem'd to lay aside
All thoughts of getting Wealth, and heaping Riches.
Daily they leave their Shops to handle Arms,
And exercise with so much art and skill,
As Nature seem'd to have design'd 'em Souldiers.
Prince B.
Fagel you chear my Soul with the Relation,
That we have now no time for long Debates,
This Action now must make us Formidable,
My Lords Fontagne and Ravillido, you
With your respective Troops take care to guard
The Magazines, Spinosa 'tis your Post
3
To Harcourt I've already given a Charge.
Fagel.
'Tis known you no Instructions want,
Nor does your God like Vertue need Directions
Let every Man of us altho remember
No common Cause we wear upon Swords,
Let each but think that on his single Valour
Depends the Glory or the Fall of Mons
Eternal Honour or perpetual Slav'ry,
If helps to Valour we should stand in need,
Let us reflect upon the breach of Oaths,
Truces and Edicts sign'd by treacherous French,
Let's think of Phillipsburg, Spire, Worms, and other
Once famous Towns, now heaps of Dirt and Ruines,
Let this within our minds form such impressions
Of French Civility that we may never
Listen to Overtures of tame Surrender.
Fagel.
Surrender—had I my Lord the least suspicion
That in these Brains of mine such thoughts were lurking
By Heav'n Ide dash 'em out against a Mortar-piece,
As soon my Wife and all my little Children,
Ide tamely hold, before a Rugged Villain,
Whilst he with cruel Knife ript up their Throats,
As yield my Country up to Monsieur's Terms.
Ravillido.
Bravely resolv'd. But Fagels not alone,
There's not a Man that bears Command in Mons,
VVho will not wish to loose the use of Hearing
Before he'l listen to such base Demand.
Prince.
My Lords I pray you let no nice Suspicions
Disturb our Friendships—Each Man to his Post,
Mean while be Orders sent to all the Convents,
The Monasteries and Religious Houses
Within the City that the Holy Fathers
With Prayers and Tears, long Fastings and Processions
May bribe the Saints t'assist us in our woes,
And turn these threatning Clouds another Day
Spinosa, wait upon me to the Palace.
Exeunt all but Fagel.
4
What e're the Matter is I cannot tell,
I do not love these Priests, for in a Siege,
They are as useless as their Holy-water:
'Tis strange, their Prayers should do no more Execution
Then we effect with all our Bombs and Canon;
And for their parts, they are unskill'd in Arms:
Yet I bely 'em, for these shaven Scoundrels
Know but too well, the use of Carnal weapons;
They have more Business with their Female Penitents,
Then hearing them confess and then absolve them.
While we are fighting to defend their Lives,
These holy Rogues are nibbling at our Wives.
| The Siege and Surrender of Mons | |