University of Virginia Library

Scena secunda

Wallenstein, Dutchesse, Newman, Terzki, Kintzki, Illawe.
Wallens.
Are they agreed yet, Newman,

Newm.
Faith my Lord,
The Virgin Lady's something fearefull, feares
A man of warre should board her, lest his charge
Should make her keele split, my Lord Fredricke
Is of that rough demeanour, spight of my
Instructions, he will never learne to woe
In the due phrase and garbe.

Wallens.
I doe admire,
The fond base carriage of our giddy youth
In love affaires, and grieve to see my sonnes,
(Who should inherit from me my great spirit,
As well as fortune) so degenerate from
My masculine courage; when ith' blooming pride
Of my green youth I flourish'd, my desires
Aym'd alwayes rather in the tented field
To spend my houres, then on a downy Couch,
To see the face of a sterne enemy besmear'd with blood,
Pleas'd me farre better then a Ladies lookes.

Dutch.
And yet you vow'd,
E're you won me, my Lord, you ne're saw object,
That so much pleas'd your appetite.

Wallens.
Perhaps I might,
For the obtaining of my ends, descend
From my great spirit so much, as to decline
To idle Courtship, the birds and beasts will doe it
To sate their appetites, the fiery Steed,
(That in the fervor of a fight, oft times
Neighs courage to his rider) when provok'd
With eager heat, will licke and bite his female
Into the same desire: The Sparrowes bill,
And with a chirping rhetoricke, seeme to court
Enjoyment of their wishes, which fulfil'd
Dulls their heads, they couch beneath their wings,
And in a slumber, forfeit all remembrance
Of their past pleasures: Yet insatiate man,
In his desire more hot then Steeds or Sparrowes,
Will to obtaine it, quite devest his soule
Of all that's masculine in him, and transforme
His very being into woman.

Newm.
Sure,
My Lord intends to write some Proclamation,
'Gainst wearing holland smockes, some furious Edict,
'Gainst charitable leaguerers: I've knowne him,
(And so have you my Lords) for all this heat
'Gainst woman-hood, pursue a sutlers ufroe,
(And she had but one eye neither) with as much zeale,
As e're knight-errand did his faire Land abrides,
Or Claridiana.

Ent. Fredrick; Emilia.
Tert.
My Lord, your son and faire Emilia.

Newm.
The quarrel's reconcil'd, Ile lay my life on't.

Wallens.
Beauteous Lady,
The contract 'twixt me and your father, touching
The marriage 'twixt my son and your faire selfe, I hope
By your consent is ratified: my boy
Lookes sprightly, as if he were new return'd
From a triumphant victory.

Fred.
My Lord,
I am so much a master of my wishes,
By being blest in this faire Ladies love,
I cannot wish a happinesse above
What I possesse, onely would you be pleas'd,
To destiny the most welcome houre for
The consummation of our Nuptials.

Wallens.
'T shall be accomplish'd
With all the speed that preparations can
Be made for the solemnity. Your newes sir.

Int. Page.
Page.
My Lord, there's Colonell Gordon, and some others
Newly arriv'd from Egers, beg admittance
Into your presence.

Wallens.
Let them enter,
They are my noble friends. Madam take
The bright Emilia to your charge: Fredrick you
Have leave to wait on your Mistris. Worthy friends,
Ex. Dutch. Fred. Emil.
Int. Gordon, Lesle, Butler.
You're dearely welcome, I presume the businesse
Must be of much importance, that could draw
You (without giving us first notice of it)
From Egers hither.

Lesle.
Mighty Sir, our fortunes,
Our honours, lives, whatsoe're we can call ours,
Are such a debt to you, that we'r ingag'd,
To sacrifice them all in any service
For you, especially in this affaire
We'r now arriv'd about, since it concernes
Your precious life, which by that tyrant Cæsar,
At halfe the price, and value of his Empire,
Is set to sale.

Wallens.
Horror! as how, good Colonell.

Lesle.
When you shall know sir
The traytors (such his malice would have made them)
Pick'd out for the assasinates of your person,
You'l blesse you from his trecheries, as from
Infectious damps, for the men, best Generall,
Are of such bosome trust, so neere ally'd
To all your councels, 't had been as easie for them
To have acted your sad ruine, as it is
For me to speake this.

Tert.
Very strange, pray name them.

Lesle.
Even our selves;
Our faithfull innocent selves, were those same monsters,
Design'd for to put in act his purpose, who
'Cause we were mercenaries in this warfare,
He thought as easily we would sell our faiths,
Courted us therefore with whole piles of honours,
Mountaines of titles, mines of endlesse riches:
But where our honours stand in competition,
These are but frivolous baits, trifles for children
To play and toy withall, our faiths are chrystall,
Which poison cannot vitiate.

Wallens.
And our love
Shall strive by yours to take a faire example,
How to requite your truth, but pray what answer,
Return'd you to this man more great in mischiefes,
Then he's in power or title.

Lesle.
Entertain'd
His proffer'd bounties with a specious shew
Of thankfulnesse, nay promis'd to effect
His damn'd intent, besought him not to imploy
Any other instruments but our selves t'accomplish
The ruine of your person: by this meanes
To free your deare life from the eminent danger,
Of being by others aym'd at.

Tert.
These strangers loves
Surpasse credit.

Wallens.
To thanke you
For this same deare preservall of my life,
Best friends, were to admit your action might,
Receive by gratitude a satisfaction,
But pray divide my soule, my life and fortunes,
Are at your disposition: noble Lords,
That this base Emperour seekes to take my life
By trechery, is an apparant signe,
He feares that I should live, and halfe victorious
E're blow be strucken, are they whom their foes
Dread, e're they doe behold them: let's go on then,
Arm'd with our aides, backt with our causes justice,
'Gainst this insulting Emperour, and resolve
To pull the tyrant from his Throne, destroy
His very name, his memory, his ashes,
With as much easie freedome, as rough windes
Demolish crasie buildings. Colonell Gordon,
Some five dayes hence we shall arrive at Egers,
There to make preparation for the Nuptials,
Betwixt our sonne and faire Emilia.
Come Lords, since we amongst our selves are true,
Conquest is ours, which we'l with speed pursue.

Exeunt.