 | The Comicall Historie of Alphonsus, King of Aragon |  |
Act. 2.
Of the Historie of Alphonsus.
Enter Belinus, Albinius, Fabius, Alphonsus, with the souldier, assoone as they are in, strike vp alarum a while, and then enter Venus.Venus.
Thus from the pit of pilgrimes pouertie,
Alphonsus ginnes by step and step, to climbe
Vnto the toppe of friendly Fortunes wheele,
From banisht state as you haue plainely seene,
He is transformed into a souldiers life,
And marcheth in the Ensigne of the King,
Of worthy Naples, which Belinus hight,
Not for because that he doth loue him so,
But that he may reuenge him on his foe.
Now on the toppe of lustie barbed steed,
He mounted is, in glittering Armour clad,
Seeking about the troupes of Aragon,
For to encounter with his traiterous Neece.
How he doth speed, and what doth him befall,
Marke this our Act, for it doth shew it all.
Exit Venus.
Strike vp alarum. Enter Flaminius at one doore, Alphonsus at another, they fight, Alphonsus kill Flaminius, and say.
Alphon.
Go packe thou hence vnto the Stigian lake,
And make report vnto thy trayterous sire,
How well thou hast enioyed the Diadem,
And if he aske thee who did send thee downe,
Alphonsus say, who now must weare thy crowne.
Strike vp alarum. Enter Lælius, who seeing that his King is slaine, vpbraides Alphonsus in this sort.
Læli.
Traytor, how darest thou looke me in the face,
Whose mightie King thou trayterously hast slaine,
What dost thou thinke Flaminius hath no friends,
For to reuenge his death on thee againe?
Yes be you sure, that ere you scape from hence,
Thy gasping ghost shall beare him companie,
Or else my selfe fighting for his defence,
Will be content, by those thy hands to die.
Alphon.
Lælius, fewe words would better thee become,
Especially as now the case doth stand:
And diddest thou know whom thou dost threaten thus,
We should you haue more calmer out of hand.
For Lælius know, that I Alphonsus am,
The sonne and heire to olde Carinus, whom
The trayterous father of Flaminius
Did secretly bereaue of his Diadem.
But see the iust reuenge of mightie Ioue,
The father dead, the sonne is likewise slaine,
By that mans hand who they did count as dead,
Yet doth suruiue to weare the Diadem,
When they themselues accompany the ghosts
Which wander round about the stigian fieldes.
Lælius gaze vpon Alphonsus.
Muse not hereat, for it is true I say,
I am Alphonsus, whom thou hast misusde.
The man whose death I did so oft lament?
Kneele downe.
Then pardon me for these vncurteous words
The which I in my rage did vtter forth,
Prickt by the dutie of a loyall mind:
Pardon Alphonsus this my first offence,
And let me die if ere I flight againe.
Alphon.
Lælius, I faine would pardon this offence,
And eke accept thee to my grace againe:
But that I feare that when I stand in need
And want your helpe, you will your Lord betray:
How say you Lælius may I trust to thee?
Læli.
I noble Lord, by all the Gods I vowe,
For first shall heauens want stars, and foming seas
Want watry drops, before Ile traytor be,
Vnto Alphonsus whom I honour so.
Alphon.
Well then arise, and for because Ile trie
If that thy words and deeds be both alike,
Go haste and fetch the youthes of Aragon,
Which now I heare haue turnd their heeles & fled.
Tell them your chance, and bring them back again
Into this wood, where in ambushment lie,
Vntill I come or send for you my selfe.
Læli.
I will my Lord.
Exit Lælius.
Alphon.
Full litle thinks Belinus and his Peeres,
What thoughts Alphonsus casteth in his mind,
For if they did, they would not greatly haste
To pay the same the which they promist me.
Enter Belinus, Albinius, Fabius, with their souldiers, marching.
Beli.
Like simple sheep when shepheard absent is,
Do scattring flie about, some here, some there,
To keepe their bodies from their rauening iawes,
So do the fearefull youths of Aragon
Run round about the greene and pleasant plaines,
And hide their heads from Neapolitans:
Such terror haue their strong and sturdie blowes
Strooke to their hearts, as for a world of gold
I warrant you they will not come againe.
But noble Lords, where is the knight become
Which made the blood besprinkle all the place
Whereas he did encounter with his foe?
My friend Albinius know you where he is?
Albi.
Not I my Lord, for since in thickest rankes
I sawe him chase Flaminius at the heeles,
I neuer yet could set mine eyes on him.
Albinius spies out Alphonsus, and shewes him to Belinus.
But see my Lord, whereas the warriour stands,
Or else my sight doth faile me at this time.
Beli.
Tis he indeed, who as I do suppose,
Hath slaine the King, or else some other Lord:
For well I wot, a carkas I do see
Hard at his feete, lie strugling on the ground.
Belinus and Albinius go towards Alphonsus.
Come on Albinius, we will trie the truth.
Belinus say to Alphonsus.
Haile to the noble victor of our foes.
Alph.
Thanks mightie Prince, but yet I seek not this,
It is not words must recompence my paine,
Your promise was, what ere my sword did winne
In fight, as his, Alphonsus should it craue.
Shewe Belinus Flaminius, who lyeth all this while dead at his feete.
See then where lies thy foe Flaminius,
Whose Crowne my sword hath conquered in the field:
Therefore Belinus make no long delay,
But that discharge, you promist for to pay.
Beli.
Wil nothing else satisfie thy conquering mind
Besides the Crowne? well since thou hast it wonne,
Thou shalt it haue, though farre against my will.
Alphonsus sit in the Chaire, Belinus takes the Crowne off of Flaminius head, and puts it on Alphonsus.
Here doth Belinus Crowne thee with his hand,
The King of Aragon, what are you pleasde?
Sound Trumpets and Drummes within.
Alphon.
Not so Belinus, till you promise me
All things belonging to the royall Crowne
Of Aragon, and make your Lordings sweare
For to defend me to their vtmost power,
Against all men that shall gainsay the same.
Beli.
Marke what belonged erst vnto the Crowne
Of Aragon, that challenge as thine owne,
Belinus giues it franckly vnto thee:
And sweare by all the powers of glittering skies,
To do my best for to maintaine the same:
So that it be not preiudiciall
Vnto mine honour, or my Countrey soyle.
And by the sacred seate of mightie Ioue,
Albinius sweares, that first heele die the death,
Before heele see Alphonsus suffer wrong.
Fabi.
What erst Albinius vowd we ioyntly vow.
Alphon.
Thanks mightie Lords, but yet I greatly feare,
That very fewe will keepe the oathes they sweare.
But what Belinus, why stand you so long,
And cease from offering homage vnto me?
What know you not that I thy soueraigne am,
Crowned by thee and all thy other Lords,
And now confirmed by your solemne oathes?
Feed not thy selfe with fond perswasions,
But presently come yeeld thy Crowne to me,
And do me homage, or by heauens I sweare,
Ile force thee do it maugre all thy traine.
Beli.
How now base brat, what are thy wits thine owne,
That thou darest thus abraide me in my land?
Tis best for thee these speeches to recall,
Or else by Ioue ile make thee to repent
That ere thou settest thy foote in Naples soyle.
Alph.
Base brat sayest thou, as good a man as thou.
But say I came but of a base desent,
My deeds shall make my glory for to shine,
As cleare as Luna in a winters night.
But for because thou braggest so of thy birth,
Ile see how it shall profit thee anon.
Fabi.
Alphonsus cease from these thy threatning words,
And lay aside this thy presumptuous mind,
Or else be sure, thou shalt the same repent.
Alphon.
How now sir boy wil you be pratling too?
Tis best for thee to hold thy tatling tongue,
Vnlesse I send some one to scourge thy breech:
Why then I see, tis time to looke about,
When euery boy Alphonsus dares controll:
But be they sure, ere Phœbus golden beames
Ile clog their toongs, since nothing else will serue
To keep those vilde and threatning speeches in.
Farwell Belinus, loke thou to thy selfe:
Alphonsus meanes to haue thy Crowne ere night.
Exit Alphonsus.
Beli.
What is he gone, the diuel break his necke,
The fiends of hell torment his traiterous corpes:
Is this the quittance of Belinus grace,
Which he did shewe vnto that thankles wretch?
That runnagate, that rachell, yea that theefe,
For well I wot he hath robd me of a Crowne.
If euer he had sprung from gentle blood,
He would not thus misuse his fauourer.
Albi.
That runnagate, that rachel, yea that theef?
Stay their sir King, your mouth runnes ouer much,
It ill becomes the subiect for to vse
Such trayterous termes against his soueraigne.
Know thou Belinus, that Carinus sonne,
Is neither rachel nor runnagate,
But be thou sure, that ere the darksome night
Do driue God Phæbus to his Thetis lap,
Both thou and all the rest of this thy traine,
Shall well repent the words which you haue saine.
Beli.
What traiterous villain dost thou threaten me?
Lay hold on him, and see he do not scape,
Ile teach the slaue to know to whom he speakes.
To thee I speake, and to thy fellowes all:
And though as now you haue me in your power,
Yet doubt I not but that in litle space,
These eyes shall see thy treason recompenst:
And then I meane to vaunt of our victorie.
Beli.
Nay proud Albinius, neuer build on that,
Alphonsus victor of Belinus land,
Yet shalt thou neuer liue to see that day,
And therefore Fabius stand not lingring,
But presently slash off his trayterous head.
Albi.
Slash off his head, as though Albinius head
Were then so easie to be slashed off.
In faith sir no, when you are gone and dead,
I hope to flourish like the pleasant spring.
Beli.
Why how now Fabius, what do you stand in doubt,
To do the deed? what feare you? who dares seeke
For to reuenge his death on thee againe,
Since that Belinus did commaund it so?
Or are you waxt so daintie, that you dare
Not vse your sword for staining of your hands?
If it be so, then let me see thy sword,
And I will be his butcher for this time.
Fabius giue Belinus thy sword drawne, Belinus say as followeth.
Now sir Albinius, are you of the minde
That erst you were? what do you looke to see
And triumph in Belinus ouerthrow?
I hope the very sight of this my blade,
Hath chaungde your minde into an other tune.
Albi.
Not so Belinus, I am constant still,
My minde is like to the Abeston stone.
Which if it once be heat in flames of fire,
Deineth to becommen colde againe.
Euen so am I, and shall be till I die,
And though I should see Attropos appeare.
With knife in hand, so slit my threed in twaine,
Yet nere Albinius should perswaded be,
But that Belinus he should vanquisht see.
Nay then Albinius, since that words are vaine
For to perswade you from this heresie:
This sword shall sure put you out of doubt.
Belinus offers to strike off Albinius head strike vp alarum, euer Alphonsus and his men, flie Belinus and Fabius, follow Alphonsus, and Albinius. Enter Lælius, Milos, and his seruants.
Læli.
My noble Lords of Aragon, I know
You wonder much what might the occasion be,
That Lælius which earst did flie the field,
Doth egge you forwards now vnto the warres,
But when you heare my reason, out of doubt
Yowle be content with this my rash attempt.
When first our King, Flaminius I do meane,
Did set vpon the Neapolitans,
The worst of you did know and plainly see,
How farre they were vnable to withstand
The mightie forces of our royall Campe,
Vntill such time as froward fates we thought,
Although the fates ordaind it for our gaine,
Did send a straunger stout, whose sturdie blowes
And force alone, did cause our ouerthrow.
But to our purpose, this same martiall knight
Did hap to hit vpon Flaminius,
And lent our King then such a friendly blow,
As that his gasping ghost to Lymbo went:
Which when I sawe, and seeking to reuenge,
My noble Lords, did hap on such a prize:
As neuer King nor Keisar got the like.
Mi.
Lælius, of force we must confesse to thee,
We wondred all, when as you did perswade
Vs to returne vnto the warres againe,
But since our maruell is increased much
Therefore good Lælius make no tarrying,
But soone vnfolde thy happie chaunce to vs.
Læ.
Then friends and fellow souldiers, hark to me.
When Lælius thought for to reuenge his king,
On that same knight, in steed of mortall foe,
I found him for to be our cheefest friend.
Mi.
Our cheefest friend, I hardly can beleeue,
That he which made such bloudie massacres
Of stout Italians, can in any poynt
Beare friendship to the countrey or the King.
Læ.
As for your king Miles, I hold with you,
He beare no friendship to Flaminius,
But hated him as bloudie Attropos,
But for your countrey, Lælius doth auowe,
He loues as well as any other land:
Yea sure he loues it best of all the world:
And for because, you shall not thinke that I
Do say the same without a reason why,
Know that the knight Alphonsus hath to name,
Both sonne and heire to olde Carinus, whom
Flaminius sire bereaued of his Crowne:
Who did not seeke the ruine of our host,
For any enuie he did beare to vs,
But to reuenge him on his mortall foe,
Which by the helpe of high celestiall Ioue,
He hath atchieu'd with honour in the field.
Mi.
Alphonsus man, ile nere perswaded be,
That ere Alphonsus may suruiue againe,
Who with Carinus many yeares agoe,
Was said to wander in the stigian fieldes.
Læli.
Truth Noble Miles, these mine eares haue heard,
For certaintie reported vnto me,
That olde Carinus with his peerlesse sonne,
Had felt the sharpnesse of the sisters sheeres,
In good estate, though all the world should say
He is aliue, I would not credit them:
But fellow souldiers wend you backe with me,
And let vs lurke within the secret shade,
Which he himselfe appointed vnto vs:
And if you find my words to be vntroth,
Then let me die to recompence the wrong.
Strike vp alarum, Enter Albinius with his sword drawne, and say.
Albi.
Lælius make haste, souldiers of Aragon,
Set lingring by, and come and helpe your King.
I meane Alphonsus, who whilest that he did
Pursue Belinus at the very heeles,
Was suddenly enuironed about,
With all the troupes of mightie Millain land.
Mi.
What newes is this, and is it very so?
Is our Alphonsus yet in humane state,
Whom all the world did iudge for to be dead.
Yet can I scarce giue credit to the same.
Giue credit, yes, and since the Millain Duke,
Hath broke his league of friendship, be he sure,
Ere Cynthia, the shining lampe of night,
Doth scale the heauens with her horned head,
Both he and his shall very plainly see,
The league is burst, that caused long the glee.
Læ.
And could the traytor harbor in his brest
Such mortall treason gainst his soueraigne,
As when he should with fire and sword defend
Him from his foes, he seekes his ouerthrow?
March on my friends, I nere shall ioy at all,
Vntill I see that bloudie traytors fall.
Exeunt.
Strike vp alarum, flie Belinus, follow Lælius: flie Fabius, follow Albinius: flie the Duke of Millaine, follow Miles.
| The Comicall Historie of Alphonsus, King of Aragon | |