University of Virginia Library

Scæna. I.

Sigismond, Fredericke, Baldwine, with their traine.
Sigis.
Now say my Lords of Buda and Bohemia,
What motiō is it that inflames your thoughts,
And stirs your valures to such soddaine armes?

Fred.
Your Maiesty remembers I am sure
What cruell slaughter of our Christian bloods,
These heathnish Turks and Pagans lately made,
Betwixt the citie Zula and Danubius,
How through the midst of Verna and Bulgaria
And almost to the very walles of Rome,
They haue not long since massacred our Camp,
It resteth now then that your Maiesty
Take all aduantages of time and power,
And worke reuenge vpon these Infidels:
Your Highnesse knowes for Tamburlaines repaire,
That strikes a terrour to all Turkish hearts,
Natolia hath dismist the greatest part
Of all his armie, pitcht against our power
Betwixt Cutheia and Orminius mount:
And sent them marching vp to Belgasar,
Acantha, Antioch, and Cæsaria,
To aid the kings of Soria and Ierusalem.
Now then my Lord, aduantage take hereof,
And issue sodainly upon the rest:
That in the fortune of their ouerthrow,
We may discourage all the pagan troope,
That dare attempt to war with Christians.

Sig.
But cals not then your Grace to memorie
The league we lately made with king Orcanes,
Confirm'd by oth and Articles of peace,
And calling Christ for record of our trueths?
This should be treacherie and violence,
Against the grace of our profession.

Bald.
No whit my Lord: for with such Infidels,
In whom no faith nor true religion rests,
We are not bound to those accomplishments,
The holy lawes of Christendome inioine:
But as the faith which they prophanely plight
Is not by necessary pollycy,
To be esteem'd assurance for our selues,
So what we vow to them should not infringe
Our liberty of armes and victory.

Sig.
Though I confesse the othes they vndertake,
Breed litle strength to our securitie,
Yet those infirmities that thus defame
Their faiths, their honors, and their religion,
Should not giue vs presumption to the like,
Our faiths are sound, and must be consinuate,
Religious, righteous, and inuiolate.

Fred.
Assure your Grace tis superstition
To stand so strictly on dispensiue faith:
And should we lose the opportunity
That God hath giuen to venge our Christians death
And scourge their foule blasphemous Paganisme?
As fell to Saule, to Balaam and the rest,
That would not kill and curse at Gods command,
So surely will the vengeance of the highest
And iealous anger of his fearefull arme
Be pour'd with rigour on our sinfull heads,
If we neglect this offered victory.

Sig.
Then arme my Lords, and issue sodainly,
Giuing commandement to our generall hoste,
With expedition to assaile the Pagan,
And take the victorie our God hath giuen.

Exeunt.