University of Virginia Library

SCENE II.

Gundamor, Howard.
Gun.
I fear, good Captain, that my long Delay
Has made the Time wear tedious on your hands,
But you must charge it on this Midnight Council.
You English have a strange debating Vein,
And preface ev'ry trifle with a Speech;
Spin out the time with Reasons and Replies,
And yet are stubborn to your first Resolves.

How.
There are, I own, my Lord, peculiar Faults
To ev'ry Nation; that, perhaps, is ours.
I wish we had no more—my Country's Failing
I hate and pity, yet I love my Country.

Gun.
I know thou dost, and that sways much with me.
Trust me, I hold no Conference or League
But with the Vertuous Men who love their Country.
But Fits of undesigning Mirth break forth
With jovial Tempers, which their Friends forgive.

How.
I hope the wise Ambassador of Spain
Wakes not at this late Season of the Night,
For sportive Mirth, or starch'd Civilities.

Gun.
No, Howard—I have long observ'd thy Worth,
There's something pleasing in thy rugged Virtue,
Which makes me wish to call its Owner Friend:
Know then, to give an Earnest of my Heart,
Already I have mov'd the Gracious King—

How.
For what, my Lord?—

Gun.
To raise thee to Command,
Not serve and drudge beneath Inferior Merit.

How.
I thank my Lord; but 'tis of Fortune's Hand
What Rank I hold; my Service is my own,
And that, next Heav'n, my Sovereign shall command.

Gun.
O! that my Master, in his Empire's Bounds,
Wide as it lies from East to Western Sun,
Could boast a hundred Subjects like to thee!

How.
[Aside.]
I'd rather hear a Storm that threatens Shipwrack,
Than bear a single Breath of such vile Flatt'ry!
But how, my Lord, must I deserve the Grace
Your Favour promises?—

Gun.
With wondrous Ease:
You well remember when your Naval Pow'r
(Raleigh was then your Admiral) set forth
To seek Adventures in the New-found World.
You know your cunning Captain fool'd you on
With Golden Hopes, and sold your Blood and Lives,
To dress his Naked Vanity anew,
With false Discoveries, and pretended Conquests.

How.
[Aside.
Hold my Resentment for a Moment now.

Gun.
This Voyage I would have thee mark with care,
Minute down each Exploit from Coast to Coast,
Schemes, Councils, Actions and Events.
Give me this Paper—Thou art Admiral.

How.
Does Spain bestow the Dignities of England?

Gun.
Fear not, but trust thy Hopes to Gundamor.

How.
It cannot be; the Fortune of my Friends,
My Fame, a Soldier's Fame forbids me.

Gun.
For Raleigh, hold his Life at nothing,
His Death is sign'd, and only now deferr'd
Because the Queen is ill, the Pious Council
(Curse on their squeamish English Appetites)
At this sad Season can digest no Blood.

How.
[Aside.
This Secret may be useful to my Friend.

Gun.
Thy Friendship thus is cancell'd by the Grave.
Be wise, and bury thy false Honour there;
Then mount upon the Tomb, and reach the Prize
That bends to tempt thee—

How.
Curs'd Temptation!
Thus I reject thee with a Soldier's Scorn.
Now witness Heav'n, the Friendship that I bear
Depends not on the scanty line of Life,
But twists around all Relatives of Raleigh.
And I must tell thee, mighty as thou art,
Lord Gundamor, that I had rather kill
Ten Thousand Spaniards for a Soldier's Pay,
Than sell one Grain of Honour for an Empire.

[Exit.
Gundamor
solus.
Proud Virtuous Fool! the first whom I have known
Of all his Countrymen refuse a Bribe.
These are the Fruits of Raleigh's Discipline;
He fills them with the Pride of Roman Greatness,
The Love of Virtue, and Contempt of Danger,
And nurses future Terrors for our Spain.
But I have still more Engines at Command;
While Salisbury cries Justice to his Master,
Wade, under Colour of Officious Service,
Shall draw new Treasons from his Prisoner's Mouth:
He loves to talk—and that shall be his Snare.
Yes, spite of him, and all his Factious Brood,
The Kingdom's Honour, and the publick Good,
My Spanish Plots and Treasure shall succeed,
And make the Valiant Grey-hair'd Traytor bleed.

[Exit.