K. Ja. Our business grows to head now; where's your secretary,

That he attends you not to serve?

War. With Marchmont,

Your herald.

K. Ja. Good: the proclamation's ready; By that it will appear how the English stand Affected to your title. Huntley, comfort Your daughter in her husband's absence; fight With prayers at home for us, who, for your ho

nours,

Must toil in fight abroad.

Hunt. Prayers are the weapons
Which men, so near their graves as I, do use;
I've little else to do.

K. Ja. To rest, young beauties!

We must be early stirring; quickly part:

A kingdom's rescue craves both speed and art.

Cousins, good night.

War. Rest to our cousin king.

Kath. Your blessing, sir.

[A flourish.

Hunt. Fair blessings on your highness! sure you need them.

[Exeunt all but WAR. KATH. and JANE.

War. Jane, set the lights down, and from us

return

To those in the next room, this little purse;

Say, we'll deserve their loves.

Jane. It shall be done, sir.

[Exit.

War. Now, dearest, ere sweet sleep shall seal

those eyes,

Love's precious tapers, give me leave to use
A parting ceremony; for to-morrow

It would be sacrilege to intrude upon

The temple of thy peace: swift as the morning,
Must I break from the down of thy embraces,
To put on steel, and trace the paths which lead
Through various hazards to a careful throne.
Kath. My lord, I'd fain go with you; there's
small fortune

In staying here behind.

War. The churlish brow

Of war, fair dearest, is a sight of horror
For ladies' entertainment: if thou hear'st
A truth of my sad ending by the hand
Of some unnatural subject, thou withall
Shalt hear, how I died worthy of my right,
By falling like a king; and in the close,

Which my last breath shall sound, thy name, thou fairest,

Shall sing a requiem to my soul, unwilling

Only of greater glory, 'cause divided

From such a heaven on earth, as life with thee.
But these are chimes for funerals; my business.
Attends on fortune of a sprightlier triumph;
For love and majesty are reconciled,

And vow to crown thee Empress of the West.
Kath. You have a noble language, sir; your

right

In me is without question, and however
Events of time may shorten my deserts
In others' pity, yet it shall not stagger

Or constancy, or duty in a wife.

You must be king of me; and my poor heart
Is all I can call mine.

War. But we will live,

Live, beauteous virtue, by the lively test
Of our own blood, to let the counterfeit
Be known the world's contempt.

Kath. Pray do not use

That word, it carries fate in't: the first suit
I ever made, I trust your love will grant.
War. Without denial, dearest.

Kath. That hereafter,

If you return with safety, no adventure
May sever us in tasting any fortune:
I ne'er can stay behind again.

War. You are lady

Of your desires, and shall command your will; Yet 'tis too hard a promise.

Kath. What our destinies

Have ruled out in their books, we must not search, But kneel to.

War. Then to fear when hope is fruitless,

Were to be desperately miserable;

Which poverty our greatness dares not dream of, And much more scorns to stoop to: some few mi

nutes

Remain yet, let's be thrifty in our hopes.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.

The Palace at Westminster.

Enter King HENRY, HIALAS, and URSWICK.

K. Hen. Your name is Pedro Hialas," a Spaniard?

Hial. Sir, a Castillian born.

K. Hen. King Ferdinand,

With wise queen Isabel his royal consort,

Write you a man of worthy trust and candour.

Princes are dear to heaven, who meet with sub

jects

Sincere in their employments; such I find

Your commendation, sir. Let me deliver

How joyful I repute the amity,

With your most fortunate master, who almost
Comes near a miracle in his success

Against the Moors, who had devour'd his country,
Entire now to his sceptre. We, for our part,
Will imitate his providence, in hope
Of partage in the use on't; we repute
The privacy of his advisement to us
By you, intended an ambassador

66

5 Your name is Pedro Hialas, &c.] "Amidst these troubles," Lord Bacon says, came into England from Spain, Peter Hialas, some call him Elias, surely he was the fore-runner of the good hap that we enjoy at this day for his embassy set the truce between England and Scotland; the truce drew on the peace, the peace the marriage, the union of the kingdoms: a man of great wisdom, and, as those times went, not unlearned."

To Scotland, for a peace between our kingdoms,
A policy of love, which well becomes
His wisdom and our care.

Hial. Your majesty

Doth understand him rightly.
K. Hen. Else

Your knowledge can instruct me; wherein, sir,
To fall on ceremony, would seem useless,
Which shall not need; for I will be as studious
your concealment in our conference,

Of

As any council shall advise.

Hial. Then, sir,

My chief request is, that on notice given
At my dispatch in Scotland, you will send
Some learned man of power and experience
To join entreaty with me.

K. Hen. I shall do it,

Being that way well provided by a servant,
Which may attend you ever.

Hial. If king James,

By any indirection, should perceive

My coming near your court, I doubt the issue Of my employment.

K. Hen. Be not your own herald:

I learn sometimes without a teacher.
Hial. Good days

Guard all your princely thoughts!

K. Hen. Urswick, no further

Than the next open gallery attend him
A hearty love go with you!