War. Let me embrace thee, hug thee! thou'st reviv'd My comforts; if my cousin king will fail, Enter JOHN A-WATER, HERON, ASTLEY, SKETON. You keep your brains awake in our defence. In which be wondrous secret; I will listen [Exit. Ast. Ah, sweet young prince! Secretary, my fellow-counsellors and I have consulted, and jump all in one opinion directly, and if these Scotch garboils do not fadge to our minds, we will pellmell run amongst the Cornish choughs presently, and in a trice. Sket. "Tis but going to sea and leaping ashore, cut ten or twelve thousand unnecessary throats, fire seven or eight towns, take half a dozen cities, get into the market-place, crown him Richard the Fourth, and the business is finished. J. a-Wat. I grant you, quoth I, so far forth, as men may do, no more than men may do; for it is good to consider, when consideration may be to the purpose, otherwise - still - still you shall pardon me-" little said is soon amended." Fri. Then you conclude the Cornish action surest? Her. We do so; and doubt not but to thrive abundantly. Ho, my masters, had we known of the commotion when we set sail out of Ireland, the land had been ours ere this time. Sket. Pish, pish! 'tis but forbearing being an earl or a duke a month or two longer. I say, and say it again, if the work go not on apace, let me never see new fashion more. I warrant you, I warrant you; we will have it so, and so it shall be. Ast. This is but a cold phlegmatic country; not stirring enough for men of spirit. Give me the heart of England for my money! Sket. A man may batten there in a week only, with hot loaves and butter,+ and a lusty cup of muscadine and sugar at breakfast, though he make never a meal all the month after. J. a-Wat. Surely, when I bore office, I found by experience, that to be much troublesome, was to be much wise and busy: I have observed, how filching and bragging has been the best service in these last wars; and therefore conclude peremptorily on the design in England. If things and things may fall out, as who can tell what or howbut the end will shew it. Fri. Resolved like men of judgment! Here to linger More time, is but to lose it; cheer the prince, [Exeunt. 4 With hot loaves and butter] Our ancestors must have found something peculiarly amusing in a taylor's breakfast, to justify the comic writers in these eternal references to it. It is more than once noticed by Jonson; and see Massinger, vol. iii. p. 457. SCENE III. Another Part of the same. Enter King JAMES, DURHAM, and HIALAS. Hial. France, Spain, and Germany combine a Of amity with England; nothing wants With general procession into Antwerp; Hial. The king of Spain resolves a marriage For Katherine his daughter, with prince Arthur. Dur. France courts this holy contract. Hial. What can hinder A quietness in England?- Dur. But your suffrage To such a silly creature, mighty sir, As is but in effect an apparition, A shadow, a mere trifle? Hial. To this union The good of both the church and commonwealth Invite you. Dur. To this unity, a mystery Of providence points out a greater blessing For both these nations, than our human reason I dare both motion and effect this marriage K. Ja. Dar'st thou, lord bishop? Dur. Put it to trial, royal James, by sending Some noble personage to the English court By way of embassy. Hial. Part of the business Shall suit my mediation. K. Ja. Well; what Heaven Hath pointed out to be, must be; you two Spoke him not base in blood, however clouded. fly to, And men the altars of the church; to us He came for refuge: Kings come near in na ture Unto the gods, in being touch'd with pity." Yet, noble friends, his mixture with our blood, Hial. You are a just king. Dur. Wise, and herein happy. K. Ja. Nor will we dally in affairs of weight: Huntley, lord bishop, shall with you to England Ambassador from us; we will throw down Our weapons; peace on all sides! now, repair Unto our council; we will soon be with you. Hial. Delay shall question no dispatch; Heaven crown it! [Exeunt DURHAM and HIALAs. For Warbeck, not deliver'd, but dismiss'd! Dal. Here, sir. Enter DALYELL. K. Ja. Are Huntley and his daughter sent for? Dal. Sent for, And come, my lord. K. Ja. Say to the English prince, We want his company. Dal. He is at hand, sir. |