SCENE I.

Enter Vitelli, Lamoral, and Anastro.

Vitelli. ALVAREZ pardon'd?

Ana. And return'd.

Lam. I saw him land

At St. Lucar's; and such a general welcome
Fame, as harbinger to his brave actions,
Had with the easy people prepar'd for him,
As if by his command alone, and fortune,
Holland, with those Low Provinces that hold

out

Against the arch-duke, were again compell'd With their obedience to give up their lives To be at his devotion.

Vit. You amaze me! [Sevil For tho' I've heard, that when he fled from To save his life (then forfeited to law For murdering don Pedro, my dear uncle), His extreme wants enforc'd him to take pay I' th'army, sat down then before Ostend 'Twas never yet reported, by whose favour He durst presume to entertain a thought Of coming home with pardon.

Ana. 'Tis our nature

Or not to hear, or not to give belief
To what we wish far from our enemies.

Lam. Sir, 'tis most certain, the infanta's letters,

Assisted by the arch-duke's, to king Philip,
Have not alone secur'd him from the rigour
Of our Castilian justice, but return'd him
A free man, and in grace.

[more Much

Vit. By what curs'd means Could such a fugitive arise unto The knowledge of their highnesses? (Though known), to stand but in the least degree

Of favour with them?

Lam. To give satisfaction

Το your demand (tho' to praise him I hate, Can yield me small contentment), I will tell you,

And truly; since, should I detract his worth, 'Twould argue want of merit in myself. Briefly to pass his tedious pilgrimage For sixteen years, a banisli'd guilty man, And to forget the storms, th' affrights, the horrors,

His constancy, not fortune overcame, I bring him, with his little son, grown man (Tho' 'twas said here he took a daughter with him),

To Ostend's bloody siege,] that stage of war, Wherein the flower of many nations acted, And the whole Christian world spectators were;

There by his son (or were he by adoption
Or Nature his) a brave scene was presented,
Which I make choice to speak of, since from
that

The good success of Alvarez had beginning.
Vit. So I love virtue in an enemy,
That I desire in the relation of Tyourself
This young man's glorious deed, you'll keep
A friend to truth, and it.

Lam. Such was my purpose.
The town being oft assaulted, but in vain,
To dare the proud defendants to a sally,
Weary of ease, don Inigo Peralta,
Son to the general of our Castile forces,
All arm'd, advanc'd within shot of their walls,
From whence the musqueteers play'd thick
upon him

[ger

Yet he, brave youth, as careless of the dan
As careful of his honour, drew his sword,
And waving it about his head, as if
He dar'd one spirited like hunself to trial
Of single valour, he made his retreat,
With such a slow, and yet majestic' pace,
As if he still call'd loud, "Dare none come
on?"

When suddenly, from a postern of the town
Two gallant horsemen issued, and o'ertook
The army looking on, yet not a man [him,
That durst relieve the rash adventurer;
Which Lucio, son to Alvarez, then seeing,
As in the vant-guard he sat bravely mounted,
(Or were it pity of the youth's misfortune,
Care to preserve the honour of his country,
Or bold desire to get himself a name),
He made his brave horse like a whirlwind
bear him

Among the combatants; and in a moment
Discharg'd his petronel, with such sure aim,
That of the adverse party from his horse
One tumbled dead; then wheeling round,
and drawing

A falchion, swift as lightning he came on
Upon the other, and with one strong blow,
In view of the amazed town and camp,
He struck him dead, and brought Peralta off
With double honour to himself.

" Go