ZAR. BALT. If not, these are.

[All the Moors draw. PHIL. How! threaten'd and out-dar'd! KING. Shall we give arm to hostile violence? Sheath your swords, sheath them, it's we command. ELEAZ. Grant Eleazar justice, my dread liege. MEND. Eleazar hath had justice from our hands, And he stands banish'd from the court of Spain. KING. Have you done justice? Why, Lord Cardinal,

From whom do you derive authority

To banish him the court without our leave?

MEND. From this, the staff of our protectorship; From this, which the last will of your dead father Committed to our trust; from this high place, Which lifts Mendoza's spirits beyond the pitch Of ordinary honour, and from this

[The King takes the staff from Mendoza, and gives it to Eleazar.

KING. Which too much over-weening insolence

Hath quite ta'en from thee. Eleazar, up!

And from us, sway this staff of regency.

ALL. How's this!

PHIL. Dare sons presume to break their father's will?

KING. Dare subjects counter-check their sovereign's will?

'Tis done, and who gainsays it is a traitor.

PHIL. I do, Fernando, yet am I no traitor.

MEND. Fernando, I am wrong'd; by Peter's chair,

Mendoza vows revenge.

I'll lay aside

My cardinal's hat, and in a wall of steel,

The glorious livery of a soldier,

Fight for my late lost honour.

KING. Cardinal!

MEN D. King! thou shalt be no king for wronging

me.

The Pope shall send his bulls through all thy realm,
And pull obedience from thy subjects' hearts,
To put on armour of the Mother Church.
Curses shall fall like lightnings on thy head,
Bell, book, and candle, holy water, prayers,
Shall all chime vengeance to the court of Spain,
Till they have power to conjure down that fiend,
That damn'd Moor, that devil, that Lucifer,
That dares aspire the staff the card'nal sway'd.
ELEAZ. Ha! ha! ha! I laugh yet, that the car-
dinal's vext.

PHIL. Laugh'st thou, base slave! the wrinkles of that scorn,

Thine own heart's blood shall fill. Brother, fare

well;

Since you disprove the will our father left,

For base lust of a loathed concubine..

ELEAZ. Ha! concubine! who does prince Philip mean?

PHIL. [To Eleaz.] Thy wife.-[To Alv.] Thy daughter,-base aspiring lords;

Who to buy honour are content to sell

Your names to infamy, your souls to hell.

And stamp you now? Do, do, for you shall see

I

go for vengeance, and she'll come with me. ELEAZ. Stay! for she's here already; see, proud [They both draw. Q. Mo. Hold! stay this fury; if you long for

boy!

blood,

Murder me first. Dear son, you are a king;
Then stay the violent tempest of their wrath.

KING. Shall kings be oversway'd in their desires?
ROD. Shall subjects be oppress'd by tyranny?
Q. Mo. No state shall suffer wrong; then hear
me speak :

[Aside to Mendoza.] Mendoza, you have sworn you

love the

queen;

Then by that love I charge you leave these arms. [Aside to Eleazar.] Eleazar, for those favours I have

given you,

Embrace the cardinal, and be friends with him.

ELEAZ. And have my wife call'd strumpet to my face!

Q. Mo. 'Twas rage made his tongue err; do you

not know

The violent love Mendoza bears the queen?

Then speak him fair, for in that honied breath

I'll lay a bait shall train him to his death.

[Aloud.] Come, come, I see your looks give way to

peace;

Lord Cardinal begin; [aside] and for reward,

Ere this fair setting sun behold his bride;

Be bold to challenge love, yet be denied.

MEND. [Aside.] That promise makes me yield,—

my gracious lord,

Although my disgrace hath graven its memory
On every Spaniard's eye, yet shall the duty
I owe your sacred highness, and the love
My country challengeth, make me lay by
Hostile intendments, and return again

To the fair circle of obedience.

KING. Both pardon and our favour bids you welcome;

And for some satisfaction for your wrongs,
We here create you Salamanca's Duke:
But first, as a true sign all grudges die,
Shake hands with Eleazar, and be friends:
This union pleaseth us. Now, brother Philip,
You are included in this league of love;
So is Roderigo. To forget all wrongs,

Your castle for a while shall bid us welcome,

Eleazar; shall it not? It is enough.

Lords, lead the way, [aside,] that whilst you feast yourselves,

Fernando may find time all means to prove,

To compass fair Maria for our love. [Exeunt omnes.

SCENE II,

Enter QUEEN MOTHER and ELEAZAR.

ELEAZ. Madam, a word: now have you wit or spirit? Q. Mo. Both.

ELEAZ. Set them both to a most gainful task; Our enemies are in my castle-work.

Q. Mo. Aye; but the king's there too; it's dan

gerous pride

To strike at those that crouch by a lion's side.

ELEAZ. Remove them.

Q. Mo. How?

ELEAZ. How! a thousand ways:

By poison, or by this [pointing to his dagger]: but

every groom

Has skill in such base traffic; no, our policies

Must look more strange, must fly with loftier wings; Vengeance the higher it falls more honour brings; But you are cold, you dare not do.

Q. Mo. I dare.

ELEAZ. You have a woman's heart; look you, this hand,

Oh! 'tis too little to strike home.

Q. Mo. At whom?

ELEAZ. Your son.

Q. Mo. Which son, the king?

ELEAZ. Angels of heaven,

Stand like his guard about him! how the king!
Not for so many worlds as there be stars
Sticking upon th' embroider'd firmament.

The king! he loves my wife, and should he die
I know none else would love her; let him live-
[Aside.] In heaven. Good Lord Philip-
Q. Mo. He shall die.

ELEAZ. How? good! good!

Q. Mo. By this hand.

ELEAZ. When? good! good! when?