(SCENE 2.)

Drumnel flourish: Enter Victoria and Bellina with servants.

To gratulate his safe and wisht Arrival. Let Musick with her sweet-tongu'd Rhetorick Take out those horrours which the loud clamoures Of Warres harsh harmony hath long besieg'd His tender sences with. Your Father's come, Bellina.

Bell. I feele the ioy of it with you, sweet Mother, And am as ready to receive a blessing from him As you his chaste imbraces.

Vic. So, so, bestirre; Let all our loves and duties be exprest In our most diligent and active care.

Enter Bellizarius.

Here comes my comfort-bringer, My Bellizarius.

Belliz. Dearest Victoria; My second ioy, take thou a Fathers blessing.

Vic. Not wounded, Sir, I hope?

Belliz. No, Victoria; Those were Rewards that we bestow'd on others; We gave, but tooke none backe. Had we not you At home to heare our noble Victories Our Fame should want her Crowne, although she flew As high as yonder Axle tree above And spred in latitude throughout the world. We have subdu'd those men of strange beleefe Which Christians call themselves; a race of people —This must I speake of them—as resolute And full of courage in their bleeding falls As should they tryumph for a Victory. When the last groanes of many thousand mett And like commixed Whirlwindes fill'd our eares. As it from us rais'd not a dust of pitty So did it give no terrour to the rest That did but live to see their fellows dye. In all our rigours and afflicting tortures We cannot say that we the men subdu'd, Because their ioy was louder than our conquest. And still more worke of blood we must expect; Like Hydra's Heads by cutting off they double; As seed that multiplies, such are their dead— Next Moone a sheafe of Christians in ones stead.

Vic. This is a bloody Trade, my Bellizarius; Would thou wouldst give it over.

Belliz. 'Tis worke, Victoria, that must be done. These are the battailes of our blessing, Pleasing gods and goddesses who for our service Render us these Conquests. Our selves and our affaires we may neglect, But not our Deities, which these Christians Prophane deride and scoffe at; would new Lawes Bring in and a new God make.

Vic. No, my Lord; I have heard say they never make their Gods, But they serve 'em, they say, that did make them: All made-gods they dispise.

Belliz. Tush, tush, Victoria, let not thy pitty Turne to passions; they'le not deserve thy sorrow. How now? What's the newes?

Enter a Souldier.

Sold. Strange, my Lord, beyond a wonder, For 'tis miraculous. Since you forsooke The bloody fight and horrour of the Christians, One tortur'd wretch, whose sight was quite extinct, His eyes no farther seeing than his hands, Is now by that Eugenius, whom they call Their holy Bishop, cleerely restor'd again To the astonishment of all your Army, Who faintly now recoyle with feare and terrour Not daring to offend so great a power.

Belliz. Ha! 'tis strange thou tell'st me.

Vic. Oh, take heed, my Lord; It is no warring against heavenly Powers Who can command their Conquest when they please. They can forbeare the Gyants that throw stones, And smile upon their follies; but when they frowne Their angers fall downe perpendicular And strike their weake Opposer into nothing: The Thunder tells us so.

Belliz. Pray leave me all; I shall have company When you are gone, enough to fill the roome.

Vic. The holiest powers give thee their best direction.

[Exeunt: Manet Bellizarius.

Belliz. What power is that can fortifie a man To ioy in death, since all we can expect Is but fruition of the ioyes of life? If Christians hoped not to become immortall Why should they seeke for death? O, then instruct me some Divine power; Thou that canst give the sight unto the blind, Open my blind iudgement Thunder: Enter an Angel. That I may see a way to happinesse. Ha, this is a dreadfull answer; this may chide The relapse in my blood that 'gins to faint From[138] further persecution of these people. Oh shall I backe and double tyranny? (Thunder.) A louder threat[e]ning! oh mould these voyces Into articulate words, that I may know Thy meaning better. Shall I quench the flames Of blood and vengeance, and my selfe become A penetrable Christian? my life lay downe Amongst their sufferings? (Musicke.) Ha, these are sweet tunes.

Ang. Bellizarius!

Belliz. It names me, too.

Ang. Sheath up thy cruelty; no more pursue In bloody forrage these oppressed Christians, For now the Thunder will take their part. Remaine in peace and Musicke is thy banquet, Or thy selfe number 'mongst their martyring groanes And thou art numbred with these blessed ones.

Belliz. What heavenly voyce is this? shall my eares onely Be blest with raptures, not mine eyes enioy The sight of that Celestiall presence From whence these sweet sounds come?

Ang. Yes, thou shalt see; nay, then, 'tis lost agen. (Bel. kneeles.) Rise; this is enough; be constant Souldier: Thy heart's a Christian, to death persever And then enioy the sight of Angels ever. [Exit.

Belliz. Oh, let me flye into that happy place. Prepare your tortures now, you scourge of Christians, For Bellizarius the Christians torturer; Centuple all that I have ever done; Kindle the fire and hacke at once with swords; Teare me by piece-meales, strangle, and extend My every limbe and ioynt; nay, devise more Than ever did my bloody Tyrannies. Oh let me ever lose the sight of men That I may see an Angell once agen. [Exit.

Actus Secundus.