[SCENE 1.]

Enter Rodoricke and Philip.

Rod. Now whilest our Armies wearied with the heat That the bright sunne casts from his midday throne, Abstayne from bloudy intercourse of war, He lead thee, Philip, unto Burbons Tent.

Phil. Rodoricke, thou highly favourest me in this And doubt not, if my complot take effect, Ile make thee Duke of Burbon.

Enter Lewes, Flaunders, and Burbon.

Rod. Stay your speach; Heere comes King Lewis.

Phil. They can not know me, I am so disguisde.

Bur. Follow my counsayle and immediately Begin the Battayle.

Lew. Why, the heat's [so] great It burnes [us] in our Armour as we march.

Flaun. It burnes the enemy as well as wee.

Bur. It warmes our Souldiers spirits and makes them fire, I had rather dye then, when my bloud is hot, Be awde by counsell till it freeze like Ice: He is no Souldier that for feare of heat Will suffer victory to fly the field.

Rod. My Lord of Burbon, ye are more hot then wise.

Bur. Rodorick, me thinkes you are very peremptory.

Rod. It is in zeale of the generall good. Go to your Tent, refresh your unscorcht[144] lymmes; There draw your battels modell, and as soone As the coole winds have fand the burning Sunne And made it tractable for travaylers, Arme you and mount upon your barbed Steed, Lead foorth your Souldiers and in good array Charge bravely on the Army of our foe.

Lew. The Duke of Orleance hath counseld well. Ile in and recreate me in my tent. Farewell, my Lord: when you resolve to fight, Proclayme your meaning by a Canons mouth And with a volley I will answere you.

[Exeunt Lewes and Flauuders.

Bur. If you will needs retyre, farewell, my Lord. Ha, Rodoricke, are not we fine Polyticians That have so quaintly wrought the king of Fraunce Unto our faction that he threatens warre Against the almost reconcilde Navar?

Rod. But this is nothing to the actes weele do. Come, come, my Lord, you trifle time with words: Sit downe, sit downe, and make your warlike plot.— But wherefore stand these murderous Glaves so nye?

Phil.—Touch them not, Roderick; prythee let them stand.

Bur. Some paper, pen, and incke.

Enter Peter.

Pet. My Lord.

Bur. Post to the Master Gunner And bid him plant his demy culverings Against the kings pavilion.

Peter. Presently.

Bur. But first bring pen and incke and paper straight.

[Peter sets pen, ink, &c., before Burbon, and exit[145]

Rodoricke, thou shalt assist mee in this plot.

Rod. Do it your selfe, my Lord; I have a charge Of souldiers that are very mutinous, And long I dare not stay for feare my absence Be cause of their revolt unto Navar.

Bur. Then to your Souldiers: I will to my plot.

Phil.—Away, my Lord, leave me unto the Duke.

Rod.—Kill you the Duke (and after Ile kill thee). [Exit Rod.

Bur. This pen is stabbed and it will not write: The incke that's in the standage[146] doth looke blacke, This in my pen is turnd as red as bloud.

Phil. The reason that the platforme[147] you would make Must by this hand be written with thy bloud.

Bur. Zounds, what art thou that threatens Burbon so?

Phil. One that's as desperat-carelesse of his life As thou art timorous and fearst to dye.

Bur. Comest thou to kill me?

Phil. If I should say no, This weapon would condemne me, which I seyz'd Of purpose, Burbon, to bereave thy life.

Bur. Why, fond man, mad man, know'st thou what thou doest?

Phil. I know it, Burbon, and I know besides What thou wouldst say to daunt my resolution.

Bur. What would I say?

Phil. Why, that this place is death, As being thy Tent, environ'd with thy slaves, Where if I kill thee tis impossible To scape with life: this, Burbon, thou wouldst say. But Philip is not be mov'd with words.

Bur. Philip!

Phil. I, Philip, Bellamiraes Love, Whose beauty, villayne, thou hast poysoned; For which I have vow'd thy death, and thou shall dye. Therefore betake you to what fence you will; Amongst this bundle chuse one weapon forth And like a worthy Duke prepare thy selfe In knightly manner to defend thy life; For I will fight with thee and kill thee, too, Or thou shalt give an end unto my life. But if thou call unto thy slaves for helpe, Burbon, my sword shall nayle thee to the wall. And thinke Prince Philip is a Prince indeed To give thee this advantage for thy life.

Bur. Boy, I will scourge your insolence with death.

Phil. Come on. Fight, and kill Burbon.

Bur. Oh, I am slayne.

[Enter Rodorick.]

Rod. Murder! murder! Burbon the Duke is slayne!

Phil. Peace, Roderick, I am Philip thy deare friend.

Rod. Thou art a counterfet, I know thee not.

Phil. Didst not thou guide me unto Burbons Tent?

Rod. I guide thee to the Tent? I know thee not. What! murder! ho! will no man heare my voyce?

Enter Peter and 2 or 3 souldiers.

Pet. Yes, here are those [that] can heare well ynough. Where is the murdered and the murderer?

Rod. Peter, behold thy masters breathlesse truncke, And there's Prince Philip that hath murdered him.

Pet. To avoyd prolixity Ile kill him; yet first give me leave to weepe for my master.

Rod. First seyze the murderer and after weepe.

Phil. He that first ventures to attach my life Let him be sure he hath a life to spare, For I will send one breathlesse to the grave.

Pet. You that have nyne lives assault the gentleman.

Rod. What, peasants! dare you not attach the slave? Ile rayse the whole Campe but Ile apprehend him. Alarum, drummes! Souldiers, incircle him, And eyther apprehend or slay the wretch.

Enter Pembrooke and Ferdinand.

Pem. Tis princely Philip. Helpe to rescue him.

Rod. What slaves are these that dare oppose themselves In rescue of a murderer 'gainst an Host?

Ferd. Such as will make thee, Roderick, fly for life.

Pet. Zounds, men are mortall; to avoyd prolixity, My lord of Orleance, your best course is flying, And therein I will be your follower.

Rod. Fly before three, and be thus strong? 'Twere madnesse.

Pem. We trifle time; let's drive them from the Tent.

Alarum and drive away Peter and Rodoricke.

Pem. Live, worthy Philip; Pembrooke bids thee live, That did suspect this complot at the tombe When in the honour of Prince Ferdinand You did resigne your shield.

Phil. Th[e] Earle of Pembrooke!

Ferd. And Ferdinand that loves thee as his soule.

Phil. Two lives I owe my starres beside mine owne In sending me two friends of such import. Durst you adventure thorow the enemies Campe And put your lives in danger to save mine?

Pem. The rumour of the Duke of Burbons death Hath so possest the Campe with admiration That they regardlesse suffer all to passe. Only this Roderick wakens them a little, But cannot weane them from their wondring minds.

Phil. That Roderick is a perfect villayne turn'd; For though he guided me unto his Tent And gave his liking that the Duke should dye, Yet how the villayne cryed to murder me! But come: in this confusion let's be gone, Tis dangerous to abide in Burbons Tent. Rodoricke, thou art the next must taste of death; That taske once done, we shall with little payne Our angry fathers reconcile agayne.

[Exeunt.