[SCENE 1.]

Enter Duke, Fredericke, Constantine, Reinaldo, Alberto, Alfrid, and amongst them Hatto shuffles in.

Alberto. Princes and pillars of the Saxon State.

Duke. You are the elected, speake for the Court.— Stay, Lord Alberto, we usurpe your office: Who had the charge to fetch Valentia?

Con. I, gracious Lord; and when I gave the charge, A sudden feare, by palenesse, was displai'd Upon her rosie cheeke; the crimson blood, That like a robe of state did beautifie The goodly buildings with a two fold grace, From either side shrunke downewards to her heart As if those summons were an adversarie And had some mighty crime to charge her with. Millions of thoughts were crowded in her braines: Her troubled minde her abrupt words describ'd; She did accuse her selfe without accusers, And in the terrour of a soule perplext Cry'd out, 'the Duke intends to cease my goods Cause I am noted for a Concubine.' I did replie such comfort as beseemes, But comfortlesse I brought her to the Court.

Duke. Then she attends our pleasure.

Con. Mightie Lord, In the next Roome.

Duke. You are careful, Constantine. Conduct her in, and, Lords, give mee your thoughts: What thinke ye wee intend to Valentia?

Alf. Her selfe hath read my sentence in the speech That Constantine delivered to your grace.

Fred. What should my noble father thinke But that she is a strumpet, and in that A blemish to the state wherein she lives?

Hat. She is rich in jewells, and hath store of treasure Got by the slavery of that choice beautie Which otherwise admires her to the world.

Alb. Confiscate all her goods unto the Crown, Thereby disburdening many heavie taxes Impos'd upon the commons of the land.

Hat. Publique example make her to all such; Offences in that kind are growne too common, Lesse shamelesse never[190] were the beautious dames Of Meath and Saxony then[191] the sufferance Hath at this instant made them: good my Lord, Enact some mighty penaltie for lust.

Duke. How wide these Archers shoote of the faire aime Of my affection! Bring Valentia in.

Enter Valentia, usher'd by Constantine.

Valen. The duetie that in generall I doe owe Unto your excellence and to this Court, I pay at once upon my bended knee.

Duke. Behold her, Princes, with impartiall eyes, And tell me, looks she not exceeding faire?

Hat. If that her mind coher'd with her faire face, Shee were the worthy wonder of this age.

Alfred. I never saw a beautie more divine Grossely deform'd by her notorious lust.

Fred. Fairnesse and wantonnesse have made a match To dwell together, and the worst spoyles both.

Albert. Shee is doubly excellent in sin and beauty.

Duke. That they speake truth my conscience speaks, But that I love her that I speak my self. Stand up, divine deformitie of nature, Beautious corruption, heavenly see[m]ing evill, What's excellent in good and bad, stand up; And in this Chaire, prepared for a Duke, Sit, my bright Dutchesse, I command thee, sit. You looke, I am sure, for some apologie In this rash action; all that I can say Is that I love her, and wil marry her.

Fred. How, love a Lais, a base Rodophe, Whose body is as common as the sea In the receipt of every lustfull spring?

Albert. The elements of which these orbes consists, Fire, ayre, and water, with the ground[192] we tread, Are not more vulgar, common, popular, Then her imbracements.

Alberto. To incheyne the thoughts Unto this semblance[193] of lascivious love Were to be married to the broad rode[194] way Which doth receiue the impression of every kind.

Fred. Speech doth want modesty to set her forth In her true forme, base and contemptible; The very hindes and peasants of the land Will bee Corrivals with your excellence If you espouse such a notorious Trull.

Albert. We shall have lust a virtue in the Court, The wayes of sinne be furthered by reward, Panders and Parasites sit in the places Of the wise Counsellors and hurry all.

Fred. Father, as you are princely in your birth, Famous in your estate, belov'd of all, And (which ads greatest glory to your greatnesse,) Esteemed[195] wise, shew not such open[196] folly Such palpable, such grosse, such mountaine folly; Be not the By-word of your neighbour Kings, The scandall of your Subjects, and the triumph Of Lenos, Macrios,[197] and the hatefull stewes. Why speake you not, that are his brother friends, You that doe weare the Liveries of time, The silver cognizance of gravitie? Shall none but young me schoole the reverent [sic] old? Birds teach the Dam, stars fill the glorious spheares Of the all lightning Sunne? speake whilst you may, Or this rash deede will make a fatall day.

Duke. You have said too much, encourage none to speake More then have spoke[n]; by my royall blood, My mind's establisht, not to be withstood. Those that applaud my choyse give us your hands, And helpe to tye these sacred nuptiall bands.

Hat. What likes your excellence, likes me well.

Alfred. And I agree to what my Soveraigne please.

Fred. These are no brothers, they are flatterers, Contrary to themselves in their owne speech. You that doe love the honour of your Prince, The care and long life of my father, The hereditary right deriv'd to me, Your countries Welfare, and your owne renowne, Lend me your hands to plucke her from the throne.

Valen. Princes, forbeare, I doe not seeke the match; It is his highnesse pleasure I sit here, And if he love me 'tis no fault of mine. Behoves me to be thankefull to his Grace, And strive in virtue to deserve this place.

Duke. Thou speak'st too mildly to these hare braind youthes. He that presumes to plucke her from the chaire Dyes in the attempt, this sword shall end all care.

Fred. Why, shee's notorious.

Duke. But she will amend.

Fred. 'Tis too farre growne to have a happy end.

Duke. The dangerous the disease, greater's the cure.

Fred. Princes may seeke renowne by wayes more sure, Shee is dishonest.

Duke. Honestie's unseene; Shee's faire, and therefore fit to be a Queene.

Fred. But vertue is to be preferd ere lust.

Duke. Those that are once false, shall we ne're trust?

Fred. Wise men approve their actions by the tryall.

Duke. I say she is mine in spight of all deniall; Bring me the Crowne.

Fred. To set upon her head? Friends, draw your swords, first strike the strumpet dead.

Duke. My guard, my guard!

Alfred. For shame, put up your swords.

Fred. For shame, great Rulers, leave your flattering words.

Albert. 'Tis madnesse in the King and worse in you.

Hat. Though you prove traytors, we'll not prove untrue.

Fred. Will you dismisse this Strumpet to the stewes, Or our allegance in this act refuse?

Duke. Doe what you dare, the election still shall stand.

Fred. Woe and destruction then must rule the land. Come, Lord Rinaldo, valiant Alberto, come; We have friends enough to grace a warlike Drum. [A shout within. Hearke how the Commons doe applaud our cause. Lascivious Duke, farewell, father, oh vilde! Where Queanes are mothers, Fredericke is no child.

[Exeunt.

Duke. My guard pursue them, and alive or dead Cut off the cause by which these cries are bred. Come, my faire Dutchesse; first unto the Church, There sollemnize our nuptials; then unto our armes: A little rough breath overbeares these stormes.

[Exeunt. Manet Alfred & Hatto.

Alfred. The Duke's besotted. Now we are secure; This match makes well for us; we may command And on them lay the abuses of the land.

Hat. Excellent good; we are like to have warres indeed, But in the meane the poore will starve for bread. Wee must share proffits, howsoere things goe. Winner or looser, neither is our foe; For mutually we'll beare our selues in all Or taking part leane to the strongest wall.

[Exeunt.