Leave him, divide this huge and monstrous body
Of armed Spaniards into limbs thus big;
Part man from man, send every soldier home,
I’ll do the like; Peace with an olive branch
Shall fly with dove-like wings about all Spain.
The crown which I as a good husband keep,
I will lay down upon the empty chair;
Marry you the Queen and fill it, for my part;
These knees are yours, Sir.
Cardinal Is this sound?
Eleazar From my heart.
CardinalIf you prove false?
Eleazar If I do, let fire fall…
Cardinal Amen.
Eleazar Upon thy head - and so it shall.
Cardinal All of my self is yours. Soldiers, be gone.
Eleazar And that way you.
CardinalThe rest I will divide;
The Lords shall be converted.
Eleazar Good.
CardinalLet’s meet.
Queen MotherWhere?
Eleazar Here, anon, this is thy winding-sheet.
Exit Cardinal. The Moor walks up and down musing.
Queen MotherWhat shape will this prodigious womb bring forth?
Which groans with such strange labour?
Eleazar Excellent.
Queen MotherWhy, Eleazar, art thou wrapped with joys?
Or does thy sinking policy make to shore?
Eleazar Ha!
Queen MotherEleazar, mad man! Hear’st thou, Moor?
Eleazar Well, so, you turn my brains, you mar the face
Of my attempts i’th’ making; for this chaos,
This lump of projects, ere it be licked over,
It is like a bear’s conception; stratagems
Being but begot, and not got out, are like
Charged cannons not discharged; they do no harm,
Nor good; true policy breeding in the brain
Is like a bar of iron, whose ribs being broken,
And softened in the fire, you then may forge it
Into a sword to kill, or to a helmet, to defend life, .
It is therefore wit to try
All fashions, ere you apparel villainy.
But, but I have suited him, fit, fit, oh fit!
Queen MotherHow? Prithee, how?
Eleazar Why thus - yet no, let’s hence;
My heart is nearest of my counsel, yet
I scarce dare trust my heart with it; what I do,
It shall look old, the hour wherein ’tis born;
Wonders twice seen are garments over worn.
Exit.
Scene V
ENTER CARDINAL AT one door, Philip half armed and two soldiers following him with the rest of the armour; the Cardinal seeing him, turns back again.
PhillipSirrah, you Cardinal, coward, run away.
So, ho, ho, what Cardinal?
Cardinal I am not for your lure.
Exit.
PhillipFor that then, Oh! That it had nailed thy heart
Up to the pommel to the earth; come, arm me,
Ha! S’foot, when all our swords were royally gilt with blood,
When with red sweat that trickled from our wounds,
We had dearly earned a victory! When hell
Had from their hinges heaved off her iron gates
To bid the damned Moor and the devils enter;
Then to lose all, then to sound base retreat;
Why, soldiers, ha!
1. SoldierI am glad of it, my lord.
PhillipHa, glad? Art thou glad I am dishonoured?
That thou and he dishonoured?
1. SoldierWhy, my Lord, I am glad that you so cleanly did come off.
PhillipThou hast a lean face and a carrion heart.
A plague on him and thee too then; s’heart then,
To crack the very heart’s strings of our army,
To quarter it in pieces, I could tear my hair,
And in cursing spend my soul.
Cardinal, what, Judas! Come, we’ll fight
Till there be left but one; if I be he,
I’ll die a glorious death.
1. Soldier So will I, I hope in my bed.
2. SoldierTill there be but one left, my lord?
Why that’s now, for all our fellows are crawled home
, Some with one leg, some with ne’eran arm,
Some with their brains beaten out and glad they escaped so.
PhillipBut my dear countrymen, you’ll stick to me?
1. Soldier Stick? Aye, my Lord, stick like bandogs, till we be pulled off.
PhillipThat’s nobly said, I’ll lead you but to death,
Where I’ll have greatest share, we shall win fame,
For life and that doth crown a soldier’s name.
1. Soldier How to death, my Lord? Not I, by God’s lid,
I have a poor wife and children at home,
And if I die they beg.
And do you think I’ll see her go up and down the wide universal world?
Phillip For every drop of blood which thou shalt lose,
Coward, I’ll give thy wife a wedge of gold.
2. Soldier Hang him, my lord,
Arm yourself; I’ll fight for you,
Till I have not an eye to see the fire in my touchhole.
PhillipBe thou a King’s companion; thou and I
Will dare the Cardinal and the Moor to fight
In single combat, shall we? Hah!
2. Soldier Agreed.
PhillipWe’ll beat them to hell’s gate, shall we? Hah!
2. Soldier Hell’s gate’s somewhat too hot, the Porter’s a knave.
I’d be loath to be damned for my conscience; I’ll knock anybody’s costard,,
So I knock not there, my Lord, hell’s gates!
PhillipA pox upon such slaves.
1. Soldier Hang him, a peasant, my lord;
You see I am but a scrag, my lord;
My legs are not of the biggest, nor the least,
Nor the best that e’erwere stood upon,
Nor the worst, but they are of God’s making;
And for your sake, if ever we put our enemies to flight again,
By God’s lid if I run not after them like a tiger, huff me.
PhillipBut wilt thou stand to it e’er they fly? Ha! Wilt thou?
1. Soldier Will I, quotha? By this hand and the honour of a soldier -
PhillipAnd by a soldier’s honour I will load thee
With Spanish pistoletsto have this head,(a foreign (esp. Span. gold coin)
Thy face, and all thy body, stuck with scars,
Why ’tis a sight more glorious than to see
A lady hung with diamonds. If thou lose
A hand, I’ll send this after, if an arm,
I’ll lend thee one of mine. Come then, let’s fight.
A mangled lame true soldier is a gem
Worth Caesar’s empire, though fools spurn at them.
1. Soldier Yet, my lord, I have seen lame soldiers
Not worth the crutches they leant upon,
Hands and arms, quotha? Zounds, not I;
I’ll double my files or stand sentry, or so;
But I’ll be hanged and quartered,
Before I’ll have my members cut off.
2 Soldier And I too; hold thee there.
Beats them both in.
PhillipHold you both there; away, you rogues, you dirt!
Thus do I tread upon you. Out, be gone!
One valiant is a host, fight them alone.
Enter Cardinal, Alvero, Christofero and soldiers.
Cardinal Prince Philip.
PhillipFor the crown of Spain, come all.
CardinalWe come in love and peace.
PhillipBut come in war.
Bring naked swords, not laurel boughs, in peace.
Plague on your rank peace, will you fight and cry
Down with the Moor, and then I’m yours, I’ll die.
I hav
e a heart, two arms, a soul, a head,
I’ll lay that down, I’ll venture all; s’foot all
Come tread upon me, so that Moor may fall.
CardinalBy heaven that Moor shall fall.
PhillipThy hand and thine;
Flings down his weapons.
Give me but half your hearts, you have all mine,
By heaven, shall he fall?
CardinalYes, upon thee
Like to the ruins of a tower, to grind
Thy body into dust, traitor and bastard,
I do arrest thee of high treason.
PhillipHah!
Traitor and bastard, and by thee? My weapons?
Cardinal Lay hands upon him.
Phillip Aye, you’re best do so.
CardinalAlvero, there’s the warrant to your hands.
The prisoner is committed, lords; let’s part.
Look to him on your life.
Exit Cardinal and companions; manent Philip and Alvero.
PhillipHeart, heart, heart, heart. Tears the warrant.
The devil and his dam, the Moor, and my mother,
Their warrant? I will not obey, old grey beard,
Thou shalt not be my jailer, there’s no prison,
No dungeon deep enough, no grates so strong
That can keep in a man so mad with wrong.
What, dost thou weep?
AlveroI would fain shed a tear,
But from mine eyes so many showers are gone.
Grief drinks my tears so fast, that here’s not one;
You must to prison.
Phillip Dost thou speak to me?
AlveroYou must to prison.
PhillipAnd from thence to death;
I thought I should have had a tomb hung round
With tattered colours, broken spears; I thought
My body should have fallen down, full of wounds.
But one can kill an emperor, fool them, why
Would’st thou have many curses? Be mad and die.
Exit.
.
Act V
Scene I
ENTER RODERIGO AND Christofero [and] two bare-headed, before them, Alvero, Cardinal alone, Zarack, and Baltazar bearing the crown on a cushion, Eleazar next, Queen Mother after him other lords after her; Alvero, sad, meets them.
Cardinal Alvero, ’tis the pleasure of the King,
Of the Queen Mother and these honoured States,
To ease you of Philip, there’s a warrant
Sent to remove him to a stronger guard.
AlveroI thank you! You shall rid me of much care.
Eleazar Sit down and take your place!
AlveroIf I might have the place I like best, it should be my grave.
Sits down.
The Moors stand aside with the crown; Eleazar, rising, takes it.
Eleazar Stand in voice, reach away!
Both MoorsWe are gone.
Exit.
Eleazar Princes of Spain, if in this royal court,
There sit a man that having laid his hold
So fast on such a jewel and dare wear it,
In the contempt of envy as I dare,
Yet uncompelled (as freely as poor pilgrims,
Bestow their prayers) would give such wealth away,
Let such a man step forth; what, do none rise?
No, no, for Kings indeed are deities.
And who’d not (as the sun) in brightness shine?
To be the greatest, is to be divine.
Who among millions would not be the mightiest?
To sit in God-like state, to have all eyes
Dazzled with admiration, and all tongues
Shouting loud prayers, to rob every heart
Of love, to have the strength of every arm.
A sovereign’s name - why ’tis a sovereign charm.
This glory round about me hath thrown beams;
I have stood upon the top of fortune’s wheel,
And backward turned the iron screw of fate,
The destinies have spun a silken thread
About my life; yet, noble Spaniards, see?
Hoc tantum tacti; thus I cast aside
The shape of Majesty and on my knee,
Kneels; the Cardinal fetches the Crown and sets it on the chair.
To this Imperial state lowly resign,
This usurpation, wiping off your fears,
Which stuck so hard upon me, let a hand
A right and royal hand take up this wreath,
And guard it; right is of it self most strong,
No kingdom got by cunning can stand long.
Cardinal Proceed to new election of a King.
AllAgreed.
Eleazar Stay, peers of Spain; if young Philip,
Be Philip’s son, then is he Philip’s heir,
Then must his royal name be set in gold,
Philip is then the diamond to that ring;
But if he be a bastard, here’s his seat,
For baseness has no gall till it grows great.
First therefore let him blood, if he must bleed,
Yet in what vein you strike him, best take heed:
The Portugal’s his friend; you saw he came
At holding up a finger, armed; this peace
Rid hence his dangerous friendship, he’s at home,
But when he hears that Philip is tied up,
Yet hears not why, he’ll catch occasion’s lock,
And on that narrow bridge make shift to lead
A scrambling army through the heart of Spain;
Look to it; being in, he’ll hardly out again.
Therefore first prove and then proclaim him bastard.
AlveroHow shall we prove it?
Eleazar He that put him out to making
I am sure can tell; if not,
Then she that shaped him can; here’s the Queen Mother,
Being pricked in conscience and preferring Spain,
Before her own respect will name the man.
If he be noble and a Spaniard born, he’ll hide
The apparent scars of their infamies
With the white hand of marriage; that in time
Will eat the blemish off; say, Shall it?
All No.
Cardinal Spaniard or Moor, the saucy slave shall die.
Hortenzo Death is too easy for such villainy.
Eleazar Spaniard or Moor, the saucy slave shall die.
I would he might; I know myself am clear
As is the new born Infant. Madam, stand forth.
Behold, to speak shame in the grave wants sense.
Heaven with sin’s greatest forfeits can dispense.
Queen MotherWould I were covered with the veil of night,
You might not see red shame sit on my check;
But being Spain’s common safety stands for truth,
Hiding my weeping eyes, I blush, and say:
Philip’s father sits here.
Roderigo Here? Name him!
Queen Mother The Lord Mendoza did beget that son;
Oh! Let not this dishonour further run.
Alvero What? Cardinal Mendoza?
Queen MotherYes, yes, even him.
Eleazar Spaniard or Moor, the saucy slave shall die.
Cardinal I Philip’s father? Comes down; the rest talk.
Queen MotherNay! Deny me not;
Now may a kingdom and my love be got.
Cardinal Those eyes and tongue bewitch me, shame lie here;
That love has sweetest taste that is bought dear.
Christofero What answers Lord Mendoza to the Queen?
Cardinal I confess, guilty: Philip is my son;
Her Majesty hath named the time and place.
AlveroTo you, but not to us; go forward, Madam.
Queen MotherWithin the circle of twice ten years since,
Your deceased King made war in Barbary,
Won Tunis, conquered Fess and hand to hand,
Slew great Abdela, King of
Fess, and father
To that Barbarian Prince.
Eleazar I was but young, but now methinks
I see my father’s wounds - poor Barbary!
No more.
Queen MotherIn absence of my lord, mourning his want,
To me alone, being in my private walk,
I think at Salamanca; aye, ’twas there;
Enters Mendoza under show of shrift,
Threatens my death if I denied his lust;
In fine by force he won me to his will,
I wept, and cried for help, but all in vain;
Mendoza there abused the bed of Spain.
Eleazar Spaniard or Moor, that saucy slave shall die.
AlveroWhy did not you complain of this vile act?
Queen MotherAlas! I was alone, young, full of fear,
Bashful, and doubtful of my own defame;
Knowing King Philip rash and jealous,
I hid his sins, thinking to hide my shame.
Hortenzo What says the Cardinal?
Cardinal Such a time there was;
’Tis past, I’ll make amends with marriage,
And satisfy with trentals, dirges, prayers,
The offended spirit of the wronged King.
Queen and they talk.
Eleazar Spaniard or Moor, that saucy slave shall die;
Oh! It would seem best, it should be thus Mendoza,
She to accuse, I urge, and both conclude,
Your marriage like a comic interlude.
Lords, will you hear this hateful sin confessed
And not impose upon the ravisher death,
The due punishment? O, it must be so.
AlveroWhat does the Queen desire?
Queen MotherJustice, revenge
On vile Mendoza for my ravishment!
I kiss the cold earth with my humbled knees,
From whence I will not rise, till some just hand
Cast to the ground the traitor Cardinal.
All Stand forth, Mendoza.
Eleazar Swells your heart so high?
Down Lecher, if you will not stand, then lie.
Cardinal You have betrayed me by my too much trust;
I never did this deed of rape and lust.
Roderigo Your tongue confessed it.
Cardinal True, I was enticed.
Eleazar Enticed? Do you believe that?
Queen MotherJustice, Lords! Sentence the Cardinal for
His hateful sin.
AlveroWe will assemble all the States of Spain,
And as they Judge, so Justice shall be done.
Eleazar A guard! To prison with the Cardinal!
Cardinal Damned slave, my tongue shall go at liberty
To curse thee, ban that strumpet; dogs, keep off.
Enter Zarack, Baltazar and others.
Eleazar Hist, hist, on, on.
Complete Dramatic Works of Thomas Dekker Page 23