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In which the period of my fate consists :
He, in this firmament of honour, stands
Like a star fixed, not moved with any thunder
Of popular applause or sudden lightning
Of self-opinion; he hath served his country,
And thinks 'twas but his duty.

Crot.

A miracle of man.

Amy.

You describe

Such, Crotolon,

On forfeit of a king's word, thou wilt find him.

Hark, warning of his coming! all attend him.

[Flourish.

Enter ITHOCLES, ushered in by the Lords, and followed by
HEMOPHIL and GRONEAS.

Return into these arms, thy home, thy sanctuary,

Delight of Sparta, treasure of my bosom,

Mine own, own Ithocles!

Ith.

Your humblest subject.

Arm. Proud of the blood I claim an interest in,
As brother to thy mother, I embrace thee,

Right noble nephew.

Ith.

Sir, your love's too partial.

Crot. Our country speaks by me, who by thy valour, Wisdom, and service, shares in this great action; Returning thee, in part of thy due merits,

A general welcome.

Ith.

You exceed in bounty.

Cal. Christalla, Philema, the chaplet. [Takes the chaplet from them.]-Ithocles,

Upon the wings of fame the singular

And chosen fortune of an high attempt

Is borne so past the view of common sight,

That I myself with mine own hands have wrought,

To crown thy temples, this provincial garland':

1 i.e. The laurel wreath conferred on those who added a province to the empire,

Acknowledging how poorly I have served,

What nothings I have done, compared with the honours
Heaped on the issue of a willing mind;
In that lay mine ability, that only:
For who is he so sluggish from his birth,
So little worthy of a name or country,
That owes not out of gratitude for life
A debt of service, in what kind soever
Safety or counsel of the commonwealth
Requires, for payment?

Cal.

Ith.

He speaks truth.

Whom heaven

Is pleased to style victorious, there to such
Applause runs madding, like the drunken priests
In Bacchus' sacrifices, without reason

Voicing the leader-on a demi-god;

Whenas, indeed, each common soldier's blood
Drops down as current coin in that hard purchase

As his whose much more delicate condition

Hath sucked the milk of ease: judgment commands,
But resolution executes. I use not,

Before this royal presence, these fit slights1

As in contempt of such as can direct;

My speech hath other end; not to attribute

All praise to one man's fortune, which is strengthened
By many hands for instance, here is Prophilus,

A gentleman-I cannot flatter truth—
Of much desert; and, though in other rank,
Both Hemophil and Groneas were not missing
To wish their country's peace; for, in a word,
All there did strive their best, and 'twas our duty.
1 i.e. Slight words fitting slight services,

Amy. Courtiers turn soldiers !-We vouchsafe our hand. [HEMOPHIL and GRONEAS kiss his hand.

Conditions for the conquered; they expect 'em.

On!-Come, my Ithocles.

Euph.

I need not a supporter.

Pro.

Sir, with your favour,

Fate instructs me.

[Exit AMYCLAS attended, ITHOCLES, CALANTHA, &c. As CHRISTALLA and PHILEMA are following CALANTHA they are detained by HEMOPHIL and GRONEAS.

Chris.

You went not hence such creatures.

Is of a mounting nature.

Phil.

Pray, in earnest, how many men apiece

Have you two been the death of?

Gro.

We were composed of mercy.

Hem.

You heard the general's approbation

Before the king.

That showed your charity: where are your spoils,

Such as the soldier fights for?

Phil.

They are coming.

Chris. By the next carrier, are they not?

Spirit of valour

It appears so.—

'Faith, not many;

For our daring,

You" wished your country's peace;'

Gro.

Sweet Philema,

When I was in the thickest of mine enemies,
Slashing off one man's head, another's nose,
Another's arms and legs,-

Phil.

And all together.

Gro. Then would I with a sigh remember thee, And cry "Dear Philema, 'tis for thy sake

I do these deeds of wonder!"-dost not love me

With all thy heart now?

Phil.

Now as heretofore.

I have not put my love to use; the principal

Will hardly yield an interest.

Chris. You lie beyond all modesty :-forbear me.
Hem. I'll make thee mistress of a city; 'tis

Mine own by conquest.

Chris.

By petition; sue for't In forma pauperis.-City! kennel.-Gallants! Off with your feathers, put on aprons, gallants; Learn to reel, thrum,1 or trim a lady's dog, And be good quiet souls of peace, hobgoblins! Hem. Christalla!

Chris.

Practise to drill hogs, in hope

To share in the acorns.- -Soldiers! corncutters,
But not so valiant; they ofttimes draw blood,
Which you
durst never do. When you have practised
More wit or more civility, we'll rank ye

I' the list of men: till then, brave things-at-arms,
Dare not to speak to us,-most potent Groneas !–
Phil. And Hemophil the hardy !—at your services.
[Exeunt CHRISTALLA and PHILEMA.

Gro. They scorn us, as they did before we went.

1 Weave. Thrum is, properly, the tuft at the end of the warp.

Hem. Hang 'em! let us scorn them, and be revenged.
Gro. Shall we?

Hem.
Instead of following them, they'll follow us;
It is a woman's nature.

We will: and when we slight them thus,

Gro.

'Tis a scurvy one.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.—The Gardens of the Palace. A Grove. Enter TECNICUS, and ORGILUS disguised like one of his Scholars.

Tec. Tempt not the stars; young man, thou canst not With the severity of fate: this change

Of habit and disguise in outward view

[play

Hides not the secrets of thy soul within thee

From their quick-piercing eyes, which dive at all times Down to thy thoughts: in thy aspéct I note

A consequence of danger.

Org.
Give me leave,
Grave Tecnicus, without foredooming destiny,
Under thy roof to ease my silent griefs,

By applying to my hidden wounds the balm
Of thy oraculous lectures. If my fortune
Run such a crooked by-way as to wrest
My steps to ruin, yet thy learnèd precepts
Shall call me back and set my footings straight.
I will not court the world.

Tec.
Ah, Orgilus,
Neglects in young men of delights and life
Run often to extremities; they care not
For harms to others who contemn their own.

Org. But I, most learnèd artist, am not so much
At odds with nature that I grudge the thrift
Of any true deserver; nor doth malice
Of present hopes so check them with despair
As that I yield to thought of more affliction