Enter JOHN A-WATER, HERON, ASTLEY, and Skelton.
Welcome, my tried friends!

You keep your brains awake in our defence.
Frion, advise with them of these affairs,
In which be wondrous secret; I will listen
What else concerns us here: be quick and wary.

[Exit.

Ast. Ah, sweet young prince!-Secretary, my fellowcounsellors and I have consulted, and jump all in one opinion directly; an if these Scotch garboils1 do not fadge to our minds, we will pell-mell run amongst the Cornish choughs presently and in a trice.

Skel. 'Tis but going to sea and leaping ashore, cut ten or twelve thousand unnecessary throats, fire seven or eight towns, take half a dozen cities, get into the marketplace, crown him Richard the Fourth, and the business is finished.

J. a- Wat. I grant ye, quoth I, so far forth as men may do, no more than men may do; for it is good to consider when consideration may be to the purpose, otherstill you shall pardon me little said is soon

wise amended.

Fri. Then you conclude the Cornish action surest? Her. We do so, and doubt not but to thrive abundantly. Ho, my masters, had we known of the commotion when we set sail out of Ireland, the land had been ours ere this time.

Skel. Pish, pish! 'tis but forbearing being an earl or a duke a month or two longer. I say, and say it again, if the work go not on apace, let me never see new fashion more. I warrant ye, I warrant ye; we will have it so, and so it shall be.

Ast. This is but a cold phlegmatic country, not stirring enough for men of spirit. Give me the heart of England

for my money!

Skel. A man may batten there in a week only, with hot loaves and butter, and a lusty cup of muscadine and

1 Tumults,

sugar at breakfast, though he make never a meal all the month after.

:

Ja-Wat. Surely, when I bore office I found by experience that to be much troublesome was to be much wise and busy I have observed how filching and bragging has been the best service in these last wars; and therefore conclude peremptorily on the design in England. If things and things may fall out, as who can tell what or how-but the end will show it.

Fri. Resolved like men of judgment! Here to linger More time is but to lose it: cheer the prince

And haste him on to this;

on this depends

Fame in success, or glory in our ends.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.-Another part of the same.

Enter King JAMES, the Bishop of DURHAM, and HIALAS.

Hial. France, Spain, and Germany combine a league

Of amity with England: nothing wants

For settling peace through Christendom,' but love
Between the British monarchs, James and Henry.

Dur. The English merchants, sir, have been received
With general procession into Antwerp;

The emperor confirms the combination.

Hial. The king of Spain resolves a marriage

For Katherine his daughter with Prince Arthur.
Dur. France courts this early contract.

1

Of providence points out a greater blessing
For both these nations than our human reason
Can search into. King Henry hath a daughter,
The Princess Margaret; I need not urge
What honour, what felicity can follow
On such affinity 'twixt two Christian kings
Inleagued by ties of blood; but sure I am,
If you, sir, ratify the peace proposed,

I dare both motion and effect this marriage
For weal of both the kingdoms.

K. Ja.
Dar'st thou, lord bishop?
Dur. Put it to trial, royal James, by sending
Some noble personage to the English court

By way of embassy.

Hath pointed out to be, must be: you two
Are ministers, I hope, of blessèd fate.
But herein only I will stand acquitted,
No blood of innocents shall buy my peace:
For Warbeck, as you nick him, came to me,
Commended by the states of Christendom,

A prince, though in distress; his fair demeanour,
Lovely behaviour, unappallèd spirit,

Spoke him not base in blood, however clouded.
The brute beasts have both rocks and caves to fly to,

And men the altars of the church; to us

He came for refuge: kings come near in nature
Unto the gods in being touched with pity.
Yet, noble friends, his mixture with our blood,
Even with our own, shall no way interrupt
A general peace; only I will dismiss him.
From my protection, throughout my dominions,
In safety; but not ever to return.

Hial. You are a just king.

Dur.

Wise, and herein, happy.

K. Ja. Nor will we dally in affairs of weight:
Huntley, lord bishop, shall with you to England
Ambassador from us: we will throw down
Our weapons; peace on all sides! Now repair
Unto our council; we will soon be with you.

Hial. Delay shall question no dispatch; Heaven crown it. [Exeunt Bishop of DURHAM and HIALAS.

K. Ja. A league with Ferdinand! a marriage

With English Margaret! a free release

From restitution for the late affronts !

Cessation from hostility! and all

For Warbeck, not delivered, but dismissed!
We could not wish it better.-Dalyell!

Enter Lord DALYELL.

Dal.

Here sir.

K. Ja. Are Huntley and his daughter sent for?

Enter PERKIN WARBECK, Lady KATHERINE, JANE, FRION,
HERON, SKELTON, JOHN A-WATER, and ASTLEY.

K. Ja. Cousin, our bounty, favours, gentleness,
Our benefits, the hazard of our person,
Our people's lives, our land, hath evidenced
How much we have engaged on your behalf :
How trivial and how dangerous our hopes
Appear, how fruitless our attempts in war,
How windy, rather smoky, your assurance
Of party shows, we might in vain repeat :
But now obedience to the mother church,
A father's care upon his country's weal,
The dignity of state, direct our wisdom

To seal an oath of peace through Christendom ;
To which we're sworn already: it is you
Must only seek new fortunes in the world,
And find an harbour elsewhere. As I promised
On your arrival, you have met no usage
Deserves repentance in your being here;
But yet I must live master of mine own:
However, what is necessary for you
At your departure, I am well content
You be accommodated with, provided
Delay prove not my enemy.

It shall not

War.
Most glorious prince. The fame of my designs
Soars higher than report of ease and sloth
Can aim at: I acknowledge all your favours
Boundless and singular; am only wretched
In words as well as means to thank the grace
That flowed so liberally. Two empires firmly
You're lord of,-Scotland and Duke Richard's heart:
My claim to mine inheritance shall sooner
Fail than my life to serve you, best of kings;
And, witness Edward's blood in me! I am
More loth to part with such a great example
Of virtue than all other mere respects.
But, sir, my last suit is, you will not force

From me what you have given, this chaste lady,
Resolved on all extremes.

And must avow the gift; will add withal

A furniture becoming her high birth

And unsuspected constancy; provide

For

your attendance: we will part good friends.

[Exit with Lord DALYELL