BELI. 'Tis bravely spoken: by my crown I swear, I like thy counsel, and will follow it.

[Point toward Alphonsus. But hark, Albinius, do'st thou know the man That doth so closely overthwart us stand?

ALBI. Not I, my lord, nor never saw him yet. BELI. Then, prithee, go and ask him presently, What countryman he is, and why he comes Into this place? perhaps he is some one, That is sent hither as a secret spy

To hear and see in secret what we do.

[Albinius and Fabius go toward Alphonsus. ALBI. My friend, what art thou, that so like a spy Dost sneak about Belinus' royal camp?

ALPHON. I am a man.

FABI. A man! we know the same:
But prithee tell me, and set scoffing by,

What countryman thou art, and why you come,
That we may soon resolve the king thereof?
ALPHON. Why, say I am a soldier.

FABI. Of whose band?

ALPHON. Of his that will most wages to me give. FABI. But will you be

Content to serve Belinus in his wars?

ALPHON. Ay, if he will reward me as I do deserve, And grant whate'er I win, it shall be mine

Incontinent.

ALBI. Believe me, sir, your service costly is: But stay a while, and I will bring you word

What king Belinus says unto the same.

[Albinius go towards Belinus.* BELI. What news, Albinius, who is that we see? ALBI. It is, my lord, a soldier that you see, Who fain would serve your Grace in these your wars, But that I fear his service is too dear.

*Belinus] The 4to. " Alphonsus."

BELI. Too dear! why so? What doth the soldier crave?

ALBI. He craves, my lord, all things that with his
He doth obtain, whatever that they be. [sword
BELI. Content, my friend: if thou wilt succour me,
Whate'er you get, that challenge as thine own;
Belinus gives it frankly unto thee,
Although it be the crown of Arragon.
Come on therefore, and let us hie apace
To Naples town, whereas by this, I know,

Our foes have pitch'd their tents against our walls.
ALPHON. March on, my lord, for I will follow you;
And do not doubt but ere the time be long
I shall obtain the crown of Arragon.

Enter [i. e. go in] BELINUS, ALBINIUS, FABIUS, ALPHONSUS, with the Soldiers. As soon as they are in, strike up alarum a-while; and then enter VENUS.

ACT II. OF THE HISTORY OF ALPHONSUS.

VENUS. Thus from the pit of pilgrim's poverty, Alphonsus 'gins by step and step to climb Unto the top of friendly Fortune's wheel. From banish'd state, as you have plainly seen, He is transform'd into a soldier's life, And marcheth in the ensign of the king Of worthy Naples, which Belinus hight; + Not for because that he doth love him so, But that he may revenge him on his foe. Now on the top of lusty barbed steed He mounted is, in glittering armour clad, Seeking about the troops of Arragon,

*March on, &c.] These three lines in the 4to. form a part of Belinus' speech.

t hight] i. e. is called.

For to encounter with his traitorous niece.*
How he doth speed, and what doth him befall,
Mark this our act, for it doth shew it all.

[Exit.

Strike up alarum. Enter FLAMINIUS at one door, ALPHONSUS at another. They fight; Alphonsus kill Flaminius, and say:

[lake,

ALPHON. Go,† pack thou hence unto the Stygian
And make report unto thy traitorous sire,
How well thou hast enjoy'd the diadem,
Which he by treason set upon thy head;
And if he ask thee who did send thee down,
Alphonsus say, who now must wear thy crown.
Strike up alarum. Enter LaLIUS, who seeing that
his king is slain, upbraids Alphonsus in this sort:
LaLI. Traitor, how dar'st thou look me in the face,
Whose mighty king thou traitorously hast slain?
What, dost thou think Flaminius hath no friends,
For to revenge his death on thee again?

Yes, be you sure, that ere you 'scape from hence,
Thy gasping ghost shall bear him company,
Or else myself, fighting for his defence,
Will be content by those thy hands to die.

niece] Must be here used for a relation in general, as in another line of the third act of the present play;

"Unto Belinus, my most friendly niece." These passages support the reading in Shakespeare's Two Gentlemen of Verona;

"An heir and niece allied unto the Duke."
Act iv. sc. 1.

+ Go, &c.] If Shakespeare's commentators had ever seen the present very rare drama, they would have noticed the resemblance between this passage and the following lines in the Third Part of Henry VI.

"If any spark of life be yet remaining,

Down, down to hell; and say-I sent thee thither."

VOL. II.

Act v. sc. 6.

C

ALPHON. Lælius, few words would better thee be-
Especially as now the case doth stand; [come;
And didst thou know whom thou do'st threaten thus,
We should you have more calmer out of hand :
For, Lælius, know, that I Alphonsus am,
The son and heir to old Carinus, whom
The traitorous father of Flaminius
Did secretly bereave of his diadem.

But see the just revenge of mighty Jove!
The father dead, the son is likewise slain

By that man's hand who they did count as dead,
Yet doth survive to wear the diadem,

When they themselves accompany the ghosts
Which wander round about the Stygian fields.
[Lælius gaze upon Alphonsus.

Muse not hereat, for it is true I say,

I am Alphonsus whom thou hast misus'd.

LELI. The man whose death I did so oft lament!

*

[Kneel down,

Then pardon me for these uncourteous words,
The which I in my rage did utter forth,

Prick'd by the duty of a loyal mind;
Pardon, Alphonsus, this my first offence,
And let me die if e'er I flight again.

ALPHON. Lælius, I fain would pardon this offence, And eke accept thee to my grace again,

But that I fear that when I stand in need

And want your help, you will your lord betray.

How say you, Loelius, may I trust to thee?

LŒLI. Ay, noble lord, by all the gods I vow; For first shall heavens want stars, and foaming seas Want wat'ry drops, before I'll traitor be

Unto Alphonsus, whom I honour so.

ALPHON. Well then, arise, and for because I'll try

* The man whose death, &c.] In the 4to. this line forms part of Alphonsus' speech.

If that thy words and deeds be both alike,
Go haste and fetch the youths of Arragon,

Which now I hear have turn'd their heels and fled.
Tell them your chance, and bring them back again
Into this wood, where in ambushment lie
Until I come or send for you myself.

LOLI. I will, my lord.

[Exit.

ALPHON. Full little think* Belinus and his peers What thoughts Alphonsus casteth in his mind, For if they did, they would not greatly haste pay the same the which they promis'd me.

To

Enter BELINUS, ALBINIUS, FABIUS, with their Soldiers, marching.

BELI. Like simple sheep, when shepherd absent is
Far from his flock, assail'd by greedy wolf,
Do scattering fly about, some here, some there,
To keep their bodies from their ravening jaws,
So do the fearful youths of Arragon

Run round about the green and pleasant plains,
And hide their heads from Neapolitans;
Such terror have their strong and sturdy blows
Struck to their hearts, as for a world of gold,
I warrant you, they will not come again.
But, noble lords, where is the knight become
Which made the blood be-sprinkle all the place,
Whereas he did encounter with his foe?
My friend, Albinius, know you where he is?
ALBI. Not I, my lord, for since in thickest ranks
I saw him chase Flaminius at the heels,

I never yet could set mine eyes on him.

[Albinius spies out Alphonsus, and shews him
to Belinus.

But see, my lord, whereas the warrior stands,
Or else my sight doth fail me at this time.

*think] The 4to. "thinks."