We wonder'd all, whenas you

did persuade

Us to return unto the wars again;

But since our marvel is increased much

By these your words, which sound of happiness:
Therefore, good Loelius, make no tarrying,
But soon unfold thy happy chance to us.

LŒLI. Then, friends and fellow soldiers, hark to me; When Lœlius thought for to revenge his king On that same knight, instead of mortal foe I found him for to be our chiefest friend.

MILES. Our chiefest friend! I hardly can believe
That he which made such bloody massacres
Of stout Italians, can in any point

Bear friendship to the country, or the king.
LELI. As for your king, Miles, I hold with you,
He bear no friendship to Flaminius,

. But hated him as bloody Atropos;
But for your country, Lœlius doth avow,
He loves as well as any other land,
Yea sure, he loves it best of all the world.
And for because you shall not think that I
Do say the same without a reason why,
Know that the knight Alphonsus hath to name,
Both son and heir to old Carinus, whom
Flaminius' sire bereaved of his crown;
Who did not seek the ruin of our host
For any envy he did bear to us,
But to revenge him on his mortal foe,

Which by the help of high celestial Jove

He hath atchiev'd with honour in the field.

MILES. Alphonsus, man! I'll ne'er persuaded be That e'er Alphonsus may survive again,

Who with Carinus, many years ago,

Was said to wander in the Stygian fields.

LELI. Truth, noble Miles, these mine ears have

For certainty reported unto me,

That old Carinus, with his peerless son,

[heard

Had felt the sharpness of the Sisters' shears,
And had I not of late Alphonsus seen

In good estate, though all the world should say
He is alive, I would not credit them.

But, fellow soldiers, wend you back with me,
And let us lurk within the secret shade,
Which he himself appointed unto us;
And if you find my words to be untroth,
Then let me die to recompense the wrong.

Strike up alarum; enter ALBINIUS with his sword drawn, and say :

ALBI. Lælius, make haste; soldiers of Arragon, Set lingering by, and come and help your king, I mean Alphonsus, who, whilst that he did. Pursue Belinus at the very heels,

Was suddenly environed about

With all the troops of mighty Milan land.

MILES. What news is this? and is it very so?
Is our Alphonsus yet in human state,

Whom all the world did judge for to be dead?
Yet can I scarce give credit to the same:
Give credit! yes, and since the Milan duke
Hath broke his league of friendship, be he sure,
Ere Cynthia, the shining lamp of night,
Doth scale the heavens with her horned head,
Both he and his shall very plainly see

The league is burst that caused long the glee.

LOLI. And could the traitor harbour in his breast

Such mortal treason 'gainst his sovereign,

As when he should with fire and sword defend
Him from his foes, he seeks his overthrow?
March on, my friends, I ne'er shall joy at all,
Until I see that bloody traitor's fall.

[Exeunt.

[Strike up alarum; fly Belinus, follow Lælius; fly Fabius, follow Albinius; fly the Duke of Milan, follow Miles.

Strike

Аст ІІІ.

ар alarum; enter VENUS.

VENUS. No sooner did Alphonsus with his troop Set on the soldiers of Belinus' band,

But that the fury of his sturdy blows

Did strike such terror to their daunted minds
That glad was he which could escape away,
With life and limb, forth of that bloody fray.
Belinus flies unto the Turkish soil,

To crave the aid of Amurack their king;
Unto the which he willingly did consent,
And sends Belinus with two other kings,
To know God Mahomet's pleasure in the same.
Meantime the empress by Medea's help
Did use such charms, that Amurack did see,
In soundest sleep, what afterwards should hap:
How Amurack did recompense her pain,

With mickle more, this act shall shew you plain.

[Exit.

Enter one, carrying two crowns upon a crest; ALPHONSUS, ALBINIUS, LELIUS, and MILES, with their Soldiers.

ALPHON. Welcome, brave youths of Arragon, to me, Yea, welcome, Miles, Loelius, and the rest, Whose prowess alone has been the only cause That we, like victors, have subdued our foes. Lord, what a pleasure was it to my mind To see Belinus, which not long before, Did with his threatenings terrify the Gods, Now scud apace from warlike Lælius' blows! The duke of Milan, he increas'd our sport, When doubting that his force was over weak For to withstand, Miles, thy sturdy arm,

Did give more credence to his frisking skips
Than to the sharpness of his cutting blade.
What Fabius did to pleasure us withal,
Albinius knows as well as I myself;
For, well I wot, if that thy tired steed
Had been as fresh and swift in foot as his,
He should have felt, yea known for certainty,
To check Alphonsus did deserve to die.
Briefly, my friends, and fellow peers in arms,
The worst of you deserve* such mickle praise,
As that my tongue denies for to set forth
The demi-parcel of your valiant deeds;
So that perforce, I must by duty be
Bound to you all, for this your courtesy.

MILES. Not so, my lord, for if our willing arms
Have pleasur'd you so much as you do say,
We have done nought but that becometh us,
For to defend our mighty sovereign.
As for my part, I count my labour small,
Yea, though it had been twice as much again,
Since that Alphonsus doth accept thereof.

ALPHON. Thanks, worthy Miles: lest+ all the world Should count Alphonsus thankless for to be, Lælius, sit down, and, Miles, sit by him, And that receive, the which your swords have won. [Sit down Lælius and Miles. First, for because thou, Lœlius, in these broils, By martial might didst proud Belinus chase From troop to troop, from side to side about, And never ceas'd from this thy swift pursuit Until thou hadst obtain'd his royal crown, Therefore I say, I'll do thee nought but right, And give thee that which thou well hast won.

[Set the crown on his head.

deserve] The 4to. " do deserve." + lest] Qy."but lest."

Here doth Alphonsus crown thee, Lœlius, king
Of Naples' town, with all dominions
That erst belonged to our traitorous foe,
That proud Belinus in his regiment.*

[Sound trumpets and drums.

Miles, thy share the Milan dukedom is,
For, well I wot, thy sword deserv'd no less,

[Set the crown on his head.

The which Alphonsus frankly giveth thee,
In presence of his warlike men at arms;
And if that any stomach † this my deed,
Alphonsus can revenge thy wrong with speed.

[Sound trumpets and drums.
my toils

Now to Albinius, which in all
I have both faithful, yea and friendly, found:
Since that the gods and friendly fates assign
This present time to me to recompense
The sundry pleasures thou hast done to me,
Sit down by them, and on thy faithful head

[Take the crown from thy own head. Receive the crown of peerless Arragon.

ALBI. Pardon, dear lord, Albinius at this time; It ill becomes me for to wear a crown,

Whenas my lord is destitute himself.
Why, high Alphonsus, if I should receive

This crown of you, the which high Jove forbid,
Where would yourself obtain a diadem?

Naples is gone, Milan possessed is,

And nought is left for you but Arragon.

ALPHON. And nought is left for me but Arragon! Yes, surely yes, my fates have so decreed, That Arragon should be too base a thing, For to obtain Alphonsus for her king.

What, hear you not how that our scatter'd foes,

* regiment] i. e. sway.

+ stomach] i. e. be

angry at.