Strike up alarum. Fly Amurack; follow Alphonsus, and take him prisoner; carry him in. Strike up alarum. Fly Crocon and Faustus. Enter FAUSTA and IPHIGENA, with their army, and meet them, and say:
FAU. You Turkish kings, what sudden flight is this?
What mean the men which for their valiant prowess
Were dreaded erst, clean through the triple world,
Thus cowardly to turn their backs and fly?
What froward fortune happen'd on your side?
I hope your king in safety doth abide.
CRO. Ay, noble madam, Amurack doth live,
And long I hope he shall enjoy his life;
But yet I fear, unless more succour come,
We shall both lose our king and sovereign.
FAU. How so, king Crocon? dost thou speak in To prove if Fausta would lament his death? [jest, Or else hath any thing hapt him amiss?
Speak quickly, Crocon, what the cause might be,
That thou dost utter forth these words to me.
CRO. Then, worthy Fausta, know that Amurack,
Our mighty king, and your approved spouse,
Prick'd with desire of everlasting fame,
As he was pressing in the thickest ranks
Of Arragonians, was, with much ado,
At length took prisoner, by Alphonsus' hands.
So that unless you succour soon do bring,
You lose your spouse, and we shall want our king.
IPHI. O hapless hap, O dire and cruel fate!
What injury hath Amurack, my sire,
Done to the gods, which now I know are wroth,
Although unjustly, and without a cause?
For well I wot, not any other king,
Which now doth live, or since the world begun
Did sway a sceptre, had a greater care
*mean] The 4to." meanes."
To please the Gods, than mighty Amurack:
And for to quite our father's great good will,
Seek they thus basely all his fame to spill?
FAU. Iphigena, leave off these woeful tunes:
It is not words can cure and ease this wound,
But warlike swords; not tears, but sturdy spears.
High Amurack is prisoner to our foes:
What then? Think you that our Amazones,
Join'd with the forces of the Turkish troop,
Are not sufficient for to set him free?
Yes, daughter, yes, I mean not for to sleep,
Until he is free, or we him company keep.
March on, my mates.
[Exeunt omnes. [Strike up alarum. Fly Alphonsus; follow Iphi
IPHI. How now, Alphonsus, you which never yet Could meet your equal in the feats of arms,
How haps it now, that in such sudden sort
You fly the presence of a silly maid?
What have you found mine arm of such a force
As that you think your body over weak
For to withstand the fury of my blows?
Or do you else disdain to fight with me,
For staining of your high nobility?
ALPHON. No, dainty dame, I would not have thee
That ever thou, or any other wight
Shall live to see Alphonsus fly the field
From any king or keisar whosome'er :
First will I die in thickest of my foe,
Before I will disbase mine honour so.
Nor do I scorn, thou goddess, for to stain
My prowess with thee, although it be a shame
For knights to combat with the female sect.*
But love, sweet mouse, hath so benumb'd my wit,
That though I would, I must refrain from it.
IPHI. I thought as much when first I came to wars: *sect] i. e. sex.
Your noble acts were fitter to be writ
Within the table of dame Venus' son
Than in God Mars his warlike registers.
Whenas your lords are hacking helms abroad,
And make their spears to shiver in the air,
Your mind is busied in fond Cupid's toys.
Come on, i'faith, I'll teach you for to know,
We came to fight, and not to love, I trow.
ALPHON. Nay, virgin, stay, and if thou wilt vouch-
To entertain Alphonsus' simple suit,
Thou shalt ere long be monarch of the world.
All christen'd kings, with all your pagan dogs,
Shall bend their knees unto Iphigena.
The Indian soil shall be thine at command,
Where every step thou settest on the ground,
Shall be received on the golden mines.
Rich Pactolus, that river of account,
Which doth descend from top of Tivole mount,
Shall be thine own, and all the world beside,
If you will grant to be Alphonsus' bride.
IPHI. Alphonsus' bride! Nay, villain, do not think
That fame or riches can so rule my thoughts,
As for to make me love and fancy him
Whom I do hate, and in such sort despise,
As if my death could bring to pass his bane,
I would not long from Pluto's port remain.
ALPHON. Nay then, proud peacock, since thou
As that entreaty will not move thy mind,
For to consent to be my wedded spouse,
Thou shalt in spite of gods and fortune too
Serve high Alphonsus as a concubine.
IPHI. I'll rather die than ever that shall hap.
ALPHON. And thou shalt die unless it come to pass.
Alphonsus and Iphigena fight. Iphigena fly: follow Alphonsus. Strike up alarum. Enter AL
PHONSUS, with his rapier, ALBINIUS, LELIUS, MILES, with their Soldiers; AMURACK, FAUSTA, IPHIGENA, CROCON, and FAUSTUS, all bound, with their hands behind them. AMURACK look angrily on Fausta.
MEDEA. Nay, Amurack, this is no time to jar,
Although thy wife did, in her frantic mood,
Use speeches which might better have been spar'd,
Yet do thou not judge the same time to be
A season to requite that injury.
More fitteth thee with all the wit thou hast,
To call to mind which way thou may'st release
Thyself, thy wife, and fair Iphigena,
Forth of the power of stout Alphonsus' hands:
For well I wot, since first you breathed breath,
You never were so nigh the snares of death.
Now, Amurack, your high and kingly seat,
Your royal sceptre, and your stately crown,
Your mighty country, and your men at arms,
Be conquer'd all, and can no succour bring.
Put, then, no trust in these same paltry toys,
But call to mind that thou a prisoner art,
Clapt up in chains, whose life and death depend*
Upon the hands of thy most mortal foe.
Then take thou heed, that whatsome'er he say,
Thou do'st not once presume for to gainsay.
AMU. Away, you fool, think you your cursed
Can bridle so the mind of Amurack,
As that he will stand crouching to his foe?
No, no, be sure that if that beggar's brat
Do dare but once to contrary my will,
I'll make him soon in heart for to repent,
That e'er such words 'gainst Amurack he spent.
* death depend] The 4to. " deaths depends."
MEDEA. Then since thou do'st disdain my good Look to thyself, and if you fare amiss, Remember that Medea counsel gave,
Which might you safe from all those perils save.
But, Fausta, you, as well you have begun,
Beware you follow still your friend's advice:
If that Alphonsus do desire of thee
To have your daughter for his wedded spouse,
Beware you do not once the same gainsay,
Unless with death he do your rashness pay.
FAU. No, worthy wight; first Fausta means to die Before Alphonsus she will contrary.
MEDEA. Why then farewell; but you, Iphigena, Beware you do not over squeamish wax, Whenas your mother giveth her consent.
IPHI. The gods forbid that e'er I should gainsay That which Medea bids me to obey. [Exit Medea. [Rise up Alphonsus out of his chair, who all this while hath been talking to Albinius, and say: ALPHON. NOW, Amurack, the proud blasphemous dogs
(For so you termed us) which did brawl and rail
Against God Mars, and fickle Fortune's wheel,
Have got the goal for all your solemn prayers.
Yourself are prisoner, which as then did think
That all the forces of the triple world
Were insufficient to fulfil the same.
How like you this? Is Fortune of such might,
Or hath God Mars such force or power divine,
As that he can, with all the power he hath,
Set thee and thine forth of Alphonsus' hands?
I do not think but that your hope's so small,
As that you would with very willing mind
Yield for my spouse the fair Iphigena,
On that condition, that without delay
Fausta and you may scot-free 'scape away.
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