The Scottish Ida's beauty stale thy heart:
Yet fear and love have* tied thy ready tongue
From blabbing forth the passions of thy mind,
'Less+ fearful silence have in subtle looks
Bewray'd the treason of my new vow'd love.
Be fair and lovely, Doll; but here's the prize,
That lodgeth here, and enter'd through mine eyes:
Yet, howsoe'er I love, I must be wise.

Now, lovely countess, what reward or grace
May I impose on you for this your zeal,
And humble honours done us in our court,
In entertainment of the English king?

COUNT. It was of duty, prince, that I have done;
And what in favour may content me most,
Is, that it please your grace to give me leave
For to return unto my country home.

[same? K. OF SCOTS. But, lovely Ida, is your mind the IDA. I count of court, my lord, as wise men do, 'Tis fit for those that know§ what 'longs thereto : Each person to his place; the wise to art, The cobler to his clout, the swain to cart.

[shines, K. OF SCOTS. But, Ida, you are fair, and beauty And seemeth best, where pomp her pride refines. IDA. If beauty, as I know there's none in me, Were sworn my love, and I his life should be, The farther from the court I were remov'd, The more I think of heaven I were belov'd. K. OF SCOTS. And why?

IDA. Because the court is counted Venus' net, Where gifts and vows for stales are often set: None, be she chaste as Vesta, but shall meet A curious tongue to charm her ears with sweet. K. OF SCOTS. Why, Ida, then I see you set at The force of love.

IDA. In sooth this is my thought,

have] The 4to. "hath."
impose] The 4to. " imploy."

[naught

+ 'Less] The 4to. Lest." S know] The 4to. "knowes."

Most gracious king: that they that little provę,
Are mickle blest from bitter sweets of love.
And weel I wot, I heard a shepherd sing,
That, like a bee, Love hath a little sting:
He lurks in flowers, he percheth on the trees,
He on king's pillows bends his pretty knees;
The boy is blind, but when he will not spy,
He hath a leaden foot and wings to fly:
Beshrow me yet, for all these strange effects,
If I would like the lad that so infects.

K. OF SCOTS. Rare wit, fair face, what heart could more desire?

But Doll is fair and doth concern thee near:
Let Doll be fair, she is won; but I must woo,
And win fair Ida, there's some choice in two.
But, Ida, thou art coy.

IDA. And why, dread king?

K. OF SCOTS. In that you will dispraise so sweet a As love. Had I my wish

IDA. What then?

K. OF SCOTS. Then would I place

His arrow here, his beauty in that face.

[thing

IDA. And were Apollo mov'd and rul'd by me, His wisdom should be yours, and mine his tree. K. OF SCOTS. But here returns our train.

Enters the Train back [i. e. the Queen and Lords.] Welcome, fair Doll:

How fares our father, is he shipp'd and gone?

DOR. My royal father is both shipp'd and gone: God and fair winds direct him to his home!

K. of Scots. Amen, say I—would thou wert with him too!

Then might I have a fitter time to woo.

But, countess, you would be gone, therefore, farewell: Yet, Ida, if thou wilt, stay thou behind

VOL. II.

G

To accompany my queen:

But if thou like the pleasures of the court,
Or if she like'd me though she left the court,—
What should I say? I know not what to say.
You may depart: and you, my courteous queen,
Leave me a space, I have a weighty cause
To think upon: Ida, it nips me near;
It came from thence, I feel it burning here.

[rise,

[Exeunt all saving the King and Ateukin.
Now am I free from sight of common eye,
Where to myself I may disclose the grief,
That hath too great a part in mine affects.
ATEU. And now is my time by wiles and words to
Greater than those that think* themselves more wise.
K. of Scots. And first, fond king, thy honour
doth engrave

Upon thy brows the drift of thy disgrace.
Thy new-vow'd love, in sight of God and men,
Links + thee to Dorothea, during life:

For who more fair and virtuous than thy wife?
Deceitful murderer of a quiet mind,

Fond love, vile lust, that thus misleads us men,
To vow our faiths, and fall to sin again!

But kings stoop not to every common thought:
Ida is fair and wise, fit for a king;

And for fair Ida will I hazard life,

Venture my kingdom, country, and my crown:
Such fire hath love to burn a kingdom down.
Say, Doll dislikes that I estrange my love;
Am I obedient to a woman's look?

Nay say, her father frown, when he shall hear
That I do hold fair Ida's love so dear;

Let father frown and fret, and fret and die,

Nor earth nor heaven shall part my love and I.
Yea, they shall part us, but we first must meet,
And woo and win, and yet the world not see't.
Yea, there's the wound, and wounded with that
thought,

So let me die, for all my drift is naught.

ATEU. Most gracious and imperial majesty-
A little flattery more were but too much.*
K. OF SCOTS. Villain, what art thou
That thus dar'st interrupt a prince's secrets?
ATEU. Dread king, thy vassal is a man of art,
Who knows by constellation of the stars,
By oppositions and by dry aspects,

The things are past, and those that are to come.
K. OF SCOTS. But where's thy warrant to approach
my presence?

ATEU. My zeal and ruth to see your Grace's wrong, Makes me lament I did detract so long.

K. OF SCOTS. If thou know'st thoughts, tell me, what mean I now?

ATEU. I'll calculate the cause

Of those your Highness' smiles, and tell your thoughts.

K. OF SCOTS. But lest thou spend thy time in idleAnd miss the matter that my mind aims at,

Tell me,

[ness,

What star was opposite when that was thought?
[He strikes him on the ear.
ATEU. 'Tis inconvenient, mighty potentate,
Whose looks resemble Jove in majesty,
To scorn the sooth of science with contempt:
I see in those imperial looks of

yours

The whole discourse of love. Saturn combust,
With direful looks at your nativity,

Beheld fair Venus in her silver orb.

I know by certain axioms I have read,

* A little, &c.] This line the 4to. gives to the king.

Your Grace's griefs, and further can express
Her name, that holds you thus in fancy's bands.
K. OF SCOTS. Thou talkest wonders.
ATEU. Nought but truth, O king.
'Tis Ida is the mistress of your heart,
Whose youth must take impression of affects;
For tender twigs will bow, and milder minds
Will yield to fancy, be they follow'd well.

K. OF SCOTS. What god art thou, compos'd in
human shape,

Or bold Trophonius, to decide our doubts?
How know'st thou this?

ATEU. Even as I know the means

To work your Grace's freedom and your love.
Had I the mind, as many courtiers have,
To creep into your bosom for your coin,
And beg rewards for every cap and knee,
I then would say, if that your Grace would give
This lease, this manor, or this patent seal'd,
For this or that I would effect your

love : But Ateukin is no parasite, O prince!

I know your Grace knows scholars are but poor,
And therefore, as I blush to beg a fee,
Your Mightiness is so magnificent,

You cannot choose but cast some gift apart,
To ease my bashful need that cannot beg.
As for your love, O might I be employ'd,
How faithfully would Ateukin compass it!
But princes rather trust a smoothing tongue,
Than men of art that can accept the time.

K. OF SCOTS. Ateukin, if so thy name, for so thou
Thine art appears in entrance of my love; [say'st,
And since I deem thy wisdom match'd with truth,
I will exalt thee, and thyself alone

Shall be the agent to dissolve my grief.

Sooth is, I love, and Ida is my love;