The Noble Spanish Soldier Part 12

BALTHAZAR A brave Don call you mother.

MALATESTE Of this danger the fear afflicts the King.

BALATAZAR Cannot much blame him.

QUEEN If therefore by the riddance of this Dame ...

BALTHAZAR Riddance? Oh! The meaning on't is murder.

MALATESTE Stab her, or so, that's all.

QUEEN That Spain be free from frights, the King from fears, And I, now held his infamy, be called Queen, The treasure of the Kingdom shall lie open To pay thy n.o.ble darings.

BALTHAZAR Come. I'll do it, provided I hear Jove call to me, though he roars. I must have the King's hand to this warrant, else I dare not serve it upon my conscience.

QUEEN Be firm then. Behold the King is come.

Enter King.

BALTHAZAR Acquaint him.

QUEEN I found the metal hard, but with oft beating He's now so softened, he shall take impression From any seal you give him.

KING Balthazar, Come hither, listen. Whatsoe'er our Queen Has importuned thee to touching Onaelia Niece to the Constable, and her young son, My voice shall second it, and sign her promise.

BALTHAZAR Their riddance?

KING That.

BALTHAZAR What way? By poison?

KING So.

BALTHAZAR Starving? Or strangling, stabbing, smothering?

QUEEN Good.

KING Any way, so 'tis done.

BALTHAZAR But I will have, Sir, This under your own hand, that you desire it, You plot it, set me on to't.

KING Pen, ink and paper.

[King writes and signs doc.u.ment.]

BALTHAZAR And then as large a pardon as law and wit can engross for me.

KING Thou shalt have my pardon.

BALTHAZAR A word more, Sir, pray will you tell me one thing?

KING Yes, any thing dear Balthazar.

BALTHAZAR Suppose I have your strongest pardon, can that cure my wounded conscience? Can there your pardon help me? You not only knock the ewe on the head, but cut the innocent lamb's throat too, yet you are no butcher.

QUEEN Is this thy promised yielding to an act So wholesome for thy country?

KING Chide him not.

BALTHAZAR I would not have this sin scored on my head For all the Indian Treasury.

KING That song no more.

Do this and I will make thee a great man.

BALTHAZAR Is there no farther trick in't but my blow, your purse and my pardon?

MALTATESTE No nets upon my life to entrap thee.

BALTHAZAR Then trust me. These knuckles work it.

KING Farewell. Be confident and sudden.

BALTHAZAR Yes.

Subjects may stumble, when kings walk astray.

Thine Acts shall be a new Apocrypha.

Exeunt.

ACT FOUR SCENE ONE

Enter Medina, Alba, [Carlo], and Daenia, met by Balthazar with a poniard and a pistol.

BALTHAZAR You met a Hydra. See, if one head fails Another with a sulphurous beak stands yawning.

MEDINA What hath raised up this devil?

BALTHAZAR A great man's vices, that can raise all h.e.l.l. What would you call that man, who under-sail in a most goodly s.h.i.+p, wherein he ventures his life, fortunes, and honours, yet in a fury should hew the mast down, cast sails overboard, fire all the tacklings, and to crown this madness, should blow up all the decks, burn th'oaken ribs, and in that combat 'twix two elements leap desperately, and drown himself in the seas? What were so brave a fellow?

ALL A brave black villain.

BALTHAZAR That's I. All that brave black villain dwells in me, if I be that black villain. But I am not! A n.o.bler character prints out my brow, which you may thus read, I was banished Spain for emptying a court- hogshead, but repealed so I would, ere my reeking iron was cold, promise to give it a deep crimson dye in - none hear, - stay - no, none hear.

MEDINA Whom then?

BALTHAZAR Basely to stab a woman, your wronged niece and her most innocent son, Sebastian.

ALBA The boar now foams with wetting.

DAENIA What has blunted Thy weapons point at these?