The Noble Spanish Soldier Part 16

MEDINA Bow wow.

KING Bark out no more thou mastiff, get you all gone, And let my soul sleep. [Aside to Balthazar] There's gold, peace, see it done.

Exit King.

BALTHAZAR Sirra, you salsa-perilla <49>, rascal, toads-gut, you whorson pockey French sp.a.w.n of a butsten-bellyed spider. Do you hear Monsieur?

MEDINA Why do you bark and snap at my Narcissus, as if I were de French dog?

BALTHAZAR You cur of Cerberus litter,

[Strikes him]

You'll poison the honest Lady? Do but once toot <50> into her chamber-pot, and I'll make thee look worse than a witch does upon a close stool.

CARDINAL You shall not dare to touch him, stood he here Single before thee.

BALTHAZAR I'll cut the rat into anchovies.

CARDINAL I'll make thee kiss his hand, embrace him, love him And call him ...

Medina [reveals his true ident.i.ty].

BALTHAZAR The perfection of all Spaniards, Mars in little, the best book of the art of war printed in these times. As a French doctor, I would have given you pellets for pills, but as my n.o.blest Lord, rip my heart out in your service.

MEDINA Thou are the truest Clock That e'er to time paidst tribute, honest soldier, I lost mine own shape, and put on a French Only to try thy truth, and the King's falsehood, Both which I find. Now this great Spanish volume Is opened to me, I read him o'er and o'er, Oh what black characters are printed in him.

CARDINAL Nothing but certain ruin threats your niece, Without prevention. Well this plot was laid In such disguise to sound him, they that know How to meet dangers, are the less afraid.

Yet let me counsel you not to text down These wrongs in red lines.

MEDINA No, I will not, father.

Now that I have anatomised his thoughts, I'll read a lecture on them that shall save Many men's lives, and to the kingdom minister Most wholesome surgery. Here's our aphorism.

These letters from us in our niece's name, You know treat of a marriage.

CARDINAL There's the strong anchor To stay all in this tempest.

MEDINA Holy sir, With these works you the King, and so prevail That all these mischiefs hull <51> with flagging sail.

CARDINAL My best in this I'll do.

MEDINA Soldier, thy breast I must lock better things in.

BALTHAZAR 'Tis your chest, With three good keys to keep it from opening an honest heart, a daring hand, and a pocket which scorns money.

Exeunt.

ACT FIVE SCENE ONE

Enter King, Cardinal with letters, [Valesco and Lopez].

KING Commend us to Medina, say his letters Right pleasing are, and that, except himself Nothing could be more welcome. Counsel him, To blot the opinion out of factious numbers, Only to have his ordinary train Waiting upon him. For, to quit all fears Upon his side of us, our very court Shall even but dimly s.h.i.+ne with some few Dons, Freely to prove our longings great to peace.

CARDINAL The Constable expects some p.a.w.n from you, That in this fairy circle shall rise up No fury to confound his niece nor him.

KING A King's word is engaged.

CARDINAL It shall be taken.

KING Valasco, call the Captain of our Guard, Bid him attend us instantly.

VALASCO I shall.

Exit Valasco.

KING Lopez come hither. See, Letters from Duke Medina, both in the name Of him and all his faction, offering peace, And our old love, his niece Onaelia In marriage with her free and fair consent To c.o.c.kadillio, a Don of Spain.

LOPEZ Will you refuse this?

KING My crown as soon. They feel their sinewy plots Belike to shrink i'the joints. And fearing ruin, Have found this cement out to piece up all, Which more endangers all.

LOPEZ How sir? Endangers!

KING Lions may hunted be into the snare, But if they once break loose, woe be to him That first seized on them. A poor prisoner scorns To kiss his jailer. And shall a king be choked With sweet-meats by false traitors! No, I will fawn On them as they stroke me, till they are fast But in this paw. And then...

LOPEZ A brave revenge!

The Captain of your Guard.

Enter Alanzo, the Captain.

KING Upon thy life Double our guard this day. Let every man Bear a charged pistol hid, and, at a watch-word Given by a musket, when our self sees time, Rush in, and, if Medina's faction wrestle Against your forces, kill, but if yield, save.

Be secret!

ALANZO I am charmed, Sir.

Exit Alanzo.

KING Watch Valasco.

If any wear a Cross, feather or glove, Or such prodigious signs of a knit faction, Table their names up. At our court-gate plant Good strength to bar them out, if once they swarm.

Do this upon thy life.

VALASCO Not death shall fright me.

Exit [Valasco and Lopez,] enter Balthazar.

BALTHAZAR 'Tis done, Sir.

KING Death! What's Done?

BALTHAZAR Young cub's flayed, but the she-fox s.h.i.+fting her hole is fled. The little jackanapes, the boy's brained.