_Hub_. Blood is not ever The wholsom'st Wine to drinke. Doubtlesse these Christians Serve some strange Master, and it needes must bee A wonderfull sweete wages which he paies them; And though men murmour, get they once here footing, Then downe goes our Religion, downe our Altars, And strange things be set up.--I cannot tell: We, held so pure, finde wayes enough to hell. Fall out what can, I care not; Ile to _Bellizarius_. _Dam_. Will you? pray carry to him my best wishes. _Hub_. I can carry anything but Blowes, Coles,[143] my Drink, and that clapper of the Divell, the tongue of a Scould. Farewell. [_Exeunt_. (SCENE 2.) _Flourish: Enter the King, Antony, Cosmo, all about the King, and Bellizarius_. _King_. They swarme like Bees about us, insomuch Our People cannot sacrifice nor give Incense But with interruptions; they still are buzzing thus, Saying: Their Gods delight not in vaine showes But intellectual thoughts pure and unstain'd, Therefore reduce them from their heresies Or build our prison walls with Christians bones. What thinkes our _Bellizarius_, he that was wont To be more swift to execute than we to command? Why sits not _Bellizarius_? _Belliz_. I dare not. _King_. Protect me, Iove! Who dare gainesay it? _Belliz_. I must not. _King_. Say we command it? _Belliz_. Truth is, I neither can nor will. _Omn_. Hee's mad. _Belliz_. Yes, I am mad To see such Wolvish Tyrants as you are Pretend a Justice and condemne the iust. Oh you white soules that hover in the aire, Who through my blindnesse were made death his[144] prey; Be but appeas'd, you spotlesse Innocents, Till with my blood I have made a true atonement, And through those tortures, by this braine devis'd, In which you perisht, I may fall as you To satisfie your yet fresh bleeding memories And meete you in that garden where content Dwels onely. I, that in blood did glory, Will now spend blood to heighten out your story. _Anton_. Why, _Bellizarius_-- _Belliz_. Hinder me not: I'me in a happy progresse, would not change my guest Nor be deterr'd by Moles and Wormes that cannot see Such as you are. Alas, I pitty you. _Dam_. The King's in presence. _Belliz_. I talke of one that's altitudes above him, That owes[145] all Principalities: he is no King That keepes not his decrees, nor am I bound In duty to obey him in unwist acts. _King_. All leave the roome. _Omnes_. We obey your highnesse. [_Exeunt Lords_. _King_. Sir, nay. Sir; good _Bellizarius_. _Belliz_. In that I doe obey. _King_. Doe you make scruple, then, of our command? _Belliz_. Yes, Sir, where the act's unjust and impure. _King_. Why, then, are we a king, if not obey'd? _Belliz_. You are plac'd on earth but as a Substitute To a Diviner being as subiects are to you; And are so long a king to be obey'd As you are iust.