A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 05
General
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 05
English drama
_Enter_ KING, AMBASSADOR, CASTILE, _and_ LORENZO.
KING.
Now show, ambassador, what our viceroy saith:
Hath he receiv'd the articles we sent?
HIERONIMO.
Justice, O, justice to Hieronimo.
LORENZO.
Back, seest thou not the king is busy?
HIERONIMO.
O, is he so?
KING.
Who is he that interrupts our business?
HIERONIMO.
Not I. Hieronimo, beware; go by, go by.[215]
AMBASSADOR.
Renowned king, he hath receiv'd and read
Thy kingly proffers and thy promis'd league:
And as a man extremely overjoy'd,
To hear his son so princely entertain'd,
Whose death he had so solemnly bewail'd;
This for thy further satisfaction
And kingly love he kindly lets thee know:
First, for the marriage of his princely son
With Bell'-Imperia, thy beloved niece,
The news are more delightful to his soul,
Than myrrh or incense to th' offended heavens:
In person, therefore, will he come himself,
To see the marriage rites solemnized:
And in the presence of the court of Spain,
To knit a sure inextricable[216] band
Of kingly love and everlasting league
Betwixt the crowns of Spain and Portingal;
There will he give his crown to Balthazar,
And make a queen of Bell'-Imperia.
KING.
Brother, how like you this our viceroy's love?
CASTILE.
No doubt, my lord, it is an argument
Of honourable care to keep his friend,
And wondrous zeal to Balthazar his son;
Nor am I least indebted to his grace,
That bends his liking to my daughter thus.
AMBASSADOR.
Now last, dread lord, here hath his highness sent
(Although he send not that his son return)
His ransom due to Don Horatio.
HIERONIMO.
Horatio! who calls Horatio?
KING.
And well remember'd, thank his majesty:
Here, see it given to Horatio.
HIERONIMO.
Justice, O, justice, justice! gentle king.
KING.
Who is that? Hieronimo?
HIERONIMO.
Justice, O, justice! O my son, my son!
My son, whom nought can ransom or redeem.
LORENZO.
Hieronimo, you are not well-advis'd.
HIERONIMO.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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