A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 14
General
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 14
English drama
MARIA. Such love as I dare yield, I'll not deny.
FER. When in the golden arms of majesty--
I am broke off--yonder thy husband stands;
I'll set him free, if thou unite my bands;
So much for that. Durst then the cardinal
Put on such insolence? tell me, fair madam,
Where's your most valiant husband?
ELE. He sees me, and yet inquires for me.
MARIA. Yonder, my lord.
FER. Eleazar, I have in my breast writ down
From her report your late receiv'd disgrace;
My father lov'd you dearly, so will I.
ELE. True, for my wife's sake.
[_Aside._
FER. This indignity
Will I have interest in; for, being your king,
You shall perceive I'll curb my underling.
This morning is our coronation, and
[Our] father's funeral solemnised.
Be present, step into your wonted place,
We'll gild your dim disgraces with our grace.
[_Exeunt._
ELE. I thank my sovereign that you love my wife;
I thank thee, wife, that thou wilt lock my head
In such strong armour to bear off all blows;
Who dare say such wives are their husbands' foes?
Let's see now, by her falling I must rise;
Cardinal, you die if the king bid me live;
Philip, you die for railing at me;
Proud lord, you die, that with Mendoza cried,
Banish the Moor.
And you, my loving liege, you're best sit fast:
If all these live not, you must die at last.
ACT II., SCENE 1.
_Enter two_ LORDS, PHILIP, MENDOZA, ELEAZAR, _with him the_
KING _crowned_; QUEEN-MOTHER, ALVERO, ZARACK, BALTHAZAR,
_and Attendants_.
MEN. Why stares this devil thus, as if pale death
Had made his eyes the dreadful messengers
To carry black destruction to the world?
Was he not banish'd Spain?
PHIL. Your sacred mouth
Pronounc'd the sentence of his banishment:
Then spurn the villain forth.
ELE. Who spurns the Moor,
Were better set his foot upon the devil.
Do spurn me, and this confounding arm of wrath
Shall, like a thunderbolt breaking the clouds,
Divide his body from his soul! Stand back.
Spurn Eleazar!
ROD. Shall we bear this pride?
ALV. Why not? he underwent much injury.
MEN. What injury have we perform'd, proud lord?
ELE. Proud cardinal, my unjust banishment.
MEN. 'Twas we that did it, and our words are laws.
KING. 'Twas we repeal'd him, and our words are laws.
ZAR. BAL. If not, these are.
[_All the Moors draw._
PHIL. How! threaten'd and outdar'd!
KING. Shall we give arm to hostile violence?
Sheathe your swords, sheathe them: it's we command.
ELE. Grant Eleazar justice, my dread liege.
MEN. Eleazar hath had justice from our hands,
And he stands banish'd from the court of Spain.
KING. Have you done justice? Why, Lord Cardinal,
From whom do you derive authority
To banish him the court without our leave?
MEN. From this, the staff of our protectorship;
From this, which the last will of your dead father
Committed to our trust; from this high place,
Which lifts Mendoza's spirits beyond the pitch
Of ordinary honour, and from this----
[KING _takes the staff from_ MENDOZA, _and gives it to_
ELEAZAR.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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