_Usurer._ Confus'd in thought, O, whither shall I wend? [_Exit._ _Thras._ My conscience cries that I have done amiss. [_Exit._ _Alc._ O God of heaven, gainst thee have I offended! _Samia._ Asham'd of my misdeeds, where shall I hide me? _Cles._ Father, methinks this word "repent" is good: He that punisheth disobedience Doth hold a scourge for every privy fault. [_Exit with_ ALCON _and_ SAMIA. _Oseas._ Look, London, look; with inward eyes behold What lessons the events do here unfold. Sin grown to pride, to misery is thrall: The warning-bell is rung, beware to fall. Ye worldly men, whom wealth doth lift on high, Beware and fear, for worldly men must die. The time shall come, where least suspect remains, The sword shall light upon the wisest brains; The head that deems to overtop the sky, Shall perish in his human policy. Lo, I have said, when I have said the truth, When will is law, when folly guideth youth, When show of zeal is prank'd in robes of zeal, When ministers powl[117] the pride of commonweal, When law is made a labyrinth of strife, When honour yields him friend to wicked life, When princes hear by others' ears their folly, When usury is most accounted holy, If these shall hap, as would to God they might not, The plague is near: I speak, although I write not. _Enter the_ Angel. _Angel._ Oseas. _Oseas._ Lord? _Angel._ Now hath thine eyes perus'd these heinous sins, Hateful unto the mighty Lord of hosts. The time is come, their sins are waxen ripe, And though the Lord forewarns, yet they repent not; Custom of sin hath harden'd all their hearts. Now comes revenge, armèd with mighty plagues, To punish all that live in Nineveh; For God is just, as he is merciful, And doubtless plagues all such as scorn repent. Thou shalt not see the desolation That falls unto these cursèd Ninevites, But shalt return to great Jerusalem, And preach unto the people of thy God What mighty plagues are incident to sin, Unless repentance mitigate His ire: Rapt in the spirit, as thou wert hither brought, I'll seat thee in Judaea's provinces. Fear not, Oseas, then to preach the word. _Oseas._ The will of the Lord be done! [Oseas _is taken away by the_ Angel. ACT THE FIFTH SCENE I.--_The Palace of_ RASNI. _Enter_ RASNI _with his_ Kings, Magi, Lords, _and_ Attendants; ALVIDA _and her_ Ladies; _to a banquet._