We are immediately deputed, sir, By the Assembly of Asturias, More sailing soon from other provinces. We bring official writings, charging us To clinch and solder Treaties with this realm That may promote our cause against the foe. Nextly a letter to your gracious King; Also a Proclamation, soon to sound And swell the pulse of the Peninsula, Declaring that the act by which King Carlos And his son Prince Fernando cede the throne To whomsoever Napoleon may appoint, Being an act of cheatery, not of choice, Unfetters us from our allegiant oath. MRS. FITZHERBERT The usurpation began, I suppose, with the divisions in the Royal Family? MATEROSA Yes, madam, and the protection they foolishly requested from the Emperor; and their timid intent of flying secretly helped it on. It was an opportunity he had been awaiting for years. MRS. FITZHERBERT All brought about by this man Godoy, Prince of Peace! PRINCE OF WALES Dash my wig, mighty much you know about it, Maria! Why, sure, Boney thought to himself, “This Spain is a pretty place; 'twill just suit me as an extra acre or two; so here goes.” DON DIEGO [aside to Bagot] This lady is the Princess of Wales? BAGOT Hsh! no, Senor. The Princess lives at large at Kensington and other places, and has parties of her own, and doesn't keep house with her husband. This lady is--well, really his wife, you know, in the opinion of many; but--- DON DIEGO Ah! Ladies a little mixed, as they were at our Court! She's the Pepa Tudo to THIS Prince of Peace? BAGOT O no--not exactly that, Senor. DON DIEGO Ya, ya. Good. I'll be careful, my friend. You are not saints in England more than we are in Spain! BAGOT We are not. Only you sin with naked faces, and we with masks on. DON DIEGO Virtuous country! DUCHESS OF RUTLAND It was understood that Ferdinand, Prince of Asturias, was to marry a French princess, and so unite the countries peacefully? MATEROSA It was. And our credulous prince was tempted to meet Napoleon at Bayonne. Also the poor simple King, and the infatuated Queen, and Manuel Godoy. DUCHESS OF RUTLAND Then Godoy escaped from Aranjuez? MATEROSA Yes, by hiding in the garret. Then they all threw themselves upon Napoleon's protection. In his presence the Queen swore that the King was not Fernando's father! Altogether they form a queer little menagerie. What will happen to them nobody knows. PRINCE OF WALES And do you wish us to send an army at once? MATEROSA What we most want, sir, are arms and ammunition. But we leave the English Ministry to co-operate in its own wise way, anyhow, so as to sustain us in resenting these insults from the Tyrant of the Earth. DUCHESS OF RUTLAND [to the Prince of Wales] What sort of aid shall we send, sir? PRINCE OF WALES