KING. See, brother, see, how nature strives in him! Come, worthy viceroy, and accompany Thy friend, to strive with thine extremities: A place more private fits this princely mood. VICE. Or here or where your Highness thinks it good. Exeunt all but CASTILE and LORENZO. CAS. Nay, stay, Lorenzo; let me talk with you. See'st thou this entertainment of these kings? LOR. I do, my lord, and joy to see the same. CAS. And know'st thou why this meeting is? LOR. For her, my lord, whom Balthazar doth love, And to confirm their promis'd marriage. CAS. She is thy sister. LOR. Who? Bel-imperia? Aye, my gracious lord, and this is the day That I have long'd so happily to see. CAS. Thou wouldst be loath that any fault of thine Should intercept her in her happiness? LOR. Heav'ns will not let Lorenzo err so much. CAS. Why then, Lorenzo, listen to my words: It is suspected, and reported too, That thou, Lorenzo, wrong'st Hieronimo, And in his suits toward his Majesty Still keep'st him back and seek'st to cross his suit. LOR. That I, my lord? CAS. I tell thee, son, myself have heard it said, When to my sorrow I have been asham'd To answer for thee, though thou art my son. Lorenzo, know'st thou not the common love And kindness that Hieronimo hath won By his deserts within the court of Spain? Or see'st thou not the king my brother's care In his behalf and to procure his health? Lorenzo, should'st thou thwart his passions, And he exclaim against thee to the king, What honour were't in this assembly, Or what a scandal were't among the kings, To hear Hieronimo exclaim on thee! Tell me,--and look thou tell me truly too,-- Whence grows the ground of this report in court? LOR. My lord, it lies not in Lorenzo's power To stop the vulgar, liberal of their tongues: A small advantage makes a water-breach; And no man lives that long contenteth all. CAS. Myself have seen thee busy to keep back Him and his supplications from the king. LOR. Yourself, my lord, hath seen his passions, That ill beseem'd the presence of a king; And, for I pitied him in his distress, I held him thence with kind and courteous words, As free from malice to Hieronimo As to my soul, my lord. CAS. Hieronimo, my son, mistakes thee then. LOR. My gracious father, believe me, so he doth; But what's a silly man, distract in mind, To think upon the murder of his son? Alas, how easy is it for him to err! But, for his satisfaction and the world's, 'Twere good, my lord, that Hieronimo and I Were reconcil'd, if he misconstrue me. CAS. Lorenzo, that hast said; it shall be so! Go, one of you, and call Hieronimo. Enter BALTHAZAR and BEL-IMPERIA.