SCENE III.

_Enter two friars_, CRAB _and_ COLE, _and_ QUEEN-MOTHER.

COLE. Your son a bastard? say, we do; But how then shall we deal with you? I tell you, as I said before, His being a bastard, you are so poor In honour and in name, that time Can never take away the crime.

QUEEN-M. I grant that, friar; yet rather I'll endure The wound of infamy to kill my name, Than to see Spain bleeding with civil swords. The boy is proud, ambitious; he woos greatness; He takes up Spanish hearts on trust to pay them, When he shall finger Castile's crown. O, then, Were it not better my disgrace were known, Than such a base aspirer fill the throne?

COLE. Ha, brother Crab, what think you?

CRAB. As you, dear brother Cole.

COLE. Then we agree. Cole's judgment is as Crab's, you see. Lady, we swear to speak and write What you please, so all go right.

QUEEN-M. Then, as we gave directions, spread abroad In Cadiz, Madrid, Granada, and Medina, And all the royal cities of the realm, Th' ambitious hopes of that proud bastard Philip: And sometimes, as you see occasion, Tickle the ears of the rude multitude With Eleazar's praise; gild his virtues, Naples' recovery, and his victories Achiev'd against the Turkish Ottoman. Will you do this for us?

ELE. Say, will you?

BOTH. Ay.

ELE. Why start you back and stare? Ha! are you afraid?

COLE. O, no, sir, no! but, truth to tell, Seeing your face, we thought of hell.

ELE. Hell is a dream.

COLE. But none do dream in hell.

ELE. Friars, stand to her and me; and by your sin I'll shoulder out Mendoza from his seat, And of two friars create you cardinals. O, how would cardinals' hats on their heads sit?

COLE. This face would look most goodly under it. Friar[s] Crab and Cole do swear In those circles still to appear, In which she or you do charge us rise; For you our lives we'll sacrifice. _Valete, gaudete: Si pereamus, flete; Orate pro nobis, Oremus pro vobis._ Cole will be burnt and Crab be press'd, Ere they prove knaves; thus are you cross'd and bless'd.

ELE. Away! you know. [_Exeunt_ FRIARS.] Now, madam, none shall throw Their leaden envy in an opposite scale, To weigh down our true golden happiness.

QUEEN-M. Yes, there is one.

ELE. One! who? Give me his name, and I will turn It to a magic spell to bind Him here, here. Who?

QUEEN-M. Your wife Maria.

ELE. Ha! my Maria!

QUEEN-M. She's The Hellespont divides my love and me: She being cut off----

ELE. Stay, stay; cut off! Let's think upon't; my wife! Humph! kill her too!

QUEEN-M. Does her love make thee cold?

ELE. Had I a thousand wives, down go they all. She dies; I'll cut her off. Now, Balthazar!

_Enter_ BALTHAZAR.

BAL. Madam, the king entreats your company.

QUEEN-M. His pleasure be obey'd. Dear love, farewell; Remember your Maria.

[_Exit._

ELE. Dear,[56] adieu; With this I'll guard her, whilst it stabs at you.

[_Points to his sword._

My lord,[57] the friars are won to join with us. Be prosperous! about it, Balthazar.

BAL. The watchword?

ELE. O, the word; let it be _Treason_. When we cry treason, break ope chamber doors: Kill Philip and the cardinal. Hence!

BAL. I fly.

[_Exit._

ELE. Murder, now ride in triumph; darkness, horror, Thus I invoke your aid; your act begin; Night is a glorious robe for th' ugliest sin.