The Noble Spanish Soldier Part 4

ONAELIA Here as the dearest Jewel of my fame Locked I this parchment from all viewing eyes.

This your indenture, held alone the life Of my supposed dead honour; yet behold, Into your hands I redeliver it.

Oh keep it Sir, as you should keep that vow, To which, being signed by heaven, even angels bow.

[Onaelia pa.s.ses the doc.u.ment to the King.]

KING 'Tis in the lion's paw, and who dares s.n.a.t.c.h it?

Now to your beads and crucifix again.

ONAELIA Defend me heaven!

KING Pray there may come Emba.s.sadors from France Their followers are good customers.

ONAELIA Save me from madness!

KING 'Twill raise the price, being the King's mistress.

ONAELIA You do but counterfeit to mock my joys.

KING Away bold strumpet!

ONAELIA Are there eyes in heaven to see this?

KING Call and try, here's a wh.o.r.e's curse To fall in that belief, which her sins nurse.

Exit King, Enter Cornego.

CORNEGO How now? What quarter of the moon has she cut out now? My Lord puts me into a wise office to be a mad-woman's keeper. Why, Madam!

ONAELIA Ha! Where is the King, thou slave?

[Clutches Cornego.]

CORNEGO Let go your hold, or I'll fall upon you as I am a man.

ONAELIA Thou treacherous caitiff <10>, where is the King?

CORNEGO He's gone, but not so far as you are.

ONAELIA Crack all in sunder, oh you battlements, And grind me into powder

CORNEGO What powder? Come, what powder? When did you ever see a woman grinded into powder? I am sure some of your s.e.x powder men, and pepper them too.

ONAELIA Is there a vengeance yet lacking to my ruin?

Let it fall, now let it fall upon me!

CORNEGO No, there has been too much fallen upon you already.

ONAELIA Thou villain, leave thy hold, I'll follow him Like a raised ghost, I'll haunt him, break his sleep, Fright him as he is embracing his new leman <11>, Til want of rest bids him run mad and die, For making oaths bawds to his perjury.

CORNEGO Pray be more seasoned, if he make any bawds, he did ill, for there is enough of that fly-blown flesh already.

ONAELIA I'm left quite naked now; all gone, all, all.

CORNEGO No Madam, not all, for you cannot be rid of me.

Here comes your Uncle.

Enter Medina.

ONAELIA Attired in robes of vengeance, are you uncle?

MEDINA More horrors yet?

ONAELIA 'Twas never full till now, And in this torrent all my hopes lie drowned.

MEDINA Instruct me in the cause.

ONAELIA The King, the contract!

Exit Onaelia.

CORNEGO That's cud enough for you to chew upon.

Exit Cornego.

MEDINA What's this? A riddle. How? The King, the contract.

The mischief I divine which proving true, Shall kindle fires in Spain to melt his crown Even from his head. Here's the decree of fate: A black deed must a black deed expiate.

Exit Medina.

ACT 2 SCENE 1

Enter Balthazar, [having been] slighted by the Dons.

BALTHAZAR Thou G.o.d of good apparel, what strange fellows are bound to do thee honour. Mercer's <12> books show men's devotions to thee. Heaven cannot hold a saint so stately. Do not my dons know me because I'm poor in clothes? Stood my beaten tailor plaiting my rich hose, my silk stocking man drawing upon my Lords.h.i.+p's courtly calf pairs of imbroidered things, whose golden clocks strike deeper to the faithful shop-keeper's heart, than into mine to pay him. Had my barber perfumed my lousy thatch here and poked out me tusks more stiff than are a cats muschatoes <13>, these pied-winged b.u.t.terflies had known me then. Another fly-boat! <14> Save thee ill.u.s.trious Don.

Enter Don Rodrigo.

Sir, is the King at leisure to speak Spanish with a poor Soldier?

RODRIGO No

BALTHAZAR No, Sirah, you, no! You Don with the ochre face, I wish to have thee but on a breach, stifling with smoke and fire. And for thy no, but whiffing gunpowder out of an iron pipe, I would but ask thee if thou would'st on, and if thou did'st cry no, thou should'st read Canon Law. I'd make thee roar, and wear cut-beaten-satin. I would pay thee though thou payest not thy mercer. Mere Spanish jennets! <15>

Enter c.o.c.kadillio.

Signor, is the King at leisure?

c.o.c.kADILLO To do what?