EMPEROR

To what amounts their number. Now sir, your business. Int. a messenger. Let them enter, They are his friends, and may perhaps discover Some of his treacheries: Noble strangers welcome, Int. Lesle. Gordon, Butler. I do conceive it's business of importance Has drawn you hither, in Colonel Lesles looks I read affairs of consequence, with which His active brain does teem, and feign would be By's tongue delivered. And our rewards Shall strive to pay those services. And expect, Nature's choice pleasures, that same happiness You were created for. Vexed with so many cares, so many mischiefs, That do Like Hidra's dreadful heads increase, By cutting off, as billows follow billows, Succeed each other with that eager violence, Our weary Eagles know not where to perch, But flag their sickly wings: were't not irreligious, I should capitulate with the powers divine, And tax them of injustice; my whole reign Has been a long and one continued trouble; And if blessed peace with her fair beams did ever Shine on our Empire, 'twas but Like a fair Deceitful wind, courting the ships out of the harbour, Into the main to drown them: but the mother Of a more horrid warfare, that I fear as I found the Wreathe Imperial drowned in blood, So I in blood must leave it. That which most Does drive my tortured soul into affrights, Is, that I see we'r false among our selves: The faithless Soldiers daily do in troops, Fly from our Ensigns to the Traitors Camp: What cause have we then but t'expect sad ruin? When those who should be our security, Do prove our greatest enemies; our Guard, Our fear and terror, they all look On him, as superstitious Indians on the Sun, With adoration; on me, with contempt, Or (but at best) with pity. Your comforts Come as in droughts the elemental Due Does on the earth, it wets, but leaves no moisture, To give the seared plants growth: But yesternight Weed certain information, that our forces Led by Matthias Gallas, were overthrown By Saxon Waymar, and his son young Fredricke : Who had they known as well how to pursue, As gain a victory, and made a sudden Onslaught upon Vienna, their's; not ours Had been the Wreathe Imperial. Now your news sir. This is our latest hope; he writes me word, That the Archtraitor, and his prime confederates, Last night arrived at Egers, , and assures me Of their immediate ruin: Well Colossus, You'd best stand firm, unshaken as a rock, Whose feet the fierce waves striving to trip up, Do against its hard hoofes dash themselves to pieces, Or thou wilt fallen unpitied, fallen to be The scorn of story, the contempt and byeword To all posterity; let's in my Lords: This law the Heavens inviolably keep, Their justice well may slumber, but never sleep. Crowns are perpetual cares, and to their heads, That wear the wreathe Imperial, are annexed. Foreign invasions oft may shake a state, But civil broils are the impetuous firebrands, That burn up Commonwealths; to quench A flame domestic we are met, which will Like fame increase, by going on; this late Revolt of Wallenstein. It's not words, Or aery threatenings will appease thy mischief, It must be done by force; Matthias Gallas, Have you according to our late commands, Given order for the levying new forces, To oppose this Traitor. Worthy strangers, In this one act you've shown your self more faithful Then all my homeborn Subject's, but be sure If gratitude can equal your deserts, You shall enjoy that amply: Noble Lesle, The time is come now, and the delemma cast, That must conclude our Empire, which we must Unto thy care commit; to kill a Traitor, Is a deserving Actium, for thou strikest Then with the Sword of Justice: wilt thou add This one act to thy former high deservings, Kill this Archrebel. It shall be so, Lord Questenberg, with all convenient speed, Dispatch a trusty messenger unto The King of Hungary, command his presence, With his most able legions for the safeguard Of our own person: In such Like affairs, Which do concern the uncertain rule of States, Wise men should always be above their fates. Exeunt.