MARSILIUS

Daughter thou hearst what love hath here alleadgd, How all these Kings by beauty summoned here, Puts in their pleasant for hope of Diadem, Of noble deeds, of wealth and chivalry, All hoping to possess Angelica. Sith father's will may hap to aim amiss, (For parents thoughts in love oft step awry) Choose thou the man who best contents thee, And he shall wear the Africa Crown next me. For trust me Daughter, Like of whom thou please, Thou satisfied, my thoughts shall be at ease. As fits Marsillus of his daughters spouse. Shame you not Princes at this bade agree, To wrong a stranger with discourtesy. Believe me Lords, my daughter hath made choice, And maugre him that thinks him most agreeud, She shall enjoy the County Palatine. Why think you Lords with haughty menaces To dare me out within my Palace gates? Or hope you to make conquest by constraint Of that which never could be God by love? Pass from my Court, make hast out of my land Stay not within the bounds Marsillus holds; Least little brooking these unfitting braves, My choler overslip the law of Arms, And I inflict revenge on such abuse. Orlando, what of Orlando? Trust me Orgalio, Theseus in his rage, Did never more revenge his wronged Hyppolitus, Than I will on the false Angelica. Go to my Court, and drag me Medor forth Tear from his breast the daring villains heart, Next take that base and damned adulteress, (I scorn to title her with daughters name:) Put her in rags, and Like some shepherdess, Exile her from my kingdom presently, Delay not good Orgalio, see it done. How now my friend, what fellow hast thou there? To Mandricard? It fits me not to sway the Diadem, Or rule the wealthy Realms of Barbary, To stain my thoughts with any cowardice. Thy master bravde me to my teeth, He backed the Prince of Cuba for my foe, For which not he nor his shall escape my hands. No soldier, think me resolute as he. For thou intreatst and newly art arrived, And yet thy sword is not imbrued in blood, Upon conditions I will pardon thee; That thou shalt never tell thy master Mandricard, Nor any fellow soldier of the camp, That King Marsillus licenst thee depart: He shall not think I am so much his friend, That he or one of his shall escape my hand. Then take my banderoll of read, Mine, and none but mine shall honour thee, And safe conduct thee to port Catthagene. I tell thee friend, it fits not for a King To prize his wrath before his courtesy. Were Mandricard the King of Mexico In prison here, and cravde but liberty; So little hate hangs in Marsillus breast, As one intreaty should quite raze it out. But this concerns not thee, therefore farewell. Lordings, we greet you well. His Court is his camp, the Prince is now in arms. You stranger Lords, why seek you out Mar sillus? Whence are you Lords, and what request you here? Lordings of France, here is Marsillus, That bids you welcome into India, And will in person bring you to his camp. Even Marsillus, and thus disguised. But what request these Princes at my hand? My daughter Lords, why she's exiled, And her grieved father is content to loose The pleasance of his age to countenance law. Words cannot daunt me Princes be as| surde, But law and justice shall overrule in this, And I will bury father's name and love, The hapless maid bannisht from out my Land, Wanders about in woods and ways unknown, Her if ye find with fury persecute, I now disdain the name to be her Father, Lords of France what would you more of me. Traitor, not dead, or any wit dismayed, For deer we prize the smallest drop of blood. Brave soldier (for so much thy courage These men are princes, dipped within the blood (says) Of Kings most royal, seated in the West, Unfit to accept a challenge at your hand. Yet thanks that thou wouldst in thy Lords defence Fight for my daughter, but her gilded is known. V Victorious Princes summoned to appear Within the Continent of Africa, From sevenfold Nylus to Taprobany, Where fair Apollo darting forth his light Plays on the Seas. From Gadis Lands where stout Hercules, Imblasde his trophies on two posts of brass, To Tanais whose swift declining floods, Environs rich Europa to the North, All fetched from out your Courts by beauty to this Coast, To seek and sue for fair Angelica. Sith none but one must have this happy prize, At which you all have leveled long your thoughts; Set each man forth his passion how he can, And let her Censure make the happiest man. Fought is the field, & Sacrepant is slain, With such a massacre of all his men, As Mars descending in his purple robe, Vows with Bellona in whole heaps of blood To banquet all the demi gods of war. Beshrew you lordings but you do your worst. Fire, famine, and as cruel death, As fell to Neros mother in his rage. I stand amazed, deep ouerdrencht with joy, To hear and see this unexpected end, So well I rest content ye Peers of France, Sith it is proved Angelica is clear, Her and my Crown I freely will bestow, Upon Orlando the County Palatine.