Lady-Errant, The. A Tragi-Comedy - Act 4. Scene 5

ACT . IV. S CEN. V.

To them Adraste, Philondas, Paestanus . Adr .

Charistus ,
Heir to the Cretan Kingdom lost say you? Phi .
Yes, and suspected to lye hid in Cyprus . Adr .
And this is that doth stop the War? Past .
This, and
Th' Equality of Forces. Adr .
Do our men
Awake, and rouze themselves? Phi .
Rich noble Spirits.
And Minds that have kept Altars burning still,
To Glory break out dayly, shewing how
Peace and Religion did not sink, but calm 'em:
This blast will swell 'em big, and high, and make 'em
Ride Conquerours o'r the Flouds. Adr .
They do not sleep then? Phi .
No, nor watch lazily; the World will see,
He, whose blest goodness hath kept War from us,
Hath not took Courage from us too; When his
Sad study'd Councels did remove the danger,
They did not then remove the Mind. The Arm
Of this days Cyprus , if provok'd, will strike
As deep as Cyprus six Olympiads backwards,
And the unquiet Cretan shall appear
But as he did of old, our Exercise,
More than our Foe: a people that we suffer
To breath, and be, to keep our selves in breath. Adr .
What doth the King? Past .
More than the meanest Souldier,
Yet still comes fresh from Actions: his Commands
Are great, but his Examples greater still. Phi .
With his uncover'd head he dares the Thunder,
Slights hail and snow, and wearies out a Tempest,
Then after all he shakes himself, and gives
Rain, as the Heavens did before, but with
A more serene Aspect. He doth exact
Labour, and hardness, hunger, heat, and cold,
And dust, as his Prerogatives, and counts them
Only his serious Pleasures; Others Wars
Are not so manly as his Exercise,
And pitch'd Fields often are more easie service
Than his meer Preparations. Adr .
'Tis enough;
Y' have spoke a Composition, so made up
Of Prince and Souldier, that th' admiring World
May imitate, not equall. Come, my Lords,
I have a business to employ you back with.
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