Chan. Directing the entrenchments: every duty His active ardor leads him to engross.

Such heavenly fortitude inflames his soul,
That all beholders catch new courage from it,
And stifle with astonishment their fears!
From cool unruffled thoughts his orders issue,
While with the meanest soldier he partakes
In ev'ry toil! inspiring, by example,
A glorious zeal and spirit thro' the camp.

Aud. Yet feels he, as the father of our host,
For every man's misfortune, but his own.
Thrice have I seen him, in successive rounds,
Kindle new courage in each drooping heart,
And drive all fear, all diffidence, away.
Yet on the task would tenderness intrude,
As dangers stole and imag'd on his mind:
When, pausing, he would turn his head aside,
Heave a sad sigh, and drop a tender tear.

Enter SALISBURY.

Chan. Well, what says Salisbury?
Sal. Why, faith, but little :

It is yon Frenchmens' place to talk at present.

Aud. How stand the troops ?

Sal. Believe me, not so firm,

But our light-footed enemies, if dext'rous,

May trip up all their heels.

Chan. True to his humour!

My good Lord Salisbury will have his gibe,
Howe'er affliction wrings.

Sal. And wherefore not?

Will burial faces buy us our escape?

I wish they would: then no Hibernian hag,
Whose trade is sorrow, should out-sadden me.
But, as the business stands, to weep or laugh,
Alike is bootless; here is our dependence.

Aud. What are their numbers?

[Touching his sword.

Chan. Full an hundred thousand.

Sal. Ours but some eight:-great odds, my friends! No matter:

The more will be our glory when we've beat them. Aud. What swells their host so mightily (I'm

told)

The Earls of Neydo, Saltsburg and Nassau,

Have join'd their troops. The Earl of Douglas too Assists them with three thousand hardy Scots, Their old and sure allies.

Chan. I hear the same.

"Sal. What! Scotchmen here? whose monarch is our pris'ner.

"Aud. Ta'en by a priest and woman! at the head "Of such raw numbers as their haste could gather, "When all our vet'ran warriors, with their king, "Were winning laurels on the fields of France, "Chan. And hither now, perhaps, his subjects

come

"To fight for captives to exchange against him. "Sal. For captives! This poor carcase they may

get,

"When 'tis fit booty for their kites and crows:

"But while this tongue can speak, I'd root it out "Ere Scot or Frenchman it should own my master." Chan. The prince approaches, lords!

Enter PRINCE, WARWICK, and Attendants.

Prince. Hah! saidst thou, Warwick ! Arnold gone over to the foe?

War. He is.

A trusty spy brought the intelligence,
Who saw him entering the adverse camp,

Leading his captive charge.

Prince. Impossible !

War. I've search'd his quarters since, myself, and there

Nor he nor Mariana can be found.

Prince. What has a prince that can attract or bind The faith of friends, the gratitude of servants? Blush, greatness, blush! Thy pow'r is all but poor, Too impotent to bind one bosom to theeA blow like this I was not arm'd to meetIt pierces to my soul.

Sal. All-righteous Heav'n,

Reward the villain's guilt -Believe not, prince,
Throughout our host, another can be found
That worlds would buy to such a base revolt.
Prince. I hope it, will believe it, Salisbury.
Yet must lament that one has prov'd so worthless.-
I lov'd him too!-But since he has forgot
The ties of duty, gratitude, and honour,

Let us forget an Englishman could break them,
And losing his remembrance, lose the shame.
My lords, I have dispatches in my hand,
Advising that the nuncio-cardinal,
Good Perigort, is now arriv'd at Poitiers,
And means to interpose in our behalf.

Aud. His interposing is a gen'rous office,
And I applaud it; but, believe me, prince,
Our foes will rate their mercy much too high.
I'd hope as soon a tiger, tasting blood,
Can feel compassion, and release his prey,

As that a Frenchman will forego advantage.

Prince. I've by the messenger that brought my

letters,

Sent him the terms on which I warrant treating.

The sum is, my consent to render back

The castles, towns, and plunder we have taken,
Since marching out of Bourdeaux: and to plight
My faith, that I, for seven succeeding years,
Will wield no hostile sword against their crown.

Sal. It is too much, my prince, it is too much.
Give o'er such traffic for inglorious safety.
Or let us die, or conquer.

Prince. Salisbury,

Rely upon a prince and soldier's promise,
That caution shan't betray us into meanness.
Heav'n knows, for me, I value life so little,
That I would spend it as an idle breath,
To serve my king, my country, nay, my friend.
"To calls like these our honour bids us answer,

"Where ev'ry hazard challenges renown."
But sure the voice of Heav'n and cry of Nature,
Are loud against the sacrifice of thousands
To giddy rashness. Oh! reflect, my friends,
I have a double delegated trust,

And must account to Heav'n and to my father,
For lives ignobly sav'd, or madly lost.
'Till Perigort shall therefore bring their terms,
Suspend we all resolves, but those receiv'd:
Determination must be expeditious:

For know our stock of stores will barely reach
To furnish out the present day's subsistence.
Aud. If so, necessity, the last sad guide

Of all misfortune's children, will command.

Chan. We must submit to what wise Heav'n de

crees.

Prince. Let that great duty but dire&t the mind,
And men will all be happily resign'd:

Accept whate'er the Almighty deigns to give,
And die contented, or contented live:

Embrace the lot his Providence ordains,

If deck'd with laurels, or depress'd with chains,
Inur'd to labour, or indulg'd with rest,

And think each moment he decrees, the best. [Exeunt.