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Come gentle sister, we'll to th'skirt o'th' wood,

And find some cottage that may serve to night,

As 'twere a palace--all will yet be well.

[Exeunt.

ACT III.

SCENE I.

An Assembly of Barons.

VORTIGERN.

To you have been explained our late dispatches,

Say, did we not invite these Princes home,

And tender them the crown? Yet we do find

They come with foreign aid and civil war,

To bear the sway and empire over us:

Can any present say why this shou'd be?

FIRST BARON.

No! they're the sons of our late King, 'tis true,

As such, the elder doth by right inherit

The crown and kingdom, and in their defence,

Our lives, yea, and our very best heart's blood

Were truly offer'd, which we now revoke.

And since they tear the bowels of our land,

And come with blood and naked sword to court us,

We'll to the field, and when bright victory

Hath with the sacred laurel bound our brows,

The Princes' heads in triumph shall be borne

Throughout our ranks; rebellion's just reward!

SECOND BARON.

Then are they traitors to their God and country.

THIRD BARON.

And as the crown is now untenanted,

'Tis fit the most deserving brow shou'd wear it.

FIRST BARON

If any one there be that doth deserve it,

'Tis he that hath it even now in trust.

ALL.

Then be it his!

FIRST BARON.

Girt tight the drum, and sound yon brazen trumpet,

Let it proclaim aloud, our firm decree:

Aurelius and his brother both are traitors,

And 'gainst their mother country do rebel.

[Trumpet sounds.

SECOND BARON.

Nay, stop not there; but let them bellow on,

'Till with their clamorous noise they shame the thunder,

And o'er the earth, and e'en to heaven proclaim,

Vortigern our King! our lawful sov'reign.

VORTIGERN.

The exigencies of the state demand

My quick consent, I therefore give it you.

And when the crown shall on my front be bound,

My faithful soul shall prize the sacred trust,

My arm be nerv'd to fight in its defence.

BARONS.

All hail great Vortigern of Britain King!

[Trumpet sounds.

VORTIGERN.

My lords, vain compliment would suit but ill

The present time, I therefore briefly thank you:

But ere we part I fain would crave your hearing.

Our troops have now been long disus'd to war,

Yet do not think I mean their fame to tarnish,

Or on a Briton thrown the damned slur

Of shameful cowardice, no, my good lords!

But though their ribs do serve as castle walls,

And fast imprison their strong lion hearts,

Yet e'en the lion, when full gorg'd with food,

Will bask, and tamely lay him down to sleep;

Then in such sort, hath undisturbed peace,

And want of custom, (nature's substitute,

That changes e'en our very properties)

Soften'd their manhood. Then 'twere policy

That we should court the Saxons to our aid.

This too will in our Britons raise the flame

Of bright and generous emulation.

Say, lords! doth this my proposition please you?

FIRST BARON.

We do approve, and thank its noble author.

VORTIGERN.

You, my good lord, then do I here depute,

Jointly with Catagrine our second born,

That you with speed repair to Saxony;

Our eldest shall at home command the Britons,

Time needs your haste, therefore use no delay,

Your country calls, so look you quick obey.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

A distant View of the Sea.

Enter AURELIUS and UTER, (with the

Scottish army) as just disembarked, habited as

Britons.

AURELIUS.

O dearest soil, blest mother earth, hail to thee!

Fain wou'd my feel play wanton on thy breast,

And skip with joy to tread thee once again.

'Tis not to wound thee that I thus do come

In glitt'ring steel and dire array of war,

But as my right to claim thee for mine own.

UTER.

Brother, each lip for thee sends forth a blessing;

And with the smile that buds on ev'ry face,

Alike expands a ray of happiness.

Never did I before blame nature's work,

But now I fain wou'd quarrel with her hests,

For that in me, she caus'd a lack of years;

Else had these prayers, these blessings all been mine!

To have a crown and kingdom at comand

Is but as dross; but