Mann'd with the strength of all the eastern kings,
Conveying all the monarchs of the world,

To invade the island where her highness reigns,
'Twere all in vain, for heavens and destinies
Attend and wait upon her majesty.
Sacred, imperial, and holy is her seat,
Shining with wisdom, love, and mightiness:
Nature that every thing imperfect made,
Fortune that never yet was constant found,
Time that defaceth every golden show,
Dare not decay, remove, or be impure;
Both nature, time, and fortune, all agree,
To bless and serve her royal majesty.
The wallowing ocean hems her round about;
Whose raging floods do swallow up her foes,
And on the rocks their ships in pieces split,
And even in Spain, where all the traitors dance
And play themselves upon a sunny day,
Securely guard the west part of her isle;
The south the narrow Britain sea begirts,
Where Neptune sits in triumph to direct
Their course to hell that aim at her disgrace:
The German seas alongst the east do run,
Where Venus banquets all her water nymphs,
That with her beauty glancing on the waves
Disdains the check* of fair Proserpina.
Advise thee then, proud Stukeley, ere thou pass
To wrong the wonder of the highest God;

*check] Qy." cheek?" This high-flown compliment to her majesty is very far from intelligible.

Sith danger, death and hell doth follow thee,
Thee, and them all, that seek to danger her.
If honour be the mark whereat thou aimʼst,
Then follow me in holy Christian wars,
And leave to seek thy country's overthrow.
STUK. Rather, my lord, let me admire these words,
Than answer to your firm objections.

His Holiness Pope Gregory the seventh

Hath made us four the leaders of the rest:
Amongst the rest, my lord, I am but one ;
If they agree, Stukeley will be the first
To die with honour for Sebastian.

SEB. Tell me, lord bishop, captains, tell me, all,
Are you content to leave this enterprise
Against your country and your countrymen,
To aid Mahamet king of Barbary?

BISH. To aid Mahamet king of Barbary, 'Tis 'gainst our vows, great king of Portugal. SEB. Then, captains, what say you? JON. I say, my lord, as the bishop said, We may not turn from conquering Ireland. HERC. Our country and our countrymen will condemn us

Worthy of death, if we neglect our vows.

SEB. Consider, lords, you are now in Portugal, And I may now dispose of you and yours: Hath not the wind and weather given you up, And made you captives to our royal will?

JoN. It hath, my lord, and willingly we yield To be commanded by your majesty ;

But if

you make us voluntary men,

Our course is then direct for Ireland.

SEB. That course will we direct for Barbary: Follow me, lords; Sebastian leads the way

To plant the Christian faith in Africa.

STUK. St. George for England! and Ireland now

adieu,

For here Tom Stukeley shapes his course anew.

[Exeunt.

ACTUS III.*

Enter the PRESENTER, and speaks.

amain

Lo thus into a lake of blood and gore
The brave courageous king of Portugal
Hath drench'd himself, and now prepares
With sails and oars to cross the swelling seas,
With men and ships, courage and cannon shot,
To plant this cursed Moor in fatal hour;
And in this Catholic cause + the king of Spain
Is call'd upon by sweet Sebastian,
Who surfeiting in prime time of his youth
Upon ambitious poison, dies thereon.

By this time is the Moor to Tangier come,
A city, 'longing to the Portugal,

And now doth Spain promise with holy face,
As favouring the honour of the cause,
His aid of arms, and levies men apace;

* In the old copy the Act is not marked here.

+ cause] Old copy" case:" compare the last line but one of this page.

But nothing less than king Sebastian's good
He means; yet at Sucor de Tupea

He met, some say, in person with the Portugal,
And treateth of a marriage with the king;
But ware ambitious wiles and poison'd eyes:
There was nor aid of arms nor marriage,
For on his way without those Spaniards
King Sebastian went.

[Exit.

Enter [SEBASTIAN] the king of Portugal and his lords, LEWES DE SILVA, and the EMBASSADORS of Spain.

SEB. Honourable lords, embassadors of Spain, The many favours by our meetings done From our beloved and renowned brother, Philip the Catholic king of Spain, Say therefore, good my lord embassador, Say how your mighty master minded is To propagate the fame of Portugal.

EMB. To propagate the fame of Portugal, And plant religious truth in Africa, Philip the great and puissant king of Spain, For love and honour of Sebastian's name, Promiseth aid of arms, and swears by us To do your majesty all the good he can, With men, munition, and supply of war Of Spaniards proud, in king Sebastian's aid, To spend their bloods in honour of their Christ. LEGATE. And farther to manifest unto your majesty,

How much the Catholic king of Spain affects

This war with Moors and men of little faith,
The honour of your everlasting praise,
Behold to honour and enlarge thy name,
He maketh offer of his daughter Isabel
To link in marriage with the brave Sebastian;
And to enrich Sebastian's noble wife,

*

His majesty doth promise to resign

The titles of the islands of Moluccas,

That by his royalty in Judah + he commands;
These favours with unfeigned love and zeal
Voweth king Philip to king Sebastian.

SEB. And God so deal with king Sebastian's soul,

As justly he intends to fight for Christ!
Nobles of Spain, sith our renowned brother,

Philip the king of honour and of zeal,

By you the chosen orators of Spain
The offer of the holds he makes

Are not so precious in our account,
As is the peerless dame whom we adore,
His daughter, in whose loyalty consists
The life and honour of Sebastian.
As for the aid of arms he promiseth,
We will expect and thankfully receive,
At Cadiz, § as we sail alongst the coast.
Sebastian, clap thy hands for joy,
Honoured by this meeting and this match.

* doth] Old copy "with."

+ Judah] Qy." India."

A line appears to have dropped out here.

$ Cadiz] Old copy here, and elsewhere, "Cardis."