Volume Xiv Part 25 (1/2)

_Enter_ PHILIP _hastily_.

PHIL. I know he is not dead; I know proud death Durst not behold such sacred majesty.

Why stand you thus distracted? Mother, brother, My Lord Mendoza, where's my royal father?

QUEEN-M. Here lies the temple of his royal soul.

FER. Here's all that's left of Philip's majesty; Wash you his tomb with tears: Fernando's moan, Hating a partner, shall be spent alone.

[_Exit._

PHIL. O happy father! miserable son!

Philip is gone to joy, Philip's forlorn: He dies to live, my life with woe is torn.

QUEEN-M. Sweet son.

PHIL. Sweet mother: O, how I now do shame To lay on one so foul so fair a name: Had you been a true mother, a true wife, This king had not so soon been robb'd of life.

QUEEN-M. What means this rage, my son?

PHIL. Call not me your son.

My father, whil'st he liv'd, tir'd his strong arms In bearing Christian armour 'gainst the Turks, And spent his brains in warlike stratagems To bring confusion on d.a.m.n'd infidels: Whilst you, that snorted here at home, betray'd His name to everlasting infamy; Whilst you at home suffer'd his bedchamber To be a brothelry; whilst you at home Suffer'd his queen to be a concubine, And wanton red-cheek'd boys to be her bawds; Whilst she, reeking in that lecher's arms----

ELE. Me!

PHIL. Villain, 'tis thee; Thou h.e.l.l-begotten fiend, at thee I stare.

QUEEN-M. Philip, thou art a villain to dishonour me.

PHIL. Mother, I am no villain: 'tis this villain Dishonours you and me, dishonours Spain, Dishonours all these lords; this devil is he, That----

ELE. What! O, pardon me, I must throw off All chains of duty, wert thou ten kings' sons; Had I as many souls as I have sins, As this from hence, so they from this should fly, In just revenge of this indignity.

PHIL. Give way, or I'll make way upon your bosoms.

ELE. Did my dear sovereign live, sirrah, that tongue----

QUEEN-M. Did but King Philip live, traitor, I'd tell----

PHIL. A tale that should rid both your souls to h.e.l.l.

Tell Philip's ghost, that Philip tells his queen, That Philip's queen is a Moor's concubine; Did the king live, I'd tell him how you two Ripp'd up the entrails of his treasury With masques and antic revellings.

ELE. Words insupportable! dost hear me, boy?

QUEEN-M. Stand you all still, and see me thus trod down?

PHIL. Stand you all still, yet let this devil stand here?

MEN. Forbear, sweet prince. Eleazar, I am now Protector to Fernando, King of Spain; By that authority, and by consent Of all these peers, I utterly deprive thee Of all those royalties thou holdst in Spain.

QUEEN-M. Cardinal, who lends thee this commission?