CLO（aside）。
Oh，wondrouschance——orwondrousProvidence！
TheswordthatImyselfinMuscovy，Whenthesewhitehairswereblack，forkeepsakeleftOfobligationforalikereturnTohimwhosavedmewoundedasIlayFightingagainsthiscountry;tookmehome;
Tendedmelikeabrothertillrecover\'d，PerchancetofightagainsthimonceagainAndnowmyswordputbackintomyhandByhis——ifnothisson——still，assoseeming，Byme，asfirstdevoirofgratitude，Toseembelieving，tillthewearer\'sselfSeefittodroptheill—dissemblingmask。
（Aloud。）
Well，astrangeturnoffortunehasarrestedThesharpandsuddenpenaltythatelseHadvisitedyourrashnessormischance:
Inpart，yourtenderyouthtoo——pardonme，Andtouchnotwhereyourswordisnottoanswer——
Commendsyoutomycare;notyourlifeonly，Elsebythismisadventureforfeited;
Butev\'nyourerrand，which，byhappychance，ChimeswiththeverybusinessIamon，Andcallsmetotheverypointyouaimat。
ROS。
Thecapital？
CLO。
Ay，thecapital;andev\'nThatcapitalofcapitals，theCourt:
Whereyoumayplead，and，Imaypromise，winPardonforthis，yousayunwilling，trespass，Andprosecutewhatelseyouhaveatheart，WithmetohelpyouforwardallIcan;
ProvidedallinloyaltytothoseTowhombynaturalallegianceIfirstamboundto。
ROS。
Asyoumake，ItakeYouroffer:withlikepromiseonmysideOfloyaltytoyouandthoseyouserve，UnderlikereservationforregardsNeareranddearerstill。
CLO。
Enough，enough;
Yourhand;abargainonbothsides。Meanwhile，Hereshallyourestto—night。ThebreakofdayShallseeusbothtogetherontheway。
ROS。
ThusthenwhatIformisadventureblamed，Directlydrawsmewheremywishesaim\'d。
（Exeunt。）
SCENEII。
ThePalaceatWarsawEnterononesideAstolfo，DukeofMuscovy，withhistrain:and，ontheother，thePrincessEstrella，withhers。
ASTOLFO。
Myroyalcousin，ifsonearinblood，Tillthisauspiciousmeetingscarcelyknown，TillallthatbeautypromisedinthebudIsnowtoitsconsummateblossomblown，Wellmetatlast;andmay——
ESTRELLA。
Enough，myLord，OfcomplimentdevisedforyoubysomeCourttailor，and，believeme，stilltooshortTocoverthedesignfulheartbelow。
AST。
Nay，butindeed，faircousin——
EST。
Ay，letDeedMeasureyourwords，indeedyourflowersofspeechIllwithyourironequipageatone;
Ironyindeed，andwordycompliment。
AST。
Indeed，indeed，youwrongme，royalcousin，Andfairasroyal，misinterpretingWhat，evenfortheendyouthinkIaimat，Iffalsetoyou，werefataltomyself。
EST。
Why，whatelsemeanstheglitteringsteel，myLord，Thatbristlesintherearofthesefinewords？
Whatcanitmean，but，failingtocajole，Tofightorforcemefrommyjustpretension？
AST。
Nay，mightInotaskev\'nthesameofyou，Thenoddinghelmetsofwhosemen—at—armsOut—cresttheplumageofyourladycourt？
EST。
Buttodefendwhatyourswouldforcefromme。
AST。
MightnotI，lady，saythesameofmine？
Butnottocometobattle，ev\'nofwords，Withafairlady，andmykinswoman;
Andasaversetostandbeforeyourface，Defenceless，andcondemn\'dinyourdisgrace，Tillthegoodkingbeheretoclearitall——
Willyouvouchsafetohearme？
EST。
Asyouwill。
AST。
Youknowthat，whenabouttoleavethisworld，Ourroyalgrandsire，KingAlfonso，leftThreechildren;oneason，Basilio，Whowears——longmayhewear！thecrownofPoland;
Anddaughterstwain:ofwhomtheelderwasYourmother，Clorilena，nowsomewhileExaltedtoamorethanmortalthrone;
AndRecisunda，mine，theyoungersister，Who，marriedtothePrinceofMuscovy，GavemethelightwhichmayshelivetoseeHerselfformany，manyyearstocome。
Meanwhile，goodKingBasilio，asyouknow，Deepinabstruserstudiesthanthisworld，Andbusierwiththestarsthanlady\'seyes，HasneverbyasecondmarriageyetReplaced，asPolandask\'dofhim，theheirAnearlymarriagebroughtandtookaway;
Hisyoungqueendyingwiththesonsheborehim;
AndinsuchalienationgrownsooldAsleavesnootherhopeofheirtoPolandThanhistwosisters\'children;you，faircousin，Andme;forwhomtheCommonsoftherealmDividethemselvesintotwoseveralfactions;
Whetherforyou，theeldersister\'schild;
Orme，bornoftheyounger，but，theysay，MynaturalprerogativeofmanOutweighingyourpriorityofbirth。
Whichdiscordgrowingloudanddangerous，Ouruncle，KingBasilio，doublysageInprophesyingandprovidingforThefuture，astodealwithitwhencome，Bidsusheremeetto—dayinsolemncouncilOurseveralpretensionstocompose。
And，butthemartialout—burstthatproclaimsHiscoming，makesallfurtherparleyvain，Unlessmybosom，bywhichonlywiseIprophesy，nowwronglyprophesies，BysuchahappycompactasIdareButglanceattilltheRoyalSagedeclare。
（Trumpets，etc。EnterKingBasiliowithhisCouncil。）
ALL。
TheKing！GodsavetheKing！
ESTRELLA（Kneeling。）
Oh，RoyalSir！——
ASTOLFO（Kneeling。）
GodsaveyourMajesty——
KING。
Risebothofyou，Risetomyarms，AstolfoandEstrella;
Asmytwosisters\'childrenalwaysmine，Nowmorethanever，sincemyselfandPolandSolelytoyouforoursuccessionlook\'d。
Andnowgiveear，youandyourseveralfactions，Andyou，thePeersandPrincesofthisrealm，WhileIrevealthepurportofthismeetingInwordswhosenecessarylengthItrustNounsuccessfulissueshallexcuse。
Youandtheworldwhohavesurnamedme\"Sage\"
KnowthatIowethattitle，ifmydue，TomylongmeditationonthebookWhicheverlyingopenoverhead——
Thebookofheaven，Imean——sofewhaveread;
Whosegoldenlettersonwhosesapphireleaf，Distinguishingthepageofdayandnight，Andalltherevolutionoftheyear;
SowiththeturningvolumewheretheylieStillchangingtheirpropheticsyllables，Theyregisterthedestiniesofmen:
Untilwitheyesthat，dimwithyearsindeed，Arequickertopursuethestarsthanrulethem，IgetthestartofTime，andfromhishandThewandoftardyrevelationdraw。
Oh，hadtheself—sameheavenuponhispageInscribedmydeathereIshouldreadmylifeAnd，byfore—castingofmyownmischance，PlaynotthevictimbutthesuicideInmyowntragedy！——Butyoushallhear。
Youknowhowonce，askingsmustfortheirpeople，Andonlyonce，aswisemenforthemselves，Iwoo\'dandwedded:knowtoothatmyQueenInchildingdied;butnot，asyoubelieve，Withher，thesonshediedingivinglifeto。
For，asthehourofbirthwasonthestroke，Herbrainconceivingwithherwomb，shedream\'dAserpenttoreherentrail。Andtoosurely（Forevilomenseldomspeaksinvain）
Theman—childbreakingfromthatlivingtombThatmakesourbirththeantitypeofdeath，Man—grateful，forthelifeshegavehimpaidBykillingher:andwithsuchcircumstanceAssuitedsuchunnaturaltragedy;
Hecomingintolight，iflightitwereThatdarken\'dathisveryhoroscope，Whenheaven\'stwochampions——sunandmoonImean——
SuffusedinblooduponeachotherfellInsucharagingduelofeclipseAshathnotterrifiedtheuniverseSincethatwhichweptinbloodthedeathofChrist:
Whenthedeadwalk\'d，thewatersturn\'dtoblood，Earthandhercitiestotter\'d，andtheworldSeem\'dshakentoitslastparalysis。
InsuchaparoxysmofdissolutionThatsonofminewasborn;bythatfirstactHeadingthemonstrouscatalogueofcrime，Ifoundfore—writteninhishoroscope;
Asgreatamonsterinman\'shistoryAswasinnaturehisnativity;