SEG。
FidelitythatheldhisPrinceinchains！
CLO。
Fidelitymorefastthanhaditloosedhim——
SEG。
Ev\'nfromtheverydawnofconsciousnessDownatthebottomofthebarrenrocks，Wherescarcearayofsunshinefoundhimout，InwhichthepoorestbeggarofmyrealmAtleasttohuman—fullproportiongrows——
Me！Me——whosestationwasthekingdom\'stopToflourishin，reachingmyheadtoheaven，AndwithmybranchesovershadowingThemeanergrowthbelow！
CLO。
StillwiththesameFidelity——
SEG。
Tome！——
CLO。
Ay，sir，toyou，ThroughthatdivineallegianceuponwhichAllOrderandAuthorityisbased;
Whichtorevoltagainst——
SEG。
WeretorevoltAgainstthestars，belike！
CLO。
Andhimwhoreadsthem;
Andbythatright，andbythesovereigntyHewearsasyoushallwearitafterhim;
Ay，onetowhomyourself——
Yourself，ev\'nmorethananysubjecthere，AreboundbyyetanotherandmorestrongAllegiance——KingBasilio——yourFather——
SEG。
Basilio——King——myfather！——
CLO。
Oh，myLord，Letmebeseechyouonmybendedknee，Foryourownsake——forPoland\'s——andforhis，Who，lookingupforcounseltotheskies，DidwhathedidunderauthorityTowhichthekingsofearththemselvesaresubject，Andwhosebehestnotonlyhethatsuffers，Buthethatexecutes，notcomprehends，ButonlyHethatordersit——
SEG。
TheKing——
Myfather！——EitherIammadalready，Orthatwaydrivingfast——orIshouldknowThatfathersdonotusetheirchildrenso，OrmenwereloosedfromallallegianceTofathers，kings，andheaventhatorder\'dall。
But，madornot，myhouriscome，andI
Willhavemyreckoning——Eitheryoulie，UndertheskirtofsinlessmajestyShroudingyourtreason;orif/that/indeed，Guiltyitself，takerefugeinthestarsThatcannothearthecharge，ordisavow——
You，whetherdoerordeviser，whoComefirsttohand，shallpaythepenaltyBythesamehandyouoweitto——
（SeizingClotaldo\'sswordandabouttostrikehim。）
（EnterRosaurasuddenly。）
ROSAURA。
Fie，myLord——forbear，What！ayounghandraisedagainstsilverhair！——
（Sheretreatsthroughthecrowd。）
SEG。
Stay！stay！Whatcomeandvanish\'dasbefore——
Iscarcerememberhow——but——
（Voiceswithin。RoomforAstolfo，DukeofMuscovy！）
（EnterAstolfo）
ASTOLFO。
Welcome，thricewelcome，theauspiciousday，Whenfromthemountainwherehedarklinglay，ThePolishsunintothefirmamentSprungallthebrighterforhislateascent，Andinmeridianglory——
SEG。
Whereishe？
WhymustIaskthistwice？——
ALORD。
ThePage，myLord？
Iwonderathisboldness——
SEG。
ButItellyouHecamewithAngelwritteninhisfaceAsnowitis，whenallwasblackashellAbout，andnoneofyouwhonow——hecame，AndAngel—likeflungmeashiningswordTocutmywaythroughdarkness;andagainAngel—likewrestsitfrommeinbehalfOfone——whomIwillspareforsparinghim:
ButhemustcomeandpleadwiththatsamevoiceThatpray\'dforme——invain。
CHAMB。
Heisgonefor，Andshallattendyourpleasure，sir。Meanwhile，WillnotyourHighness，asincourtesy，Returnyourroyalcousin\'sgreeting？
SEG。
Whose？
CHAMB。
Astolfo，DukeofMuscovy，myLord，Saluted，andwithgallantcomplimentWelcomedyoutoyourroyaltitle。
SEG。（toAstolfo）。
Oh——
Youknewofthisthen？
AST。
Knewofwhat，myLord？
SEG。
ThatIwasPrinceofPolandallthewhile，Andyoumysubject？
AST。
Pardonme，myLord，ButsomefewhoursagomyselfIlearn\'dYourdignity;but，knowingit，nomoreThanwhenIknewitnot，yoursubject。
SEG。
Whatthen？
AST。
YourHighness\'chamberlainev\'nnowhastoldyou;
Astolfo，DukeofMuscovy，Yourfather\'ssister\'sson;yourcousin，sir:
Andwhoassuch，andinhisownrightPrince，Expectsfromyouthecourtesyheshows。
CHAMB。
HisHighnessisasyetunusedtoCourt，AndtotheceremoniousinterchangeOfcompliment，especiallytothoseWhodrawtheirbloodfromthesameroyalfountain。
SEG。
Whereisthelad？Iwearyofallthis——
Prince，cousins，chamberlains，andcompliments——
Wherearemysoldiers？Blowthetrumpet，andWithonesharpblastscatterthesebutterfliesAndbringthemenofirontomyside，Withwhomakingfeelslikeakingindeed！
（Voiceswithin。Withinthere！roomforthePrincessEstrella！）
（EnterEstrellawithLadies。）
ESTRELLA。
Welcome，myLord，rightwelcometothethroneThatmuchtoolonghaswaitedforyourcoming:
And，inthegeneralvoiceofPoland，hearAkinswomanandcousin\'snolesssincere。
SEG。
Ay，thisiswelcome—worthindeed，Andcousincousin—worth！Oh，IhavethusOverthethresholdofthemountainseen，Leadingabevyoffairstars，themoonEnterthecourtofheaven——Mykinswoman！
Mycousin！Butmysubject？——
EST。
IfyoupleaseTocountyourcousinforyoursubject，sir，Youshallnotfindheradisloyal。
SEG。
Oh，Buttherearetwinstarsinthatheavenlyface，ThatnowIknowforhavingover—ruledThoseevilonesthatdarken\'dallmypastAndbroughtmeforthfromthatcaptivityTobetheslaveofherwhosetmefree。
EST。
Indeed，myLord，theseeyeshavenosuchpowerOverthepastorpresent:butperhapsTheybrightenatyourwelcometosupplyThelittlethatalady\'sspeechcommends;
Andinthehopethat，letwhicheverbeTheother\'ssubject，wemaybothbefriends。
SEG。
Yourhandtothat——ButwhydoesthiswarmhandShootacoldshudderthroughme？
EST。
InrevengeForlikeningmetothatcoldmoon，perhaps。
SEG。
Oh，butthelipwhosemusictellsmesoBreathesofawarmerplanet，andthatlipShallremedythetreasonofthehand！
（Hecatchestoembraceher。）
EST。
Releaseme，sir！
CHAMB。
Andpardonme，myLord。
ThisladyisaPrincessabsolute，AsPrinceheiswhojustsalutedyou，Andclaimsherbyaffiance。
SEG。
Hence，oldfool，ForeverthrustingthatwhitestickofyoursBetweenmeandmypleasure！
AST。
Thiscauseismine。
Forbear，sir——
SEG。
What，sirmouth—piece，youagain？
AST。
MyLord，IwaiveyourinsulttomyselfInrecognitionofthedignityYouyetarenewto，andthatgreaterstillYoulookintimetowear。Butforthislady——
Whom，ifmycousinnow，IhopetoclaimHenceforthbyyetanearer，dearername——