My Lords, he bad me say, that you may know
      How much he scorns, and (as good Princes ought)
      Defies base indirect, and godless treacheries;
      To your more Sacred wisdomes he refers
      The punishment due to the false Gonzalo,
      Or else to send him home to Venice.

Possenne: 

      Herein
      The Duke is royal:  Gaspero, the Prince
      Of Cyprus answer’d he would come.

Gaspero: 

      My Lords,
      He will not long be absent.

      [Enter Philander, and Melitus]

Porphycio: 

      You Fernando,
      Have made the State your debter:  worthy Prince,
      We shall be sutors to you for your presence,
      In hearing, and determining of matters
      Greatly concerning Candy.

Philander: 

      Fathers, I am
      A stranger.

Possenne: 

      Why, the cause, my Lord, concerns
      A stranger:  please you seat your self.
287]

Philander: 

      How e’re
      Unfit, since you will have it so, my Lords,
      You shall command me.

Porphycio: 

You my Lord Fernando,
With the Ambassador, withdraw a while.

Fernando: 

My Lords, we shall.

[Ex.

Possenne: 

Melitus, and the Secretary,
Give notice to Gonzalo, that the Senate
Requires his presence.

[Ex. Gas. and Mel.

[Enter Cassilane, and Arca]

Philander: 

      What concerns the business?

Porphycio: 

      Thus noble Prince—­

Cassilanes: 

      Let me alone, thou troublest me,
      I will be heard.

Arcanes: 

      You know not what you do.

Possenne: 

      Forbear:  who’s he that is so rude? what’s he that dares
      To interrupt our counsels?

Cassilanes: 

      One that has guarded,
      Those Purple robes from Cankers worse than Moths,
      One that hath kept your fleeces on your backs,
      That would have been snatch’d from you:  but I see
      ’Tis better now to be a Dog, a Spaniel
      In times of Peace, then boast the bruised scars,
      Purchas’d with loss of bloud in noble wars,
      My Lords, I speak to you.

Porphycio: 

      Lord Cassilane,
      We know not what you mean.

Cassilanes: 

      Yes, you are set
      Upon a bench of justice; and a day
      Will come (hear this, and quake ye potent great ones)
      When you your selves shall stand before a judge,
      Who in a pair of scales will weigh your actions,
      Without abatement of one grain:  as then
      You would be found full weight, I charge ye fathers
      Let me have justice now.