Secretary.  You are pleased to jest.

Egmont.  No, no.  Be not ashamed.  I admire your taste.  She is pretty, and I have no objection that you should have a friend at the castle.  What say the letters?

Secretary.  Much, my lord, but withal little that is satisfactory.

Egmont.  ’Tis well that we have pleasures at home, we have the less occasion to seek them from abroad.  Is there much that requires attention?

Secretary.  Enough, my lord; three couriers are in attendance.

Egmont.  Proceed!  The most important.

Secretary.  All is important.

Egmont.  One after the other; only be prompt.

Secretary.  Captain Breda sends an account of the occurrences that have further taken place in Ghent and the surrounding districts.  The tumult is for the most part allayed.

Egmont.  He doubtless reports individual acts of folly and temerity?

Secretary.  He does, my lord.

Egmont.  Spare me the recital.

Secretary.  Six of the mob who tore down the image of the Virgin at Verviers have been arrested.  He inquires whether they are to be hanged like the others.

Egmont.  I am weary of hanging; let them be flogged and discharged.

Secretary.  There are two women among them; are they to be flogged also?

Egmont.  He may admonish them and let them go.

Secretary.  Brink, of Breda’s company, wants to marry; the captain hopes you will not allow it.  There are so many women among the troops, he writes, that when on the march, they resemble a gang of gypsies rather than regular soldiers.

Egmont.  We must overlook it in his case.  He is a fine young fellow, and moreover entreated me so earnestly before I came away.  This must be the last time, however; though it grieves me to refuse the poor fellows their best pastime; they have enough without that to torment them.

Secretary.  Two of your people, Seter and Hart, have ill-treated a damsel, the daughter of an inn-keeper.  They got her alone and she could not escape from them.

Egmont.  If she be an honest maiden and they used violence, let them be flogged three days in succession; and if they have any property, let him retain as much of it as will portion the girl.

Secretary.  One of the foreign preachers has been discovered passing secretly through Comines.  He swore that he was on the point of leaving for France.  According to orders, he ought to be beheaded.

Egmont.  Let him be conducted quietly to the frontier, and there admonished that, the next time, he will not escape so easily.

Secretary.  A letter from your steward.  He writes that money comes in slowly, he can with difficulty send you the required sum within the week; the late disturbances have thrown everything into the greatest confusion,

Egmont.  Money must be had!  It is for him to look to the means.