Act the First: Scene V

ASTOLFO. Struck at once with admirationAt thy starry eyes outshining,Mingle many a salutation,Drums and trumpet-notes combining,Founts and birds in alternation;Wondering here to see thee pass,Music in grand chorus gathersAll her notes from grove and grass:Here are trumpets formed of feathers,There are birds that breathe in brass.All salute thee, fair Senora,Ordnance as their Queen proclaim thee,Beauteous birds as their Aurora,As their Pallas trumpets name thee,And the sweet flowers as their Flora;For Aurora sure thou art,Bright as day that conquers night --Thine is Flora's peaceful part,Thou art Pallas in thy might,And as Queen thou rul'st my heart.

ESTRELLA. If the human voice obeyingShould with human action pair,Then you have said ill in sayingAll these flattering words and fair,Since in truth they are gainsayingThis parade of victory,'Gainst which I my standard rear,Since they say, it seems to me,Not the flatteries that I hear,But the rigours that I see.Think, too, what a base inventionFrom a wild beast's treachery sprung,--Fraudful mother of dissension --Is to flatter with the tongue,And to kill with the intention.

ASTOLFO. Ill informed you must have been,Fair Estrella, thus to throwDoubt on my respectful mien:Let your ear attentive leanWhile the cause I strive show.King Eustorgius the Fair,Third so called, died leaving twoDaughters, and Basilius heir;Of his sisters I and youAre the children -- I forbearTo recall a single sceneSave what's needful. Clorilene,Your good mother and my aunt,Who is now a habitantOf a sphere of sunnier sheen,Was the elder, of whom youAre the daughter; Recisunda,Whom God guard a thousand years,Her fair sister (RosamundaWere she called if names were true)Wed in Muscovy, of whomI was born. 'Tis needful nowThe commencement to resume.King Basilius, who doth bow'Neath the weight of years, the doomAge imposes, more inclinedTo the studies of the mindThan to women, wifeless, lone,Without sons, to fill his throneI and you our way would find.You, the elder's child, averred,That the crown you stood more nigh:I, maintaining that you erred,Held, though born of the younger, I,Being a man, should be preferred.Thus our mutual pretensionTo our uncle we related,Who replied that he would mentionHere, and on this day he stated,What might settle the dissension.With this end, from MuscovyI set out, and with that view,I to-day fair Poland see,And not making war on you,Wait till war you make on me.Would to love -- that God so wise --That the crowd may be a sureAstrologue to read the skies,And this festive truce secureBoth to you and me the prize,Making you a Queen, but QueenBy my will, our uncle leavingYou the throne we'll share between --And my love a realm receivingDearer than a King's demesne.

ESTRELLA. Well, I must be generous too,For a gallantry so fine;This imperial realm you view,If I wish it to be mine'Tis to give it unto you.Though if I the truth confessed,I must fear your love may fail --Flattering words are words at best,For perhaps a truer taleTells that portrait on your breast.

ASTOLFO. On that point complete contentWill I give your mind, not here,For each sounding instrumentTells us that the King is near,With his Court and Parliament.