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;