Or count his presence as our conquest's proof,
And keep the old arms at their steady play?
Proceed to England's work! Fiennes, read the list!
Fiennes. Ship-money is refused or fiercely paid

In every county, save the northern parts

Where Wentworth's influence.

Vane.

[Shouting.

I, in England's name,

Declare her work, this way, at end! Till now,
Up to this moment, peaceful strife was best.
We English had free leave to think ; till now,
We had a shadow of a Parliament

In Scotland.

But all 's changed: they change the first, They try brute-force for law, they, first of all . . .

Voices. Good! Talk enough! The old true hearts with Vane!

Vane. Till we crush Wentworth for her, there's no

Something to England. I seek Wentworth, friends.

Wentworth. No;-or, Lucy, just your arm; I'll not sit till I 've cleared this up with him : After that, rest. The King?

Lady Carlisle.

Confides in you.

Wentworth. Why? or, why now? They have kind

throats, the knaves!

Shout for me-they!

Lady Carlisle.

You come so strangely soon:

Yet we took measures to keep off the crowd

Did they shout for you?

Wentworth.

Wherefore should they not?

Does the King take such measures for himself?

Beside, there's such a dearth of malcontents,
You say !

Lady Carlisle. I said but few dared carp at you.

Wentworth. At me? at us, I hope! The King and I

He's surely not disposed to let me bear

The fame away from him of these late deeds

In Ireland? I am yet his instrument

Be it for well or ill? He trusts me, too!

Lady Carlisle. The King, dear Wentworth, purposes,

I said,

To grant you, in the face of all the Court.

Wentworth. All the Court!

about us !

Evermore the Court

Savile and Holland, Hamilton and Vane

About us, then the King will grant me—what?
That he for once put these aside and say—

"Tell me your whole mind, Wentworth !"

Lady Carlisle.

You would be calm.

Wentworth.

You professed

Lucy, and I am calm!

How else shall I do all I come to do,

Broken, as you may see, body and mind,

How shall I serve the King? Time wastes meanwhile,

You have not told me half. His footstep! No.

Quick, then, before I meet him,—I am calm—

Why does the King distrust me?

Lady Carlisle.

Distrust you.

He does not

Wentworth. Lucy, you can help me; you

Have even seemed to care for me: one word!

Is it the Queen?

Lady Carlisle. No, not the Queen: the party

That poisons the Queen's ear, Savile and Holland. Wentworth. I know, I know: old Vane, too, he 's one

too?

Go on-and he's made Secretary. Well?

Or leave them out and go straight to the charge

The charge!

Lady Carlisle. Oh, there's no charge, no precise charge;

Only they sneer, make light of—one may say,

Nibble at what you do.

Wentworth.

I know! but Lucy,

I reckoned on you from the first !— Go on!
-Was sure could I once see this gentle friend
When I arrived, she 'd throw an hour away

To help her . . . what am I?

Of value! The one service that the crown

May count on! All that keeps these very Vanes

In power, to vex me-not that they do vex,
Only it might vex some to hear that service
Decried, the sole support that's left the King!
Lady Carlisle. So the Archbishop says.

Wentworth.

The only hand held up in my defence

Ah? well, perhaps

May be old Laud's! These Hollands then, these Saviles

Nibble? They nibble?—that's the very word!

Lady Carlisle. Your profit in the Customs, Bristol says, Exceeds the due proportion: while the tax

Wentworth. Enough! 'tis too unworthy, -I am not So patient as I thought. What 's Pym about?

Lady Carlisle. Pym?

Wentworth.

Lady Carlisle.

Pym and the People.

Oh, the Faction!

Extinct-of no account: there 'll never be

Another Parliament.

Wentworth.

Tell Savile that!

You may know-(ay, you do the creatures here

Never forget!) that in my earliest life

I was not . . . much that I am now!

The King

May take my word on points concerning Pym
Before Lord Savile's, Lucy, or if not,

I bid them ruin their wise selves, not me,

These Vanes and Hollands! I'll not be their tool