The chance is equal! be we French or Spaniard-
But if the day go darkly, and Don Henry
Find on Montiel the fortune of Nejara,—

No ransom for a traitor.

HOUSSAYE.

Look upon him!

There sits no selfish fear on Onis' brow;

He is a Spaniard, and we war in Spain.
The rival chiefs are brothers-and the swords
That glow even now in many a strenuous hand
As they receive the polish and the point,
Must gleam ere long before the eyes of kindred.
Where'er may fall the chance of victory,

Yon stream, amidst to-morrow's noontide brightness, Will be more purple with Castilian blood,

Than now the broad sun sinking paints its face.

LE BEGUE. He passes on-he takes no note of us.
HOUSSAYE. We greet you well, Lord Onis!

ONIS.

Ha! fair Sirs!

I crave your pardon. Whither be ye bound?

HOUSSAYE. Du Guesclin's trumpet hath not sounded yet?

ONIS. They are together in the royal tent.

Anon we shall be summoned.

LE BEGUE. Doth the Prince,

(I crave your grace, the king) doth he to-morrow Char e on the centre of his brother's battle?

ONIS. I would it were not so; but, if I know him, It would be heavy tidings for his ear,

That any sword but his had found its sheath

Within the breast of Pedro.

HOUSSAYE. Don Pedro's cuirass hath turned

swords ere now

And wielded by as ready hands as Henry's..

ONIS. You speak the truth, Sir Alain de la
Houssaye,

LE BEGUE. You look for stubborn work, my
Lord of Onis.

ONIS. Sir Alain Houssaye has seen Pedro's plume Rising and falling like a falcon's wing,

As far i'the front as e'er Plantagenet
Shewed his black crest.

LE BEGUE. And yet the old adage

Hangs cruelty and cowardice together.

ONIS. The man that coined the phrase had known

no Pedro.

The old ancestral sense of dignity

Exalts our excellence if we be good,

And even if we be vicious, that high pride

Is not more inborn than inalienable;

At least 'tis so with Pedro. 'Twas the same
When Pedro stood no higher than this hilt,
A most imperious boy. God he defies,
And man he never feared.

LE HOUSSAYE.

This nobleness

Of kingly nature props e'en now a cause

That, had he been in aught a vulgar villain

Had been as bare of man's aid as of God's ;

But hark! the trumpet.

LE BEGUE.

Let us to the tent.

[Exeunt Houssaye and Le Begue.

ONIS. Beautiful valley! what a golden light
Is on thy bosom. Ha! the bells are ringing
In the church towers along yon green hill side
The vesper chaunt! Alas! what dreary knells
Must shake, next sunset, their grey pinnacles!

[Exit.

SCENE II.

The Tent of Henry of Transtamara. HENRY-DU GUESCLIN-BISHOP PEREZ-ONIS HOUSSAYE-LE BEGUE.

HENRY. Sit, gentlemen. Onis, we waited for thee.

DU GUESCLIN. There is no need we should be

long together;

We may do better service in our quarters:

My humble mind it was, most certainly,

That you, sir king, should take the right to-morrow, Where, if our scouts bring true intelligence,

Don Pedro plants his Moors

HENRY.

Noble Du Guesclin,

We fight on Spanish ground, and I have here
Three thousand true men of Castile and Leon

Who serve me as their king-the which I am

By the free choice of the nobility
In open Cortes, aiding right of blood,
My brother having forfeited all title
By bloody acts of murder and oppression
Not to be counted-some of them ye know→→→
The which dissolved all claim to our allegiance,
And left us free (I mean the Lords of Spain)
To choose another wearer for the crown
Of old Pelayo ;-of Pelayo's line

Am I, and justly now I wear that crown,
Though once there was a baton on my shield,
That stain being erased and nullified

By the decree I spake of -Now their hearts
Would scarcely brook to see the post of honour
Filled by a stranger, howsoever noble
In blood, and whatsoever pennon rearing,
When I their king am present. Other reasons
I have already to your private ear
Sufficiently expounded. Is there need

That I recount them also?

DU GUESCLIN.

Since his highness

Is so resolved in this, my Lord of Onis,
I yield the matter-for myself I speak :
What says La Houssaye?

HOUSSAYE.

May it please the king, Although your courtesy, noble Du Guesclin, Hath brought me to the council, I am here Not to oppose my voice to voice of yours→

But having learned your pleasure and my part,
To tender, if need be, humble suggestion

Touching what falls to me-and crave your guid

ance

Ride we then on the right ?

DU GUESCLIN. You and Le Begue, Be there with Burgundy and Picardy, Ye'll have the Moors to deal withal. Myself Will set my light-limbed Bretons on the left; Perchance, while that King Henry from our centre Bears with his Spaniards on the bridge, the old ford May serve our need as well. I think 'tis certain, Don Pedro, with his own Castilian spears,

Will bide your highness' onset-Spain to Spain !

HENRY, Ay, and for Spain.

BISHOP, Now God protect King Henry!

The Lord of Hosts will battle for the right.

LE BEGUE. We all shall do our best, my good

Lord Bishop.

ONIS. [Aside to La Houssaye.]

see for any one to fight

Against the king's determination.

'Twere vain you

HOUSSAYE. 'Tis a most wild one! Heaven defend

the issue.

HENRY. What says La Houssaye?

LE BEGUE. He prays heaven, my lord,

To send fair issue of to-morrow's field.