Mer. Is he then taken?

      Her. And brought back even now, Sir.

      Mer. He was not in disgrace?

      Her. No man more lov'd,

      Nor more deserv'd it, being the only man

      That durst be honest in this Court.

      Mer. Indeed

      We have heard abroad, Sir, that the State hath suffered

      A great change, since the Countesses death.

      Her. It hath, Sir.

      Mer. My five years absence hath kept me a stranger

      So much to all the occurents of my Country,

      As you shall bind me for some short relation

      To make me understand the present times.

      Her. I must begin then with a War was made

      And seven years with all cruelty continued

      Upon our Flanders by the Duke of Brabant,

      The cause grew thus: during our Earls minority,

      Wolfort, (who now usurps) was employed thither

      To treat about a match between our Earl

      And the Daughter and Heir of Brabant: during which treaty

      The Brabander pretends, this Daughter was

      Stoln from his Court, by practice of our State,

      Though we are all confirm'd, 'twas a sought quarrel

      To lay an unjust gripe upon this Earldom,

      It being here believ'd the Duke of Brabant

      Had no such loss. This War upon't proclaimed,

      Our Earl, being then a Child, although his Father

      Good Gerrard liv'd, yet in respect he was

      Chosen by the Countesses favour, for her Husband,

      And but a Gentleman, and Florez holding

      His right unto this Country from his Mother,

      The State thought fit in this defensive War,

      Wolfort being then the only man of mark,

      To make him General.

      Mer. Which place we have heard

      He did discharge with ho[n]our.

      Her. I, so long,

      And with so blest successes, that the Brabander

      Was forc't (his treasures wasted, and the choice

      Of his best men of Armes tyr'd, or cut off)

      To leave the field, and sound a base retreat

      Back to his Country: but so broken both

      In mind and means, er'e to make head again,

      That hitherto he sits down by his loss,

      Not daring, or for honour, or revenge

      Again to tempt his fortune. But this Victory

      More broke our State, and made a deeper hurt

      In Flanders, than the greatest overthrow

      She ever receiv'd: For Wolfort, now beholding

      Himself, and actions, in the flattering glass

      Of self-deservings, and that cherish't by

      The strong assurance of his power, for then

      All Captains of the Army were his creatures,

      The common Souldier too at his devotion,

      Made so by full indulgence to their rapines

      And secret bounties, this strength too well known

      And what it could effect, soon put in practice,

      As further'd by the Child-hood of the Earl:

      And their improvidence, that might have pierc't

      The heart of his designs, gave him occasion

      To seize the whole, and in that plight you find it.

      Mer. Sir, I receive the knowledge of thus much,

      As a choice favour from you.

      Her. Only I must add, Bruges holds out.

      Mer. Whither, Sir, I am going,

      For there last night I had a ship put in,

      And my Horse waits me. [Exit.

      Her. I wish you a good journey.

      Wol. What? Hubert stealing from me? who disarm'd him?

      It was more than I commanded; take your sword,

      I am best guarded with it in your hand,

      I have seen you use it nobly.

      Hub. And will turn it

      On my own bosom, ere it shall be drawn

      Unworthily or rudely.

      Wol. Would you leave me

      Without a farewel, Hubert? flie a friend

      Unwearied in his study to advance you?

      What have I e're possess'd which was not yours?

      Or either did not court you to command it?

      Who ever yet arriv'd to any grace,

      Reward or trust from me, but his approaches

      Were