Now see we hope, friends: God hath sent
His best and nearest messenger
For our deliverance.—
_Ch._ Who is he?—
(1.) What, hast thou eyes, and couldst not see?—
_Ch._ If by thy hasty boast is meant
The sudden love upsprung
Between Christ’s champion and the heathen maid,
’Tis withered on thy tongue.— 950
(1.) Heathen how call’st thou her,
Our pitying angel who hath been,
And from our mouth the word of truth received?—
_Ch._ Hath she believed?—
(1.) How shall not love persuade,
Now fallen to water God’s own seed,
And in such soil?—
_Ch._ If she confess,
’Twill but the more our tyrant’s anger feed
With tenfold torture to oppress,
Or end us all at a stroke.—
(1.) And so might be. 960
But hark ye what I whisper. Mark. Ye see
How in this garden one permitted hour
Each day we wander free....
_Ch._ Ay, ay—an hour a day—what should this mean?—
(1.) By their good help, secretly armed, I say....
_Ch._ What sayst thou? Armed!—go on.—
(1.) How easy ’twere to find
Occasion ...
_Ch._ When the foe is gone to fight
Thou meanest?—
(1.) Ay, thou’rt right....
_Ch._ And so to overpower 970
The few men left behind.—
(1.) See ye—
_Ch._ Ay, ay. Well done!
Convert our high-walled prison to a fortress strong—
To Ceuta horse a courier—or all at night
Make our escape by flight.—
Each choosing a swift steed.—
Better await until they send
A rescue.—Nay, how long
Could we sustain the fight?
(1.) Now tell me, was I wrong 980
Speaking of hope?
_Ch._ Nay, nay.
We make thee leader.—Show the way
To bring this soon about.
(1.) Mark me. I say
This is no council-chamber, and I fear,
Unless we now make end,
Joy will exalt our voices to betray
Our hope, ere ’tis well founded. Let us return
Submissively to our pit, and as we go
Sing a strain full of woe,
That, reaching to the princess’ear, 990
May work upon her, that she yearn
To set us free. With step and voice I lead.
Follow.
_Ch._ We give thee heed.— [_Going, singing as they go._