King. Why, where’s all the company? Call Amintor in;
Evadne. Where’s my brother, and Melantius?
Bid him come too; and Diphilus. Call all
That are without there.

[Exit Strato.

Cal. Why, if you do think
’Tis fit an old man, and a counsellor,
Do fight for what he says, then you may grant it.

Enter AMINTOR, EVADNE, MELANTIUS, DIPHILUS, LYSIPPUS, CLEON, STRATO, DIAGORAS.

King. Come, sirs!—Amintor, thou art yet a bridegroom,
And I will use thee so: Thou shalt sit down.—
Evadne, sit; and you, Amintor, too:
This banquet is for you, sir.—Who has brought
A merry tale about him, to raise laughter
Amongst our wine? Why, Strato, where art thou?
Thou wilt chop out with them unseasonably,
When I desire them not.

Stra. ’Tis my ill luck, sir, so to spend them then.

King. Reach me a bowl of wine.—Melantius, thou
Art sad.

Mel. I should be, sir, the merriest here,
But I have ne’er a story of my own
Worth telling at this time.

King. Give me the wine.
Melantius, I am now considering
How easy ’twere, for any man we trust,
To poison one of us in such a bowl.

Mel. I think it were not hard, sir, for a knave.

Cal. Such as you are.

[Aside.

King. I’faith, ’twere easy: It becomes us well
To get plain-dealing men about ourselves;
Such as you all are here.—Amintor, to thee;
And to thy fair Evadne.

Mel. Have you thought
Of this, Calianax?

[Apart to him.

Cal. Yes, marry, have I.

Mel. And what’s your resolution?

Cal. You shall have it,—
Soundly, I warrant you.

King. Reach to Amintor, Strato.

Amin. Here, my love,
This wine will do thee wrong, for it will set
Blushes upon thy cheeks; and, till thou dost
A fault, ’twere pity.

King. Yet, I wonder much
At the strange desperation of these men,
That dare attempt such acts here in our state:
He could not ’scape, that did it.

Mel. Were he known,
Impossible.

King. It would be known, Melantius.