The guests enter, among them Hæmon and Bardas, following the Cardinal Julian and his suite, and last Helena, whom Fulvia leads aside.
Cardinal: Peace, worthy duke!
Charles: And more, lord Cardinal,
We would to-day enlarge our worthiness
With you and with great Rome.
Cardinal: Firmly I crave
It may be so.
Charles: Here unto all our guests
We then do disavow our heresies——
For faith's as air, as ease to life—and seek
At your absolving lips release from our
Rough disobedience. Nor shall we shun
The lash and needed weight of penitence.
(A murmur of approval.)
Julian: These words, great lord, fall wise and soothing well.
Who so confesses, plants beneath his foot
A step to scale all impotence and wrong.
Our royal Pope's conditions shall be told,
Pledge them consenting seal and you shall be
Briefly and fully free. (Motions his secretary.)
Secretary (opens and reads): "Whereas the duke
Di Tocca has offended——"
Cardinal: Pass the offence.
Be it oblivion's. On, the penalty.
Secretary: "Therefore the duke di Tocca humbling himself
Must pay into our vaults two hundred ducats—"