Perseda.
And in Erastus' name I'll combat thee;
And here I promise thee on my Christian faith,
Then will I yield Perseda to thy hands,
That, if thy strength shall overmatch my right,
To use as to thy liking it shall seem best.
But ere I come to enter single fight,
First let my tongue utter my heart's despite;
And thus my tale begins: Thou wicked tyrant!
Thou murderer! accursed homicide!
For whom hell gapes, and all the ugly fiends
Do wait for to receive thee in their jaws!
Ah, perjur'd and inhumane Soliman!
How could thy heart harbour a wicked thought
Against the spotless life of poor Erastus?
Was he not true? would thou hadst been as just!
Was he not valiant? would thou hadst been as virtuous!
Was he not loyal? would thou hadst been as loving?
Ah, wicked tyrant! in that one man's death
Thou hast betray'd the flower of Christendom.
Died he, because his worth obscured thine?
In slaught'ring him thy virtues are defam'd:
Didst thou misdo him in hope to win Perseda?
Ah, foolish man! therein thou art deceiv'd:
For though she live, yet will she ne'er live thine;
Which to approve I'll come to combat thee.
Soliman.
Injurious, foul-mouth'd knight, my wrathful arm
Shall chastise and rebuke these injuries.
[Then Perseda comes down to Soliman, [with] Basilisco and Piston.
Piston.
Ay, but hear you, are you so foolish to fight with him?
Basilisco.
Ay, sirrah; why not, as long as I stand by?
Soliman.
I'll not defend Erastus' innocence,
But thee in maintaining Perseda's beauty.
[Then they fight. Soliman kills Perseda.