Humb.
How bravely this young Briton, Albanact,
Darteth abroad the thunderbolts of war,
Beating down millions with his furious mood,
And in his glory triumphs over all,
Moving the massy squadrons off the ground!
Heaps hills on hills, to scale the starry sky:
As when Briareus, arm'd with an hundred hands,
Flung forth an hundred mountains at great Jove:
As when the monstrous giant Monychus
Hurl'd mount Olympus at great Marsis targe,
And shot huge cedars at Minerva's shield^{5 note}

.
How doth he overlook with haughty front
My fleeting hosts, and lifts his lofty face
Against us all that now do fear his force!
Like as we see the wrathful sea from far,
In a great mountain heap'd, with hideous noise,
With thousand billows beat against the ships,
And toss them in the waves like tennis balls. [An alarum sounded.
Ah me! I fear my Hubba is surpris'd. Alarum again. Enter Albanact, Camber, Thrasymachus, Debon, and their forces.

Alba.
Follow me, soldiers, follow Albanact;
Pursue the Scythians flying through the field.

Let none of them escape with victory;
That they may know the Britons' force is more
Than all the power of the trembling Huns.

Thra.
Forward, brave soldiers, forward; keep the chase.
He that takes captive Humber or his son,
Shall be rewarded with a crown of gold. An alarum sounded; then they fight. Humber and his army retreat. The Britons pursue. Hubba enters at their rear, and kills Debon: Strumbo falls down; Albanact runs out, and afterwards enters wounded.

Alba.
Injurious Fortune, hast thou cross'd me thus?
Thus in the morning of my victories,
Thus in the prime of my felicity,
To cut me off by such hard overthrow!
Hadst thou no time thy rancour to declare,
But in the spring of all my dignities?
Hadst thou no place to spit thy venom out,
But on the person of young Albanact?
I that e'erwhile did scare mine enemies,
And drove them almost to a shameful flight;
I that e'erwhile full lion-like did fare
Amongst the dangers of the thick-throng'd pikes,
Must now depart, most lamentably slain
By Humber's treacheries and Fortune's spites.
Curst be her charms, damn'd be her cursed charms,
That do delude the wayward hearts of men,
Of men that trust unto her fickle wheel,
Which never leaveth turning upside-down!
O gods, O heavens, allot me but the place
Where I may find her hateful mansion.
I'll pass the Alps to watry Meroe,
Where fiery Phœbus in his chariot,
The wheels whereof are deck'd with emeralds,
Casts such a heat, yea such a scorching heat,

And spoileth Flora of her chequer'd grass^{6 note}

;
I'll overturn the mountain Caucasus,
Where fell Chimæra in her triple shape,
Rolleth hot flames from out her monstrous paunch,
Scaring the beasts with issue of her gorge;
I'll pass the frozen zone, where icy flakes
Stopping the passage of the fleeting ships* ^note,
Do lie, like mountains, in the congeal'd sea:
Where if I find that hateful house of hers,
I'll pull the fickle wheel from out her hands,
And tye herself in everlasting bands.
But all in vain I breathe these threatenings;
The day is lost, the Huns are conquerors,
Debon is slain, my men are done to death,
The currents swift swim violently with blood,
And last, (O that this last night so long last† ^note!)
Myself with wounds past all recovery,
Must leave my crown for Humber to possess.

Strum.

Lord have mercy upon us, masters, I think this is a holy-day; every man lyes sleeping in the fields: but God knows full sore against their wills.

Thra.
Fly, noble Albanact, and save thyself,
The Scythians follow with great celerity,
And there's no way but flight or speedy death;
Fly, noble Albanact, and save thyself. [Exit Thra. Alarum.

Alba.
Nay, let them fly that fear to die the death,
That tremble at the name of fatal Mors.
Ne'er shall proud Humber boast or brag himself,
That he hath put young Albanact to flight:
And lest he should triumph at my decay,
This sword shall reave his master of his life,

That oft hath sav'd his master's doubtful life:
But oh, my brethren, if you care for me,
Revenge my death upon his traiterous head.

Et vos queis domus est nigrantis regia Ditis,
Qui regitis rigido Stygios moderamine lucos,
Nox cæci regina poli, furialis Erinnys,
Diique deæque omnes, Albanum tollite regem,
Tollite flumineis undis rigidaque palude.
Nunc me fata vocant, hoc condam pectore ferrum. [Stabs himself.

Enter Trompart.

O, what hath he done? his nose bleeds; but I smell a fox: look where my master lies. Master, master.

Strum.

Let me alone, I tell thee, for I am dead.

Trom.

Yet one word* ^note, good master.

Strum.
I will not speak, for I am dead, I tell thee.

Trom.
  And is my master dead? [Singing.
O sticks and stones, brickbats and bones,
  And is my master dead?
O you cockatrices, and you bablatrices,
  That in the woods dwell:
You briers and brambles, you cook-shops and shambles,
  Come howl and yell.
With howling and screeking, with wailing and weeping,
  Come you to lament,
O colliers of Croydon, and rusticks of Roydon^{7 note}

O master, thieves, thieves, thieves!

Strum.

Where be they? cox me tunny, bobekin! let me be rising: be gone; we shall be robb'd by and by.