ice, if you can make him."

In order to be in sympathy with the play throughout and especially with
the first scene all this historical background must be kept in mind, for
the talk gives no direct information, it merely in an absolutely
dramatic fashion reveals the feelings and opinions of the men upon the
situation, just as friends at a dinner party might discuss one of our
own less strenuous political situations--all present being perfectly
familiar with the issues at stake.

STRAFFORD

ACT I

SCENE I.--_A House near Whitehall._

_HAMPDEN, HOLLIS, the +younger+ VANE, RUDYARD, FIENNES and many of the
Presbyterian Party: LOUDON and other Scots' Commissioners._

_Vane._ I say, if he be here--

_Rudyard._ (And he is here!)--

_Hollis._ For England's sake let every man be still
Nor speak of him, so much as say his name,
Till Pym rejoin us! Rudyard! Henry Vane!
One rash conclusion may decide our course
And with it England's fate--think--England's fate!
Hampden, for England's sake they should be still!

_Vane._ You say so, Hollis? Well, I must be still.
It is indeed too bitter that one man,
Any one man's mere presence, should suspend
England's combined endeavor: little need
To name him!

_Rudyard._ For you are his brother, Hollis!

_Hampden._ Shame on you, Rudyard! time to tell him that,
When he forgets the Mother of us all.

_Rudyard._ Do I forget her?

_Hampden._ You talk idle hate
Against her foe: is that so strange a thing?
Is hating Wentworth all the help she needs?

_A Puritan._ The Philistine strode, cursing as he went:
But David--five smooth pebbles from the brook
Within his scrip....

_Rudyard._ Be you as still as David!

_Fiennes._ Here's Rudyard not ashamed to wag a tongue
Stiff with ten years' disuse of Parliaments;
Why, when the last sat, Wentworth sat with us!

_Rudyard._ Let's hope for news of them now he returns--
He that was safe in Ireland, as we thought!
--But I'll abide Pym's coming.

_Vane._ Now, by Heaven,
They may be cool who can, silent who will--
Some have a gift that way! Wentworth is here,
Here, and the King's safe closeted with him
Ere this. And when I think on all that's past
Since that man left us, how his single arm
Rolled the advancing good of England back
And set the woeful past up in its place,
Exalting Dagon wh