The King and his family here are said to be great Readers
and Admirers of Play-books and Romances; but truly, as that
is little honour for them, so the worst part of the scene is,
that themselves are become not onely Actors but real Tragedies
and Romances to the world. This puts me in minde of a
true story: when the head of the Palatine house was chosen
King of Bohemia, being in great pomp at Prague, he suffered
Playes to be acted before him and his Ladie to please her: At
which the honest Protestants at Prague being Scandalized,
the servants also that were good of the family, being no less
offended; famous sculteius, then the Kings Chaplain, was
desirous to do his duty, and take off the King and Queen
from that offensive sport, he went in resolutely, and divers
good souls staid without, expecting a good issue and answer,
but Scultetus comes out with a sad countenance, and wet eyes,
telling them he was entertained upon that Argument with
laughter, and there would be no regard of tender hearts that
were offended, to rectisie that abuse: and now, said Sculteous,
let me tell you my thoughts; our happiness here is but
short-lived; this place will soon spue us out; we are already
degenerate from our professions and promises; and all
know Scultetus was a true prophet in it. I am far from blasting
the dead or the living: The Scotish family hath been
fatal to it self and others, in loving and being Tragedies, and
being strange Romances in their fights and flights, and in the
fates of both.
Now the Royal Party give out; the King will betake himself
to Denmark and Sweden for succouts, to try another fall
in Scotland; but as he hath had little incouragement from
thence hitherto, so he will have less for the future: both those
Crownes have other ways to i[unr] ploy their money and men,
neither is the Queen of Swede, nor King of Danes so absolute
and arbierary, as to perform such promises, should they
make them, without their respective Peers and People. And
truely, as for the Princess Dowager here, the Scots Kings Sister,
her purse is lean, scarce reaching to maintain her Family,
for which cause it begins to lesson. And for my Countrey-men