Page:Wallenstein, a drama in 2 parts - Schiller (tr. Coleridge) (1800).djvu/84

62 The sword's hilt in my grasp: and that your court Snatch eagerly at this pretence, and use The Spanish title, to drain off my forces, To lead into the empire a new army Unsubjected to my controul. To throw me Plumply aside,—I am still too powerful for you To venture that. My stipulation runs, That all the Imperial forces shall obey me Where-e'er the German is the native language. Of Spanish troops and of Prince Cardinals That take their route, as visitors, thro' the empire, There stands no syllable in my stipulation. No syllable! And so the politic court Steals in a tiptoe, and creeps round behind it: First makes me weaker, then to be dispens'd with, Till it dares strike at length a bolder blow And make short work with me. What need of all these crooked ways, Lord Envoy? Straight-forward, man! His compact with me pinches The Emperor. He would that I mov'd off!— Well!—I will gratify him! It grieves me for my noble officers sakes! I see not yet, by what means they will come at The moneys they have advanced, or how obtain The recompence their services demand. Still a new leader brings new claimants forward, And prior merit superannuates quickly. There serve here many foreigners in th' army, And