Languages & literature > Key to the drama

( S8 )
the council to be employed in this negoti¬
ation ; in confequence of which, I let out,
with proper attendants, for the army of the
Norwegians. A parley being beat, and ad¬
mittance granted to the prefence of Sweno,
I counterfeited fuch an air of fubmiflion and
defpondency, that Sweno, as well as every
officer about him, concluded that the con-
queft of the Scots would be a very eafy af¬
fair. I pathetically reprefented to him,
how inutile it would be to promote an ef-
fufion of blood, fmce the Scots, confcious
of their inequality to the prefent difpute,
wanted only to difpofe him to offer them
favourable terms of accommodation. He
alked me, if the King my mailer had fur-
nilhed me with the fubltance of fuch condi¬
tions as he hoped for; I obfequioully an-
fwered him. That the King my mailer, too
fenQble to his prefent low circumllances,
did not prefume to demand, but confided
in the generofity of the Norwegians to pro-
pofe fuch articles as to him might be ac¬
ceptable. Such humility greatly flattered
the Norwegian pride; he told me. That he
immediately wanted fome liquors for the
better refrelhment of his troops; he re¬
quired, that I Ihould inllantly difpatch a
meffenger with orders, that his army might
that very day be fupplied with as much
wine, fpirits and ale, as could poffibly be
fpared