unusually, the play begins on its second level: the opening scene introduces the nobleman donobert, his daughters constantia and modestia, and their suitors cador and edwin, and begins the story of modestia's conflict between her desire for a religious vocation versus social pressures to marry. the famous characters of arthurian romance do not appear until the second scene, which introduces king aurelius and his royal court. the british are flush with a recent victory over the invading saxons—though they are troubled by the fact that the king's brother uther is missing. saxon emissaries arrive at court to negotiate a peace; they are led by the saxon princess artesia. aurelius instantly falls in love with artesia, and in his infatuation grants the saxons very generous peace terms—despite the objections of his courtiers and the criticism of a holy hermit who interjects his own opposition. (before the scene ends, modestia consults the hermit about her personal spiritual difficulty.)