 | The Royall King, and The Loyall Subject |  |
Actus quartus.
Enter the Martiall and his daughter Katherine.Mar.
I see the King is truely honourable:
All my disgraces and disparagements
He hath made good to me in this to queene my child,
And which more glads me, with such ardency
He seemes to affect her, and to hold her deare,
That nothing's valued, if compar'd with her.
Now Heaven whilst thou this second happinesse
And blisse wilt lend me, I shall still grow great
In my content, opinion, and my fate,
In spight of whisperers, and Court-flatterers.
Kath.
Had you best lov'd my Sister, and lesse me,
I had beene Queene before her; but she venter'd
For her preferment, therefore 'tis her due;
Out of our feares and loves her honours grew.
Mar.
Whilst I may keepe thy beauty in mine eye,
And with her new rais'd fortunes fill mine eare,
I second none in blisse; she's my Court comfort,
Thou my home happinesse: in these two blest,
Heaven hath inrich't me with a crowne of rest.
Kath.
Nor doe I covet greater Royalties
Than to enjoy your presence, and your love,
Nor would I change them for my Sisters state.
Mar.
Her beauty and her vertues mixt have won
The King my Soveraigne to be tearm'd my son.
Enter Servant.
Ser.
Earle Chester, with the Queene your princely daughter
Are without traine alighted at the gate,
And by this entred.
Mar.
Thou hast troubled me,
And with a thousand thoughts at once perplex't
My affrighted heart: admit them; soft, not yet;
What might this meane? my daughter in the charge
Of him that is my greatest opposite,
And without traine, such as becomes a Queene?
More tempest towards Kate? from which sweete child,
If I may keept thee, may it on my head
Powre all his wrath, even till it strike me dead.
Kath.
Rather, my Lord, your Royall life to free,
All his sterne fury let him showre on me.
Ser.
My Lord shall I admit them?
Mar.
Prithee stay,
Fate threatens us, I would devise a meanes
To shunne it if we might: thou shalt withdraw,
To his Daughter.
And not be seene; something we must devise
To guard our selves, and stand our opposites:
Goe keepe your chamber, now let Chester in.
Serv.
I shall my Lord.
Mar.
My Loyalty for me, that keepe me still;
A Tower of safety, and a shield 'gainst Fate.
Enter the servant ushering Chester and the Queene.
Chest.
The King thy daughter hath in scorne sent backe.
Mar.
Pause there, and as y are noble answer me
E're you proceed but to one question.
Chest.
Propound it.
Mar.
Whence might this distaste arise?
From any loose demeanor, wanton carriage,
Spouse-breach, or disobedience in my daughter?
Queen.
That let mine enemy speake, for in this kind
I would be tax't by such.
Chest.
Vpon my soule
There is no guilt in her.
Mar.
Bee't but his humour,
Th'art welcome, both my daughter and my Queene;
In this my Palace thou shalt reigne alone,
I'le keepe thy state, and make these armes thy Throne:
Whil'st thou art chast, thy stile with thee shall stay,
And reigne, though none but I and mine obey.
What can you further speake?
Chest.
Her double Dower
The King returnes thee.
Mar.
We accept it, see,
It shall maintaine her port even with her name,
Being my Kings wife, so will I love his Grace,
Shee shall not want, will double this maintaine her.
Chest.
Being thus discharg'd of her, I from the King
Command thee send thy fairer Girle to Court,
Shee that's at home, with her to act his pleasure.
Mar.
Sir, you were sent to challenge, not to kill;
These are not threats, but blowes, they wound, they wound.
Chest.
If Treasons imputation thou wilt shun,
And not incurre the forfeit of thy life,
Let the Kings will take place.
Mar.
You have my offices,
Would you had now my griefe; but that alone
I must endure: would thou had'st both, or none.
Sentence of death when it is mildly spoke,
Halfe promises life; but when your doome you mixe
With such rough threats, what is't but twice to kill?
You tyrannize Earle Chester.
Chest.
Will you send her?
Mar.
That you shall know anon. Tell me my Queene,
How grew this quarrell 'tweene the King and thee?
Queen.
By you was never Lady more belov'd,
Have you forgot your charge, when I perceiv'd
My selfe to growne, I could no longer hide
My greatnesse, I began to speake the beauties
Of my faire Sister, and how much she excell'd,
And that you sent me thither as a jest,
That shee was fairest, and you lov'd her best?
Mar.
Enough; th'art sure with child, and neare thy time.
Queen.
Nothing more sure.
Mar.
Then that from hence shall grow
A salve for all our late indignities:
Pray doe my humble duty to the King,
And thus excuse me, that my daughter's sicke,
Crazed, and weake, and that her native beauty
Is much decay'd; and should she travell now,
Before recovered, 'twould ingage her life
To too much danger: when she hath ability
And strength to journey, I will send her safe
Vnto my King; this as I am a subject,
And loyall to his Highnesse.
Chest.
Your excuse
Hath ground from love and reason:
This your answer I shall returne to the King.
Mar.
With all my thanks:
That since my daughter doth distaste his bed,
He hath sent her backe, and home to me her father,
His pleasure I withstand not, but returne
My zeale, and these doe not forget I pray.
Chest.
I shall your words have perfect, and repeate them
Vnto the King.
Mar.
I should disgrace her beauty
To send it maim'd and wayning; but when she
Attaines her perfectnesse, then shall appeare
The brightest Starre fix't in your Courtly Spheare.
Chest.
The King shall know as much.
Mar.
It is my purpose,
All my attempts to this one head to draw,
Come beauteous Queene, and thy faire Sister cheere,
Whom this sad newes will both amaze and feare.
Exeunt.
Enter Bonvile in all his bravery, and his man in a new livery.
Cap.
Sirrah, are all my lands out of morgage, and my
deeds redeem'd?
Clowne.
I cannot tell that Sir; but wee have had whole
chest-fulls of writings brought home to our house.
Cap.
Why then 'tis done, I am possest againe
Of all my Fathers ancient revenues.
Clowne.
But how came you by all this money to buy
these new suits? methinks we are not the men we were.
Cap.
Questionlesse that; for now those that before despis'd
us, and our company, at meeting give us the bonjour.
And wilt not let it sinke: all my knowne fortunes
I had ingag'd at home, or spent abroad:
But in the warres, when I was held quite bankrupt
Of all good happ, it was my chance to quarter
In such a house when we had sack't a Towne,
That yeelded me inestimable store
Of gold and jewells, those I kept till now
Vnknowne to any, pleading poverty,
Onely to try the humour of my friends;
Which I have proov'd, and now know how to finde
Fixt upon wealth, to want unnaturall.
Enter Match and Touch-boxe.
Clown.
See Sir, yonder are my old fellows, Match and
Touch-boxe; I doe not thinke but they come to offer their
service to you.
Touch.
Save thee noble Captaine, hearing of thy good
fortunes, and advancement, I am come to offer my selfe to be
partaker of the same, and to follow thee in the same colours
that thou hast suited the rest of thy servants.
Clown.
God-a-mercy horse, you shall not stand to my livery.
Match.
You see our old clothes sticke by us still, good
Captaine see us new moulded.
You are flies, away; they that my Winter fled,
Shall not my Summer taste: they onely merit
A happy harbour, that through stormy Seas
Hazard their Barkes, not they that sayle with ease.
You taste none of my fortunes.
Clown.
Corporall, you see this Livery? if you had stay,d
by it, we had beene both cut out of a peece: Match, if you
had not left us, you had beene one of this guard: Goe, away,
betake you to the end of the Towne; let me finde you betweene
Woods close-stile and Islington, with will it please
your Worship to bestow the price of two Cannes upon a
poore souldier, that hath serv'd in the face of the Souldan,
and so forth, Apage, away, I scorne to be fellow to any
that wil leave their Masters in adversity: if he entertaine you,
he shall turne away me, that's certaine.
Match.
Then good your Worship bestow something upon
a poore souldier, I protest—
Clown.
Loe, I have taught him his lesson already; I knew
where I should have you?
Cap.
There's first to make you beggers; for to that all
such must come that leave their Masters poore. Begon, and
never let me see you more.
Touch.
God be with you good Captaine: come Match,
let us betake us to our randevous at some out end of the
Citty.
Cap.
Hee makes a begger first that first relieves him;
Not Vsurers make more beggers where they live,
Than charitablemen that use to give.
Clown.
Here comes a Lord.
Enter Clinton.
Clin.
I am glad to see you Sir.
Cap.
You know me now? your Worship's wondrous wise,
You could not know me in my last disguise.
Clin.
Lord God you were so chang'd.
Cap.
So am I now
From what I was of late: you can allow
This habite well, but put my tother on,
No congie then, your Lordship must be gon.
Enter Bonvile.
Bonv.
Cousin, well met.
Cap.
You should have said well found,
For I was lost but late, dead, under ground
Our Kinred was: when I redeem'd my Land,
They both reviv'd, and both before you stand.
Bon.
Well, well, I know you now.
Cap.
And why not then?
I am the same without all difference; when
You saw me last, I was as rich, as good,
Have no additions since of name, or blood;
Onely because I wore a thread-bare suite,
I was not worthy of a poore salute.
A few good cloaths put on with small adoo,
Purchase your knowledge, and your kinred too.
You are my silken Unkle: oh my Lord,
Enter Audley and his Daughter.
You are not in haste now?
Aud.
I have time to stay,
To aske you how you doe, being glad to heare
Of your good fortune, your repurchast lands,
And state much amplified.
Cap.
All this is true;
Ey but my Lord, let me examine you:
Remember you a Contract that once past
Betwixt me and your daughter? here thee stands.
Aud.
Sir, since you did vnmorgage all your meanes,
It came into my thoughts; trust me, before
I could not call't to minde.
Cap.
Oh mens weake strength,
That aime at worlds, when they but their meere length
Must at their end enjoy: Thou then art mine,
Of all that I have proov'd in poverty,
The onely test of vertue: what are these?
Though they be Lords, but worldlings, men all earth.
Thou art above them; vertuous, that's divine;
Onely thy heart is noble, therefore mine.
And to be yours, is to be what I wish;
You were to me as welcome in your ragges,
As in these Silkes. I never did examine
The out-side of a man, but I begin
To censure first of that which growes within.
Cap.
Onely for that I love thee: These are Lords
That have bought Titles. Men may merchandize
Wares, ey, and trafficke all commodities
From Sea to Sea, ey and from shore to shore,
But in my thoughts, of all things that are sold,
'Tis pitty Honour should be bought for gold.
It cuts off all desert.
Enter the Host.
Clowne.
Master, who's here? mine Host of the Ordinary?
Cap.
Your businesse sir? what by petition?
Host.
Falne to a little decay by trulting, and knowing
your Worship ever a bountifull young Gentleman, I make
bold to make my wants first knowne to you.
Cap.
Pray what's your suite?
Host.
Onely for a cast suite, or some small remuneration.
Cap.
And thou shalt have the suite I last put off:
Fetch it me Cock.
Cock.
I shall Sir.
Cap.
Falne to decay? I'le fit you in your kind.
Cock.
I have a suite to you Sir, and this it is.
Cap.
In this suit came I to thine Ordinary,
In this thou would'st have thrust me out of doores,
Therefore with this that then proclaim'd me poore,
I'le salve thy wants, nor will I give thee more.
Base worldlings, that despise all such as need;
Who to the needy begger are still dumbe,
Not knowing unto what themselves may come.
Host.
I have a cold suite on't if I be forc't to weare it in
winter. I bid your worship farewell.
Clown.
So should all that keepe Ordinaries, bid their guests
farewell, though their entertainment be never to ill. Well
sir, I take you but for an ordinary fellow, and so I leave you.
Master, who will not say that you are a brave fellow, and a
most noble Captaine, that with a word or two can discomfit
an Host.
I know you, therefore know to rate your worths
Both to their height and depth, their true dimensions
I understand; for I have try'd them all:
But thou art of another element,
A mirrour of thy sexe, that canst distinguish
Vertue from wealth, thee as my owne I elect,
And these according to themselves despise.
A Courtier henceforth I my selfe professe,
And thee my wife, thou hast deserv'd no lesse.
Enter the King, the Prince, and the Princesse, and Chester.
King.
No newes yet from our Martiall? we three moneths
Have stay'd his leasure, but receive not yet
That daughter we sent for.
Prince.
Shee peradventure
Hath not her strength recovered, or her beauty
Lost by her sicknesse, to the full regain'd.
Chest.
Vpon my life my Lord, when she is perfect,
And hath receiv'd her full ability,
Shee shall attend your pleasure.
Princesse.
But your Queene,
That vertuous Lady, when I thinke on her,
I can but grieve at her dejectednesse.
King.
Heaven knowes I love her above all the world,
And but her Father, this contends with us
When we in all our actions strive to exceed:
We could not brooke her absence halfe so long.
But we will try his patience to the full.
Enter Bonvile, Audley, Captaine, Clinton, Mary. the Clowne.
Cap.
My prostrate duty to the King my Master
I here present.
Prince.
This is the Gentleman
Commended for his valour in your warres,
Whose ruin'd fortunes I made suite to raise:
I would intreat your Highnesse to respect him.
King.
All his proceedings we partake at large,
Even with his worth: be neare us, of our chamber.
Sir, we shall use your wisedome, and preferre it
According to your worth. Be this your hope
We know you.
Cap.
Onely in that I am happy.
Enter the Servant.
Serv.
Health to your Majesty.
King.
Whence?
Serv.
From my Master,
The poorest subject that your land containes,
Rich onely in his truth and loyalty.
King.
Speake, hath he sent his daughter?
Serv.
Yes my Liege,
He hath sent his daughters, please you rest satisfied,
And patiently peruse what he hath sent.
King.
We are full of expectations, pray admit
Those Presents that he meanes to greete us with.
Serv.
You shall my Lord.
Sound, enter with two Gentlemen-ushers before them, the Queen crown'd, her sister to attend her as her waiting-maid, with a traine.
Serv.
Your Queene and wife crown'd with a wreath of gold
Of his owne charge, with that this double dower
Doubled againe, and guarded with this traine
Of Gentlewomen according to her state,
My Lord presents you: this his younger daughter,
He hath bestow'd a hand-made to your Queene,
A place that may become her, were she child
Vnto your greatest Peere; had he had more,
More had he sent; these worthlesse as they be,
He humbly craves you would receive by me.
King.
His bounty hath no limit, but my Queene!
Her bright aspect so much perswades with me,
It charmes me more than his humility.
Arise in grace, and sweet, forget your wrong.
Queen.
My joyes unspeakable can finde no tongue
To expresse my true hearts meaning.
Beauteous Maide,
You are our Sister, and that royall Title
From all disgrace your freedome shall proclaime.
Kath.
I finde your Grace the same my noble Father
Hath still reported you; royall in all,
By whom the vertuous rise, th'ignoble fall.
Prince.
I have not seene a Lady more compleate;
Her modesty and beauty, both are matchlesse.
King.
Am I a King, and must be exceeded still?
Or shall a subject say that we can owe?
His bounty we will equall, and exceed;
We have power to better what in him's but well.
Your free opinions Lords, is not this Lady
The fairer of the twaine? how durst our subject
Then dally with us in that high designe?
Chest.
With pardon of the Queene, shee's paralell'd
By her faire Sister.
Clin.
Were my censure free,
I durst say better'd.
Prince.
Were it put to me,
I should avow she, not the Queene alone
Excells in grace: but all that I have seene—
King.
Dost love her?
Prince.
As my honour, or my life.
King.
Her whom thou so much praisest, take to wife.
Prince.
You blesse my youth.
Kate.
And strive to eternize me.
Queen.
Nor in this joy have I the meanest part,
Now doth your Grace your inward love expresse
To me, and mine.
King.
I never meant thee lesse:
Thy Sister and thy daughter freely imbrace,
That next thee hath our Kingdomes second place.
How say you Lords, have we requited well
Our subjects bounty? are we in his debt?
Aud.
Your Highnesse is in courtesie invincible.
Bonv.
And bountifull beyond comparison.
Chest.
This must not hold, prevention out of hand,
Clin.
Our wits must then to worke.
Chest.
They must of force.
This is not that to which our fortunes trust.
King.
Let then our subject know his King hath power
To vanquish him in all degrees of honour,
And he must now confesse himselfe excell'd:
With what can Heaven or Earth his want supply
To equall this our latest courtesie?
We have the day, we rise, and he must fall
As one subdu'd.
Serv.
His Highnesse knows not all,
One speciall gift he hath reserv'd in store,
May happily make your Grace contend no more.
King.
No sir? thinke you your Master will yet yeeld?
And leave to us the honour of the day?
I wish him here but this last sight to see,
To make him us acknowledge.
Serv.
On my knee
One boone I have to begge.
King.
Speake, let me know
Thy utmost suite.
Serv.
My noble Master stayes
Not farre from Court, and durst he be so ambitious
As but to appeare before you, and present you
With a rich gift exceeding all have past,
The onely perfect token of his zeale,
He would himselfe perpetually hold vanquish't
In all degrees of love and courtesie.
King.
For our Queenes love, and our faire daughters sake,
We doe not much care if we grant him that.
Admit him, and his presence urge with speed;
Well may he imitate, but not exceed.
Chest.
I feare our fall: if once the Martiall rise,
Downe, downe must we.
Clin.
Therefore devise some plot
His favour to prevent.
Leave it to me.
King.
Lords, we are proud of this our unity,
Double Alliance, of our sonnes faire choice,
Since 'tis applauded by your generall voyce;
The rather since so matchlesse is our Grace,
That force perforce our subject must give place.
Enter the Martiall, with a rich Cradle borne after him by two Servants.
Mar.
Not to contend, but to expresse a duty
Of zeale and homage I present your grace
With a rich jewell, which can onely value
These royall honours to my Daughters done.
King.
Value our bounty? shouldst thou sell thy selfe
Even to thy skin, thou couldst not rate it truely.
Mar.
My Liege, I cannot, but in liew and part,
Though not in satisfaction, I make bold
To tender you this Present.
King.
What's the project?
Here's cost and art, and amply both exprest,
I have not view'd the like.
Prince.
'Tis wondrous rare,
I have not seene a Modell richlier fram'd.
Princesse.
Or for the quantity better contriv'd:
This Lord in all his actions is still noble,
Exceeding all requitall.
King.
'Tis a brave out-side.
Mar.
This that you see my Lord is nothing yet;
More than its worth it hath commended bin:
This is the case, the jewell lyes within,
Pleaseth your Grace t'unvaile it.
King.
Yes, I will:
But e're I open it my Lord, I doubt
The wealth within not equalls that without.
King.
VVhat have we here?
Mar.
A jewell I should rate,
King.
A child?
Mar.
A Prince, one of your royall blood:
Behold him King, my grand-child, and thy sonne,
Truely descended from thy Queene and thee,
The Image of thy selfe.
King.
How can this be?
Queen.
My royall Liege and Husband, view him well,
If your owne favour you can call to minde,
Behold it in this Infant, limn'd to'th life;
Hee's yours and mine, no kinred can be nearer.
King.
To this rich jewell I hold nothing equall,
I know thee vertuous, and thy father loyall;
But should I doubt both, yet this royall Infant
Hath such affection in my heart imprest,
That it assures him mine: my noble subject,
Thou hast at length o'recome me, and I now
Shall ever, ever hold me vanquished.
Had'st thou sought Earth or Sea, and from them both
Extracted that which was most precious held,
Thou nothing could'st have found to equall this,
This, the mixt Image of my Queene and me;
Here then shall all my emulation end,
O'recome by thee our subject, and our friend.
Mar.
Your vassall, and your servant, that have strove
Onely to love you, and your royall favours:
Not to requite, for that I never can;
But to acknowledge, and in what I may
To expresse my gratitude.
King.
Thine is the conquest:
But shall I gee't o're thus? 'tis in my head
How I this lost dayes honour shall regaine,
A gift as great as rich I have in store,
With which to gratifie our subjects love,
And of a value unrequitable:
Thou hast given me a Grand-child, and a sonne,
A royall infant, and to me most deare,
I give thee here a daughter and a wife.
Now must thou needs confesse the conquest wonne
By me thy King, thy Father, and thy sonne.
Mar.
Your father, sonne, and subject quite surpast,
Yeelds himselfe vanquish't, and o'recome at length,
Princesse.
You have not my consent yet.
Mar.
Madam, no;
The King doth this, his bounty to expresse.
Your love is to your selfe, and therefore free,
Bestow it where you please.
Princesse.
Why then on thee:
He that the Father doth so much respect,
Should not me-thinks the daughters love despise.
'Tis good for Maides take Husbands when they may,
Heaven knowes how long we may be forc't to stay.
King.
Now Lords, these Nuptialls we will solemnize
In all high state, in which we will include
Yours noble Bonvile, and with masks and revells
Sport out the tedious nights, each hand his Bride
Doubly by us from either part ally'd.
Enter Clowne.
Cock.
Why this is as it should be; now doe I smell Courtier
already, I feele the Souldier steale out of me by degrees,
for Souldier and Courtier can hardly dwell both together in
one bosome. I have a kind of fawning humour creeping upon
me as soone as I but look't into the Court-gate; and now
could I take a bribe, if any would be so foolish to gee't me.
Now farewell Gun-powder, I must change thee into Damask-powder;
for if I offer but to smell like a souldier, the
Courtiers will stop their noses when they passe by me. My
Caske I must change to a Cap and a Feather, my Bandileero
to a Skarfe to hang my Sword in, and indeede, fashion
my selfe wholly to the humours of the time. My Peece I
must alter to a Poynado, and my Pike to a Pickadevant:
onely this is my comfort, that our provant will be better
here in the Court than in the Campe: there we did use to lye
and often: But whil'st I am trifling here, I shall loose the
sight of the Solemnity: The Prince is married, and the Martiall's
married, and my Master's married, there will be simple
doings at night. Well, I must hence, for I beleeve, the King,
the Queene, and the rest of the Lords will use this place for
their revells. Dixi.
| The Royall King, and The Loyall Subject | |