University of Virginia Library

SCENE I.

The Court.
Enter Tamira and Charlott.
Tam.
I scarce have Sense left to believe thy News.

Cha.
Madam, you may rely upon't.

Tam.
O Heavens!
That Monsieur has brought D' Amboise to Court!

Cha.
Most certainly; and hangs about his Neck
As if they Twinn'd both at a Birth together:
He's now to introduce him to the King.
How much concern'd she is!

[Aside.
Tam.
O cou'd he look
In some inchanted Glass, and see my Heart,
How the poor Inmate struggles to get out;
And when my Soul beholds him through my Eyes,
How it leaps up in Extasie to meet him!
Then sure he would not think I was ungrateful.

Cha.
She's strangely Rapt!

[Aside.
Tam.
Pray Heaven my Governess have kept her Word:
This News affects me strangely: And see,
The King and Court appear. Lie close my Joyes,
[Exit Cha.
Smother'd, and husht like Waters in a Calm:
I'le thrust my self into the Crowd to see
The Entrance of my Hearts best Deity.

Enter King Henry, Guise, Montsurry, Barrisor, L'Annou, Pirrhot, Brisack, Mellinel, Dutchess of Guise, Beaupre, Annable, Pero, Guards and Attendnts.
Bris.
These bold Confederates crowd about the Guise,
As if they'd brave the King here in the Presence.

Mel.
Oh, you know Faction is a kind of Hydra,
That whilst you Lop one Head, another grows.

Briss.
This new made Peace between the Guise and him
I fear wants Power to quench the old Resentments.

King.
When went the English Embassadors from hence?

Briss.
Some two days since, Sir.

King.
That Island once was happy in her Natives;
And no one Court in Christendom could boast
Of Men more Valiant or more rarely qualified.
With Shame, I needs must own it, our French Court
Was held a Mirrour of Confusion to it.

Guise.
I never thought so Sir.

Briss.
Faith I believe thee:
Nor any thing else that ever he thought.

[Aside.
Mell.
Peace, we shall hear more; I see th'Ambitious Vein
Is glowing on the front of the Proud Guise.

King.
How is it then my Lord in your Opinion?

Guise.
For my part Sir, I think e'm slight and vain,
And that they've aped the Model of our Court
As they have still out-aped us in our Habits.
Never were Snakes so weary of their Skins,
And apt to leap out of themselves as they;
Who when they Travel to become Rare Men,
Come home improv'd with a new foppish Suit,
Like Monkies, cover'd with the Garbs of Men.

Mount.
Nay now my Lord, your Grace is moved with Spleen:
For tho the Youth and Gayety of some
May shew a little lightness of the Soul,
Till Ripening Years has given 'em Grains of weight,
Yet no wise Husbandman gives o're his Harvest
Because there chanced a Mildew, or a Blast;
But Gleans the best and soundest of his Grain,
'Till the next Year repairs him with its Plenty.

King.
Vain as they were, my Lord, slight as you make 'em,
I should be highly pleased by your example
To see our Count outdo 'em.

Mell.
There's a Rub.

Briss.
The Guise will at him agen;
He's studying for another Contradiction,
I'le lay my Life.

Mell.
Hee'd Choak else,
Ha! can I believe my Eyes? look, who comes yonder?

Enter Monsieur and D'Amboise, Richly Habited.
Briss.
D'Amboise, by all that's good, and Monsieur with him.

Mell.
This is an Age of Miracles;
How the Guise Ogles him!

Mons.
Sir, I have brought a Gentleman to Court, and
Pray will you vouchsafe to do him Grace.

King.
D'Amboise I think.

D'Amboise Kneels and Kisses the Kings Hand.
D'Amboise.
That's still my name, Dread Sir,
Tho I am somewhat alter'd in my Habit.

King.
I like your Alteration, and must tell you
I have expected the offer of your Service,
For I, in fear to make mild Vertue proud,
Use not to seek her out in any one.

D'Amboise.
Nor does she, to seek out every one.
Monarchs indeed have a prerogative,
And Vertue is their Vassal.

Mons.
I woo'd her Modesty in him, Sir,
And paid her those dues that I think she merits.

King.
If you have woo'd and won, then Brother wear him.

Mons.
Thou art mine, D'Amboise,
Come now, I'le Enter thee
[Governess aside whispers D'Amboise.
Among the Ladies; first here's
The Guise's Dutchess; the next the Joy of my Soul,
The Charming Countess of Mount Surry.

D'Amboise.
Ha! What says he? the Joy of his Soul?

[Aside.
Mons.
Come, I'le introduce you.
Ladies, you are too many to be in Counsel,
I have here a Friend that will be glad to
Enter into your Graces.

Dutch.
If he would be enter'd into our Graces, my Lord,
Methinks you should give him leave to speak
For himself.

Beau.
Has he never been a Courtier, my Lord?

Mons.
Never, my Lady.

Dutch.
And why did the Toy take him in the Head now?

D'Ambois.
'Tis Leap-Year, Madam, and therefore very
Good to enter a Courtier.

King.
Dutchess of Guise, you'll find there's one
Is not too Bashful.

[King goes and sits down at a Table, and beckons Mount Surry to Play at Chesse.
Dutch.
No, Sir, I rather wish he
Be'nt guily of the bold Extremity.

Tam.
The Gentleman would be a Courtier at
First sight; but Sir you are mistaken, you must
Learn your Horn-book, and your Psalter, and
A scurvy Treatise or two more, before you
Come to your Court Grammar.

D'Amboise.
You shall teach me any Lesson you please Madam,
Nay, and whip me, if I grow dull; I'm sure
'Twill be reasonable, and for my Instruction.

Dutch.
I dare swear, he has assurance enough,
To think he does deserve at first.

D'Amboise.
Faith Madam, that assurance you speak of,
I think is the only thing I want of a Courtier;
But I shall quickly improve, and would
Gladly take Protection Madam, under
Your Graces Colours.

Dutch.
Soft and Fair Sir, do you not know you
Must rise by degrees, first being the Servant
Of some common Lady, or Knights Wife;
Then a little higher, to a Lords Wife; next
A little higher, to a Countess; yet a little
Higher to a Dutchess; and then turn the Ladder.

Guise.
How now! they're very familiar methinks.

Barr., L'Annou.
Ha, ha, ha.

D'Amboise.
Will you allow a Man then Four Mistresses Madam,
When the greatest Mistress is allowed but Three Servants?

Dutch.
Where find you that Statute, Sir?

D'Amboise.
Why be judg'd by the Groom Porters.

Dutch.
The Groom Porters?

D'Amboise.
Ay Madam, must not they judge of all
Games I'th'Court?

Dutch.
You talk like a Gamster.

Guise.
Sir, know you me?

D'Amboise.
My Lord?

Guise.
I know you not; whom do you serve?

D'Amboise.
Serve, my Lord?

Guise.
Hence prating Upstart, your Courtship is
Too Sawcy.

D'Amboise.
Upstart and Sawcy; 'tis the Guise, but yet
Those Terms might have been spared
Of the Guisard. Sawcy, he's Jealous by
This light; are you blind o'that side Duke! I'le
To her again, for that: on Princely Mistriss,
For the honour of Courtship, another Riddle.

Guise.
Cease your Courtship, or by Heavens I'le cut your Throat.

D'Amboise.
Cut my Throat, cut a Whetstone; Butcher
Every thing with thy Tongue, or thy curst Agents,
Thy Sword I'm sure is slow enough in danger:
I wish the King fear'd the cutting of his Throat
No more, than I fear thy cutting mine.

Guise.
I'le do't by this Hand.

D'Amboise.
That Hand dares not do it;
Thou'st cut too many Throats already, Guise,
And Robb'd the Land of many Thousand Souls
More precious than thy own. Come Madam,
I beseech your Grace talk; your Wit does wonders;
For as I was saying,

Pyrr.
There's some strange disorder.

Barr.
A sudden Transmigration with D'Amboise;
Methinks in a minute; from the Court Lobby
Into the Dutchesses Closset.

L'Ann.
You see what wonders a fine Suit can work.

Pyrr.
Prithee step to the Guise and discover him.

Barr.
By no means, let the new Suit work;
We'll see the Issue.

Guise.
Leave your prating.

D'Amboise.
I will not. I say noble Mistress, and I will stand too't,
That if a Woman may have Three Servants, a Man
May have Threescore Mistresses.

Guise.
Sirrah, I'le have you whipt out of the Court
For this Insolence.

D'Amboise.
Whipt! such another Syllable out of the presence
If thou darst for thy Dukedom.

Guise.
Remember Poltroon.

Mons.
What's the matter? prithee forbear.

D'Amboise.
Oh by the Infernals, were not the King i't'h presence,
He should strew the Chamber like a Rush.

Mons.
But leave Courting his Wife then.

D'Amboise.
'Sdeath, Hell and Furies, I'le Court her
In spight of him. Not Court her? Come Madam,
For Heavens sake talk on, fear nothing; but
Let's have another Story. Well mayst thou
Drive thy Master from the Court, but never D'Amboise.

Mons.
His great Heart will not down, come
Come away my Lord,—

[To Guise, he takes the Dutchess away; then Ex. Mons. Dutchess Ladies and Guise.
Guise.
I'le find a time.

D'Amboise.
Pish, Vapour.

Tam.
Pray Heaven the old Governess
Has done her Message; I would fain speak with him,
For methinks the Guise looks very mischievously.

Barr.
Why here's a Lion scared with the
Throat of a Dunghill Cock: A Craven
That has just shaked off his Gafflets, now does
He Crow for the Victory.

L'Ann.
'Tis one of the best Farces e're was acted.

Pyrr.
Who does the Guise suppose him to be,
I wonder.

L'Ann.
Some Countrey Heir, I warrant, and thinks
That Suit new drawn out of the Mercer's Book.

Barr.
I have heard of a Fellow that by fixt
Imaginations, looking upon a Bull-Baiting,
Had a visible pair of Horns grew out
Of his Forehead; so I believe this Gallant
Overjoy'd with Monsieur's cast Suit, imagines himself
To be Monsieur.

Pyrr.
Peace, he looks this way. What will you say
Now, if the Guise be gone to fetch a Blanket for him?

L'Ann.
D'slife, how he stares on us!

Barr.
Bless us, let's away!

Briss.
D'Amboise is making up to 'em, I hope 'twill
Come to something.

Mell.
The fleering Fops, deserve a beating richly.

D'Amboise.
I'll say that for 'em.
Now Sir, take your full view; how does the
Object please you?

Barr.
If you ask my Opinion Sir, I think your Suit sits as well
As if't had been made for you.

D'Amboise.
So Sir, and was that the subject of your ridiculous
Jollity?

Pyrr.
Perhaps it was Sir.

D'Amboise.
Sir, I have observed all your fleerings;
And though you're now in a place of safety,
We shall meet, when this buffoonly Grinning
Will cost you the best Blood in your Bodies.

L. Ann.
Go, go, Sir, Court your Mistress, and bring her to your Party.

Bar.
Ay, and his Sister too, or else we shall have odds against him.

D'Ambois.
Pish, Valour stands not in number: I dare avouch
One Man may beat three Boys.

Barr.
Boys Sir!

Briss.
Nay Gentlemen, you shall have no odds of him neither;
He's as good a Man as the proudest of you, and
You shall not wrong him.

Barr.
Not Sir.

Mell.
Not Sir; tho he have not your Titles, I believe him a
Better Man than the best of you,
And I'le Justifie him.

Pyrr.
Will you, Sir?

Mell.
Yes, Sir, that will I.

D'Ambois.
I shou'd thank you for this Kindness, Gent.
If I thought these perfumed Muskats being
Out of this Priviledge durst but mew at us.

Barr.
Does your Confidence doubt that, Sir? Follow and try.

L'Ann.
Come, Sir, we'll lead you a Dance.

Exeunt.
King rises from Play.
King.
My Lord, your Judgment gets the better of me,
I should take odds of you:

Mont.
A Minute's Chance, Sir: To morrow it will
Be your Majesties.

King.
Perhaps so too. When went the Guise away?

Mount.
About half an hour since, Sir; and as I guess
In some distaste with D'Amboise.

King.
I know it galls his Envy, to see his suddain
Bravery and Great Spirit.

Mont.
I hope not, Sir, the Guise has many Vertues.

King.
O my Lord,
This Envy is a Creature of strange Nature;
She feeds on outcast Intrails like a Kite:
In which foul Heap, if any Ill lies hid,
She sticks her Beak into it, shakes it up,
And throws it all abroad, that all may view it;
Corruption is her Nutriment; but touch her
With any Sovereign Oyntment, and you kill her.
Where she finds any Faults in Men, she feasts,
And with loud Scandals bruits 'em through the World,
To spread Contagion; but if she tastes
The smallest Relish of commended Virtue,
She Surfeits of it, and is like a Fly
That passes all the Bodies soundest parts,
And dwells upon the Sores. Wise Men may shun her,
But she has never Power to shun her self.
For wheresoe're she flies from her own harms,
She bears her Foes still Claspt within her Arms.