 | The Fatall Dovvry |  |
Scæna 2.
Enter Romont, Baumont.Rom.
You haue them ready.
Bau.
Yes, and they will speake
Their knowledg in this cause, when thou thinkst fit
To haue them cal'd vpon.
Rom.
'Tis well, and something
I can adde to their euidence, to proue
This braue reuenge, which they would haue cal'd murther,
A noble Iustice.
Bau.
In this you expresse
(The breach by my Lords want of you, new made vp)
A faythfull friend.
Rom.
That friendship's rays'd on sand,
Or flowing of our passions can change,
As if it nere had bin: but doe you know
Who are to sit on him?
Bau.
Mounsieur Du Croy
Assisted by Charmi.
Rom.
The Aduocate
That pleaded for the Marshalls funerall,
And was checkt for it by Nouall.
Bau.
The same.
Rom.
How fortunes that?
Bau.
Why, sir, my Lord Nouall
Being the accuser, cannot be the Iudge,
Nor would grieue Rochfort, but Lord Charaloys
(How-euer he might wrong him by his power,)
Should haue an equall hearing.
Rom.
By my hopes
Of Charaloys acquitall, I lament
That reuerent old mans fortune.
Bau.
Had you seene him,
As to my griefe I haue now promis'd patience,
And ere it was beleeu'd, though spake by him
That neuer brake his word, inrag'd againe
So far as to make warre vpon those heires,
Which not a barbarous Scythian durst presume
To touch, but with a superstitious feare,
As something sacred, and then curse his daughter,
But with more frequent violence himselfe,
As if he had bin guilty of her fault,
By being incredulous of your report,
You would not onely iudge him worrhy pitty,
But suffer with him.
Enter Charalois, with Officers.
But heere comes the prisoner,
I dare not stay to doe my duty to him,
Yet rest assur'd, all possible meanes in me
To doe him seruice, keepes you company.
Exit Bau.
Rom.
It is not doubted.
Why, yet as I came hither,
The people apt to mocke calamity,
And tread on the oppress'd, made no hornes at me,
Though they are too familiar: I deserue them.
And knowing what blood my sword hath drunke
In wreake of that disgrace, they yet forbare
To shake their heads, or to reuile me for
A murtherer, they rather all put on
(As for great losses the old Romans vs'd)
A generall face of sorrow, waighted on
By a sad murmur breaking through their silence,
And no eye but was readier with a teare
To witnesse 'twas shed for me, then I could
Discerne a face made vp with scorne against me.
Why should I then, though for vnusuall wrongs
I chose vnusuall meanes to right those wrongs,
Condemne my selfe, as ouer-partiall
In my owne cause Romont?
Rom.
Best friend, well met,
By my hearts loue to you, and ioyne to that,
My thankfulnesse that still liues to the dead,
I looke vpon you now with more true ioy,
Then when I saw you married.
Cha.
You haue reason
To giue you warrant for't; my falling off
From such a friendship with the scorne that answered
Your too propheticke counsell, may well moue you
To thinke, your meeting me going to my death,
A fit encounter for that hate which iustly
I haue deseru'd from you.
Rom.
Shall I still then
Speake truth, and be ill vnderstood?
Cha.
You are not.
I am conscious, I haue wrong'd you, and allow me
Onely a morall man to looke on you,
Whom foolishly I haue abus'd and iniur'd,
Must of necessity be more terrible to me,
From the tribunall which I am to plead at.
Rom.
Passion transports you.
Cha.
For what I haue done
To my false Lady, or Nouall, I can
Giue some apparent cause: but touching you,
In my defence, childlike, I can say nothing,
But I am sorry for't, a poore satisfaction:
And yet mistake me not: for it is more
Then I will speake, to haue my pardon sign'd
For all I stand accus'd of.
Rom.
You much weaken the strength of your good cause.
Should you but thinke
A man for doing well could entertaine
A pardon, were it offred, you haue giuen
To blinde and slow-pac'd iustice, wings, and eyes
To see and ouertake impieties,
Which from a cold proceeding had receiu'd
Indulgence or protection.
Cha.
Thinke you so?
Rom.
Vpon my soule nor should the blood you chalenge
And tooke to cure your honour, breed more scruple
In your soft conscience, then if your sword
Had bin sheath'd in a Tygre, or she Beare,
That in their bowels would haue made your tombe
To iniure innocence is more then murther:
But when inhumane lusts transforme vs, then
As beasts we are to suffer, not like men
To be lamented. Nor did Charalois euer
Performe an act so worthy the applause
Of a full theater of perfect men,
As he hath done in this: the glory got
By ouerthrowing outward enemies,
Since strength and fortune are maine sharers in it,
We cannot but by pieces call our owne:
But when we conquer our intestine foes,
Our passions breed within vs, and of those
Our reason suffering vs to like no longer
Then the faire obiect being good deserues it,
That's a true victory, which, were great men
Ambitious to atchieue, by your example
Setting no price vpon the breach of fayth,
But losse of life, 'twould fright adultery
Out of their families, and make lust appeare
As lothsome to vs in the first consent,
As when 'tis wayted on by punishment.
Cha.
You haue confirm'd me. Who would loue a woman
That might inioy in such a man, a friend?
You haue made me know the iustice of my cause,
And mark't me out the way, how to defend it.
Rom.
Continue to that resolution constant,
And you shall, in contempt of their worst malice,
Come off with honour. Heere they come.
Cha.
I am ready.
| The Fatall Dovvry | |