University of Virginia Library

Actus quarti

Scæna prima.

Alarum within: Excursions ouer thee Stage.
The Lackies running, Maillard following them.
Mail.
Villaines, not hold him when ye had him downe.

1
Who can hold lightning? Sdeath a man as well
Might catch a Canon Bullet in his mouth,
And spit it in your hands, as take and hold him.

Mail.
Pursue, enclose him; stand, or fall on him,
And yee may take him. Sdeath, they make him guards.

Exit.
Alarum still, and enter Chalon.
Chal.
Stand Cowards, stand, strike, send your bullets at him.

1
Wee came to entertaine him sir, for honour.

2
Did ye not say so?

Chal.
Slaues, hee is a traitor;
Command the horse troopes to ouer-runne the traitor.

Exit.
Showts within. Alarum still. and Chambers shot off. Then enter Aumall.
Aum.
What spirit breathes thus, in this more then man,
Turnes flesh to ayre possest, and in a storme,
Teares men about the field like Autumne leaues?
He turnd wilde lightning in the Lackies hands,
Who, though their sodaine violent twitch vnhorst him,
Yet when he bore himselfe, their saucie fingers
Flew as too hot off, as hee had beene fire.
The ambush then made in, through all whose force,
Hee draue as if a fierce and fire-giuen Canon
Had spit his iron vomit out amongst them.
The Battailes then, in two halfe-moones enclos'd him,
In which he shew'd, as if he were the light,
And they but earth, who wondring what hee was;
Shruncke their steele hornes, and gaue him glorious passe,
And as a great shot from a towne besieg'd,
At foes before it, flyes forth blacke and roring,
But they too farre, and that with waight opprest,
(As if disdaining earth) doth onely grasse,
Strike earth, and vp againe into the ayre;
Againe sinkes to it, and againe doth rise,
And keepes such strength that when it softliest moues,
It piece-meale shiuers any let it proues:
So flew braue Clermont forth, till breath forsooke him,
Then fell to earth, and yet (sweet man) euen then
His spirits conuulsions made him bound againe,
Past all their reaches; till all motion spent,
His fixt eyes cast a blaze of such disdaine,
All stood and star'd, and vntouch'd let him lie,
As something sacred fallen out of the skie.
A cry within.
O now some rude hand hath laid hold on him!
Enter Maillard, Chalon leading Clermont, Captaines and Souldiers following.
See, prisoner led, with his bands honour'd more,
Then all the freedome he enioy'd before.

Mail.
At length wee haue you sir.

Cler.
You haue much ioy too,
I made you sport yet, but I pray you tell mee,
Are not you periur'd?

Mail.
No: I swore for the King.

Cler.
Yet periurie I hope is periurie.

Mail.
But thus forswearing is not periurie;
You are no Politician: not a fault,
How foule soeuer, done for priuate ends,
Is fault in vs sworne to the publike good:
Wee neuer can be of the damned crew,
Wee may impolitique our selues (as t'were)
Into the Kingdomes body politique,
Whereof indeede we'are members: you misse terme's.

Cler.
The things are yet the same.

Mail.
Tis nothing so: the propertie is alter'd:
Y'are no Lawyer. Or say that othe and othe
Are still the same in number, yet their species
Differ extreamely, as for flat example,
When politique widowes trye men for their turne,
Before they wed them, they are harlots then,
But when they wed them, they are honest women
So, priuate men, when they forsweare, betray,
Are periur'd treachers, but being publique once,
That is, sworne-married to the publique good.

Cler.
Are married women publique?

Mail.
Publique good,
For marriage makes them, being the publique good,
And could not be without them. So I say
Men publique, that is, being sworne-married
To the good publique, being one body made
With the Realmes body politique, are no more
Priuate, nor can be periur'd, though forsworne,
More then a widow married, for the act
Of generation is for that an harlot.
Because for that shee was so, being vnmarried:
An argument a paribus.

Chal.
Tis a shrow'd one.

Cler.
Who hath no faith to men, to God hath none:
Retaine you that Sir? who said so?

Mail.
Twas I.

Cler.
Thy owne tongue damne thy infidelitie.
But Captaines all you know me nobly borne,
Vse yee t'assault such men as I with Lackyes.

Chal.
They are no Lackyes sir, but Souldiers,
Disguis'd in Lackyes coates.

1
Sir, wee haue seene the enemie.

Cler.
Auant yee Rascols, hence.

Mail.
Now leaue your coates.

Cler.
Let me not see them more.

Aum.
I grieue that vertue liues so vndistinguisht
From vice in any ill, and though the crowne
Of Soueraigne Law; shee should be yet her foot-stoole,
Subiect to censure, all the shame and paine
Of all her rigor.

Cler.
Yet false policie
Would couer all, being like offenders hid,
That (after notice taken where they hide)
The more they crouch and stirre, the more are spide.

Aum.
I vvonder how this chanc'd you.

Cler.
Some informer,
Bloud hound to mischiefe, vsher to the Hangman,
Thirstie of honour for some huge state act,
Perceiuing me great vvith the vvorthy Guise:
And he (I know not vvhy) held dangerous,
Made me the desperate organe of his danger,
Onely vvith that poore colour: tis the common
And more then vvhore-like tricke of treacherie,
And vermine bred to rapine, and to ruine:
For vvhich this fault is still to be accus'd,
Since good acts faile, crafts and deceits are vs'd.
If it be other neuer pittie mee.

Aum.
Sir, vve are glad, beleeue it, and haue hope
The King vvill so conceit it.

Cler.
At his pleasure.
In meane time, vvhat's your vvill Lord Lieutenant?

Mail.
To leaue your owne horse, and to mount the trumpets.

Cler.
It shall be done: this heauily preuents
My purpos'd recreation in these parts;
Which now I thinke on: let me begge you sir,
To lend me some one Captaine of your Troopes,
To beare the message of my haplesse seruice,
And miserie, to my most noble mistresse,
Countesse of Cambray: to whose house this night
I promist my repaire, and know most truely,
With all the ceremonies of her fauour,
She sure expects mee.

Mail.
Thinke you now on that?

Cler.
On that, sir? I, and that so worthily,
That if the King, in spight of your great seruice,
Would send me instant promise of enlargement,
Condition I would set this message by,
I would not take it, but had rather die.

Aum.
Your message shall be done sir: I my selfe
Will be for you a messenger of ill.

Cler.
I thanke you sir, and doubt not yet to liue
To quite your kindnesse.

Aum.
Meane space vse your spirit
And knowledge for the chearfull patience
Of this so strange and sodaine consequence.

Cler.
Good sir, beleeue that no perticular torture
Can force me from my glad obedience
To any thing the high and generall cause,
To match with his whole Fabricke, hath ordainde,
And know yee all (though farre from all your aymes,
Yet worth them all, and all mens endlesse studies)
That in this one thing, all the discipline
Of manners, and of manhood is contain'd;
A man to ioyne himselfe with th' Vniuerse,
In his maine sway, and make (in all things fit)
One with that all, and goe on, round as it;
Not plucking from the whole his wretched part,
And into straites, or into nought reuert,
Wishing the compleate Vniuerse might be
Subiect to such a ragge of it as hee:
But to consider great necessitie
All things as well refract, as voluntarie
Reduceth to the prime celestiall cause,
Which he that yeelds to with a mans applause,
And cheeke, by cheeke, goes; crossing it, no breath,
But like Gods Image, followes to the death,
That man is truely wise, and euery thing,
(Each cause, and euery part distinguishing)
In Nature, with enough Art vnderstands,
And that full glory merits at all hands,
That doth the whole world at all parts adorne,
And appertaines to one celestiall borne.

Exeunt omnes.
Enter Baligny, Renel.
Bal.
So foule a scandall neuer man sustain'd,
Which caus'd by'th King, is rude and tyrannous:
Giue me a place, and my Lieutenant make
The filler of it.

Ren.
I should neuer looke
For better of him; neuer trust a man,
For any Iustice, that is rapt with pleasure:
To order armes well, that makes smockes his ensignes,
And his whole Gouernments sayles: you heard of late,
Hee had the foure and twenty wayes of Venerie
Done all before him.

Bal.
Twas abhorr'd and beastly.

Ren.
Tis more then natures mightie hand can doe
To make one humane and a Letcher too.
Looke how a Wolfe doth like a Dogge appeare,
So, like a friend is an Adulterer,
Voluptuaries, and these belly-gods;
No more true men are, then so many Toads.
A good man happy, is a common good;
Vile men aduanc'd liue of the common bloud.

Bal.
Giue and then take like children.

Ren.
Bounties are
As soone repented as they happen rare.

Bal.
What should Kings doe, and men of eminent places;
But as they gather, sow gifts to the graces,
And where they haue giuen, rather giue againe,
(Being giuen for vertue) then like Babes and fooles,
Take and repent Gifts; why are wealth and power?

Ren.
Power and wealth moue to tyranny, not bountie;
The Merchant for his wealth is swolne in minde,
When yet the chiefe Lord of it is the Winde.

Bal.
That may so chance to our State-Merchants too:
Something performed, that hath not farre to goe.

Ren.
That's the maine point, my Lord; insist on that.

Bal.
But doth this fire rage further? hath it taken
The tender tynder of my wifes sere bloud?
Is shee so passionate?

Ren.
So wilde, so mad,
Shee cannot liue, and this vnwreakt sustaine.
The woes are bloudy that in women raigne.
The Sicile gulfe keepes feare in lesse degree;
There is no Tyger, not more tame then shee.

Bal.
There is no looking home then?

Ren.
Home? Medea
With all her hearbs, charmes, thunders, lightning,
Made not her presence, and blacke hants more dreadfull.

Bal.
Come, to the King, if he reforme not all,
Marke the euent, none stand where that must fall.

Exeunt.
Enter Countesse, Riona, and an Usher.
Ush.
Madame, a Captaine come from Clermont D'Ambois
Desires accesse to you.

Count.
And not himselfe?

Vsh.
No, Madame.

Coun.
That's not vvell. Attend him in.
Exit Vsh.
The last houre of his promise now runne out
And hee breake, some brack in the frame of nature
That forceth his breach.

Enter Vsher and Aumal.
Aum.
Saue your Ladiship.

Coun.
All welcome. Come you from my worthy seruant?

Aum.
I, Madame, and conferre such newes from him.

Coun.
Such newes? vvhat newes?

Aum.
Newes that I wish some other had had the charge of.

Coun.
O vvhat charge? vvhat newes?

Aum.
Your Ladiship must vse some patience
Or else I cannot doe him that desire,
He vrg'd vvith such affection to your Graces.

Coun.
Doe it; for heauens loue doe it, if you serue
His kinde desires, I vvill haue patience.
Is hee in health?

Aum.
He is.

Count.
Why, that's the ground
Of all the good estate wee hold in earth;
All our ill built vpon that, is no more
Then wee may beare, and should expresse it all.

Aum.
Madame, tis onely this; his libertie.

Coun.
His libertie! Without that health is nothing.
Why liue I, but to aske in doubt of that,
Is that bereft him?

Aum.
You'll againe preuent me.

Coun.
No more, I sweare, I must heare, and together
Come all my miserie. Ile hold though I burst.

Aum.
Then madame, thus it fares; he was enuited
By vvay of honour to him, to take view
Of all the Powers his brother Baligny
Hath in his gouernment; vvhich rang'd in battailes,
Mailiard, Lieutenant to the Gouernour,
Hauing receiu'd strickt Letters from the King,
To traine him to the musters, and betray him,
To their supprise, which, with Chalon in chiefe,
And other Captaines (all the field put hard
By his incredible valour for his scape)
They haplesly and guiltlesly perform'd,
And to Bastile hee's now led prisoner.

Coun.
What change is here? how are my hopes preuented?
O my most faithfull seruant; thou betraid?
Will Kings make treason lawfull? Is Societie
(To keepe which onely Kings vvere first ordain'd)
Lesse broke in breaking faith twixt friend and friend,
Then twixt the King and Subiect? let them feare,
Kings Presidents in licence lacke no danger.
Kings are compar'd to Gods, and should be like them,
Full in all right, in nought superfluous;
Nor nothing straining past right, for their right:
Raigne iustly, and raigne safely, Policie
Is but a Guard corrupted, and a way
Venter'd in Desarts, vvithout guide or path.
Kings punish Subiects errors vvith their owne.
Kings are like Archers, and their Subiects, shafts:
For as when Archers let their arrowes flye,
They call to them, and bid them flye or fall,
As if twere in the free power of the shaft
To flye or fall, vvhen onely tis the strength,
Straight shooting, compasse giuen it by the Archer,
That makes it hit or misse; and doing eyther,
Hee's to be prais'd or blam'd, and not the shaft:
So Kings to Subiects crying, doe, doe not this;
Must to them by their owne examples strength,
The straightnesse of their acts, and equall compasse,
Giue Subiects power t'obey them in the like;
Not shoote them forth with faultie ayme and strength,
And lay the fault in them for flying amisse,

Aum.
But for your seruant, I dare sweare him guiltlesse,

Count.
Hee would not for his Kingdome traitor be;
His Lawes are not so true to him, as he.
O knew I how to free him, by way forc'd
Through all their armie, I would flye, and doe it:
And had I, of my courage and resolue,
But tenne such more, they should not all retaine him;
But I will neuer die, before I giue
Maillard an hundred slashes with a sword,
Chalon an hundred breaches with a Pistoll.
They could not all haue taken Clermont D'Ambois,
Without their treacherie; he had bought his bands out
With their slaue blouds: but he was credulous;
Hee would beleeue, since he would be beleeu'd;
Your noblest natures are most credulous.
Who giues no trust, all trust is apt to breake;
Hate like hell mouth, who thinke not what they speake.

Aum.
Well, Madame, I must tender my attendance
On him againe. Will't please you to returne
No seruice to him by me?

Count.
Fetch me straight
My little Cabinet. [Exit Ancil.]
Tis little tell him,
And much too little for his matchlesse loue:
But as in him the worths of many men
Are close contracted; [Intr. Ancil.]
so in this are Iewels
Worth many Cabinets. Here, with this (good sir)
Commend my kindest seruice to my seruant,
Thanke him, with all my comforts; and, in them
With all my life for them: all sent from him
In his remembrance of mee, and true loue:
And looke you tell him, tell him how I lye
She kneeles downe at his feete.
Prostrate at feet of his accurst misfortune,
Pouring my teares out, which shall euer fall,
Till I haue pour'd for him out eyes and all.

Aum.
O madame, this will kill him: comfort you
With full assurance of his quicke acquitall;
Be not so passionate: rise, cease your teares.

Coun.
Then must my life cease. Teares are all the vent
My life hath to scape death: Teares please me better,
Then all lifes comforts, being the naturall seede
Of heartie sorrow. As a tree fruit beares,
Hee raises her, and leades her out. Exe.
So doth an vndissembled sorrow,teares.

Vsh.
This might haue beene before, and sau'd much charge.

Exit.
Enter Henry, Guise, Baligny, Esp. Soisson. Pericot with pen, incke, and paper.
Guise.
Now sir, I hope you're much abus'd Eyes see
In my word for my Clermont, what a villaine
Hee was that whisper'd in your iealous eare
His owne blacke treason in suggesting Clermonts:
Colour'd with nothing but being great with mee,
Signe then this writ for his deliuerie,
Your hand was neuer vrg'd with worthier boldnesse:
Come, pray sir, signe it: why should Kings be praid
To acts of Iustice? tis a reuerence
Makes them despis'd, and showes they sticke and tyre
In what their free powers should be hot as fire.

Hen.

Auersin.

Well, take your will sir, Ile haue mine ere long.
But wherein is this Clermont such a rare one?

Guise.
In his most gentle, and vnwearied minde,
Rightly to vertue fram'd; in very nature;
In his most firme inexorable spirit,
To be remou'd from any thing hee chuseth
For worthinesse; or beare the lest perswasion
To what is base, or fitteth not his obiect;
In his contempt of riches and of greatnesse;
In estimation of th' Idolatrous vulgar;
His scorne of all things seruile and ignoble,
Though they could gaine him neuer such aduancement;
His liberall kinde of speaking what is truth,
In spight of temporising; the great rising,
and learning of his soule, so much the more
Against ill fortune, as shee set her selfe
Sharpe against him, or would present most hard,
To shunne the malice of her deadliest charge;
His detestation of his speciall friends,
When he perceiu'd their tyrannous will to doe,
Or their abiection basely to sustaine
Any iniustice that they could reuenge;
The flexibilitie of his most anger,
Euen in the maine careere and fury of it,
When any obiect of desertfull pittie
Offers it selfe to him; his sweet disposure
As much abhorring to behold, as doe
Any vnnaturall and bloudy action;
His iust contempt of Iesters, Parasites,
Seruile obseruers, and polluted tongues:
In short, this Senecall man is found in him,
Hee may with heauens immortall powers compare,
To whom the day and fortune equall are,
Come faire or foule, what euer chance can fall,
Fixt in himselfe, hee still is one to all.

Hen.
Showes he to others thus?

Omnes.
To all that know him.

Hen.
And apprehend I this man for a traitor?

Guise.
These are your Macheuilian Villaines,
Your bastard Teucers, that their mischiefes done,
Runne to your shield for shelter: Caucusses,
That cut their too large murtherous theueries,
To their dens length still: woe be to that state
Where treacherie guards, and ruine makes men great.

Hen.
Goe, take my Letters for him, and release him.

Om.
Thankes to your Highnesse, euer liue your Highnesse.

Exeunt.
Bal.
Better a man were buried quicke, then liue
A propertie for state, and spoile, to thriue.

Exit.
Enter Clermont, Mail. Chal. with Souldiers.
Mail.
Wee ioy you take a chance so ill, so well.

Cler.
Who euer saw me differ in acceptance
Of eyther fortune?

Chal.
What, loue bad, like good?
How should one learne that?

Cler.
To loue nothing outward,
Or not within our owne powers to command;
And so being sure of euerything we loue,
Who cares to lose the rest: if any man
Would neyther liue nor dye in his free choise,
But as hee sees necessitie will haue it,
(Which if hee would resist, he striues in vaine)
What can come neere him, that hee doth not well,
And if in worst euents, his will be done;
How can the best be better? all is one.

Mail.
Me thinkes tis prettie.

Cler.
Put no difference
If you haue this, or not this; but as children
Playing at coites, euer regard their game,
And care not for their coites; so let a man
The things themselues that touch him not esteeme,
But his free power in well disposing them.

Chal.
Prettie from toyes.

Cler.
Me thinkes this double disticke
Seemes prettily too, to stay superfluous longings:
Not to haue want, what riches doth exceede?
Not to be subiect, what superiour thing?
He that to nought aspires, doth nothing neede;
Who breakes no Law is subiect to no King.

Mail.
This goes to mine eare well I promise you.

Chal.
O, but tis passing hard to stay one thus.

Cler.
Tis so; rancke custome raps men so beyond it,
And as tis hard, so well mens dores to barre
To keepe the cat out, and th' adulterer;
So tis as hard to curbe affections so,
Wee let in nought to make them ouer-flow.
And as of Homers verses, many Critickes
On those stand, of which times old moth hath eaten,
The first or last feete, and the perfect parts,
of his vnmatched Poeme sinke beneath,
With vpright gasping, and sloath dull as death:
So the vnprofitable things of life,
And those we cannot compasse, we affect,
All that doth profit, and wee haue, neglect,
Like couetous, and basely getting men,
That gathering much, vse neuer vvhat they keepe;
But for the least they loose, extreamely vveepe,

Mail.
This prettie talking and our horses walking
Downe this steepe hill, spends time with equall profit.

Cler.
Tis well bestow'd on ye, meate and men sicke
Agree like this, and you; and yet euen this
Is th' end of all skill, power, wealth, all that is.

Chal.
I long to heare sir, how your Mistresse takes this.

Enter Aumal with a Cabinet.
Mail.
Wee soone shall know it: see Aumall return'd.

Aum.
Ease to your bands sir.

Cler.
Welcome worthy friend.

Chal.
How tooke his noblest Mistresse your sad message?

Aum.
As great rich men take sodaine pouertie,
I neuer witness'd a more noble loue,
Nor a more ruthfull sorrow: I well wisht
Some other had beene master of my message.

Mail.
Y'are happy sir, in all things, but this one,
Of your vnhappy apprehension.

Cler.
This is to mee, compar'd with her much mone,
As one teare is to her whole passion.

Aum.
Sir, shee commends her kindest seruice to you,
And this rich Cabinet.

Chal.
O happy man.
This may enough hold to redeeme your bands.

Cler.
These clouds I doubt not, will be soone blowne ouer.

Enter Baligny with his discharge: Renel, and others.
Aum.
Your hope is iust and happy, see sir both
In both the looks of these.

Bal.
Here's a discharge
For this your prisoner, my good Lord Lieutenant.

Mail.
Alas, sir, I vsurpe that stile enforc't,
And hope you know it was not my aspiring.

Bal.
Well sir, my wrong aspir'd past all mens hopes.

Mail.
I sorrow for it sir.

Ren.
You see sir there
Your prisoners discharge autenticall.

Mail.
It is sir, and I yeeld it him with gladnesse.

Bal.
Brother, I brought you downe to much good purpose.

Cler.
Repeate not that sir: the amends makes all:

Ren.
I ioy in it, my best and worthiest friend,
O y'haue a princely fautor of the Guise.

Bal.
I thinke I did my part to.

Ren.
Well, sir; all
Is in the issue vvell: and (vvorthiest Friend)
Here's from your friend the Guise; here from the Countesse,
Your Brothers Mistresse, the contents vvhereof
I know, and must prepare you now to please
Th'vnrested spirit of your slaughtered brother,
If it be true, as you imagin'd once,
His apparition show'd it, the complot
Is now laid sure betwixt vs; therefore haste
Both to your great friend (vvho hath some vse vvaightie
For your repaire to him) and to the Countesse,
Whose satisfaction is no lesse important.

Cler.
I see all, and vvill haste as it importeth.
And good friend, since I must delay a little
My wisht attendance on my noblest Mistresse,
Excuse me to her, with returne of this,
And endlesse protestation of my seruice;
And now become as glad a messenger,
As you vvere late a vvofull.

Aum.
Happy change,
I euer vvill salute thee with my seruice.

Exit.
Bal.
Yet more newes Brother; the late iesting Monsieur
Makes now your Brothers dying prophesie equall
At all parts, being dead as he presag'd.

Ren.
Heauen shield the Guise from seconding that truth,
With what he likewise prophesied on him.

Cler.
It hath enough, twas grac'd with truth in one,
To 'th other falshood and confusion.
Leade to'th Court sir.

Bal.
You Ile leade no more,
It was to ominous and foule before.

Exeunt.