 | The Tragedie of Chabot Admirall of France |  |
Actus Primus.
Enter Asall, and Allegre.Asall.
Now Phillip Chabot, Admirall of France,
The great, and onely famous Favorite
To Francis first of that Imperiall name,
Hath found a fresh competitor in glory,
(Duke Montmorancie, Constable of France)
Who drinkes as deepe as he of the streame Royall,
And may in little time convert the strength
To raise his spring, and blow the others fall.
Al.
The world would wish it so, that will not patiently
Endure the due rise of a vertuous man.
As.
If he be vertuous, what is the reason
That men affect him nor, why is he lost
Rather their hate than love?
Al.
I wonder you
Will question it, aske a ground or reason
Of men bred in this vile degenerate age;
The most men are not good, and it agrees not
With impious natures to allow whats honest,
Tis an offence enough to be exalted
To regall favours, great men are not safe
In their owne vice, where good men by the hand
Of Kings are planted to survey their workings;
What man was ever fixt 'ith Sphere of honour,
And precious to his Soveraigne, whose actions,
Nay very soule was not expos'd to every
Common and base dissection? and not onely
That which in Nature hath excuse, and in
Themselves in priviledg'd by name of frailtie,
But even Vertues are made crimes, and doom'd
Toth' fate of Treason.
As.
A bad age the while,
I aske your pardon Sir, but thinkes your judgement,
His love to Justice, and Corruptions hate
Are true and hearty?
Al.
Iudge your selfe by this
One argument, his hearty truth to all,
For in the heart hath anger his wisest seate,
And gainst unjust suites such brave anger fires him,
That when they seeke to passe his place and power,
Though mov'd; and urg'd by the other minion,
Or by his greatest friends, and even the King
Leade them to his allowance with his hand,
First given in Bill, assign'd, even then his spirit,
(In nature calme as any Summers evening)
Puts up his Whole powers like a Winters sea,
His bloud boyles over, and his heart even cracks
At the injustice, and he teares the Bill,
And would doe, were he for't to be torne in peeces.
As.
Tis brave I sweare.
Nay it is worthy your wonder
That I must tell you further, theres no Needle
In a Sunne Diall plac'd upon his steele
In such a tender posture, that doth tremble
The timely Diall being held amisse,
And will shake ever, till you hold it right
More tender than himsefe in any thing
That he concludes in Iustice for the State:
For as a fever held him, hee will shake
When he is signing any things of weight,
Least humane frailty should misguide his justice.
As.
You have declar'd him a most noble Iusticer.
Al.
He truely weighes and feeles Sir, what a charge
The subjects livings are (being even their lives
Laid on the hand of power,) which abus'd
Though seene, blood flow not from the justice seate,
Tis in true sence as grievous, and horrid.
As.
It argues nothing lesse, but since your Lord
Is diversly reported for his parts,
Whats your true censure of his generall worth,
Vertue and Iudgement.
Al.
As of a Picture wrought to opticke reason,
That to all passers by, seemes as they move
Now woman, now a Monster, now a Divell,
And till you stand, and in a right line view it,
You cannot well judge what the maine forme is,
So men that view him but in vulgar passes
Casting but laterall, or partiall glances,
At what he is, suppose him weake, unjust,
Bloody, and monstrous, but stand free and fast,
And judge him by no more than what you know
Ingenuously, and by the right laid line
Of truth, he truely, will all stiles deserve
Of wise, just, good, a man both soule and nerve.
As.
Sir, I must joyne in just beleefe with you,
But whats his rivall the Lord high Constable?
Al.
As just, and well inclin'd when hee's himselfe,
(Not wrought on with the counsells, and opinions
The Admirall is not flexible nor wonne
To move one scruple, when he comprehends
The honest tract and justnesse of a cause,
The Constable explores not so sincerely
The course hee runnes, but takes the minde of others
(By name Iudiciall) for what his owne
Iudgement, and knowledge should conclude.
As.
A fault
In my apprehension, anothers knowledge
Applied to my instruction, cannot equall
My owne soules knowledge, how to informe Acts;
The Sunnes rich radiance shot through waves most faire,
Is but a shaddow to his beames ith' ayre,
His beames that in the ayre we so admire,
Is but a darkenesse to his flame in fire,
In fire his fervour but as vapour flies
To what his owne pure bosome rarifies:
And the Almighty wisedom, having given
Each man within himselfe an apter light
To guide his acts, than any light without him
(Creating nothing not in all things equall)
It seemes a fault in any that depend
On others knowledge, and exile their owne.
Al.
Tis nobly argued, and exemplified,
But now I heare my Lord, and his young rivall
Are to be reconcil'd, and then one light
May serve to guide them both.
As.
I wish it may, the King being made first mover
To forme their reconcilement, and enflame it
With all the sweetnesse of his praise and honour.
Al.
See, tis dispatch'd I hope, the King doth grace it.
Loud Musicke, and Enter Vshers before, the Secretary, Tresuror, Chancellor, Admirall, Constable hand in hand, the King following, others attend.
Kin.
This doth expresse the noblest fruit of peace.
Cha.
Which when the great begin, the humble end
In joyfull imitation, all combining
Past wit to lose it, or the sword, be still so.
Tre.
Tis certaine Sir, by concord least things grow
Most great, and flourishing like trees that wrap
Their forehead in the skies, may these doe so.
Kin.
You heare my Lord, all that is spoke contends
To celebrate with pious vote the attonement
So lately, and so nobly made betweene you.
Ad.
Which for it selfe Sir, resolve to keepe
Pure, and inviolable, needing none
To encourage or confirme it, but my owne
Love and allegiance to your sacred counsell.
Kin.
Tis good, and pleases, like my dearest health,
Stand you firme on that sweete simplicitie.
Con.
Past all earth pollicie that would infringe it.
Kin.
Tis well, and answers all the doubts suspected.
Enter one that whispers with the Admirall.
And what moves this close message Phillip?
Adm.
My wives Father Sir, is closely come to Court.
King.
Is he come to the Court, whose aversation
So much affects him, that he shunnes and flies it,
What's the strange reason that he will not rise
Above the middle region he was borne in?
Adm.
He saith Sir, tis because the extreame of height
Makes a man lesse seeme to the imperfect eye
Then he is truely, his acts envied more,
And though he nothing cares for seeming, so
His being just stand firme twixt heaven and him,
Yet since in his soules jealousie, hee feares
That he himselfe advanced, would undervalue
Men placed beneath him, and their businesse with him,
Since height of place oft dazles height of judgement,
He takes his toppe-saile downe in such rough stormes,
And apts his sailes to ayres more temperate.
Kin.
A most wise soule he has, how long shall Kings
Raise men that are not wise till they be high:
You haue our leave, but tell him Phillip wee
Would have him neerer.
Your desires attend you.
Enter another.
Kin.
We know from whence you come, say to the Queene;
We were comming to her, tis a day of love
And she seales all perfection.
Exit
Tre.
My Lord,
We must beseech your stay.
Con.
My stay?
Cha.
Our Counsells
Have led you thus farre to your reconcilement,
And must remember you, to observe the end
At which in plaine I told you then wee aim'd at,
You know we all urg'd the attonement, rather
To enforce the broader difference betweene you,
Then to conclude your friendshippe, which wise men
Know to be fashionable, and priviledg'd pollicie,
And will succeede betwixt you, and the Admirall
As sure as fate, if you please to get sign'd
A sute now to the King with all our hands,
Which will so much increase his precise justice,
That weighing not circumstances of politicke State,
He will instantly oppose it, and complaine,
And urge in passion, what the King will sooner
Punish than yeeld too, and so render you
In the Kings frowne on him, the onely darling,
And mediate power of France.
Con.
My good Lord Chancellor,
Shall I so late atton'd, and by the Kings
Hearty and earnest motion, fall in peeces?
Cha.
Tis he, not you that breake.
Tre.
Ha not you patience
To let him burne himselfe in the Kings flame?
Cha.
Come, be not Sir infected with a spice
Of that too servile equitie, that renders
Men free borne slaves, and rid with bits like horses,
When you must know my Lord, that even in nature
A man is Animall politicum,
So that when he informes his actions simply
And therefore our soule motion is affirm'd
To be like heavenly natures circular,
And circles being call'd ambitious fines,
We must like them become, ambitious ever,
And endles in our circumventions;
No tough hides limiting our cheverill mindes.
Tre.
Tis learnedly, and past all answer argued,
Yare great, and must grow greater still, and greater,
And not be like a dull and standing lake,
That settles, putrifies, and chokes with mudde,
But like a river gushing from the head,
That windes through the undervailes, what checkes ore flowing
Gets strength still of his course,
Till with the Ocean meeting, even with him
In sway, and title, his brave billowes move.
Con.
You speake a rare affection, and high soules,
But give me leave great Lords, still my just thankes
Remembred, in your counsells and direction,
I seeking this way to confirme my selfe
I undermine the columnes that support
My hopefull glorious fortune, and at once
Provoke the tempest, though did drowne my envie,
With what assurance shall the King expect
My faith to him, that breake it for another,
He has engag'd our peace, and my revenge
Forfits my trust with him, whose narrow sight
Will penetrate through all our mists, could we
Vaile our designe with clouds blacker than night;
But grant this danger over, with what Iustice,
Or satisfaction to the inward Iudge,
Shall I be gultie of this good mans ruine,
Though I may still the murmuring tongues without me,
Loud conscience has a voyce to shadder greatnesse.
Secr.
A name to fright, and terrifie young statists,
There is necessitie my Lord, that you
Must lose your light, if you ecclipse not him,
Two starres so Lucide cannot shine at once
Extinguish his fires, then be made his fuell,
And in your ashes give his flame a Trophy.
Cha.
My Lord, the league that you have vow'd of friendship,
In a true understanding not confines you,
But makes you boundlesse, turne not edge at such
A liberty, but looke to your owne fortune;
Secure your honour, a Precisian,
In state, is a rideculous miracle
Friendship is but a visor, beneath which
A wise man laughes to see whole families
Ruinde, upon whose miserable pile
He mounts to glory, Sir you must rësolve
To use any advantage.
Con.
Misery
Of rising Statesmen I must on, I see
That 'gainst the politicke, and priviledg'd fashion,
All justice 'tasts but affectation.
Cha.
Why so? we shall do good on him ith' end.
Exeunt.
Enter Father and the Admirall.
Adm.
You are most welcome.
Fa.
I wish your Lordships safetie,
Which whilst I pray for, I must not forget
To urge agen the wayes to fixe you where
No danger has accesse to threaten you.
Adm.
Still your old argument, I owe your love fort.
Fa.
But fortified with new and pregnant reasons,
That you should leave the Court.
Ad.
I dare not Sir.
Fa.
You dare be undone then.
Ad.
I should be ingratefull
To such a master, as no subject boasted
To leave his service when they exact
My chiefest dutie, and attendance Sir.
Fa.
Would thou wert lesse degraded from thy titles,
And swelling offices, that will ith' end
Engulfe thee past a rescue, I had not come
So farre to trouble you at this time, but that
I doe not like the loud tongues o' the world,
The Constable a gay man, and a great,
With a hugh traine of faction too, the Queene,
Chancellor, Treasurer, Secretary, and
An army of state warriers, whose discipline,
Is sure, and subtile to confusion,
I hope the rumour's false, thou art so calme.
Adm.
Report has not abus'd you Sir.
Fa.
It has not,
And you are pleas'd, then you doe meane to mixe
With unjust courses, the great Constable
And you combining, that no suite may passe
One of the graples of your eithers rape,
I that abhorr'd, must I now entertaine
A thought, that your so straight, and simple custome
To render Iustice, and the common good,
Should now be patch'd with pollicy, and wrested
From the ingenious step you tooke,
And hang
Vpon the shoulders of your enemy
To beare you out in what you shame to act.
Adm.
Sir, We both are reconciled.
Fa.
It followes then that both the acts must beare
Like reconcilement, and if hee will now
Maligne and mallice you for crossing him
Or any of his faction in their suites,
Being now atton'd, you must be one in all,
One in corruption, and twixt you two millstones
New pickt, and put together, must the graine
Of good mens needfull meanes to live, be ground
Into your choking superfluities;
You both too rich, they ruinde.
Adm.
I conceive Sir
Wee both may be enrich'd, and raise our fortunes
Even with our places in our Soveraignes favour:
Though past the height of others, yet within
The rules of Law and Iustice, and approove
Our actions white and innocent.
I doubt it
While inforc'd shew perhaps, which will I feare
Prove in true substance but a Millers whitenesse,
More sticking in your clothes then conscience.
Adm.
Your censure here in tasts some passion Sir,
And I beseech you nourish better thoughts,
Then to imagine that the Kings meere grace
Sustaines such prejudice by those it honours;
That of necessitie we must pervert it
With passionate enemies, and ambitious boundlesse
Avarice, and every licence incident
To fortunate greatnesse, and that all abuse it
For the most impious avarice of some.
Fa.
As if the totall summe of favorites frailties
Affected not the full rule of their Kings
In their owne partially disposed ambitions,
And that Kings doe no hazard infinitely
In their free realties of rights and honours,
Where they leave much for favourites powers to order.
Adm.
But wee have such a master of our King
In the Imperiall art, that no power flies
Out of his favour, but his policie ties
A criance to it, to containe it still;
And for the reconcilement of us Sir,
Never were two in favour, that were more.
One in all love of Iustice, and true honour,
Though in the act and pro edition
Pehaps we differ. Howsoever yet
One beame us both creating, what should let
That both our soules should both one mettle beare,
And that one stampe, one word, one character.
Fa.
I could almost be won to be a Courtier,
Theres some thing more in's composition,
Then ever yet was favourites.
Enter a Courtier.
Whats hee?
Cour.
I bring your Lordship a sign'd bill, to have
The addition of your honor'd hand, the counsell
Ad.
It seemes then they have weigh'd the importance of it,
And know the grant is just.
Cour.
No doubt my Lord,
Or else they take therein the Constables word,
It being his suite, and his power having wrought
The King already to appose his hand.
Adm.
I doe not like his working of the King,
For if it be a suite made knowne to him,
And fit to passe, he wrought himselfe to it,
However my hand goes to no such grant,
But first I'le know and censure it my selfe.
Cour.
A he, if thou beest goddesse of contention
That Iove tooke by the haire, and hurl'd from heaven
Assume in earth thy empire, and this bill
Thy firebrand make to turne his love, thus tempted
Into a hate, as horrid as thy furies.
Adm.
Does this heare title of his Lordships suite?
Cour.
It does my Lord, and therefore he beseech'd
The rather your dispatch.
Adm.
No thought the rather,
But now the rather all powers against it,
The suite being most injust, and he pretending
In all his actions justice, on the sudden
After his so late vow not to violate it,
Is strange and vile, and if the King himselfe
Should owne and urge it, I would stay and crosse it,
For tis within the free power of my office,
And I should straine his kingdome if I past it,
I see their poore attempts, and giddy malice;
Is this the reconcilement that so lately
He vow'd in sacred witnesse of the King?
Assuring me, he never more would offer
To passe a suite unjust, which I well know
This is, above all, and have often beene urg'd
To give it passage, be you Sir the Judge.
Fa.
I wonot meddle
With any thing of state, you knew long since.
Yet you may heare it Sir.
Fa.
You wonot urge
My opinion then, go to.
Adm.
An honest merchant
Presuming on our league of France with Spaine,
Brought into Spaine a wealthy ship, to vent
Her fit commodities to serve the country,
Which, in the place of suffering their saile
Were seas'd to recompence a Spanish ship
Priz'd by a French man, ere the league was made,
No suites, no letters of our Kings could gaine
Our merchants first right in it, but his letters
Vnreverently received, the Kings selfe scandall,
Beside the leagues breach, and the foule injustice
Done to our honest merchant, who endured all,
Till some small time since (authoris'd by our counsell,
Though not in open Court.) he made a ship out,
And tooke a Spaniard, brings all home, and sues
To gaine his full prov'd losse, full recompence
Of his just prize, his prize is staid and ceaz'd,
Yet for the Kings disposure, and the Spaniard
Makes suite to be restor'd her, which this bill
Would faine get granted, faining (as they hop'd)
With my allowance, and way given to make
Our Countrey mans in Spaine their absolute prize.
Fa.
Twere absolute injustice.
Adm.
Should I passe it.
Fa.
Passe life, and state before.
Adm.
If this would seeme
His Lordships suite, his love to me, and justice
Including plots upon me, while my simplenesse
Is seriously vow'd to reconcilement;
Love him good vulgars, and abhorre me still,
For if I court your flatterie with my crimes,
Heavens love before me fly, till in my tombe
I sticke pursuing it, and for this bill,
Thus say twas shiver'd, blesse us equall heaven!
Exit.
Fa.
This could I cherish, now above his losse,
Exeunt.
| The Tragedie of Chabot Admirall of France | |