 | The Tragedie of Chabot Admirall of France |  |
Actus Secundus.
Enter King and Queen, Secretary with the Torne bill.Kin.
Is it ene so.
Que.
Good heaven how tame you are?
Doe Kings of France reward foule Traitors thus?
Kin.
No Traitor, y'are too loude, Chabots no Traitor,
He has the passions of a man about him,
And multiplicitie of cares may make
Wise men forget themselves, come be you patient.
Qu.
Can you be so, and see your selfe thus torne.
Kin.
Our selfe.
Qu.
There is some lest, if you dare owne,
Your royall character, is not this your name?
Kin.
Tis Francis I confesse.
Qu.
Be but a name
If this staine live upon't, affronted, by
Your subject, shall the sacred name of King,
A word to make your nation bow and tremble,
Be thus profain'd, are lawes establish'd
To punish the defacers of your image,
But dully set by the rude hand of others
Vpon your coine, and shall the character
That doth include the blessing of all France,
Your name, thus written by your royall hand
Design'd for Justice, and your Kingdomes honour,
Not call up equall anger to reward it?
Your Counsellors of state contemn'd, and slighted
As in this braine more circumscrib'd all wisedome,
And pollicy of Empire, and your power,
Subordinate and subject to his passion.
Kin.
Come, it concernes you not.
Qu.
Is this the consequence
Of an attonement made so lately betweene
Vrge by your selfe with such a precious sanction;
Come, he that dares doe this, wants not a heart,
But opportunitie.
Kin.
To doe what?
Qu.
To teare your crowne off.
Kin.
Come your language doth taste more
Of rage and womanish flame than solid reason
Against the Admirall, what commands of yours
Not to your expectation obey'd
By him, is ground of your so keene displeasure?
Qu.
Commands of mine? he is too great, and powerfull
To stoope to my employment, a Colossus,
And can stride from one Province to another
By the assistance of those offices
You have most confidently impos'd upon him,
Tis he, not you take up he peoples eyes.
And admiration, while his Princely wife:
Kin.
Nay then I reach the spring of your distaste,
He has a wife,—
Enter Chancellor, Treasurer, and whisper with the King.
Qu.
Whom for her pride I love not,
And I but in her husbands ruine
Can triumph ore her greatnesse.
King.
Well, well, Ile thinke on't:
Exit.
Cha.
He beginnes to incline,
Madam you are the soule of our great worke.
Qu.
Ile follow, and imploy my powers upon him.
Tre.
We are confident you will prevaile at last,
And for the pious worke oblige the King to you.
Cha,
And us your humblest creatures.
Que.
Presse no further.
Exit. Que.
Cha.
Lets seeke out my Lord Constable.
Tre.
And inflame him.
Cha.
To expostulate with Chabot, something may
Arise from thence, to pull more weight upon him.
Exeunt.
Enter Father and Allegre.
Fa.
How sorts the businesse? how tooke the King
Al.
Exceeding well,
And seem'd to smile at all their grimme complaints,
Gainst all that outrage to his highnesse hand,
And said in plaine, he sign'd it but to try
My Lords firme Iustice
Fa.
What a sweete King tis?
Al.
But how his rivall the Lord Constable
Is labour'd by the Chancellor, and others to retort
His wrong with ten parts more upon my Lord,
Is monstrous?
Fa.
Neede hee their spurres?
Al.
I Sir, for hees afraid
To beare himselfe too boldly in his braves
Vpon the King (being newly entred Mynion)
Since tis but patience sometime they thinke;
Because the favor spending in two streames,
One must runne low at length, till when he dare
Take fire in such flame, as his faction wishes,
But with wise feare containes himselfe, and so
Like a greene faggot in his kindling smoakes,
And where the Chancellor his chiefe Cyclops findes
The fire within him apt to take, he blowes,
And then the faggot flames, as never more
The bellowes needed, till the too soft greenenesse
Of his state habit, shewes his sappe still flowes,
Above the solid timber, with which, then
His blaze shrinkes head, he cooles, and smoakes agen.
Fa.
Good man he would be, wod the bad not spoile him.
Al.
True sir, but they still ply him with their arts,
And as I heard have wrought him, personally
To question my Lord with all the bitternesse
The galls of all their faction can powre in,
And such an expectation hangs upon't,
Though all the Court as twere with child, and long'd
To make a mirror of my Lords cleare blood,
And therein see the full ebbe of his flood,
And therefore if you please to counsell him
Fa.
Nay since
Hees gone so farre, I wod not have him feare
But dare e'm, and yet ile not meddle int.
Enter Admirall.
Hees here, if he have wit to like his cause,
His spirit wonot be asham'd to die int.
Exit.
Al.
My Lord retire, y'are way-laid in your walkes,
Your friendes are all fallen from you, all your servants
Suborn'd by all advantage to report
Each word you whisper out, and to serve you
With hat and knee, while other have their hearts.
Adm,
Much profit may my foes make of such servants,
I love no enemy I have so well,
To take so ill a bargaine from his hands.
Al.
Their other oddes yet shun, all being combinde,
And lodg'd in ambush ariv'd to doe you mischiefe
By any meanes past feare of law, or soveraigne.
Adm.
I walke no desart, yet goe arm'd with that,
That would give wildest beasts instincts to rescue,
Rather then offer any force to hurt me;
My innocence is, which is a conquering justice,
As weares a shield, that both defends and fights.
All.
One against all the world.
Adm.
The more the oddes,
The lesse the conquest, or if all the world
Be thought an army fit to employ gainst one,
That one is argued fit to fight gainst all;
If I fall under them, this breast shall beare
Their heape digested in my sepulchre,
Death is the life of good men, let e'm come.
Enter Constable, Chancellor, Treasurer, Secretary.
Con.
I thought my Lord our reconcilement perfect,
You have exprest what sea of gall flow'd in you,
In tearing of the bill I sent to allow.
Adm.
Dare you confesse the sending of that bill.
Con.
Dare, why not?
Adm.
Because it breake your oath
The honour, and the chiefe life of the King
Which is his justice.
Con.
Betraies?
Adm.
No lesse, and that Ile prove to him.
Omnes.
You cannot.
Trea.
I would not wish you offer at an action
So most impossibly, and much against
The judgement, and favour of the King.
Adm.
His judgement nor his favour I respect,
So I preserve his Iustice.
Cha.
Tis not Iustice,
Which I'le prove by law, and absolute learning.
Adm.
All your great law, and learning are but words,
When I plead plainely, naked truth, and deedes,
Which though you seeke to fray with state, and glory,
I'le shoote a shaft at all your globe of light,
If lightning split it, yet twas high and right.
Exit.
Con.
Brave resolution so his acts be just,
He cares for gaine not honour.
Chan.
How came he then
By all his infinite honour and his gaine?
Tre.
Well said my Lord.
Sec.
Answer but onely that.
Con.
By doing justice still in all his actions.
Sec
But if this action prove unjust, will you
Say all his other may be so as well,
And thinke your owne course fitter farre than his.
Con,
I will—
Exit.
Cha.
He cooles, we must not leave him, we have no
Such engine to remove the Admirall.
Exeunt.
Enter King and the Admirall.
Kin.
I prethee Philip be not so severe
To him I favour, tis an argument
That may serve one day to availe your selfe,
Nor Does it square with your so gentle nature,
To give such fires of envie to your bloud;
For howsoeuer out of love to Iustice,
Yet they that censure it will say tis envy.
Adm.
I serve not you for them, but for your selfe,
And that good in your Rule, that Iustice does you,
And care not this what others say, so you
Please but to doe me right for what you know.
King.
You will not doe your selfe right, why should I
Exceede you to your selfe?
Adm.
My selfe am nothing
Compar'd to what I seeke, tis justice onely
The fount and flood, both of your strength and kingdomes.
King.
But who knowes not, that extreame justice is
(by all ruld lawes) the extreame of injurie,
And must to you be so, the persons that
Your passionate heate calls into question
Are great, and many, and may wrong in you
Your rights of kinde, and dignities of fortune,
And I advanc'd you not to heape on you
Honours, and fortunes, that by strong hand now
Held up, and over you, when heaven takes off
That powerfull hand 'should thunder on your head,
And after you crush your surviving seedes.
Adm.
Sir, your regards to both are great, and sacred,
But if the innocence, and right that rais'd me
And meanes for mine, can finde no friend hereafter
Of him that ever lives, and euer seconds
All Kings just bounties with defence, and refuge
In just mens races, let my fabricke ruine,
My stocke want sap, my branches by the roote
Be torne to death, and swept with whirlewindes out.
King.
For my love no relenting.
Adm.
No my leige,
Tis for your love, and right that I stand out.
King.
Be better yet advis'd.
Adm.
I cannot Sir
Should any Oracle become my counsell,
For that I stand not out, thus of set will,
Or pride of any singular conceite,
I taste no sweetes to drowne in others gall,
And to affect in that which makes me lothed,
To leave my selfe and mine expos'd to all
The dangers you propos'd, my purchas'd honours,
And all my fortunes in an instant lost,
That mony, cares, and paines, and yeares have gather'd,
How mad were I to rave thus in my wounds,
Vnlesse my knowne health felt in these forc'd issues
Were sound, and fit, and that I did not know
By most true proofes, that to become sincere
With all mens hates, doth farre exceede their loves,
To be as they are, mixtures of corruption?
And that those envies that I see pursue me
Of all true actions are the naturall consequents
Which being my object, and my resolute choise
Not for my good but yours, I will have justice.
King.
You will have justice, is your will so strong
Now against mine? your power being so weake
Before my favour gave them both their forces
Of all that ever shar'd in my free graces,
You Philip Chabot a meane Gentleman
Have not I rais'd you to a supremest Lord,
And given you greater dignities than any?
Adm.
You have so.
King.
Well sed, and to spurre your dullnesse
With the particulars to which I rais'd you,
Have not I made you first a Knight of the Order,
Then Admirall of France, then Count Byzanges,
Lord, and Livetenant generall of all
My country, and command of Burgady;
Livetenant generall likewise of my sonne
Daulphine, and heire, and of all Normandy,
And of my chiefely honor'd privy Counsell,
And cannot all these powers weigh downe your will?
Adm.
No Sir, they were not given me to that end,
But to uphold my will, my will being just.
King.
And who shall judge that Justice, you or I?
I Sir, in this case your royall thoughts are fitly
Exempt from every curious search of one,
You have the generall charge with care of all.
Kin.
And doe not generalls include particulars?
May not I Iudge of any thing compriz'd
In your particular as well as you?
Adm.
Farre be the misery from you, that you may,
My cares, paines, broken sleepe therein made more
Than yours should make me see more, and my forces
Render of better judgement.
King.
Well Sir, grant
Your force in this my odds in benefits
Paid for your paines, put in the other scale,
And any equall holder of the ballance
Will shew my merits hoist up yours to aire
In rule of any doubt or deed betwixt us.
Adm.
You merit not of me for benefits
More than my selfe of you for services.
King.
Ist possible.
Adm.
Tis true.
King.
Stand you on that?
Adm.
I to the death and will approve to all men.
Kin.
I am deceiv'd, but I shall finde good Judges
That will finde difference.
Adm.
Finde them being good.
King.
Still so? what if conferring
My bounties, and your services to sound them,
We fall foule on some licences of yours,
Nay, give me therein some advantage of you.
Adm.
They cannot.
King.
Not in sifting their severe discharges
Of all your offices?
Adm.
The more you sift
The more you shall refine mee.
King.
What if I
Grant out against you a commission
Ioyn'd with an extraordinary processe
To arrest, and put you in lawes hands for triall.
Not with lawes uttermost.
King.
Ile throw the dice.
Adm.
And Ile endure the chance,
The dice being square.
Adm.
Repos'd in dreadlesse confidence, and conscience,
That all your most extreames shall never reach,
Or to my life, my goodes or honours breach.
King.
Was ever heard so fine a confidence?
Must it not prove presumption, and can that
Scape brackes and errors in your search of law,
I prethee weigh yet, with more soule than danger,
And some lesse passion.
Adm.
Witnesse heaven, I cannot.
Were I dissolv'd, and nothing else but soule.
King.
Beshrew my blood, but his resolves amaze me;
Was ever such a Iustice in a subject;
Of so much office left to his owne swinge
That left to law thus, and his Soveraignes wrath,
Could stand cleare spight of both? let reason rule it
Before it come at law, a man so rare
In one thing cannot in the rest be vulgar,
And who sees you not in the broad high-way
The common dust up in your owne eyes, beating
In quest of riches, honours, offices,
As heartily in shew as most beleeve,
And he that can use actions with the vulgar,
Must needes embrace the same effects & cannot informe him
Whatsoever he pretends, use them with such
Free equitie, as fits one just and reall,
Even in the eyes of men, nor stand at all parts
So truly circular, so sound, and solid,
But have his swellings out, his crackes and crannies,
And therefore in this reason, before law
Take you to her, least you affect and flatter
Your selfe with mad opinions.
Adm.
I were mad
Directly Sir, if I were yet to know
Not the sure danger, but the certaine ruine
There being no dreame from the most muddie braine
Vpon the foulest fancie, that can forge
More horrour in the shaddowes of meere fame,
Then can some Lawyer in a man expos'd
To his interpretation by the King,
But these grave toyes I shall despise in death,
And while I live will lay them open so
(My inocence laid by them) that like foiles
They shall sticke of my merits tenne times more,
And make your bounties nothing, for who gives
And hits ith teeth, himselfe payes with the glory
For which he gave, as being his end of giving,
Not to crowne merits, or doe any good,
And so no thankes is due but to his glory.
King.
Tis brave I sweare.
Adm.
No Sir, tis plaine, and rude
But true, and spotlesse, and where you object
My hearty, and grosse vulgar love of riches,
Titles, and honours, I did never seeke them
For any love to them, but to that justice
You ought to use in their due gift to merits,
To shew you royall, and most open handed,
Not using for hands talons, pincers, grapples;
In whose gripes, and upon-whose gord point,
Deserts hang sprawling out their vertuous limbs,
King.
Better and better.
Adm.
This your glory is
My deserts wrought upon no wretched matter,
But shew'd your royall palmes as free, and moist,
As Ida, all enchast with silver springs,
And yet my merit still their equall sings.
King.
Sing till thou sigh thy soule out hence, and leave us.
Adm.
My person shall, my love and faith shall never.
King.
Perish thy love, and faith, and thee for ever;
Whose there?
Enter Asall.
Let one goe for the Chancellor.
He's here in Court Sir.
King.
Haste and send him hither,
This is an insolence I never met with,
Can one so high as his degrees ascend,
Clime all so free, and without staine?
My Lord
Enter Chancellor.
Chancellor, I send for you about a service
Of equall price to me, as if againe
My ransome came to me from Pavian thraldome,
And more, as if from forth a subjects fetters,
The worst of servitudes my life were rescued.
Cha.
You fright me with a Prologue of much trouble.
King.
Me thinkes it might be, tell me out of all
Your famous learning, was there ever subject
Rais'd by his Soveraignes free hand from the dust,
Vp to a height above Ayres upper region,
That might compare with him in any merit
That so advanc'd him? and not shew in that
Grosse over-weening worthy cause to thinke
There might be other over-sights excepted
Of capital nature in his sifted greatnesse.
Chan.
And past question Sir, for one absur'd thing granted,
A thousand follow.
King.
You must then employ
Your most exact, and curious art to explore
A man in place of greatest trust, and charge,
Whom I suspect to have abus'd them all,
And in whom you may give such proud veines vent,
As will be wray their boyling bloud corrupted
Both gainst my crowne and life.
Cha.
And may my life
Be curst in every act,
If I explore him not to every finer.
King.
It is my Admirall.
Cha.
Oh my good Leige
You tempt, not charge me with such search of him.
King.
Doubt not my heartiest meaning, all the troubles
That ever mov'd in a distracted King,
Are not above my sufferings for Chabot.
Cha.
Then I am glad, and proud that I can cure you,
For he's a man that I am studied in,
And all his offices, and if you please
To give authoritie.
King.
You shall not want it.
Cha.
If I discharge you not of that disease,
About your necke growne, by your strange trust in him,
With full discovery of the foulest treasons.
King.
But I must have all prov'd with that free justice.
Cha.
Beseech your Majestie doe not question it.
King.
About it instantly, and take me wholly
Vpon your selfe.
Cha.
How much you grace your servant?
King.
Let it be fiery quicke.
Cha.
It shall have wings,
And every feather shew the flight of Kings.
| The Tragedie of Chabot Admirall of France | |