 | The Tragedie of Chabot Admirall of France |  |
Actus Tertius.
Enter Chancellor attended, the Proctor generall whispering in his eare. Two Iudges following. They past.Enter Chabot in his gowne, a gaurd about him, his father and his wife on each side, Allegre.
Adm.
And have they put my faithfull servant to the racke,
Heaven arme the honest man.
Fa.
Allegre feeles the malice of the Chancellor.
Adm.
Many upon the torture have confest
Things against truth, and yet his paine sits neerer
Than all my other feares, come don't weepe.
Wife.
My Lord, I doe not grive out of a thought,
Or poore suspition, they with all their malice
Can staine your honour, but it troubles me,
The King should grant this licence to your enemies,
As he were willing to heare Chabot guilty.
No more, the King is just, and by exposing me
To this triall, meanes to render me
More happy to his subjects, and himselfe
His sacred will be obey'd, take thy owne spirit,
And let no thought in fringe thy peace for me,
I goe to have my honours all confirm'd;
Farewell thy lip, my cause has so much innocence,
It shanot neede thy prayer, I leave her yours
Till my returne; oh let me be a sonne
Still in your thoughts, now Gentlemen set forward.
Exit.
Manente Father and Wife.
Fa.
See you that trust in greatnesse, what sustaines you,
These hazards you must looke for, you that thrust
Your heads into a cloud, where lie in ambush
The souldiers of state in privy armes
Of yellow fire jealous, and mad at all
That shoote their foreheads up into their forges,
And pry into their gloomy Cabbinets;
You like vaine Citizens that must goe see
Those ever burning furnaces, wherein
Your brittle glasses of estate are blowne;
Who knowes not you are all but puffe, and bubble
Of breath, and fume forg'd, your vile brittle natures
Cause of your dearenesse? were you tough and lasting,
You would be cheape, and not worth halfe your face,
Now daughter Plannet strooke.
Wif.
I am considering
What forme I shall put on, as best agreeing
With my Lords fortune.
Fa.
Habit doe you meane,
Of minde or body?
Wif.
Both wod be apparell'd.
Fa.
In neither you have reason yet to mourne.
Wif.
Ile not accuse my heart of so much weakenesse:
Twere a confession gainst my Lord. The Queene!
Enter Queene, Constable, Treasurer, Secretary.
She has exprest 'gainst me some displeasure.
Fa.
Lets this way through the Gallery.
Tis she,
Doe you my Lord say I wod speake with her?
And has Allegre, one of 'chiefest trust with him
Suffered the racke? the Chancellor is violent;
And whats confest?
Tre.
Nothing, he contemn'd all
That could with any cruelst paine explore him,
As if his minde had rob'd his nerves of sence,
And through them diffus'd fiery spirits above
All flesh and blood; for as his limbs were stretch'd,
His contempts too extended.
Qu.
A strange fortitude!
Tre.
But we shall lose th' arraignement.
Qu.
The successe
Will soone arrive.
Tre.
Youle not appeare, my Lord then?
Con.
I desire
Your Lordship wod excuse me.
Tre.
We are your servants.
Exiunt. Tre. & Sec.
Con.
She attends you Madam.
Qu.
This humblenesse proceedes not from your heart,
Why, you are a Queene your selfe in your owne thoughts,
The Admiralls wife of France cannot be lesse,
You have not state enough, you shold not move
Without a traine of friends and servants.
Wif.
There is some mystery
Within your language Madam, I woud hope
You have more charitie than to imagine
My present condition worth your triumph,
In which I am not so lost, but I have
Some friends and servants with proportion
To my Lords fortune, but none within the list
Of those that obey mee can be more ready
To expresse their duties, than my heart to serve
Your just commands.
Qu.
Then pride will ebbe I see,
There is no constant flood of state, and greatnesse,
The prodigie is ceasing when your Lord
Shot wonders through the Kingdome, will discover
What slying and corrupted matter fed him.
Wif.
My Lord?
Qu.
Your high and mighty Justicer,
The man of conscience, the Oracle
Of State, whose honorable titles
Would cracke an Elephants backe, is now turn'd mortall,
Must passe examination, and the test
Of Law, have all his offices rip'd up,
And his corrupt soule laid open to the subjects,
His bribes, oppressions, and close sinnes that made
So many grone, and curse him, now shall finde
Their just reward, and all that love their country,
Blesse heaven, and the Kings Iustice, for removing
Such a devouring monster.
Fa.
Sir your pardon
Madam you are the Queene, she is my daughter,
And he that you have character'd so monstrous,
My sonne in Law, now gon to be arraign'd,
The King is just, and a good man, but't does not
Adde to the graces of your royall person
To tread upon a Lady thus dejected
By her owne griefe, her Lord's not yet found guilty,
Much lesse condemn'd, though you have pleas'd to execute him.
Qu.
What sawcy fellow's this?
Fa.
I must confesse
I am a man out of this element
No Courtier, yet I am a gentleman
That dare speake honest truth to the Queenes eare,
(A duty every subject wonot pay you)
And justifie it to all the world, there's nothing
Doth more ecclipse the honours of our soule,
Than an ill grounded, and ill followed passion,
Let flie with noise, and license against those
Whose hearts before are bleeding.
Con.
Brave old man.
Fa.
Cause you are a Queene to trample ore a woman,
Strike out a Lyons teeth, and pare his clawes,
And then a dwarfe may plucke him by the beard,
Tis a gay victory.
Qu,
Did you heare my Lord?
Fa.
I ha done.
Wif.
And it concernes me to beginne.
I have not made this pause through servile feare
Or guiltie apprehension of your rage,
But with just wonder of the heates, and wildnesse
Has prepossest your nature gainst our innocence,
You are my Queene, unto that title bowes
The humblest knee in France, my heart made lower
With my obedience, and prostrate duty,
Nor have I powers created for my use,
When just commands of you expect their service;
But were you Queene of all the world, or something
To be thought greater, betwixt heaven and us
That I could reach you with my eyes and voyce,
I would shoote both up in defence of my
Abused honour, and stand all your lightning.
Qu.
So brave.
Wif.
So just and boldly innocent,
I cannot feare arm'd with a noble conscience
The tempest of your frowne, were it more frightfull
Then every fury made a womans anger,
Prepar'd to kill with deaths most horrid ceremony,
Yet with what freedome of my soule I can
Forgive your accusation of my pride.
Qu.
Forgive? what insolence is like this language?
Can any action of ours be capable
Of thy forgivenesse? dust! how I dispise thee?
Can we sinne to be object of thy mercie?
Wif.
Yes, and have dont already, and no staine
To your greatnesse Madam, tis my charity
I can remit, when soveraigne Princes dare
Doe injury to those that live beneath them,
They turne worth pitty, and their prayrs, and tis
To pardon e'm, each soule has a prerogative,
And priviledge royall that was sign'd by heaven,
But though ith knowledge of my disposition
Stranger to pride, and what you charge me with,
I can forgive the injustice done to me,
And striking at my person, I have no
Commission from my Lord to cleere you for
The wrongs you have done him, and still he pardon
The wounding of his loyaltie, with which life
Can hold no ballance, I must talke just boldnesse
To say—
Fa
No more, now I must tell you daughter
Least you forget your selfe, she is the Queene,
And it becomes not you to vie with her
Passion for passion, if your Lord stand fast
To the full search of Law, Heaven will revenge him,
And give him up precious to good mens loves
If you attempt by these unruly wayes
To vindicate his justice, I me against you,
Deere as I wish your husbands life and fame,
Suffer are bound to suffer, not contest
With Princes, since their Will and Acts must be
Accounted one day to a Judge supreme.
Wif.
I ha done, if the devotion to my Lord,
Or pietie to his innocence have led me
Beyond the awfull limits to be observ'd
By one so much beneath your sacred person,
I thus low crave your royall pardon Madam;
I know you will remember in your goodnesse,
My life blood is concern'd while his least veine
Shall runne blacke and polluted, my heart fed
With what keepes him alive, nor can there be
A greater wound than that which strikes the life
Of our good name, so much above the bleeding
Of this rude pile wee carry, as the soule
Hath excellence above this earth-borne frailty:
My Lord, by the Kings will is lead already
Will make no tender search into his tract
Of life and state, stay but a little while,
And France shall eccho to his shame or innocence,
This suit I begge with teares, I shall have sorrow
Enough to heare him censur'd foule and monstrous,
Should you forbeare to antidate my sufferings.
Qu.
Your conscience comes about, and you incline
To feare he may be worth the lawes condemning.
Wif.
I sooner will suspect the starres may lose
Their way, and cristall heaven returne to Chaos;
Truth sits not on her square more firme than he;
Yet let me tell you Madam, were his life
And action so foule as you have character'd,
And the bad world expects, though as a wife
Twere duty I should weepe my selfe to death,
To know him falne from vertue, yet so much
I a fraile woman love my King and Country,
I should condemne him too, and thinke all honours
The price of his lost faith more fatall to me,
Than Cleopatra's aspes warme in my bosome,
And as much boast their killing.
Qu.
This declares
Another soule than was deliver'd me,
My anger melts, and I beginne to pitty her,
How much a Princes eare may be abus'd?
Enjoy your happie confidence, at more leasure
You may heare from us.
Wif.
Heaven preserve the Queene,
And may her heart be charitable.
Fa.
You blesse and honour your unworthy servant.
Qu.
My Lord, did you observe this?
Con.
Yes great Madam,
And read a noble spirit, which becomes
The wife of Chabot, their great tie of marriage
Is not more strong upon em, than their vertues.
Qu.
That your opinion? I thought your judgement
Against the Admirall, doe you thinke him honest?
Religiously, a true, most zealous Patriot,
And worth all royall favour.
Qu.
You amaze me,
Can you be just your selfe then, and advance
Your powers against him?
Con.
Such a will be farre
From Montmoranzie, Pioners of state
Have left no art to gaine me to their faction,
And tis my misery to be plac'd in such
A sphere where I am whirl'd by violence
Of a fierce raging motion, and not what
My owne will would encline me. I shall make
This appeare Madam, if you please to second
My free speech with the King.
Qu.
Good heaven protect all,
Haste to the King, Iustice her swift wing needes,
Tis high time to be good, when vertue bleedes.
Exeunt.
Enter Officers before the Chancellor, Iudges, the Proctor generall, whispering with the Chancellor, they take their places.
To them Enter Treasurer and Secretary who take their places prepared on one side of the Court.
To them The Captaine of the Guard, the Admirall following, who is plac'd at the barre.
Cha.
Good Mr. Proctor generall begin.
Pro,
It is not unknowne to you my very good Lords the
Iudges, and indeed to all the world, for I will make short
worke, since your honourable eares neede not to be enlarged,
I speake by a figure with prolixe ennumeration how infinitly
the King hath favoured this ill favoured Traitor; and yet I
may worthily too insist and prove that no grace hath beene so
large and voluminous, as this, that he hath appointed such upright
Iudges at this time, and the chiefe of this Triumvirie,
our Chancellor by name Poyet, which deriveth from the
Greeke his, Etymology from Poyeni, which is to make, to
create, to invent matter that was never extant in nature, from
not insist upon, in this place, although I am confident his
Lordshippe wanteth no facultie in making of Verses: but
what addition I say is it to the honour of this Delinquent, that
he hath such a Iudge, a man so learned, so full of equity, so
noble, so notable in the progresse of his life, so innocent, in
the manage of his office so incorrupt, in the passages of State
so wise, in affection to his country so religious, in all his
services to the King so fortunate, and exploring, as envie it
selfe cannot accuse, or malice vitiate, whom all lippes will
open to commend, but those of Philip; and in their hearts will
erect Altars, and Statues, Columnes, and Obelishes, Pillars
and Pyramids, to the perpetuitie of his name and memory.
What shall I say? but conclude for his so great and sacred service,
both to our King and Kingdome, and for their everlasting
benefit, there may everlastingly be left here one of his
Ioynes, one of his loynes ever remaine I say, and stay upon this
Bench, to be the example of all Iustice, even while the North
and South Starre shall continue.
Cha.
You expresse your Oratory Mr. Proctor,
I ray come presently to the matter.
Pro.
Thus with your Lordships pardon, I proceede, and
the first thing I shall glance at, will be worth your Lordships
reflection, his ingratitude, and to whom? to no lesse person
than a King, and to what King, his owne, and our generall Soveraigne
Proh deum atque hominum fidem; a King, and such a
King, the health, life, and soule of us all, whose very mention
drawes this salt water from my eyes; for hee indeede is our
eye, who wakes and watches for us when we sleepe, and
who will not sleepe for him, I meane not sleepe, which the
Philosophers call, a naturall cessation of the common
and consequently of all the exterior sences, caused first
and immediatly by a detension of spirits, which can have
no communication, since the way is obstructed, by which
these spirits should commearce, by vapours ascending from
the stomacke to the head, by which evaporation the rootes of
the nerves are filled, through which the annuall spirits, to be
powred into the dwellings of the externall sences; but sleepe
not sleepe eternally for such a King as wee enjoy? If therefore
in generall as hee is King of us all, all sharing and dividing
the benefits of this our Soveraigne: none should be so ingratefull
as once to murmure against him, what shall be said of
the ingratitude more monstrous in this Chabot, for our Francis
hath loved, not in generall & in the croud with other subjects,
but particularly this Philip advanc'd him to the supreme dignitie
of a Statsman, lodg'd him in his very heart, yet Monstrum
horrendum; even to this Francis hath Philip beene ingratefull.
Brutus the loved sonne hath stabbed Cæsar with a Bodkin:
Oh what brute may be compared to him? and in what particulars
may this crime be exemplified; hee hath, as wee say,
chopt Logicke with the King, nay to the very teeth of his
Soveraigne advance his owne Gnat-like merits, and justified
with Luciferous pride, that his services have deserved more
than all the bounty of our Munificent King hath paid him.
Cha.
Observe that my Lords.
Pro.
Nay he hath gone further, and most traiterously hath
committed outrage and impiety to the Kings owne hand, and
royall character, which presented to him in a bill from the
whole counsell, hee most violently did teare in peeces, and
will doe the very body and person of your King, if our Justice
make no timely prevention, and strike out the Serpentine
teeth of this high and more than horrible monster.
Tr.
This was enforced home.
Pro.
In the next place I will relate to your honours his
most cruell exactions upon the subject, the old vantcurriers of
rebellions. In the yeare 15. 6. and 37. This oppressour, and
this extortioner, under pretext of his due taxation, being Admirall
impos'd upon certaine Fishermen, (observe I beseech
you the circumstance of their persons, Fishermen) who poore
Iohns were embarqued upon the cost of Normandy, and fishing
there for Herrings (which some say is the King of Fishes) he
impos'd I say twenty souse, and upon every boate sixe liuers,
oh intollerable exaction! enough not onely to alienate the
hearts of these miserable people from their King, which Ipso
facto is high treason, but an occasion of a greater inconvenience,
by this might ensue a necessitie of mortal sins, by breaking the
religious fast upon Vigils, Embers, and other dayes commanded
by sacred authority, besides the miserable rut that would
follow, and perhaps contagion, when feasting and flesh should
be licenced for every carnall appetite.—I could urge many
more particulars of his dangerous insatiate and boundlesse
Avarice, but the improvement of his estate in so few yeares,
from a private Gentlemans fortune, to a great Dukes revenewes,
might save our soveraigne therein an Orator to enforce
and prove faulty even to gyantisme against heaven.
Iudg.
This is but a noise of words.
Pro.
To the foule outrages so violent, let us adde his Commissions
granted out of his owne presum'd authoritie, his
Majestie neither infround or respected his disloyalties, infidelities,
contempts, oppressions, extortions, with innumerable
abuses, offences, and forfeits, both to his Majesties most royall
person, crowne, and dignitie, yet notwithstanding all these
injustices, this unmatchable, unjust delinquent affecteth to be
thought inculpable, and incomparable just; but alas my most
learned Lord, none knowes better than your selves, how easie
the sinceritie of Iustice is pretended, how hard it is to be performed,
and how common it is for him that hath least colour
of title to it, to be thought the very substance and soule of it,
he that was never true scholler in the least degree, longs as a
woman with child to be great with scholler she that was never
with child longs Omnibus vijs & modis to be got with
child, and will weare a cushion to seeme with child, and hee
that was never just, will fly in the Kings face to be counted
just, though for all he be nothing, but just, a Traytor.
Sec.
The Admirall smiles.
Jud.
Answer your selfe my Lord.
Adm.
I shall, and briefely,
The furious eloquence of my accuser hath
Branch'd my offences hainous to the King,
And then his subject, a most vast indictment,
That to the King I have justified my merit,
And services; which conscience of that truth,
I ought to urge agen, and doe without
The least part of injustice; for the Bill
A foule, and most unjust one, and prefer'd
Gainst the Kings honour, and his subjects priviledge,
And with a policie to betray my office,
And faith to both, I doe confesse I tore it,
It being prest immodestly, but without
A thought of disobedience to his name,
To whose mention I bow, with humble reverence,
And dare appeale to the Kings knowledge of me,
How farre I am in soule from such a rebell,
For the rest my Lord, and you my honour'd Iudges,
Since all this mountaine all this time in labour
With more than mortall fury gainst my life,
Hath brought forth nought but some ridiculous vermine,
I will not wrong my right, and innocence,
With any serious plea in my reply,
To frustrate breath, and fight with terrible shaddow
That have beene forg'd, and forc'd against my state,
But leave all, with my life to your free censures;
Onely beseeching all your learned judgements
Equall and pious conscience to weigh.
Pro.
And how this great and mighty fortune hath exalted
him to pride is apparant, not onely in his braves and bearings
to the King, the fountaine of all this increase, but in his contempt
and scorne of the subject, his vast expences in buildings,
his private bounties, above royall to souldiers and
schollers, that he may be the Generall and Patron, and protector
of armes and arts; the number of domesticke attendants,
an army of Grashoppers and gay Butterflies able to devoure
the Spring; his glorious wardrobes, his stable of horses that
are prick'd with provender, and will enforce us to weede up
our Vineyards to sow Oates for supply of their provision, his
caroches shining with gold, and more bright than the chariot
of the Sunne, wearing out the pavements; nay, he is of late so
transcendently proud, that men must be his Mules, and carry
him up and downe as it were in a Procession for men to gaze
pride, and who knowes but this may prove a fashion?
But who grones for this? the subject, who murmure, and are
ready to beginne a rebellion, but the tumultuous saylers, and
water-rats, who tunne up and downe the citie, like an overbearing
tempest, cursing the Admirall, who in duty ought to
undoe himself for the generall satisfaction of his countrymen.
Adm.
The varietie, and wonder now presented
To your most noble notice, and the worlds,
That all my life and actions, and offices,
Explor'd with all the hundred eyes of Law
Lighted with lightning, shot out of the wrath
Of an incenst, and commanding King,
And blowne with foes, with farre more bitter windes,
Then Winter from his Easterne cave exhailes,
Yeh nothing found, but what you all have heard,
And then consider if a peere of State,
Should be expos'd to such a wild arraignement
For poore complaints, his fame, faith, life, and honours
Rackt for no more.
Cha.
No more? good heaven, what say
My learned assistants.
1 Iu.
My Lord, the crimes urg'd here for us to censure
As capitall, and worth this high arraignement
To me seeme strange, because they doe not fall
In force of Law, to arraigne a Peere of State,
For all that Law can take into her power
To sentence, is the exaction of the Fishermen.
2 Iu.
Here is no majesty violated, I consent to what my
Brother has exprest.
Cha,
Breake then in wonder,
My frighted words out of their forming powers,
That you no more collect, from all these forfeits
That Mr. Proctor generall hath opened,
With so apparant, and impulsive learning,
Against the rage and madnesse of the offender,
And violate Majestie (my learned assistants)
When Majesties affronted and defied,
As leap'd into his throate? his life affrighting?
Be justified in all insolence, all subjects
If this be so considered, and insult
Vpon your priviledg'd malice, is not Majestie
Poyson'd in this wonder! and no felony set
Where royaltie is rob'd, and
Fie how it fights with Law, and grates upon
Her braine and soule, and all the powers of Reason,
Reporter of the processe, shew the sedule.
No.
Here my good Lord.
1.
No altering it in us.
2.
Farre be it from us Sir.
Cha.
Heres silken Iustice,
It might be altered, mend your sentences.
Both.
Not wee my Lord.
Cha.
Not you? The King shall know
You slight a duty to his will, and safety,
Give me your pen, it must be capitall.
1.
Make what you please my Lord, our doome shall stand.
Cha.
Thus I subscribe, now at your perills follow.
Both.
Perills my Lord? threates in the Kings free justice?
Tre,
I am amaz'd they can be so remisse.
Sec.
Mercifull men, pittifull Iudges certaine.
1.
Subscribe, it matters nothing being constrain'd
On this side, and on this side, this capitall I,
Both which together put, import plaine Vi;
And witnesse we are forc'd.
2.
Enough,
It will acquit us when we make it knowne,
Our names are forc'd.
Cha.
If traiterous pride
Vpon the royall person of a King
Were sentenc'd unfelloniously before,
Ile burne my Bookes and be a Iudge no more.
Both.
Here are our hands subscrib'd.
Cha.
Why so, it joyes me,
You have reform'd your justice and your judgement,
The King shall thanke, and honour you for this.
Notary read.
No.
We by his sacred Majestie appointed
Judges, upon due triall, and examination
Of Philip Chabot Admirall of France
Declare him guiltie of high treasons, &c.
Cha.
Now Captaine of the gaurd, secure his person,
Till the King signifie
His pleasure for his death, this day is happy
To France, thus reskued from the vile devourer.
A shoute within.
Harke how the votes applaud their blest deliverance,
You that so late did right and conscience boast,
Heavens mercy now implore, the Kings is lost.
Exeunt.
| The Tragedie of Chabot Admirall of France | |