 | The Fatall Dovvry |  |
Actus quintus.
Scæna prima.
Enter Liladam, Taylor, Officers.Lila.
VVhy 'tis both most vnconscionable, and vntimely
T'arrest a gallant for his cloaths, before
He has worne them out: besides you sayd you ask'd
My name in my Lords bond but for me onely,
And now you'l lay me vp for't. Do not thinke
The taking measure of a customer
By a brace of varlets, though I rather wait
Neuer so patiently, will proue a fashion
Which any Courtier or Ianes of court man
Would follow willingly.
Tayl.
There I beleeue you.
But sir, I must haue present moneys, or
Assurance to secure me, when I shall.—
Or I will see to your comming forth.
Lila.
Plague on't,
You haue prouided for my enterance in:
That comming forth you talke of, concernes me.
What shall I doe? you haue done me a disgrace
In the arrest, but more in giuing cause
To all the street, to thinke I cannot stand
Without these two supporters for my armes:
Pray you let them loose me: for their satisfaction
I will not run away.
Tayl.
For theirs you will not,
But for your owne you would; looke to them fellows.
Lila.
Why doe you call them fellows? doe not wrong
A Taylor, faythfull, apt to beleeue in Gallants
You are a companion at a ten crowne supper
For cloth of bodkin, and may with one Larke
Eate vp three manchets, and no man obserue you,
Or call your trade in question for't. But when
You study your debt-booke, and hold correspondence
With officers of the hanger, and leaue swordmen,
The learned conclude, the Taylor and Sergeant
In the expression of a knaue are these
To be Synonima. Looke therefore to it,
And let vs part in peace, I would be loth
You should vndoe your selfe.
Tayl.
To let you goe
Enter old Nouall, and Pontalier.
Were the next way.
But see! heeres your old Lord,
Let him but giue his word I shall be paide,
And you are free.
Lila.
S' lid, I will put him to't:
I can be but denied: or what say you?
His Lordship owing me three times your debt,
If you arrest him at my suite, and let me
Goe run before to see the action entred.
'Twould be a witty iest.
Tayl.
I must haue ernest:
I cannot pay my debts so.
Pont.
Can your Lordship
Imagine, while I liue and weare a sword,
Your sonnes death shall be reueng'd?
Nou se.
I know not
One reason why you should not doe like others:
I am sure, of all the herd that fed vpon him,
I cannot see in any, now hee's gone,
In pitty or in thankfulnesse one true signe
Of sorrow for him.
Pont.
All his bounties yet
Fell not in such vnthankefull ground: 'tis true
And though none sooth'd them lesse then I: for now
To say that I foresaw the dangers that
Would rise from cherishing them, were but vntimely.
I yet could wish the iustice that you seeke for
In the reuenge, had bin trusted to me,
And not the vncertaine issue of the lawes:
'Tas rob'd me of a noble testimony
Of what I durst doe for him: but howeuer,
My forfait life redeem'd by him though dead,
Shall doe him seruice.
Nou. se.
As farre as my griefe
Will giue me leaue, I thanke you.
Lila.
Oh my Lord,
Oh my good Lord, deliuer me from these furies.
Pont.
Arrested? This is one of them whose base
And obiect flattery helpt to digge his graue:
He is not worth your pitty, nor my anger.
Goe to the basket and repent.
Nou. se.
Away I onely know now to hate thee deadly:
I will doe nothing for thee.
Lila.
Nor you, Captaine.
Pont.
No, to your trade againe, put off this case,
It may be the discouering what you were,
When your vnfortunate master tooke you vp,
May moue compassion in your creditor.
Confesse the truth.
Exit Nouall se. Pont.
Lila.
And now I thinke on't better,
I will, brother, your hand, your hand, sweet brother.
I am of your sect, and my gallantry but a dreame,
Out of which these two fearefull apparitions
Against my will haue wak'd me. This rich sword
Grew suddenly out of a taylors bodkin;
These hangers from my vailes and fees in Hell:
And where as now this beauer sits, full often
A thrifty cape compos'd of broad cloth lists,
Here kin vnto the cushion where I sate
Our breakefasts famous for the buttred loaues,
I haue with ioy bin oft acquainted with,
And therefore vse a conscience, though it be
Forbidden in our hall towards other men,
To me that as I haue beene, will againe
Be of the brotherhood.
Offi.
I know him now:
He was a prentice to Le Robe at Orleance.
Lila.
And from thence brought by my young Lord, now dead,
Vnto Dijon, and with him till this houre
Hath bin receiu'd here for a compleate Mounsieur.
Nor wonder at it: for but tythe our gallants,
Euen those of the first ranke, and you will finde
In euery ten, one: per aduenture two,
That smell ranke of the dancing schoole, or fiddle,
The pantofle or pressing yron: but hereafter
Weele talke of this. I will surrender vp
My suites againe: there cannot be much losse,
'Tis but the turning of the lace, with ones
Additions more you know of, and what wants
I will worke out.
Tayl.
Then here our quarrell ends.
The gallant is turn'd Taylor, and all friends.
Exeunt.
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.
Scæna 3.
Enter Du Croy, Charmi, Rochfort, Nouall se. Pontalier, Baumont.Nou. se.
See, equall Iudges, with what confidence
The cruell murtherer stands, as if he would
Outface the Court and Iustice!
Roch.
But looke on him,
And you shall finde, for still methinks I doe,
Though guilt hath dide him black, something good in him,
That may perhaps worke with a wiser man
Then I haue beene, againe to set him free
And giue him all he has.
Charmi.
This is not well.
I would you had liu'd so, my Lord that I,
Might rather haue continu'd your poore seruant
Then sit here as your Iudge.
Du Croy.
I am sorry for you.
Roch.
In no act of my life I haue desern'd
This iniury from the court, that any heere
Is proper to me only.
Du Cr.
What distaste
Receiues my Lord?
Roch.
You say you are sorry for him:
A griefe in which I must not haue a partner:
'Tis I alone am sorry, that I rays'd
The building of my life for seuenty yeeres
Vpon so sure a ground, that all the vices
Practis'd to ruine man, though brought against me,
Could neuer vndermine, and no way left
To send these gray haires to the graue with sorrow.
Vertue that was my patronesse, betrayd me:
For entring, nay, possessing this young man,
It lent him such a powerfull Maiesty
To grace what ere he vndertooke, that freely
I gaue my selfe vp with my liberty,
To be at his disposing; had his person,
Louely I must confesse, or far fain'd valour,
Or any other seeming good, that yet
Holds a neere neyghbour-hood, with ill wrought on me,
I might haue borne it better: but when goodnesse
And piety it selfe in her best figure
Were brib'd to my destruction, can you blame me,
Though I forget to suffer like a man,
Or rather act a woman?
Bau.
Good my Lord.
Nou. se.
You hinder our proceeding.
Charmi.
And forget
The parts of an accuser.
Bau.
Pray you remember
To vse the temper which to me you promis'd;
Roch.
Angels themselues must breake Baumont, that promise
Beyond the strength and patience of Angels.
But I haue done, my good Lord, pardon me
A weake old man, and pray adde to that
That your compassion of my age, nor his,
Moue you to any thing, that may dis-become
The place on which you fit
Charmi.
Read the Inditement.
Cha.
It shall be needelesse, I my selfe, my Lords,
Will be my owne accuser, and confesse
All they can charge me with, or will I spare
To aggrauate that guilt with circumstance
They seeke to loade me with: onely I pray,
That as for them you will vouchsafe me hearing:
I may not be denide it for my selfe,
When I shall vrge by what vnanswerable reasons
I was compel'd to what I did, which yet
Till you haue taught me better, I repent not.
Roch.
The motion honest.
Charmi.
And 'tis freely granted.
Cha.
Then I confesse my Lords, that I stood bound,
When with my friends, euen hope it selfe had left me
To this mans charity for my liberty,
Nor did his bounty end there, but began:
For after my enlargment, cherishing
The good he did, he made me master of
His onely daughter, and his whole estate:
Great ties of thankfulnesse I must acknowledge,
Could any one freed by you, presse this further?
But yet consider, my most honourd Lords,
If to receiue a fauour, make a seruant,
And benefits are bonds to tie the taker
To the imperious will of him that giues,
Ther's none but slaues will receiue courtesie.
Since they must fetter vs to our dishonours.
Can it be cal'd magnificence in a Prince,
To powre downe riches, with a liberall hand,
Vpon a poore mans wants, if that must bind him
To play the soothing parasite to his vices?
Or any man, because he sau'd my hand,
Or did I stand ingag'd to buy my freedome
(When my captiuity was honourable)
By making my selfe here and fame hereafter,
Bondslaues to mens scorne and calumnious tongues?
Had his faire daughters mind bin like her feature,
Or for some little blemish I had sought
For my content elsewhere, wasting on others
My body and her dowry; my forhead then
Deseru'd the brand of base ingratitude:
But if obsequious vsage, and faire warning
To keepe her worth my loue, could preserue her
From being a whore, and yet no cunning one,
So to offend, and yet, the fault kept from me?
What should I doe? let any freeborne spirit
Determine truly, if that thankfulnesse,
Choise forme with the whole world giuen for a dowry,
Could strengthen so an honest man with patience,
As with a willing necke to vndergoe
The insupportable yoake of slaue or wittoll.
Charmi.
What proofe haue you she did play false, besides
your oath?
Cha.
Her owne confession to her father.
I aske him for a witnesse.
Roch.
'Tis most true.
I would not willingly blend my last words
With an vntruth.
Cha.
And then to cleere my selfe,
That his great wealth was not the marke I shot at,
But that I held it, when faire Beaumelle
Fell from her vertue, like the fatall gold
Which Brennus tooke from Delphos, whose possession
Brought with it ruine to himselfe and Army.
Heer's one in Court, Baumont, by whom I sent
All graunts and writings backe, which made it mine,
Before his daughter dy'd by his owne sentence,
As freely as vnask'd he gaue it to me.
Bau.
They are here to be seene.
Open the casket.
Peruse that deed of gift.
Rom.
Halfe of the danger
Already is discharg'd: the other part
As brauely, and you are not onely free,
But crownd with praise for euer.
Du Croy.
'Tis apparent.
Charmi.
Your state, my Lord, againe is yours.
Roch.
Not mine,
I am not of the world, if it can prosper,
(And yet being iustly got, Ile not examine
Why it should be so fatall) doe you bestow it
On pious vses. Ile goe seeke a graue.
And yet for proofe, I die in peace, your pardon
I aske, and as you grant it me, may Heauen
Your conscience, and these Iudges free you from
What you are charg'd with. So farewell for euer.—
Exit Roch.
Nouall se.
Ile be mine owne guide. Passion, nor example
Shall be my leaders. I haue lost a sonne,
A sonne, graue Iudges, I require his blood
From his accursed homicide.
Charmi.
What reply you
In your defence for this?
Cha.
I but attended
Your Lordships pleasure. For the fact, as of
The former, I confesse it, but with what
Base wrongs I was vnwillingly drawne to it,
To my few words there are some other proofes
To witnesse this for truth, when I was married:
For there I must begin. The slayne Nouall
Was to my wife, in way of our French courtship,
A most deuoted seruant, but yet aym'd at
Nothing but meanes to quench his wanton heate,
His heart being neuer warm'd by lawfull fires
As mine was (Lords:) and though on these presumptions,
Ioyn'd to the hate betweene his house and mine,
I might with opportunity and ease
But still he had the freedome as before
When all was mine, and told that he abus'd it
With some vnseemely licence, by my friend
My approu'd friend Romont. I gaue no credit
To the reporter, but reprou'd him for it,
As one vncourtly and malicious to him.
What could I more, my Lords? yet after this
He did continue in his first pursute
Hoter then euer, and at length obtaind it;
But how it came to my most certaine kowledge,
For the dignity of the court and my owne honour
I dare not say.
Nou. se.
If all may be beleeu'd
A passionate prisoner speakes, who is so foolish
That durst be wicked, that will appeare guilty?
No, my graue Lords: in his impunity
But giue example vnto iealous men
To cut the throats they hate, and they will neuer
Want matter or pretence for their bad ends.
Charmi.
You must finde other proofes to strengthen these
But meere presumptions.
Du Croy.
Or we shall hardly
Allow your innocence.
Cha.
All your attempts
Shall fall on me, like brittle shafts on armor,
That breake themselues; or like waues against a rocke,
That leaue no signe of their ridiculous fury
But foame and splinters, my innocence like these
Shall stand triumphant, and your malice serue
But for a trumpet to proclaime my conquest;
Nor shall you, though you doe the worst fate can,
How ere condemne, affright an honest man.
Rom.
May it please the Court, I may be heard.
Nou. se.
You come not
To raile againe? but doe, you shall not finde
Another Rochfort.
In Nouall I cannot.
But I come furnished with what will stop
The mouth of his conspiracy against the life
Of innocent Charaloys. Doe you know this Character?
Nou. se.
Yes, 'tis my sonnes.
Rom.
May it please your Lordships, reade it,
And you shall finde there, with what vehemency
He did sollicite Beaumelle, bow he had got
A promise from her to inioy his wishes,
How after he abiur'd her company,
And yet, but that 'tis fit I spare the dead,
Like a damnd villaine, assoone as recorded,
He brake that oath, to make this manifest.
Produce his bands and hers.
Enter Aymer, Florimell, Bellapert.
Charmi.
Haue they tooke their oathes?
Rom.
They haue: and rather then indure the racke,
Confesse the time, the meeting, nay the act;
What would you more? onely this matron made
A free discouery to a good end;
And therefore Issue to the Court, she may not
Be plac'd in the blacke list of the delinquents.
Pont.
I see by this, Nouals reuenge needs me,
And I shall doe.
Charmi.
'Tis euident.
Nou. se.
That I
Till now was neuer wretched, here's no place
To curse him or my stars.
Exit Nouall senior.
Charmi.
Lord Charalois,
The iniuries you haue sustain'd, appeare
So worthy of the mercy of the Court,
That notwithstanding you haue gone beyond
The letter of the Law, they yet acquit you.
Pont.
But in Nouall, doe condemne him thus.
Cha.
I am slayne.
Rom.
Can I looke on? Oh murderous wretch,
Thy challenge now I answere. So die with him.
A guard: disarme him.
Rom.
I yeeld vp my sword
Vnforc'd. Oh Charaloys.
Cha.
For shame, Romont,
Mourne not for him that dies as he hath liu'd,
Still constant and vnmou'd: what's falne vpon me,
Is by Heauens will, because I made my selfe
A iudge in my owne cause without their warrant:
But he that lets me know thus much in death,
With all good men forgiue mee.
Pont.
I receiue the vengeance, which my loue
Not built on vertue, has made me worthy, worthy of.
Charmi.
We are taught
By this sad president, how iust soeuer
Our reasons are to remedy our wrongs,
We are yet to leaue them to their will and power,
That to that purpose haue authority.
For you, Romont, although in your excuse
You may plead, what you did, was in reuenge
Of the dishonour done vnto the Court:
Yet since from vs you had not warrant for it,
We banish you the State: for these, they shall,
As they are found guilty, or innocent,
Be set free, or suffer punishment.
Exeunt omnes.
FINIS.
| The Fatall Dovvry | |