 | The Tragedie of Charles Duke of Byron, Marshall of France |  |
ACTVS, 1.
SCENA, 1.
Henry, Vidame, D' escures, Espernon, Ianin.Hen.
Byron fallne in so tratrous a relaps,
Aleadgd for our ingratitude: what offices,
Titles of honor, and what admiration,
Could France afford him that it pourd not on?
When he was scarce arriu'd at forty yeares,
He ranne through all chiefe dignities of France.
At fourteene yeares of age he was made Colonell
To all the Suisses seruing then in Flanders;
Soone after he was marshall of the campe.
And shortly after, marshall Generall:
He was receiued high Admirall of France
In that our Parlament we held at Tours;
Marshall of France in that we held at Paris.
And at the Siege of Amiens he acknowledgd,
None his Superiour but our selfe, the King;
Though I had there, the Princes of the blood
I made him my Lieutennant Generall,
Declard him Ioyntly the prime Peere of France,
And raisd his Barony into a Duchy,
Iani.
And yet (my Lord) all this could not allay
The fatall thrist of his ambition.
For some haue heard him say he would not die,
Till on the wings of valour he had reacht
One degree heigher; and had seene his head,
Set on the royall Quarter of a crowne;
Yea at so vnbeleeu'd a pitch he aymd,
That he hath said his heart would still complaine,
Till he aspird the style of Soue raigne,
Now made in Italy? from whence should spring
The warlike humor of the Count Fuentes?
The restles stirrings of the Duke of Sauoye?
The discontent the Spaniard entertaind,
With such a threatning fury, when he heard
The preiudiciall conditions,
Propos'd him, in the treaty held at Veruins?
And many other beaueries, this way ayming,
But from some hope of inward ayd from hence?
And that all this derectly aymes at you,
Your highnes hath by one intelligence,
Good cause to thinke; which is your late aduice,
That the Sea army, now prepard at Naples,
Hath an intended Enterprise on Prouence?
Although the cunning Spaniard giues it out,
That all is for Algier.
Hen.
I must beleeue,
That without treason bred in our owne brests,
Spaines affayres are not in so good estate,
To ayme at any action against France:
And if Byron should be their instrument,
His altred disposition could not growe,
So far wide in an instant; Nor resigne,
His valure to these lawles resolutions
Vpon the sodaine; nor without some charms,
Of forreigne hopes and flatteries sung to him:
But far it flyes my thoughts, that such a spirrit,
So actiue, valiant, and vigilant;
Can see it selfe transformed with such wild furies.
And like a dreame it shewes to my conceipts,
That he who by himselfe hath wonne such honor:
And he to whome his father left so much,
He that still dayly reapes so much from me,
And knowes he may encrease it to more proofe
From me, then any other forreigne King;
Should quite against the streame of all religion,
Honor, and reason, take a course so foule,
Can the poore keeping of a Citadell
Which I denyed, to be at his disposure,
Make him forgoe the whole strength of his honours?
It is impossible, though the violence,
Of his hot spirtit made him make attempt
Vpon our person for denying him;
Yet well I found his loyall iudgment seru'd,
To keepe it from effect: besides being offer'd,
Two hundred thousand crownes in yearely pention,
And to be Generall of all the forces
The Spaniards had in France; they found him full,
As an vnmatcht Achilles in the warres,
So a most wise Vlisses; to their words,
Stopping his eares at their enchanted sounds;
And plaine he tould them that although his blood
(Being mou'd) by Nature, were a very fire
And boyld in apprehension of a wrong;
Yet should his mind hold such a scepter there,
As would containe it from all act and thought
Of treachery or ingratitude to his Prince.
Yet do I long, me thinkes, to see La Fin,
Who hath his heart in keeping; since his state,
(Growne to decay and he to discontent)
Comes neere the ambitious plight of Duke Byron.
My Lord Uidame, when does your Lordship thinke,
Your vnckle of La Fin will be arriu'd.
Vid.
I thinke (my Lord) he now is neere ariuing
For his particular iourny and deuotion,
Voud to the holy Lady of Loretto,
Was long since past and he vpon returne.
Hen.
In him, as in a christall that is charm'd,
I shall descerne by whome and what designes,
My rule is threatened: and that sacred power
That hath enabled this defensiue arme,
(When I enioyd but in an vnequall Nooke,
Of that I now possesse) to front a King
Farre my Superiour: And from twelue set battailes,
VVithout my personall seruice; will not see
A traitrous subiect foile me, and so end
VVhat his hand hath with such successe begunne.
Enter a Ladie, and a Nursse bringing the Daulphine.
Esp.
See the yong Daulphin brought to cheere your highnes.
Hen.
My royall blessing, and the King of heauen,
Make thee an aged and a happie King:
Helpe Nurse to put my sword into his hand;
Hold Boy, by this; and with it may thy arme
Cut from thy tree of rule, all traitrous branches,
That striue to shadow and eclips thy glories;
Haue thy old fathers angell for thy guide,
Redoubled be his spirit in thy brest;
VVho when this State ranne like a turbulent sea,
In ciuill hates and bloudy enmity,
Their wrathes and enuies, like so many windes,
Setled and burst: and like the Halcions birth,
Be thine to bring a calme vpon the shore,
In which the eyes of warre may euer sleepe,
As ouermacht with former massacres,
VVhen gultie, made Noblesse, feed on Noblesse;
All the sweete plentie of the realme exhausted;
VVhen the nak't merchant, was pursude for spoile,
VVhen the pore Pezants frighted neediest theeues
VVith their pale leauenesse; nothing left on them
But meager carcases sustaind with ayre,
Wandring like Ghosts, affrighted from their graues,
VVhen with the often and incessant sounds
The very beast, knew the alarum bell,
And (hearing it) ranne bellowing to their home:
From which vnchristian broiles and homicides,
Let the religious sword of iustice free
Thee and thy kingdomes gouern'd after me.
O heauen! or if th'vnsettled bloud of France,
VVith ease, and welth, renew he ciuill furies:
To curb, and end them all, as I haue done.
Let him by vertue, quite out of from fortune,
Her fetherd shoulders, and her winged shooes,
And thrust from her light feete, her turning stone;
That she may euer tarry by his throne.
And of his worth, let after ages say,
(He fighting for the land; and bringing home
Iust conquests, loden with his enimies spoiles)
His father past all France in martiall deeds,
But he, his father twenty times exceedes.
Enter the Duke of Byron, D' Avuergne and Laffin.
Byr.
My deare friends D' Avuergne and Laffin,
We neede no coniurations to conceale:
Our close intendments; to aduance our states
Euen with our merits; which are now neclected;
Since Britaine is reduc't, and breathlesse warre
Hath sheath'd his sword, and wrapt his Ensignes vp;
The King hath now no more vse of my valure,
And therefore I shall now no more enioy
The credite that my seruice held with him;
My seruice that hath driuen through all extreames,
Through tempests, droughts, and through the deepest floods;
Winters of shot: and ouer rockes so high
That birds could scarce aspire their ridgy toppes;
The world is quite inuerted; vertue throwne
At Vices feete: and sensuall peace confounds,
Valure, and cowardise: Fame, and Infamy;
The rude and terrible age is turnd againe:
When the thicke ayre hid heauen, and all the starres,
Were drown'd in humor, tough, and hard to peirse,
When the red Sunne held not his fixe place;
Kept not his certaine course, his rise and set
Nor in his firme conuersions, were discernd
The fruitfull distances of time and place,
In the well varyed seasons of the yeare;
When th'incomposd incursions of floods
Wasted and eat the earth; and all things shewed
Wilde and disordred: nought was worse then now;
Wee must reforme and haue a new creation
Of State and gouernment; and on our Chaos
Will I sit brooding vp another world.
I who through all the dangers that can siege
The life of man, haue forct my glorious way
To the repayring of my countries ruines,
Will ruine it againe, to re-aduance it;
Romaine Camillus, safte the State of Rome
With farre lesse merite, then Byron hath France;
And how short of this is my recompence.
The king shall know, I will haue better price
Set on my seruices; in spight of whome
I will proclaime and ring my discontents
Into the farthest eare of all the world.
Laff:
How great a spirit he breaths? how learnd? how wise?
But (worthy Prince) you must giue temperate ayre,
To your vnmatcht, and more then humaine winde;
Else will our plots be frost-bit, in the flowre.
D' Au:
Betwixt our selues we may giue liberall vent
To all our fiery and displeas'd impressions;
Which nature could not entertaine with life,
Without some exhalation; A wrongd thought
Will breake a rib of steele.
Byr.
My Princely friend,
Enough of these eruptions; our graue Councellor
Well knowes that great affaires will not be forg'd
But vpon Anuills that are linde with wooll;
We must ascend to our intentions toppe
Like Clowdes that be not seene till they be vp?
Laff:
O, you do too much rauish; And my soule
Offer to Musique in your numerous breath;
It is for these parts, that the Spanish King
Hath sworne to winne them to his side
At any price or perril.; That great Sauoy,
Offers his princely daughter, and a dowry,
Amounting to fiue hundred thousand crownes;
With full transport of all the Soueraigne rights
Belonging to the State of Burgondie;
Which marriage will be made, the onely Cyment
T'effect and strengthen all our secret Treaties;
Instruct me thererfore, (my assured Prince)
Now I am going to resolue the King
Of his suspitions, how I shall behaue me.
Byr:
Go my most trusted friend, with happy feete:
Make me a sound man with him; Go to Court
But with a little traine; and be prepar'd
To heare, at first, tearmes of contempt and choller,
Which you may easily calme, and turne to grace.
If you beseech his highnesse to beleeue
That your whole drift and course for Italy,
(Where he hath heard you were) was onely made
Out of your long-well- knowne deuotion
To our right holy Lady of Lorretto,
As you haue told some of your friends in Court:
And that in passing Mylan and Thurin,
They charg'd you to propound my marrriage
With the third daughter of the Duke of Sauoy;
Which you haue done, and I reiected it,
Resolu'd to build vpon his royall care
For my bestowing, which he lately vowd.
Laff.
O, you direct, as if the God of light
Sat in each nooke of you; and pointed out
The path of Empire; Charming all the dangers
On both sides arm'd, with his harmoniouse finger.
Byr:
Besides let me intreat you to dismisse,
All that haue made the voyage with your Lordship,
But specially the Curate: And to locke
Your papers in some place of doubtlesse safety;
Considering worthily that in your handes
I put my fortunes, honour, and my life.
Laff:
Therein the bounty that your Grace hath showne me,
I prize past life, and all thinges that are mine;
And will vndoubtedly preserue, and tender
The merit of it, as my hope of heauen.
By:
I make no question; farewell worthy friend.
Exit.
Henry, Chancellor, Laffin, D' Escures, Ianin, Henry hauing many papers in his hand.
Hen:
Are these proofes of that purely Chatholike zeale
That made him with no other glorious title,
Then to be calld the scourge of Huguenots?
Cha:
No question sir he was of no religion;
But (vpon false groundes, by some Courtiers laid)
Hath oft bene heard to mocke and iest at all.
Hen:
Are not his treasons haynous?
All.
—Most abhord;
Chan:
All is confirmd that you haue heard before,
And amplified with many horrors more.
Hen:
Good De Laffin; you were our golden plummet,
To sound this gulphe of all ingratitude;
In which you haue with excellent desert
Of loyalty and pollicie, exprest
Your name in action; and with such apparence
Haue prou'd the parts of his ingratefull creasons,
That I must credit, more then I desir'd,
Laff:
I must confesse my Lord, my voyages
Made to the Duke of Sauoy and to Mylan;
Were with indeauour, that the warres returnd,
Might breed some trouble to your Maiestie;
And profit those by whome they were procur'd;
But since, in their disseignes, your sacred person
Was not excepted (which I since haue seene)
It so abhord me, that I was resolu'd
To giue you full intelligence thereof;
Made to the seruant then infringe my fealty
Sworne to my royall Soueraigne and Maister;
Hen:
I am extreamely discontent to see,
This most vnaturall conspiracie;
And would not haue the Marshall of Byron,
The first example or my forced Iustice;
Nor that his death should be the worthy cause,
That my calme raigne, (which hetherto hath held
A cleare and cheerefull skie aboue the heads
Of my deare subiects) should so sodainely
Be ouercast with clowdes of fire, and thunder;
Yet on submission, I vow stil his pardon.
Ian:
And still our humble counsayles, (for his seruice)
Would so resolue you, if he will imploy
His honourd valure as effectually,
To fortifie the State, against your foes;
As he hath practis'd bad intendments with them.
Hen:
That vow shall stand; and we will now addresse,
Some messengers to call him home to Court;
VVithout the slendrest intimation,
Of any ill we know; we will restraine
(VVithal forgiuenes, if he will confesse)
His headlong course to ruine; and his taste,
From the sweete poyson of his friendlike foes:
Treason hath blisterd heeles, dishonest Thinges
Haue bitter Riuers, though delicious Springs;
Descures haste you vnto him, and informe,
That hauing heard by sure intelligence,
Of the great leuies made in Italie,
Of Arms and soldiers; I am resolute,
Vpon my frontiers to maintaine an Army;
The charge whereof I will impose on him;
And to that end, expresly haue commanded,
De Vic, our Lord Ambassador in Suisse,
To demand leuie of six thousand men:
Appointing them to march where Duke Byron
Shall haue directions; wherein I haue follow'd.
Whose lik't aduice, I made him him know by letters,
Wishing to heare his owne; from his owne mouth,
And by all meanes coniure, his speediest presence;
Do this with vtmost hast.
Desc.
I will my Lord.
Exit Desc.
Hen.
My good Lord Chancellor, of many Peeces,
More then is here, of his conspiracies
Presented to vs, by our friend, Laffin;
You onely, shall reserue these seauen and twenty,
VVhich are not those that must conclude against him;
But mention only him; since I am loth,
To haue the rest of the conspirators, knowne.
Chan.
My Lord, my purpose is to guard all these,
So safely from the sight of any other:
That in my doublet I will haue them sow'd;
Without discouering them to mine owne eies,
Till neede, or opportunitie requires.
Hen.
You shall do well my Lord, they are of weight,
But I am doubtfull; that his conscience
Will make him so suspitious of the worst,
That he will hardly be induc't to come.
Ian.
I much should doubt that to, but that I hope
The strength of his conspiracie, as yet
Is not so readie, that he dare presume,
By his refusall to make knowne so much
Of his disloialtie.
Hen.
I yet conceiue;
His practises are turnd to no bad end,
And good Laffin, I pray you wright to him,
To hasten his repaire: and make him sure,
That you haue satisfied me to the full.
For all his actions, and haue vtterd nought,
But what might serue to banish bad impressions.
Laf.
I will not faile my Lord.
Hen.
Conuare your letters;
By some choice friend of his: or by his brother:
And for a third excitement to his presence;
That both the rest employ to make him come,
Vse you the strength of your perswasions.
Ian.
I will my Lord, and hope I shall present him.
Exit Ian.
Enter Esper. Soisson, Uitry, Pralin, &c.
Espa.
Wilt please your Maiestie to take your place,
The Maske is comming.
Hen.
Roome my Lords, stand close.
Musique and a Song, aboue, and Cupid enters with a Table written, hung about his neck; after him two Torch-bearers; after them Mary, D' Entragues, and 4. Ladies more with their Torch-bearers, &c. Cupid speakes.
Cup.
My Lord, these Nimphs, part of the scatterd traine,
Of friendlesse vertue (liuing in the woods
Of shady Arden: and of late not hearing
The dreadfull sounds of Warre; but that sweete Peace,
Was by your valure lifted from her graue,
Set on your royall right hand: and all vertues
Summond with honor, and with rich rewards,
To be her hand-maides): These I say, the vertues,
Haue put their heads out of their Caues and Couerts,
To be her true attendants in your Court:
In which desire, I must relate a tale,
Of kinde and worthy emulation,
Twixt these two Vertues, leaders of the traine.
This on the right hand is Sophrosyne,
Or Chastitis: this other Dapsyle
Or Liberalitie: their Emulation
Begat a iarre, which thus was reconcil'd.
I, (hauing left my Goddesse mothers lap,
To hawlke, and shoote at Birds in Arden groues,)
Beheld this Princely Nimph, with much affection,
Left killing Birds, and turn'd into a Birde,
As if I had beene driuen by some Hawlke,
To sue to her for saftety of my life;
She smilde at first, and sweetly shadowd me,
With soft protection of her siluer hand;
Some-times she tyed my legges in her rich hayre,
And made me (past my nature, libertie)
Proud of my fetters: As I pertly sat,
On the white pillowes of her naked brests,
I sung for ioy; she answered note for note,
Relish for relish, with such ease and Arte,
In her diuine diuision, that my tunes,
Showd like the God of Shepheards to the Sunnes,
Comparde with hers: ashamd of which disgrace,
I tooke my true shape, Bowe, and all my shafts,
And lighted all my torches at her eyes,
Which (set about her, in a golden ring)
I followd Birds againe, from Tree to Tree,
Kild, and presented, and she kindely tooke.
But when she handled my triumphant Bowe,
And saw the beauty of my golden shafts,
She begd them of me; I, poore boy replyed,
I had no other Riches; yet was pleasde
To hazard all, and stake them gainst a kisse,
At an old game I vsde, call'd Penny-prick.
She priuie to her owne skill in the play,
Answerd my challenge, so, I lost my armes:
And now my Shafts are headed with her lookes,
One of which Shafts she put into my Bowe,
And shot at this faire Nimph, with whom before
I tolde your Maiestie, she had some iarre.
The Nimph did instantly repent all parts
She playd in vrging that effeminate warre,
Lou'd and submitted; which submission
This tooke so well, that now they both are one:
And as for your deare loue, their discords grew,
So for your loue, they did their loues renew.
And now to prooue them capable of your court,
As here are practisde; they will first submit
Their grace in dancing to your highnesse doome,
And pray the prease to giue their meisures roome,
Musique, Dance, &c. which done Cupid speakes.
If this suffice, for one Court complement,
To make them gratious, and entertainde;
Behold another parcell of their Court-ship,
Which is a rare dexteritie in riddles,
Showne in one instance, which is here inscrib'd.
Here is a Riddle, which if any Knight
At first sight can resolue; he shall enioy
This Iewell here annext; which though it show
To vulgar eyes, no richer then a Peble;
And that no Lapydarie, nor great man
Will giue a Soulz for it; 'tis worth a kingdome:
For 'tis an artificiall stone composde,
By their great Mistresse, Vertue: and will make
Him that shall weare it, liue with any little,
Suffizde, and more content then any king.
If he that vndertakes cannot resolue it;
And that these Nimphs can haue no harbor here;
(It being considered, that so many vertues
Can neuer liue in Court) he shall resolue
To leaue the Court, and liue with them in Arden,
Esp.
Pronounce the riddle: I will vndertake it.
Cup.
'Tis this sir.
What's that a faire Lady, most of all likes,
Yet euer makes shew she least of all seekes?
That's euer embrac'd and affected by her,
Yet neuer is seene to please or come nigh her:
Most seru'd in her night-weeds: does her good in a corner,
But a poore mans thing, yet doth richly adorne her:
Most cheape, and most deare, aboue all worldly pelfe,
That is hard to get in, but comes out of it selfe.
Yet euer makes shew she least of all seekes?
That's euer embrac'd and affected by her,
Yet neuer is seene to please or come nigh her:
Most seru'd in her night-weeds: does her good in a corner,
But a poore mans thing, yet doth richly adorne her:
Most cheape, and most deare, aboue all worldly pelfe,
That is hard to get in, but comes out of it selfe.
Esp.
Let me peruse it, Cupid.
Cup.
Here it is.
Esp.
Your Riddle is good Fame.
Good fame? how make you that good?
Esp.
Good fame is that a good Lady most likes I am sure;
Cup.
Thats graunted;
Esp.
Yet euer makes showe she least of all seekes: for shee
likes it onely for the vertue, which is not glorious.
Hen.
That holds well
Esp.
Tis euer embrac't and affected by her: for she must,
perseuer in vertue or fame vanishes.
Cup.
Exceeding right.
Esp.
Most serued in her night weeds: for Ladies that most
we are their Nightweeds come lest abrode, and they that come
least abrode serue fame most; according to this; Non forma
sed fama in publicum exire debet.
Hen.
Tis very substantiall.
Esp.
Does her good in a corner: that is in her most retreate
from the world, comforts her; but a poore mans thing: for euery
poore man may purchase it, yet doth richly adorne a Lady.
Cup.
That all must grant.
Esp.
Most cheape for it costs nothing, and most deare, for
gould can not buy it; aboue all worldly pelffe; for thats transitory,
and fame eternall. It is hard to get in; that is hard to get:
But comes out of it selfe; for when it is vertuosely deserud
with the most inward retreate from the world, it comes out
in spight of it, & so Cupid your iewell is mine.
Cup.
It is: and be the vertue of it, yours.
Wee'l now turne to our daunce, and then attend,
Your heighnes will, as touching our resort,
If vertue may be entertaind in Court,
Hen.
This show hath pleased me well, for that it figures.
The reconcilement of my Queene and Mistris:
Come Let vs in and thanke them and prepare,
To entertaine our trusty friend Byron.
Exeunt.
Finis Actus Secundi.
| The Tragedie of Charles Duke of Byron, Marshall of France | |