Part 5

170 _rude_. A, bad.

180 _Graces_. A, highnes.

192 _bounteous Grace_. A, excellence.

193 _and to you of long ones_. A has:--

And to your deserts The reverend vertues of a faithfull steward.

196 _pleasant_. A, merrie.

197 _berlady_. A, beleeve it.

199 _his Grace_. A, my Lord.

208-210. _How . . . D'Amboys_. A omits.

212 _If you be thriftie, and_. A, Serve God.

[SCENA SECUNDA.

_A room in the Court._]

_Henry, Guise, Montsurry, Elenor, Tamyra, Beaupre, Pero, Charlotte, Pyra, Annable._

_Henry._ Duchesse of Guise, your Grace is much enricht In the attendance of that English virgin, That will initiate her prime of youth, (Dispos'd to Court conditions) under the hand Of your prefer'd instructions and command, 5 Rather than any in the English Court, Whose ladies are not matcht in Christendome For gracefull and confirm'd behaviours, More than the Court, where they are bred, is equall'd.

_Guise._ I like not their Court-fashion; it is too crestfalne 10 In all observance, making demi-gods Of their great nobles; and of their old Queene An ever-yong and most immortall goddesse.

_Montsurry._ No question shee's the rarest Queene in Europe.

_Guis._ But what's that to her immortality? 15

_Henr._ Assure you, cosen Guise, so great a courtier, So full of majestic and roiall parts, No Queene in Christendome may vaunt her selfe. Her Court approves it: that's a Court indeed, Not mixt with clowneries us'd in common houses; 20 But, as Courts should be th'abstracts of their Kingdomes, In all the beautie, state, and worth they hold, So is hers, amplie, and by her inform'd. The world is not contracted in a man, With more proportion and expression, 25 Than in her Court, her kingdome. Our French Court Is a meere mirror of confusion to it: The king and subject, lord and every slave, Dance a continuall haie; our roomes of state Kept like our stables; no place more observ'd 30 Than a rude market-place: and though our custome Keepe this assur'd confusion from our eyes, 'Tis nere the lesse essentially unsightly, Which they would soone see, would they change their forme To this of ours, and then compare them both; 35 Which we must not affect, because in kingdomes, Where the Kings change doth breed the subjects terror, Pure innovation is more grosse than error.

_Mont._ No question we shall see them imitate (Though a farre off) the fashions of our Courts, 40 As they have ever ap't us in attire; Never were men so weary of their skins, And apt to leape out of themselves as they; Who, when they travell to bring forth rare men, Come home delivered of a fine French suit: 45 Their braines lie with their tailors, and get babies For their most compleat issue; hee's sole heire To all the morall vertues that first greetes The light with a new fashion, which becomes them Like apes, disfigur'd with the attires of men. 50

_Henr._ No question they much wrong their reall worth In affectation of outlandish scumme; But they have faults, and we more: they foolish-proud To jet in others plumes so haughtely; We proud that they are proud of foolerie, 55 Holding our worthes more compleat for their vaunts.

_Enter Monsieur, D'Ambois._

_Monsieur._ Come, mine owne sweet heart, I will enter thee. Sir, I have brought a gentleman to court; And pray, you would vouchsafe to doe him grace.

_Henr._ D'Ambois, I thinke.

_Bussy._ That's still my name, my lord, 60 Though I be something altered in attire.

_Henr._ We like your alteration, and must tell you, We have expected th'offer of your service; For we (in feare to make mild vertue proud) Use not to seeke her out in any man. 65

_Buss._ Nor doth she use to seeke out any man: He that will winne, must wooe her: she's not shameless.

_Mons._ I urg'd her modestie in him, my lord, And gave her those rites that he sayes shee merits.

_Henr._ If you have woo'd and won, then, brother, weare him. 70

_Mons._ Th'art mine, sweet heart! See, here's the Guises Duches; The Countesse of Mountsurreaue, Beaupre. Come, I'le enseame thee. Ladies, y'are too many To be in counsell: I have here a friend That I would gladly enter in your graces. 75

_Buss._ 'Save you, ladyes!

_Duchess._ If you enter him in our graces, my lord, me thinkes, by his blunt behaviour he should come out of himselfe.

_Tamyra._ Has he never beene courtier, my 80 lord?

_Mons._ Never, my lady.

_Beaupre._ And why did the toy take him inth' head now?

_Buss._ Tis leape yeare, lady, and therefore very 85 good to enter a courtier.

_Henr._ Marke, Duchesse of Guise, there is one is not bashfull.

_Duch._ No my lord, he is much guilty of the bold extremity. 90

_Tam._ The man's a courtier at first sight.

_Buss._ I can sing pricksong, lady, at first sight; and why not be a courtier as suddenly?

_Beaup._ Here's a courtier rotten before he be ripe. 95

_Buss._ Thinke me not impudent, lady; I am yet no courtier; I desire to be one and would gladly take entrance, madam, under your princely colours.

_Enter Barrisor, L'Anou, Pyrhot._

_Duch._ Soft sir, you must rise by degrees, first 100 being the servant of some common Lady or Knights wife, then a little higher to a Lords wife; next a little higher to a Countesse; yet a little higher to a Duchesse, and then turne the ladder. 105

_Buss._ Doe you alow a man then foure mistresses, when the greatest mistresse is alowed but three servants?

_Duch._ Where find you that statute sir.

_Buss._ Why be judged by the groome-porters. 110

_Duch._ The groome-porters!

_Buss._ I, madam, must not they judge of all gamings i'th' Court?

_Duch._ You talke like a gamester.

_Gui._ Sir, know you me? 115

_Buss._ My lord!

_Gui._ I know not you; whom doe you serve?

_Buss._ Serve, my lord!

_Gui._ Go to companion; your courtship's too saucie. 120

_Buss._ Saucie! Companion! tis the Guise, but yet those termes might have beene spar'd of the guiserd. Companion! He's jealous, by this light. Are you blind of that side, Duke? Ile to her againe for that. Forth, princely mistresse, 125 for the honour of courtship. Another riddle.

_Gui._ Cease your courtshippe, or, by heaven, Ile cut your throat.

_Buss._ Cut my throat? cut a whetstone, young Accius Noevius! Doe as much with your 130 tongue as he did with a rasor. Cut my throat!

_Barrisor._ What new-come gallant have wee heere, that dares mate the Guise thus?

_L'Anou._ Sfoot, tis D'Ambois! the Duke mistakes him (on my life) for some Knight of the 135 new edition.

_Buss._ Cut my throat! I would the King fear'd thy cutting of his throat no more than I feare thy cutting of mine.

_Gui._ Ile doe't, by this hand. 140

_Buss._ That hand dares not doe't; y'ave cut too many throats already, Guise, and robb'd the realme of many thousand soules, more precious than thine owne. Come, madam, talk on. Sfoot, can you not talk? Talk on, I say. Another 145 riddle.

_Pyrhot._ Here's some strange distemper.

_Bar._ Here's a sudden transmigration with D'Ambois, out of the Knights ward into the Duches bed. 150

_L'An._ See what a metamorphosis a brave suit can work.

_Pyr._ Slight! step to the Guise, and discover him.

_Bar._ By no meanes; let the new suit work; 155 wee'll see the issue.

_Gui._ Leave your courting.

_Buss._ I will not. I say, mistresse, and I will stand unto it, that if a woman may have three servants, a man may have threescore mistresses. 160

_Gui._ Sirrha, Ile have you whipt out of the Court for this insolence.

_Buss._ Whipt! Such another syllable out a th'presence, if thou dar'st, for thy Dukedome.

_Gui._ Remember, poultron! 165

_Mons._ Pray thee forbeare!

_Buss._ Passion of death! Were not the King here, he should strow the chamber like a rush.

_Mons._ But leave courting his wife then.

_Buss._ I wil not: Ile court her in despight of 170 him. Not court her! Come madam, talk on; feare me nothing. [_To Guise._] Well mai'st thou drive thy master from the Court, but never D'Ambois.

_Mons._ His great heart will not down, tis like the sea, 175 That partly by his owne internall heat, Partly the starrs daily and nightly motion, Their heat and light, and partly of the place The divers frames, but chiefly by the moone, Bristled with surges, never will be wonne, 180 (No, not when th'hearts of all those powers are burst) To make retreat into his setled home, Till he be crown'd with his owne quiet fome.

_Henr._ You have the mate. Another?

_Gui._ No more. _Flourish short._

_Exit Guise; after him the King, Mons[ieur] whispering._

_Bar._ Why here's the lion skar'd with the 185 throat of a dunghill cock, a fellow that has newly shak'd off his shackles; now does he crow for that victory.

_L'An._ Tis one of the best jiggs that ever was acted. 190

_Pyr._ Whom does the Guise suppose him to be, troe?

_L'An._ Out of doubt, some new denizond Lord, and thinks that suit newly drawne out a th' mercers books. 195

_Bar._ I have heard of a fellow, that by a fixt imagination looking upon a bulbaiting, had a visible paire of hornes grew out of his forhead: and I beleeve this gallant overjoyed with the conceit of Monsieurs cast suit, imagines himselfe 200 to be the Monsieur.

_L'An._ And why not? as well as the asse stalking in the lions case, bare himselfe like a lion, braying all the huger beasts out of the forrest? 205

_Pyr._ Peace! he looks this way.

_Bar._ Marrie, let him look, sir; what will you say now if the Guise be gone to fetch a blanquet for him?

_L'An._ Faith, I beleeve it, for his honour sake. 210

_Pyr._ But, if D'Ambois carrie it cleane? _Exeunt Ladies._

_Bar._ True, when he curvets in the blanquet.

_Pyr._ I, marrie, sir.

_L'An._ Sfoot, see how he stares on's.

_Bar._ Lord blesse us, let's away. 215

_Buss._ Now, sir, take your full view: who does the object please ye?

_Bar._ If you aske my opinion, sir, I think your suit sits as well as if't had beene made for you. 220

_Buss._ So, sir, and was that the subject of your ridiculous joylity?

_L'An._ What's that to you, sir?

_Buss._ Sir, I have observ'd all your fleerings; and resolve your selves yee shall give a strickt 225 account for't.

_Enter Brisac, Melynell._

_Bar._ O miraculous jealousie! Doe you think your selfe such a singular subject for laughter that none can fall into the matter of our merriment but you? 230

_L'An._ This jealousie of yours, sir, confesses some close defect in your selfe that wee never dream'd of.

_Pyr._ Wee held discourse of a perfum'd asse, that being disguis'd in a lions case imagin'd 235 himself a lion: I hope that toucht not you.

_Buss._ So, sir? Your descants doe marvellous well fit this ground; we shall meet where your buffonly laughters will cost ye the best blood in your bodies. 240

_Bar._ For lifes sake, let's be gone; hee'll kill's outright else.

_Buss._ Goe, at your pleasures; Ile be your ghost to haunt you; and yee sleepe an't, hang me. 245

_L'An._ Goe, goe, sir; court your mistresse.

_Pyr._ And be advis'd; we shall have odds against you.

_Buss._ Tush, valour stands not in number: Ile maintaine it that one man may beat three boyes. 250

_Brisac._ Nay, you shall have no ods of him in number, sir; hee's a gentleman as good as the proudest of you, and yee shall not wrong him.

_Bar._ Not, sir?

_Melynell._ Not, sir; though he be not so rich, 255 hee's a better man than the best of you; and I will not endure it.

_L'An._ Not you, sir?

_Bris._ No, sir, nor I.

_Buss._ I should thank you for this kindnesse, 260 if I thought these perfum'd musk-cats (being out of this priviledge) durst but once mew at us.

_Bar._ Does your confident spirit doubt that, sir? Follow us and try.

_L'An._ Come, sir, wee'll lead you a dance. 265 _Exeunt._

_Finis Actus Primi._

LINENOTES:

2 _that_. A, this.

4 _the_. A omits.

10 _Court-fashion_. A, Court forme.

11 _demi-gods_. A, semi-gods.

14-15 _No question . . . immortality_. A omits.

18 _vaunt_. A, boast.

20 _clowneries_. A, rudenesse.

32 _confusion_. A, deformitie.

47 _sole heire_. A, first borne.

53 _more_. A omits.

54 _To jet . . . haughtely_. A, To be the pictures of our vanitie.

56 _Holding . . . vaunts_. A omits.

58 _a_. A, this. _to court_. A, t'attend you.

60-61 _That's . . . attire_. Printed as prose in Qq.

62, 63 _We_. A, I.

67 So in A: B has only: They that will winne, must wooe her.

71 _sweet heart_. A, my love.

68-75. _I urg'd . . . graces_. Printed as prose in Qq.

76 _'Save you, ladyes_! A omits.

87-90 _Marke . . . extremity_. A omits.

_Enter . . . Pyrhot_. After l. 146 in A.

100-114 _Soft . . . gamester_. A omits.

124 _Duke_. A, Sir.

125 _princely mistresse_. A, madam.

126 _Another riddle_. A omits.

129 _young_. A, good.

132-139, and an additional line: "_Gui._ So, sir, so," inserted after l. 146 in A.

141-145 Set as verse in B, the lines ending in _many_, _of_, _owne_, _talk_.

145-146 _Another riddle_. A, More courtship, as you love it.

178 _Their heat_. A, Ardor.

204 _braying_. A, roaring.

227 _miraculous jealousie_. A, strange credulitie.

229 _the matter of_. A omits.

227-231 _O . . . you_. Printed as three lines of verse, ending in _selfe_, _into_, _you_.

235 _in_. A, with.

241 _else_. A omits.

ACTUS SECUND[i.] SCENA PRIMA.

[_A Room in the Court._]

_Henry, Guise, Montsurry, and Attendants._

_Henry._ This desperate quarrell sprung out of their envies To D'Ambois sudden bravery, and great spirit.

_Guise._ Neither is worth their envie.

_Henr._ Lesse than either Will make the gall of envie overflow; She feeds on outcast entrailes like a kite: 5 In which foule heape, if any ill lies hid, She sticks her beak into it, shakes it up, And hurl's it all abroad, that all may view it. Corruption is her nutriment; but touch her With any precious oyntment, and you kill her. 10 Where she finds any filth in men, she feasts, And with her black throat bruits it through the world Being sound and healthfull; but if she but taste The slenderest pittance of commended vertue, She surfets of it, and is like a flie 15 That passes all the bodies soundest parts, And dwels upon the sores; or if her squint eie Have power to find none there, she forges some: She makes that crooked ever which is strait; Calls valour giddinesse, justice tyrannie: 20 A wise man may shun her, she not her selfe; Whither soever she flies from her harmes, She beares her foe still claspt in her own armes: And therefore, cousen Guise, let us avoid her.

_Enter Nuncius._

_Nuncius._ What Atlas or Olympus lifts his head 25 So farre past covert, that with aire enough My words may be inform'd, and from their height I may be seene and heard through all the world? A tale so worthy, and so fraught with wonder, Sticks in my jawes, and labours with event. 30

_Henr._ Com'st thou from D'Ambois?

_Nun._ From him, and the rest, His friends and enemies; whose sterne fight I saw, And heard their words before, and in the fray.

_Henr._ Relate at large what thou hast seene and heard.

_Nun._ I saw fierce D'Ambois and his two brave friends 35 Enter the field, and at their heeles their foes; Which were the famous souldiers, Barrisor, L'Anou, and Pyrrhot, great in deeds of armes. All which arriv'd at the evenest peece of earth The field afforded, the three challengers 40 Turn'd head, drew all their rapiers, and stood ranck't; When face to face the three defendants met them, Alike prepar'd, and resolute alike. Like bonfires of contributorie wood Every mans look shew'd, fed with eithers spirit; 45 As one had beene a mirror to another, Like formes of life and death each took from other; And so were life and death mixt at their heights, That you could see no feare of death, for life, Nor love of life, for death: but in their browes 50 Pyrrho's opinion in great letters shone: That life and death in all respects are one.

_Henr._ Past there no sort of words at their encounter?

_Nun._ As Hector, twixt the hosts of Greece and Troy, (When Paris and the Spartane King should end 55 The nine yeares warre) held up his brasen launce For signall that both hosts should cease from armes, And heare him speak; so Barrisor (advis'd) Advanc'd his naked rapier twixt both sides, Ript up the quarrell, and compar'd six lives 60 Then laid in ballance with six idle words; Offer'd remission and contrition too, Or else that he and D'Ambois might conclude The others dangers. D'Ambois lik'd the last; But Barrisors friends (being equally engag'd 65 In the maine quarrell) never would expose His life alone to that they all deserv'd. And for the other offer of remission D'Ambois (that like a lawrell put in fire Sparkl'd and spit) did much much more than scorne 70 That his wrong should incense him so like chaffe, To goe so soone out, and like lighted paper Approve his spirit at once both fire and ashes. So drew they lots, and in them Fates appointed, That Barrisor should fight with firie D'Ambois; 75 Pyrhot with Melynell, with Brisac L'Anou; And then, like flame and powder, they commixt So spritely, that I wisht they had beene spirits, That the ne're shutting wounds they needs must open Might, as they open'd, shut, and never kill. 80 But D'Ambois sword (that lightned as it flew) Shot like a pointed comet at the face Of manly Barrisor, and there it stucke: Thrice pluckt he at it, and thrice drew on thrusts From him that of himselfe was free as fire, 85 Who thrust still as he pluckt; yet (past beliefe!) He with his subtile eye, hand, body, scap't. At last, the deadly bitten point tugg'd off, On fell his yet undaunted foe so fiercely, That (only made more horrid with his wound) 90 Great D'Ambois shrunke, and gave a little ground; But soone return'd, redoubled in his danger, And at the heart of Barrisor seal'd his anger. Then, as in Arden I have seene an oke Long shooke with tempests, and his loftie toppe 95 Bent to his root, which being at length made loose (Even groaning with his weight), he gan to nodde This way and that, as loth his curled browes (Which he had oft wrapt in the skie with stormes) Should stoope: and yet, his radicall fivers burst, 100 Storme-like he fell, and hid the feare-cold earth-- So fell stout Barrisor, that had stood the shocks Of ten set battels in your Highnesse warre, 'Gainst the sole souldier of the world, Navarre.

_Gui._ O pitious and horrid murther!

[_Montsurry._] Such a life 105 Me thinks had mettall in it to survive An age of men.

_Henr._ Such often soonest end.-- Thy felt report cals on; we long to know On what events the other have arriv'd.

_Nun._ Sorrow and fury, like two opposite fumes 110 Met in the upper region of a cloud, At the report made by this worthies fall, Brake from the earth, and with them rose Revenge, Entring with fresh powers his two noble friends; And under that ods fell surcharg'd Brisac, 115 The friend of D'Ambois, before fierce L'Anou; Which D'Ambois seeing, as I once did see, In my young travels through Armenia, An angrie unicorne in his full cariere Charge with too swift a foot a jeweller, 120 That watcht him for the treasure of his brow, And, ere he could get shelter of a tree, Naile him with his rich antler to the earth: So D'Ambois ranne upon reveng'd L'Anou, Who eying th'eager point borne in his face, 125 And giving backe, fell back; and, in his fall, His foes uncurbed sword stopt in his heart: By which time all the life strings of th'tw'other Were cut, and both fell, as their spirit flew, Upwards, and still hunt Honour at the view. 130 And now (of all the six) sole D'Ambois stood Untoucht, save only with the others bloud.

_Henr._ All slaine outright?

_Nun._ All slaine outright but he, Who kneeling in the warme life of his friends, (All freckled with the bloud his rapier raind) 135 He kist their pale lips, and bade both farewell: And see the bravest man the French earth beares! [_Exit Nuntius._]

_Enter Monsieur, D'Amb[ois] bare._

_Bussy._ Now is the time; y'are princely vow'd my friend; Perform it princely, and obtaine my pardon.

_Monsieur._ Else Heaven forgive not me! Come on, brave friend! 140 If ever Nature held her selfe her owne, When the great triall of a King and subject Met in one bloud, both from one belly springing, Now prove her vertue and her greatnesse one, Or make the t'one the greater with the t'other, 145 (As true Kings should) and for your brothers love (Which is a speciall species of true vertue) Doe that you could not doe, not being a King.

_Henr._ Brother, I know your suit; these wilfull murthers Are ever past our pardon.

_Mons._ Manly slaughter 150 Should never beare th'account of wilfull murther, It being a spice of justice, where with life Offending past law equall life is laid In equall ballance, to scourge that offence By law of reputation, which to men 155 Exceeds all positive law; and what that leaves To true mens valours (not prefixing rights Of satisfaction suited to their wrongs) A free mans eminence may supply and take.

_Henr._ This would make every man that thinks him wrong'd, 160 Or is offended, or in wrong or right, Lay on this violence; and all vaunt themselves Law-menders and supplyers, though meere butchers, Should this fact, though of justice, be forgiven.

_Mons._ O no, my Lord! it would make cowards feare 165 To touch the reputations of true men. When only they are left to impe the law, Justice will soone distinguish murtherous minds From just revengers. Had my friend beene slaine, His enemy surviving, he should die, 170 Since he had added to a murther'd fame (Which was in his intent) a murthered man; And this had worthily beene wilfull murther; But my friend only sav'd his fames deare life, Which is above life, taking th'under value 175 Which in the wrong it did was forfeit to him; And in this fact only preserves a man In his uprightnesse, worthy to survive Millions of such as murther men alive.

_Henr._ Well, brother, rise, and raise your friend withall 180 From death to life: and, D'Ambois, let your life (Refin'd by passing through this merited death) Be purg'd from more such foule pollution; Nor on your scape, nor valour, more presuming To be again so violent.