Part 8
_Mons._ I will not then; to prove which, by my love Shewne to thy vertues, and by all fruits else Already sprung from that still flourishing tree, With whatsoever may hereafter spring, 420 I charge thee utter (even with all the freedome Both of thy noble nature and thy friendship) The full and plaine state of me in thy thoughts.
_Buss._ What, utter plainly what I think of you?
_Mons._ Plaine as truth. 425
_Buss._ Why this swims quite against the stream of greatnes: Great men would rather heare their flatteries, And if they be not made fooles, are not wise.
_Mons._ I am no such great foole, and therefore charge thee Even from the root of thy free heart display mee. 430
_Buss._ Since you affect it in such serious termes, If your selfe first will tell me what you think As freely and as heartily of me, I'le be as open in my thoughts of you.
_Mons._ A bargain, of mine honour! and make this, 435 That prove we in our full dissection Never so foule, live still the sounder friends.
_Buss._ What else, sir? come, pay me home, ile bide it bravely.
_Mons._ I will, I sweare. I think thee, then, a man That dares as much as a wilde horse or tyger, 440 As headstrong and as bloody; and to feed The ravenous wolfe of thy most caniball valour (Rather than not employ it) thou would'st turne Hackster to any whore, slave to a Jew, Or English usurer, to force possessions 445 (And cut mens throats) of morgaged estates; Or thou would'st tire thee like a tinkers strumpet, And murther market folks; quarrell with sheepe, And runne as mad as Ajax; serve a butcher; Doe any thing but killing of the King. 450 That in thy valour th'art like other naturalls That have strange gifts in nature, but no soule Diffus'd quite through, to make them of a peece, But stop at humours, that are more absurd, Childish and villanous than that hackster, whore, 455 Slave, cut-throat, tinkers bitch, compar'd before; And in those humours would'st envie, betray, Slander, blaspheme, change each houre a religion, Doe any thing, but killing of the King: That in thy valour (which is still the dunghill, 460 To which hath reference all filth in thy house) Th'art more ridiculous and vaine-glorious Than any mountibank, and impudent Than any painted bawd; which not to sooth, And glorifie thee like a Jupiter Hammon, 465 Thou eat'st thy heart in vinegar, and thy gall Turns all thy blood to poyson, which is cause Of that toad-poole that stands in thy complexion, And makes thee with a cold and earthy moisture, (Which is the damme of putrifaction) 470 As plague to thy damn'd pride, rot as thou liv'st: To study calumnies and treacheries; To thy friends slaughters like a scrich-owle sing, And to all mischiefes--but to kill the King.
_Buss._ So! have you said?
_Mons._ How thinkest thou? Doe I flatter? 475 Speak I not like a trusty friend to thee?
_Buss._ That ever any man was blest withall. So here's for me! I think you are (at worst) No devill, since y'are like to be no King; Of which with any friend of yours Ile lay 480 This poore stillado here gainst all the starres, I, and 'gainst all your treacheries, which are more: That you did never good, but to doe ill, But ill of all sorts, free and for it selfe: That (like a murthering peece making lanes in armies, 485 The first man of a rank, the whole rank falling) If you have wrong'd one man, you are so farre From making him amends that all his race, Friends, and associates fall into your chace: That y'are for perjuries the very prince 490 Of all intelligencers; and your voice Is like an easterne winde, that, where it flies, Knits nets of catterpillars, with which you catch The prime of all the fruits the kingdome yeelds: That your politicall head is the curst fount 495 Of all the violence, rapine, cruelty, Tyrannie, & atheisme flowing through the realme: That y'ave a tongue so scandalous, 'twill cut The purest christall, and a breath that will Kill to that wall a spider; you will jest 500 With God, and your soule to the Devill tender For lust; kisse horror, and with death engender: That your foule body is a Lernean fenne Of all the maladies breeding in all men: That you are utterly without a soule; 505 And for your life, the thred of that was spunne When Clotho slept, and let her breathing rock Fall in the durt; and Lachesis still drawes it, Dipping her twisting fingers in a boule Defil'd, and crown'd with vertues forced soule: 510 And lastly (which I must for gratitude Ever remember) that of all my height And dearest life you are the onely spring, Onely in royall hope to kill the King.
_Mons._ Why, now I see thou lov'st me! come to the banquet! _Exeunt._ 515
_Finis Actus Tertii._
LINENOTES:
_Henry . . . Attendants_. A, _Henry, D'Ambois, Monsieur, Guise, Mont., Elenor, Tam., Pero_.
1 _my_. A; B omits.
4 _sparrowes_. A, nothing.
16 _man_. A, truth.
29 _than_. So in A; B, by.
53 _besieged_. A, oppressed.
58 _the rest_. A, the tother.
67 _bout_. A, charge.
71-72 Three lines in Qq, i.e. _Peace . . . thee peace_ | _Let . . . warre_ | _He's . . . man_.
76 _noblier_. Emend. ed. Qq, nobly; see note, p. 154.
88 _Stay . . . D'Ambois_. B, Stay them, stay D'Ambois.
89 _honour'd_. A, equall.
96 _empire_. A, eminence.
104 _one stick out_. A, out one sticke.
105 _bound our lifes_. A, was compris'd.
107 _ingenious_. A, ingenuous.
117 _hold_. A, proove. _vertue_. A, rodde.
121 _Decline not to_. A, Engender not.
131-138 _And hope . . . D'Amb[ois], Ladies_. Omitted in A, which after 130 has: _Exeunt Henry, D'Amb., Ely, Ta._
140 _worthy_. A, proper.
149 _ranging_. A, gadding.
153 _for, you know_. A, and indeed.
160-161 _the hart, Being old, and cunning in his_. A, being old, And cunning in his choice of.
163-164 _where . . . his hinde_. A has:--
Where his custome is To beat his vault, and he ruts with his hinde.
168 _chiefest_. A, greatest.
172 _the cunningst_. A, an excellent.
173-177 _I have broken . . . hope there_. A has:--
I have already broke the ice, my lord, With the most trusted woman of your Countesse, And hope I shall wade through to our discovery.
178 _Gui._ A, _Mont._ omitting the speech _Nay . . . there_.
179 _Starting back_. Omitted in A, which instead continues Montsurry's speech with: And we will to the other.
180 _indeed_. A omits.
185 _Nay_. A, Pray.
189-193 _Well said . . . to thee_. Printed in doggerel form in Qq, the lines ending with _hands_, _me_, _mistresse_, _thee_.
192 _of_. A, concerning.
193 _sworne to thee_. A, promised.
194 _that assurance_. A, that you have sworne.
198-199 _so wee reach our objects_. A, so it bee not to one that will betray thee.
202 _Excellent . . . me_. So punctuated by ed.; A, Excellent Pero thou reviv'st me; B, Excellent! Pero thou reviv'st me.
203 _to perdition_. A, into earth heere.
205 _watching_. A, wondring.
206 _stole up_. A, stole.
209 _her selfe reading a letter_. A, she set close at a banquet.
213 _I sweare_. A, No, my lord.
215-216 _Why this . . . Oh, the_. A omits, possibly by mistake.
220 _fraught_. A, freight.
221 _never dreaming of D'Amboys_. A omits.
225 _this_. A, his.
226 _should_. A, could.
227 _made_. A, performed.
_Whispers_. A omits.
233 Between this line and l. 234 A inserts:--
_Char._ I sweare to your Grace, all that I can conjecture touching my lady, your neece, is a strong affection she beares to the English Mylor.
_Gui._ All, quod you? tis enough I assure you; but tell me.
242 _life_--: between this word and _especially_ A inserts: if she marks it.
243 _disguise_. A, put off.
247 _from_. A, at.
253 _are_. A, be.
269 _[th]in_. Emend. ed; Qq, in.
273 _great_. A omits.
279 _it_. A, you.
284 _wee_. A, I. _our mercies_. A, my mercy.
303 _miraculous_. A, horrible.
308 _Well, my lord_. A, My lord, tis true, and.
311-312 _Come . . . of them_. A omits.
317 _dark and standing foggs_. A, monster-formed cloudes.
322-336 _But what . . . feares_. Omitted in A, which has instead:--
I will conceale all yet, and give more time To D'Ambois triall, now upon my hooke; He awes my throat; else, like Sybillas cave, It should breath oracles; I feare him strangely, And may resemble his advanced valour Unto a spirit rais'd without a circle, Endangering him that ignorantly rais'd him, And for whose furie he hath learn'd no limit.
337-391 _Whose there . . . sweet heart_! A omits, though 382-5, with some variations, appear as 326 (half-line)--330 in B. Cf. preceding note.
358 _D'Ambois . . . lord_. So punctuated by ed.; B has: D'Ambois! why my lord?
394 _browes_. A, head.
397 _Prince_. A, Sir.
400-408 _Why wrongfull . . . oftentimes_. A omits.
409 _Put me in some little doubt_. A, This still hath made me doubt.
410 _therefore now_. A, for me then.
413-414 _How . . . friendship_. A omits.
414-416 _Then . . . not yours_. Omitted in A, which has instead: Come, doe not doubt me, and command mee all things.
417 _to prove which, by_. A, and now by all.
419 _still flourishing tree_. A, affection.
420 _With . . . spring_. A omits.
425 _Plaine as truth_. A omits.
438 _pay me home, ile bide it bravely_. A, begin, and speake me simply.
447 _strumpet_. A, wife.
460 _thy_. A, that. _the_. A, my.
461 _hath reference_. A, I carrie.
499 _The purest_. A, A perfect.
ACTUS QUARTI SCENA PRIMA.
[_The Banquetting-Hall in the Court._]
_Henry, Monsieur with a letter, Guise, Montsurry, Bussy, Elynor, Tamyra, Beaupre, Pero, Charlotte, Anable, Pyrha, with foure Pages._
_Henry._ Ladies, ye have not done our banquet right, Nor lookt upon it with those cheereful rayes That lately turn'd your breaths to flouds of gold; Your looks, me thinks, are not drawne out with thoughts So cleare and free as heretofore, but foule 5 As if the thick complexions of men Govern'd within them.
_Bussy._ 'Tis not like, my lord, That men in women rule, but contrary; For as the moone, of all things God created Not only is the most appropriate image 10 Or glasse to shew them how they wax and wane, But in her height and motion likewise beares Imperiall influences that command In all their powers, and make them wax and wane: So women, that, of all things made of nothing, 15 Are the most perfect idols of the moone, Or still-unwean'd sweet moon-calves with white faces, Not only are paterns of change to men, But as the tender moon-shine of their beauties Cleares or is cloudy, make men glad or sad. 20 So then they rule in men, not men in them.
_Monsieur._ But here the moons are chang'd (as the King notes) And either men rule in them, or some power Beyond their voluntary faculty, For nothing can recover their lost faces. 25
_Montsurry._ None can be alwayes one: our griefes and joyes Hold severall scepters in us, and have times For their divided empires: which griefe now in them Doth prove as proper to his diadem.
_Buss._ And griefe's a naturall sicknesse of the bloud, 30 That time to part asks, as his comming had; Onely sleight fooles griev'd suddenly are glad. A man may say t'a dead man, "be reviv'd," As well as to one sorrowfull, "be not griev'd." And therefore (princely mistresse) in all warres 35 Against these base foes that insult on weaknesse, And still fight hous'd behind the shield of Nature, Of priviledge law, treachery, or beastly need, Your servant cannot help; authority here Goes with corruption, something like some states 40 That back woorst men; valour to them must creepe That to themselves left would feare him asleepe.
_Duchess._ Ye all take that for granted that doth rest Yet to be prov'd; we all are as we were, As merry and as free in thought as ever. 45
_Guise._ And why then can ye not disclose your thoughts?
_Tamyra._ Me thinks the man hath answer'd for us well.
_Mons._ The man! why, madam, d'ee not know his name?
_Tam._ Man is a name of honour for a King: Additions take away from each chiefe thing. 50 The schoole of modesty not to learne learnes dames: They sit in high formes there that know mens names.
_Mons._ [_to Bussy._] Heark, sweet heart, here's a bar set to your valour! It cannot enter here, no, not to notice Of what your name is; your great eagles beak 55 (Should you flie at her) had as good encounter An Albion cliffe as her more craggy liver.
_Buss._ Ile not attempt her, sir; her sight and name (By which I onely know her) doth deter me.
_Henr._ So doe they all men else.
_Mons._ You would say so, 60 If you knew all.
_Tam._ Knew all, my lord? what meane you?
_Mons._ All that I know, madam.
_Tam._ That you know! Speak it.
_Mons._ No, tis enough I feele it.
_Henr._ But me thinks Her courtship is more pure then heretofore. True courtiers should be modest, and not nice; 65 Bold, but not impudent; pleasure love, not vice.
_Mons._ Sweet heart, come hither! what if one should make Horns at Mountsurry, would it not strike him jealous Through all the proofes of his chaste ladies vertues?
_Buss._ If he be wise, not. 70
_Mons._ What, not if I should name the gardener That I would have him think hath grafted him?
_Buss._ So the large licence that your greatnesse uses To jest at all men may be taught indeed To make a difference of the grounds you play on, 75 Both in the men you scandall and the matter.
_Mons._ As how, as how?
_Buss._ Perhaps led with a traine Where you may have your nose made lesse and slit, Your eyes thrust out.
_Mons._ Peace, peace, I pray thee, peace! Who dares doe that? the brother of his King! 80
_Buss._ Were your King brother in you; all your powers (Stretcht in the armes of great men and their bawds) Set close downe by you; all your stormy lawes Spouted with lawyers mouthes, and gushing bloud, Like to so many torrents; all your glories 85 Making you terrible, like enchanted flames, Fed with bare cockscombs and with crooked hammes, All your prerogatives, your shames, and tortures, All daring heaven and opening hell about you-- Were I the man ye wrong'd so and provok'd, 90 (Though ne're so much beneath you) like a box tree I would out of the roughnesse of my root Ramme hardnesse in my lownesse, and, like death Mounted on earthquakes, I would trot through all Honors and horrors, thorow foule and faire, 95 And from your whole strength tosse you into the aire.
_Mons._ Goe, th'art a devill! such another spirit Could not be still'd from all th'Armenian dragons. O, my loves glory! heire to all I have (That's all I can say, and that all I sweare) 100 If thou out-live me, as I know thou must, Or else hath Nature no proportion'd end To her great labours; she hath breath'd a minde Into thy entrails, of desert to swell Into another great Augustus Cæsar; 105 Organs and faculties fitted to her greatnesse; And should that perish like a common spirit, Nature's a courtier and regards no merit.
_Henr._ Here's nought but whispering with us; like a calme Before a tempest, when the silent ayre 110 Layes her soft eare close to the earth to hearken For that she feares steales on to ravish her; Some fate doth joyne our eares to heare it comming. Come, my brave eagle, let's to covert flie! I see almighty Æther in the smoak 115 Of all his clowds descending, and the skie Hid in the dim ostents of tragedy. _Exit Henr[y] with D'Amb[ois] & Ladies._
_Guis._ Now stirre the humour, and begin the brawle.
_Mont._ The King and D'Ambois now are growne all one.
_Mons._ Nay, they are two, my lord.
_Mont._ How's that?
_Mons._ No more. 120
_Mont._ I must have more, my lord.
_Mons._ What, more than two?
_Mont._ How monstrous is this!
_Mons._ Why?
_Mont._ You make me horns.
_Mons._ Not I, it is a work without my power, Married mens ensignes are not made with fingers; Of divine fabrique they are, not mens hands: 125 Your wife, you know, is a meere Cynthia, And she must fashion hornes out of her nature.
_Mont._ But doth she? dare you charge her? speak, false prince.
_Mons._ I must not speak, my lord; but if you'l use The learning of a noble man, and read, 130 Here's something to those points. Soft, you must pawne Your honour, having read it, to return it.
_Enter Tamira, Pero._
_Mont._ Not I:--I pawne mine honour for a paper!
_Mons._ You must not buy it under. _Exeunt Guise and Monsieur._
_Mont._ Keepe it then, And keepe fire in your bosome!
_Tam._ What sayes he? 135
_Mont._ You must make good the rest.
_Tam._ How fares my lord? Takes my love any thing to heart he sayes?
_Mont._ Come, y'are a--
_Tam._ What, my lord?
_Mont._ The plague of Herod Feast in his rotten entrailes!
_Tam._ Will you wreak Your angers just cause given by him on me? 140
_Mont._ By him?
_Tam._ By him, my lord. I have admir'd You could all this time be at concord with him, That still hath plaid such discords on your honour.
_Mont._ Perhaps tis with some proud string of my wives.
_Tam._ How's that, my lord?
_Mont._ Your tongue will still admire, 145 Till my head be the miracle of the world.
_Tam._ O woe is me! _She seemes to sound._
_Pero._ What does your lordship meane? Madam, be comforted; my lord but tries you. Madam! Help, good my lord, are you not mov'd? Doe your set looks print in your words your thoughts? 150 Sweet lord, cleare up those eyes, Unbend that masking forehead. Whence is it You rush upon her with these Irish warres, More full of sound then hurt? But it is enough; You have shot home, your words are in her heart; 155 She has not liv'd to beare a triall now.
_Mont._ Look up, my love, and by this kisse receive My soule amongst thy spirits, for supply To thine chac'd with my fury.
_Tam._ O, my lord, I have too long liv'd to heare this from you. 160
_Mont._ 'Twas from my troubled bloud, and not from me. I know not how I fare; a sudden night Flowes through my entrailes, and a headlong chaos Murmurs within me, which I must digest, And not drowne her in my confusions, 165 That was my lives joy, being best inform'd. Sweet, you must needs forgive me, that my love (Like to a fire disdaining his suppression) Rag'd being discouraged; my whole heart is wounded When any least thought in you is but touch't, 170 And shall be till I know your former merits, Your name and memory, altogether crave In just oblivion their eternall grave; And then, you must heare from me, there's no meane In any passion I shall feele for you. 175 Love is a rasor, cleansing, being well us'd, But fetcheth blood still, being the least abus'd. To tell you briefly all--the man that left me When you appear'd, did turne me worse than woman, And stab'd me to the heart, thus, with his fingers. 180
_Tam._ O happy woman! comes my stain from him, It is my beauty, and that innocence proves That slew Chymæra, rescued Peleus From all the savage beasts in Peleon, And rais'd the chaste Athenian prince from hell: 185 All suffering with me, they for womens lusts, I for a mans, that the Egean stable Of his foule sinne would empty in my lap. How his guilt shunn'd me! Sacred innocence That, where thou fear'st, are dreadfull, and his face 190 Turn'd in flight from thee that had thee in chace! Come, bring me to him. I will tell the serpent Even to his venom'd teeth (from whose curst seed A pitcht field starts up 'twixt my lord and me) That his throat lies, and he shall curse his fingers 195 For being so govern'd by his filthy soule.
_Mont._ I know not if himselfe will vaunt t'have beene The princely author of the slavish sinne, Or any other; he would have resolv'd me, Had you not come, not by his word, but writing, 200 Would I have sworne to give it him againe, And pawn'd mine honour to him for a paper.
_Tam._ See, how he flies me still! tis a foule heart That feares his owne hand. Good my lord, make haste To see the dangerous paper: papers hold 205 Oft-times the formes and copies of our soules, And (though the world despise them) are the prizes Of all our honors; make your honour then A hostage for it, and with it conferre My neerest woman here in all she knowes; 210 Who (if the sunne or Cerberus could have seene Any staine in me) might as well as they. And, Pero, here I charge thee, by my love, And all proofes of it (which I might call bounties); By all that thou hast seene seeme good in mee, 215 And all the ill which thou shouldst spit from thee; By pity of the wound this touch hath given me, Not as thy mistresse now, but a poore woman To death given over, rid me of my paines; Powre on thy powder; cleare thy breast of me. 220 My lord is only here: here speak thy worst; Thy best will doe me mischiefe; if thou spar'st me, Never shine good thought on thy memory! Resolve my lord, and leave me desperate.
_Per._ My lord!--my lord hath plaid a prodigals part, 225 To break his stock for nothing, and an insolent, To cut a Gordian when he could not loose it. What violence is this, to put true fire To a false train; to blow up long crown'd peace With sudden outrage; and beleeve a man, 230 Sworne to the shame of women, 'gainst a woman Borne to their honours? But I will to him.
_Tam._ No, I will write (for I shall never more Meet with the fugitive) where I will defie him, Were he ten times the brother of my King. 235 To him, my lord,--and ile to cursing him. _Exeunt._
LINENOTES:
_with a letter_. A omits.
5 _foule_. A, fare.
16 _idols_. A, images.
21 _So then . . . in them_. A omits.
24 _faculty_. A, motions.
26-29 _None . . . diadem_. A assigns these lines to Bussy.
28 _divided empires_. A, predominance.
29 _prove_. A, claime.
38 _priviledge_. A, tyrannous.
65 _and_. A, but.
70-78 _If he . . . and slit_. Omitted in A, which has instead:--
_Buss._ No, I thinke not.
_Mons._ Not if I nam'd the man With whom I would make him suspicious His wife hath arm'd his forehead!
_Buss._ So you might Have your great nose made lesse indeede, and slit.
77-79 In B four lines, broken at (second) _how_, _have_, _out_, _thee peace_.
92 _roughnesse_. A, toughnesse.
96 _the_. A omits.
103 _minde_. A, spirit.
104 _desert_. A, effect.
112 _steales on to ravish_. A, is comming to afflict.
_Enter . . . Pero_, placed in A after _under_ in 134.