is most eloquent Your Empire is so amply absolute That euen your Theaters show more comely rule True noblesse royaltie and happinesse Then others courts you make all state before Vtterly obsolete all to come twice sod And therefore doth my royall Soueraigne wish Your yeares may proue as vitall as your virtues That standing on his Turrets this way turn'd Ordring and fixing his affaires by yours He may at last on firme grounds passe your Seas And see that Maiden-sea of Maiestie In whose chaste armes so many kingdomes lye D' Au. When came she to her touch of his ambition Cre. In this speech following which I thus remember If I hold any merit worth his presence Or any part of that your Courtship giues me My subiects haue bestowd it some in counsaile In action some and in obedience all For none knowes with such proofe as you my Lord How much a subiect may renowne his Prince And how much Princes of their subiects hold In all the seruices that euer subiect Did for his Soueraigne he that best deseru'd Must in comparison except Byron And to winne this prise cleere without the maimes Commonly giuen men by ambition When all their parts lye open to his view Showes continence past their other excellence But for a subiect to affect a kingdome Is like the Cammell that of Ioue begd hornes And such mad-hungrie men as well may eate Hote coles of fire to feede their naturall heate For to aspire to competence with your king What subiect is so grose and Gyantly He hauing now a Daulphine borne to him Whose birth ten dayes before was dreadfully Vsherd with Earth-quakes in most parts of Europe And that giues all men cause enough to feare All thought of competition with him Commend vs good my Lord and tell our Brother How much we ioy in that his royall issue And in what prayers we raise our heart to heauen That in more terror to his foes and wonder He may drinke Earthquakes and deuoure the thunder So we admire your valure and your vertues And euer will contend to winne their honor Then spake she to Crequie and Prince D' Auergne And gaue all gracious farewels when Byron Was thus encountred by a Councellor Of great and eminent name and matchlesse merit I thinke my Lord your princely Daulphin beares Arion in his Cradle through your kingdome In the sweete Musique ioy strikes from his birth He answerd and good right the cause commands it But said the other had we a fift Henry To claime his ould right and one man to friend Whom you well know my Lord that for his friendship Were promist the Vice-royaltie of France We would not doubt of conquest in despight Of all those windy Earth-quakes He replyed Treason was neuer guide to English conquests And therefore that doubt shall not fright our Daulphine Nor would I be the friend to such a foe For all the royalties in Christendome Fix there your foote sayd he I onely giue False fire and would be lothe to shoote you of He that winnes Empire with the losse of faith Out-buies it and will banck-route you haue layde A braue foundation by the hand of victorie Put not the roofe to fortune foolish statuaries That vnder little Saints suppose great bases Make lesse to sence the Saints and so where fortune Aduanceth vile mindes to states great and noble She much more exposeth them to shame Not able to make good and fill their bases With a conformed structure I haue found Thankes to the blesser of my searche that counsailes Held to the lyne of Iustice still produce The surest states and greatest being sure Without which fit assurance in the greatest As you may see a mighty promontorie More digd and vnder-eaten then may warrant A safe supportance to his hanging browes All passengers auoide him shunne all ground That lyes within his shadow and beare still A flying eye vpon him so great men Corrupted in their ground and building out Too swelling fronts for their foundations When most they should be propt are most forsaken And men will rather thrust into the stormes Of better grounded States then take a shelter Beneath their ruinous and fearefull weight Yet they so ouersee their faultie bases That they remaine securer in conceipt And that securitie doth worse presage Their nere distructions then their eaten grounds And therefore heauen it selfe is made to vs A perfect Hierogliphick to expresse The Idlenesse of such securitie And the graue labour of a wise distrust In both sorts of the all-enclying starres Where all men note this difference in their shyning As plaine as they distinguish either hand The fixt starres mauer and the erring stand D' Aum. How tooke he this so worthy admonition Cre. Grauely applied said he and like the man Whome all the world saies ouerrules the starres Which are diuine bookes to vs and are read By vnderstanders onely the true obiects And chiefe companions of the truest men And though I need it not I thanke your counsaile That neuer yet was idle But spherelike Still mooues about and is the continent To this blest I le ACT. 5. SCEN. 1. Enter Byron D' Auergne Laffin Byr. The Circkle of this ambassie is closde For which I long haue long'd for mine owne ends To see my faithfull and leaue courtly friends To whom I came me thought with such a spirit As you haue seene a lusty courser showe That hath beene longe time at his manger tied High fead alone and when his headstall broken Hee runnes his prison like a trumpet neighs Cuts ayre in high curuets and shakes his head With wanton stopings twixt his forelegs mocking The heauy center spreds his flying crest Like to an Ensigne hedge and ditches leaping Till in the fresh meate at his naturall foode He sees free fellowes and hath met them free And now good friend I would be faine inform'd What our right Princely Lord the duke of Sauoy Hath thought on to employ my comming home Laf. To try the Kings trust in you and withall How hot he trailes on our conspiracie He first would haue you begge the gouernment Of the important Citadell of Bourg Or to place in it any you shall name VVhich wil be wondrous fit to march before His other purposes and is a fort Hee rates in loue aboue his patrimonie To make which fortresse worthie of your suite He vowes if you obtaine it to bestowe His third faire daughter on your excellence And hopes the King will not deny it you Byr. Denie it me deny me such a suite VVho will he grant if he deny it me Laf. He 'le finde some politique shift to do 't I feare Bir. VVhat shift or what euasion can he finde VVhat one patch is there in all policies shop That botcher vp of Kingdomes that can mend The brack betwixt vs any way denying D' Au. That 's at your perill Byr. Come he dares not do 't D' Au. Dares not presume not so you know good duke That all things hee
finger in the hearts of kings Which whilelome grew into a goodly tree Bright Angels sat and sung vpon the twigs And royall branches for the heads of Kings Were twisted of them but since squint-ey'd enuye And pale suspicion dasht the heads of kingdomes One gainst another two abhorred twins With two foule tayles sterne Warre and Libertie Entred the world The tree that grew from heauen Is ouerrunne with mosse the cheerfull musique That heeretofore hath sounded out of it Beginnes to cease and as she casts her leaues By small degrees the kingdomes of the earth Decline and wither and looke whensoeuer That the pure sap in her is dried vp quite The lamp of all authoritie goes out And all the blaze of Princes is extinkt Thus as the Poet sends a messenger Out to the stage to shew the summe of all That followes after so are Kings reuolts And playing both waies with religion Fore-runners of afflictions imminent Which like a Chorus subiects must lament D' Au. My Lord I stand not on these deepe discourses To settle my course to your fortunes mine Are freely and inseperablie linckt And to your loue my life Byr. Thankes Princely friend And whatsoeuer good shall come of me Pursu'd by al the Catholike Princes aydes With whom I ioyne and whose whole states proposde To winne my valure promise me a throne All shall be equall with my selfe thine owne La Brun. My Lord here is D'escuris sent from the King Desires accesse to you Enter D'escuris Byr. Attend him in Desc. Helth to my Lord the Duke Byr. Welcome D'escuris In what helth rests our royall Soueraigne Desc. In good helth of his bodie but his minde Is something troubled with the gathering stormes Of forreigne powres that as he is inform'd Addresse themselues into his frontier townes And therefore his intent is to maintaine The body of an armie on those parts And yeeld their worthie conduct to your valure Byr. From whence heares he that any stormes are rising D'esc. From Italy and his intelligence No doubt is certaine that in all those partes Leuies are hotly made for which respect He sent to his Ambassador De Vic To make demand in Switzerland for the raising With vtmost dilligence of sixe thousand men All which shall bee commanded to attend On your direction as the Constable Your honord Gossip gaue him in aduice And hee sent you by wrighting of which letters He would haue answere and aduice from you By your most speedie presence Byr. This is strange That when the enimie is t' attempt his frontiers He calls me from the frontiers does he thinke It is an action worthie of my valure To turne my back to an approching foe Desc. The foe is not so nere but you may come And take more strickt directions from his highnesse Then he thinkes fit his letters should containe Without the least attainture of your valure And therefore good my Lord forbeare excuse And beare your selfe on his direction Who well you know hath neuer made designe For your most worthy seruice where he saw That any thing but honour could succede Byr. I will not come I sweare Des. I know your grace Will send no such vnsauorie replie Byr. Tell him that I beseech his Maiesty To pardon my repaire till th' end be knowne Of all these leuies now in Italie Des. My Lord I know that tale will neuer please him And wish you as you loue his loue and pleasure To satisfie his summons speedily And speedily I know he will returne you Byr. By heauen it is not fit if all my seruice Makes me know any thing beseech him therefore To trust my iudgement in these doubtfull charges Since in assur'd assaults it hath not faild him Des. I would your Lordship now would trust his iudgement Byr. Gods precious y' are importunate past measure And I know further then your charge extends I le satisfie his highnesse let that serue For by this flesh and bloud you shall not beare Any replie to him but this from me Des. T is nought to me my Lord I wish your good And for that cause haue beene importunate Exit Desc Brunel By no meanes goe my Lord but with distrust Of all that hath beene said or can be sent Collect your friends and stand vpon your gard The Kings faire letters and his messages Are onely Golden Pills and comprehend Horrible purgatiues Byr. I will not goe For now I see th' instructions lately sent me That something is discouerd are too true And my head rules none of those neighbor Nobles That euery Pursiuant brings beneath the axe If they bring me out they shall see I le hatch Like to the Black-thorne that puts forth his leafe Not with the golden fawnings of the Sunne But sharpest showers of haile and blackest frosts Blowes batteries breaches showers of steele and bloud Must be his doun-right messengers for me And not the misling breath of policie He he himselfe made passage to his Crowne Through no more armies battailes massacres Then I will aske him to arriue at me He takes on him my executions And on the demolitions that this arme Hath shaken out of forts and Citadells Hath he aduanc't the Tropheys of his valor Where I in those assumptions may skorne And speake contemptuously of all the world For any equal yet I euer found And in my rising not the Syrian Starre That in the Lyons mouth vndaunted shines And makes his braue ascension with the Sunne Was of th' Egiptians with more zeale beheld And made a rule to know the circuite And compasse of the yeare then I was held When I appeard from battaile the whole sphere And full sustainer of the state we beare I haue Alcides-like gone vnder th' earth And on these showlders borne the weight of France And for the fortunes of the thankles King My father all know set him in his throne And if he vrge me I may pluck him out Enter Mess: Mes. Here is the president Ianin my Lord Sent from the King and vrgeth quick accesse Byr. Another Pursiuant and one so quick He takes next course with me to make him stay But let him in let 's here what he importunes Enter Ianin Ianin Honor and loyall hopes to Duke Byron Byr. No other tooch me say how fares the King Ian. Farely my Lord the cloud is yet farre off That aimes at his obscuring and his will Would gladly giue the motion to your powers That should disperse it but the meanes himselfe Would personally relate in your direction Byr. Still on that hante Ian. Vpon my life my Lord He much desires to see you and your sight Is now growne necessarie to suppresse As with the glorious splendor of the Sunne The rude windes that report breaths in his eares Endeuoring to blast your loialtie Byr. Sir if my loyaltie stick in him no faster But that the light breath of report may loose it So I rest still vnmoou'd let him be shaken Ian. But these aloofe abodes my Lord bewray That there
lose theyr lookes Whose hearts so soone are melted D'Au: But me thinks Being Courtiers they should cast best looks on men When they thought worst of them Byr: O no my Lord They n'ere dissemble but for some aduantage They sell theyr looks and shadowes which they rate After theyr markets kept beneath the State Lord what foule weather theyr aspects do threaten See in how graue a Brake he sets his vizard Passion of nothing See an excellent Iesture Now Courtship goes a ditching in theyr fore-heads And we are falne into those dismall ditches Why euen thus dreadfully would they be rapt If the Kings butterd egges were onely spilt Enter Henry Hen: Lord Chancellor Cha: I my Lord Hen: And lord Vidame Exit Byr: And not Byron here 's a prodigious change D'Au: He cast no Beame on you Byr: Why now you see From whence theyr countenances were copyed Enter the captaine of Byrons guard with a letter D'Au. See here comes some newes I beleeue my Lord Byr. VVhat saies the honest captaine of my guard Cap. I bring a letter from a friend of yours Byr. T is welcome then D'Au. Haue we yet any friends Cap. More then yee would I thinke I neuer saw Men in their right mindes so vnrighteous In their owne causes Byr. See what thou hast brought Hee wills vs to retire our selues my Lord And makes as if it were almost too late What saies my captaine shall we goe or no Cap. I would your daggers point had kist my heart When you resolu'd to come Byr. I pray the why Cap. Yet doth that sencelesse Apopelxy dull you The diuell or your wicked angell blinds you Bereauing all your reason of a man And leaues you but the spirit of a horse In your brute nostrills onely powre to dare Byr. VVhy dost thou think my comming here hath brought me To such an vnrecouerable danger Cap. Iudge by the strange Ostents that haue succeeded Since your arriuall the kinde fowle the wilde duck That came into your cabinet so beyond The sight of all your seruants or your selfe That flew about and on your shoulder sat And which you had so fed and so attended For that dum loue she shew'd you iust as soone As you were parted on the sodaine died And to make this no lesse then an Ostent Another that hath fortun'd since confirmes it Your goodly horse Pastrana which the Archduke Gaue you at Bruxells in the very houre You left your strength fel-mad and kild himselfe â—â—e like chanc't to the horse the great duke sent you and with both these the horse the duke of Lorraine Sent you at Vinsie made a third presage Of some Ineuitable fate that toucht you Who like the other pin'd away and died Byr. All these together are indeed oftentfull Which by another like I can confirme The matchlesse Earle of Essex who some make In their most sure diuinings of my death A parallel with me in life and fortune Had one horse like-wise that the very howre He sufferd death being well the night before Died in his pasture Noble happy beasts That die not hauing to their wills to liue They vse no deprecations nor complaints Nor sute for mercy amongst them the Lion Serues not the Lion nor the horse the horse As man serues man when men shew most their spirrits In valure and their vtmost dares to do They are compard to Lions Woolues and Bores But by conuersion None will say a Lyon Fights as he had the Spirrit of a man Let me then in my danger now giue cause For all men to begin that Simile For all my huge engagement I prouide me This short sword onely which if I haue time To show my apprehendor he shall vse Power of tenne Lions if I get not loose Enter Henry Chancellor Vidame Ianin Vitry Pralin Hen. What shall we doe with this vnthankefull man Would he of one thing but reueale the truth Which I haue proofe of vnderneath his hand He should not tast my Iustice I would giue Two hundred thousand crownes that he would yeeld But such meanes for my pardon as he should I neuer lou'd man like him would haue trusted My Sonne in his protection and my Realme He hath deseru'd my loue with worthy seruice Yet can he not deny but I haue thrice Sau'd him from death I drew him of the foe At Fountaine Francoise where he was engag'd So wounded and so much amazd with blowes That as I playd the souldier in his rescue I was enforc't to play the Marshall To order the retreat because he said He was not fit to do it nor to serue me Cha. Your maiesty hath vsd your vtmost meanes Both by your owne perswasions and his friends To bring him to submission and confesse With some signe of repentance his foule fault Yet still he stands prefract and insolent You haue in loue and care of his recouery Beene halfe in labour to produce a course And resolution what were fit for him And since so amply it concernes your crowne You must by law cut of what by your grace You cannot bring into the state of safety Ian. Begin at th' end my Lord and execute Like Alexander with Parmenio Princes you knowe are Maisters of their lawes And may resolue them to what forms they please So all conclude in iustice in whose stroke There is one sort of manadge for the Great Another for inferiour The great Mother Of all productions graue Necessity Commands the variation And the profit So certenly fore-seene commends the example Hen. I like not executions so informall For which my predecessors haue beene blam'd My Subiects and the world shall knowe my powre And my authority by lawes vsuall course Dares punish not the deuilish heads of treason But there confederates be they nere so dreadfull The decent ceremonies of my lawes And their solemnities shall be obserued With all their Sternenes and Seueritie Vit: Where will your highnes haue him apprehended Hen: Not in the Castle as some haue aduis'd But in his chamber Pral: Rather in your owne Or comming out of it for t is assur'd That any other place of apprehension Will make the hard performance end in blood Vit: To shun this likely-hood my Lord t is best To make the apprehension neere your chamber For all respect and reuerence giuen the place More then is needfull to chastice the person And saue the opening of to many veines Is vain and dangerous Hen: Gather you your guard And I will finde fit time to giue the word When you shall seaze on him and on D'Avuergne Vit: Wee will be readie to the death my Lord Exeunt Hen: O thou that gouernst the keene swords of Kings Direct my arme in this important stroke Or hold it being aduanc't the weight of blood Euen in the basest subiect doth exact Deepe consultation in the highest King For in one subiect deaths vniust affrights Passions and paines though he be n'ere so poore Aske more remorse then the voluptuous spleenes Of all Kings
BYRONS CONSPIRACIE ACTVS I. SCAENA I. Sauoy Roncas Rochette Breton Sau. I Would not for halfe Sauoy but haue bound Fraunce to some fauour by my personall presence More than your selfe my Lord Ambassadour Could haue obtaind for all Ambassadours You know haue chiefly these instructions To note the State and chiefe sway of the Court To which they are employde to penetrate The heart and marrow of the Kings designes And to obserue the countenances and spirites Of such as are impatient of rest And wring beneath some priuate discontent But past all these there are a number more Of these State Critiscismes That our personall view May profitably make which cannot fall Within the powres of our instruction To make you comprehend I will doe more With my meere shadow than you with your persons All you can say against my comming heere Is that which I confesse may for the time Breede strange affections in my brother Spaine But when I shal haue time to make my Cannans The long-tong'd Heraulds of my hidden drifts Our reconcilement will be made with triumphs Ron. If not your Highnesse hath small cause to care Hauing such worthy reason to complaine Of Spaines colde friendship and his lingring succours Who onely entertaines your griefes with hope To make your medcine desperate Roch. My Lord knowes The Spanish glosse too well his forme stuffe'lasting And the most dangerous conditions He layes on them with whome he is in league Th' iniustice in the most vnequall dowre Giuen with th' Infanta whome my Lord espousde Compar'd with that her elder sister had May tell him how much Spaines loue weighs to him When of so many Globes and Scepters held By the great King he onely would bestow A portion but of six score thousand Crownes In yeerely pension with his highnesse wife When the Infanta wedded by the Archduke Had the Franch County and lowe Prouinces Bret. We should not set these passages of Splene Twixt Spaine and Sauoy to the weaker part More good by suffrance growes than deedes of heart The nearer Princes are the further off In rites of friendship my aduice had neuer Consented to this voyage of my Lord In which he doth endaunger Spaines whole losse For hope of some poore fragment heere in Fraunce Sau. My hope in France you know not though my counsel And for my losse of Spaine it is agreede That I should sleight it oft-times Princes rules Are like the Chymicall Philosophers Leaue me then to mine owne proiection In this our thriftie Alchymie of state Yet helpe me thus farre you that haue beene heere Our Lord Ambassadour and in short informe mee What Spirites here are fit for our designes Ron. The new-created Duke Byron is fit Were there no other reason for your presence To make it worthie for he is a man Of matchlesse valure and was euer happy In all encounters which were still made good With an vnwearyed sence of any toyle Hauing continewd fourteene dayes together Vpon his horse his blood is not voluptuous Nor much inclinde to women his desires Are higher than his state and his deserts Not much short of the most he can desire If they be weigh'd with what Fraunce feeles by them He is past measure glorious And that humour Is fit to feede his Spirites whome it possesseth With faith in any errour chiefly where Men blowe it vp with praise of his perfections The taste whereof in him so soothes his pallate And takes vp all his appetite that oft times He will refuse his meate and companie To feast alone with their most strong conceit Ambition also cheeke by cheeke doth march With that excesse of glory both sustaind With an vnlimited fancie That the King Nor Fraunce it selfe without him can subsist Sau. He is the man my Lord I come to winne And that supreame intention of my presence Saw neuer light till now which yet I feare The politike king suspecting is the cause That he hath sent him so farre from my reach And made him chiefe in the Commission Of his ambassage to my brother Arch-duke With whome he is now and as I am tolde So entertaind and fitted in his humour That ere I part I hope he will returne Prepar'd and made the more fit for the phisicke That I intend to minister Ron. My Lord There is another discontented Spirite Now heere in Court that for his braine and aptnes To any course that may recouer him In his declined and litigious state Will serue Byron as he were made for him In giuing vent to his ambitious vaine And that is De Laffin Sau. You tell me true And him I thinke you haue prepar'd for me Ron. I haue my Lord and doubt not he will prooue Of the yet taintlesse fortresse of Byron A quicke Expugner and a strong Abider Sau. Perhappes the battry will be brought before him In this ambassage for I am assur'd They set high price of him and are informde Of all the passages and means for mines That may be thought on to his taking in Enter Henry and Laffin The King comes and Laffin the Kings aspect Folded in cloudes Hen. I will not haue my traine Made a retreite for Bankroutes nor my Court A hyue for Droanes prowde Beggars and true Thieues That with a forced truth they sweare to me Robbe my poore subiects shall giue vp their Arts And hencefoorth learne to liue by their desarts Though I am growne by right of Birth and Armes Into a greater kingdome I will spreade With no more shade then may admit that kingdome Her proper naturall and woonted fruites Nauarre shall be Nauarre and France still France If one may be the better for the other By mutuall rites so neither shall be worse Thou arte in lawe in quarrells and in debt Which thou wouldst quit with countnaunce Borrowing With thee is purchase and thou seekst by me In my supportance now our olde warres cease To wage worse battells with the armes of Peace Laf. Peace must not make men Cowherds nor keepe calme Her pursie regiment with mens smootherd breaths I must confesse my fortunes are declinde But neither my deseruings nor my minde I seeke but to sustaine the right I found When I was rich in keeping what is left And making good my honour as at best Though it be hard mans right to euery thing Wanes with his wealth wealth is his surest King Yet Iustice should be still indifferent The ouerplus of Kings in all their might Is but to peece out the defects of right And this I sue for nor shall frownes and taunts The common Scarre-crowes of all poore mens suites Nor mis-construction that doth colour still Licentiate Iustice punishing good for ill Keepe my free throate from knocking at the Skie If thunder chid mee for my equitie Hen. Thy equity is to be euer banisht From Court and all societie of noblesse Amongst whome thou throwst balls of all dissention Thou arte at peace with nothing but with warre Hast no heart but to hurt and eatst thy
gratitude I haue sent Into your treasury the greatest Iewells In all my Cabinet of Beatrice And of my late-deceased wife th' Infanta Which are two Basigus and their Ewrs of christall Neuer yet vallewd for their workmanship Nor the exceding riches of their matter And to your stable worthy duke of Byron I haue sent in two of my fayrest horses Byr. Sent me your horses vpon what desert I entertaine no presents but for merits Which I am farre from at your highnes hands As being of all men to you the most stranger There is as ample bounty in refusing As in bestowing and with this I quit you Sau. Then haue I lost nought but my poore good will Hen. Well cosine I with all thankes welcome that And the rich arguments with which you proue it Wishing I could to your wish welcome you Draw for your marquisate the articles Agreed on in our composition And it is yours but where you haue porpos'd In your aduices my designe for Millane I will haue no warre with the king of Spaine Vnlesse his hopes proue weary of our peace And Princely cosine it is farre from me To thinke your wisedome needeful of my counsaile Yet loue oft-times must offer things vnneedeful And therefore I would counsaile you to hold All good termes with his Maiestie of Spaine If any troubles should be stirr'd betwixt you I would not stirre therein but to appease them I haue too much care of my royal word To breake a Peace so iust and consequent Without force of precedent iniurie Endles desires are worthles of iust Princes And onely proper to the swinge of tyrants Sau. At al partes spoke like the most christian king I take my humblest leaue and pray your Highnes To holde me as your seruant and poore kinsman Who wisheth no supreamer happines Than to be yours To you right worthy Princes I wish for all your fauours powr'd on me The loue of al these Ladies mutually And so they please their Lordes that they may please Themselues by all meanes And be you assurde Most louely Princesses as of your liues You cannot be true women if true wiues Exit Hen. Is this he Espernon that you would needes Perswade vs courted so absurdly Esp. This is euen he sir howsoeuer he hath studied his Parting Courtship Hen. In what one point seemde hee so ridiculous as you would present him Esp. Behold me sir I beseech you behold me I appeare to you as the great Duke of Sauoy with these three Ladies Hen. Well sir we graunt your resemblance Esp. He stole a carriage sir from Count d'Auuergne heere D'Auer. From me sir Esp. Excuse me sir from you I assure you heere sir he lies at the Lady Antoniette iust thus for the worlde in the true posture of Count d'Auuergne D'Auer. Y' are exceeding delightsome Hen. Why is not that well it came in with the organ hose Esp. Organ hose a pox an t let it pipe it selfe into contempt hee hath stolne it most felloniously and it graces him like a disease Hen. I thinke he stole it from D'Avuergne indeed Esp. Well would he had robd him of all his other diseases He were then the soundest lord in France D'Au. As I am sir I shall stand all wethers with you Esp. But sir he has praisd you aboue th' inuention of Rimers Hen. Wherein or how Esp. He tooke vpon him to describe your victories in warre and where hee should haue sayd you were the most absolute souldier in Christendome no Asse could haue mist it hee deliuerd you for as pretty a fellow of your hands as any was in France Hen. Marry God dild him Esp. A pox on him Hen. Well to be serious you know him well To be a gallant Courtier his great wit Can turne him into any forme he lists More fit to be auoyded then deluded For my Lord Duke of Byron here well knowes That it infecteth where it doth affect And where it seemes to counsaile it conspires With him go all our faults and from vs flie With all his counsaile all conspiracie Finis Actus Quinti vltimi THE TRAGEDIE OF CHARLES Duke of BYRON By GEORGE CHAPMAN THE TRAGEDIE OF Charles Duke of Byron ACTVS I. SCENA I. 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 Soueraigne And from what ground my Lord rise all the leuyes 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