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
was giuen the 22. of this month condemning the said Duke of Byron of heigh treason for his direct conspiracies against the kings person enterprises against his state Byr. That is most false let me for euer be Depriued of heauen as I shall be of earth If it be true knowe worthy country-men These two and twenty moneths I haue bene clere Of all atempts against the king and state Har. Treaties and trecheries with his Enemies being marshall of the Kings army for reparation of which crimes they depriued him of all his estates honors and dignities and condemned him to lose his head vpon a Scaffold at the Greaue Byr. The Greaue had that place stood for my dispatch I had not yeelded all your forces should not Stire me one foote wild horses should haue drawne My body peece-meale eare you all had brought me Har. Declaring all his goods moueable and inmoueable whatsoeuer to be confiscate to the King the Signeury of Byron to loose the title of Duchy and Peere for euer Byr. Now is your forme contented Cha. I my Lord And I must now entreat you to deliuer Your order vp the king demands it of you Byr. And I restore it with my vow of safty In that world where both he and I are one I neuer brake the oth I tooke to take it Cha. We 'l now my Lord wee 'l take our latest leaues Beseeching heauen to take as clere from you All sence of torment in your willing death All loue and thought of what you must leaue here As when you shall aspire heauens highest sphere Byr. Thankes to your Lordship and let me pray to That you will hold good censure of my life By the cleere witnesse of my soule in death That I haue neuer past act gainst the King Which if my faith had let me vndertake They had bene three yeares since amongst the dead Harl: Your soule shall finde his safety in her owne Call the executioner Byr: Good sir I pray Go after and beseech the Chancellor That he will let my body be interrd Amongst my predecessors at Byron Desc: I go my Lord Exit Byr: Go go can all go thus And no man come with comfort farewell world He is at no end of his actions blest Whose ends will make him greatest and not best They tread no ground but ride in ayre on stormes That follow State and hunt their empty formes Who see not that the Valleys of the world Make euen right with the Mountains that they grow Greene and lye warmer and euer peacefull are When Clowdes spit fire as Hilles and burne them bare Not Valleys part but we should imitate Streames That run below the Valleys and do yeeld To euery Mole-hill euery Banke imbrace That checks their Currants and when Torrents come That swell and raise them past their naturall height How madde they are and trubl'd like low straines With Torrents crownd are men with Diademes Vit: My Lord t is late wilt please you to go vp Byr. Vp t is a faire preferment ha ha ha There should go showtes to vp-shots not a breath Of any mercy yet come since we must Whos 's this Pral: The executioner my Lord Byr: Death slaue downe or by the blood that moues me I le plucke thy throat out goe I le call you straight Hold boy and this Hang Soft boy I le barre you that Byr: Take this then yet I pray thee that againe I do not ioy in sight of such a Pageant As presents death Though this life haue a cursse T is better then another that is worse Arch My Lord now you are blinde to this worlds sight Looke vpward to a world of endles light Byr: I I you talke of vpward still to others And downwards looke with headlong eyes your selues Now come you vp sir But not touch me yet Where shall I be now Hang Heere my Lord Byr: Where 's that Hang There there my Lord Byr: And where slaue is that there Thou seest I see not yet I speake as I saw Well now i st fit Hang Kneele I beseech your Grace That I may do mine office with most order Byr: Do it and if at one blow thou art short Giue one and thirty I le indure them all Hold stay a little comes there yet no mercy High Heauen curse these exemplarie proceedings When Iustice failes they sacrifize our example Hang Let me beseech you I may cut your haire Byr: Out vgly Image of my cruell Iustice Yet wilt thou be before me stay my will Or by the will of Heauen I le strangle thee Vit: My Lord you make to much of this your body Which is no more your owne Byr: Nor is it yours I le take my death with all the horride rites And representments of the dread it merits Let tame Nobilitie and nummed fooles That apprehend not what they vndergo Be such exemplarie and formall sheepe I will not haue him touch me till I will If you will needs racke me beyond my reason Hell take me but I le strangle halfe that 's here And force the rest to kill me I le leape downe If but once more they tempt me to dispaire You wish my quiet yet giue cause of fury Thinke you to set rude windes vpon the Sea Yet keepe it calme or cast me in a sleepe With shaking of my chaines about myne eares O honest Soldiers you haue seene me free From any care of many thousand deathes Yet of this one the manner doth amaze me View view this wounded bosome how much bound Should that man make me that would shoote it through Is it not pitty I should lose my life By such a bloody and infamous stroake Soldi Now by thy spirit and thy better Angell If thou wert cleere the Continent of France Would shrinke beneath the burthen of thy death Ere it would beare are it Vit: Whos 's that Soldi I say well And cleere your Iustice here is no ground shrinks If he were cleere it would And I say more Clere or not cleere If he with all his foulenesse Stood here in one Skale and the Kings chiefe Mynion Stood in another here Put here a pardon Here lay a royall gift this this in merit Should hoyse the other Mynion into ayre Vit: Hence with that franticke Byr: This is some poore witnes That my desert might haue out-weighed my forfeyt But danger hauntes desert when he is Greatest His hearty ills are prou'd out of his glaunces And Kings suspicions needes no Ballances So her 's a most decreetall end of me VVhich I desire in me may end my wrongs Commend my loue I charge you to my brothers And by my loue and misery command them To keepe their faiths that bind them to the King And proue no stomakers of my misfortunes Nor come to Court till time hath eaten out The blots and skarres of my opprobrious death And tell the Earle my deare friend of D'Auergne That my death vtterly were free from griefe But for the sad losse of his worthy friendship And if I had beene made for longer life I would haue more deseru'd him in my seruice Beseeching him to know I haue not vsde One word in my arraignement that might touch him Had I no other want then so ill meaning And so farewell for euer neuer more Shall any hope of my reuiuall see mee Such is the endlesse exile of dead men Summer succeeds the spring Autumne the Summer The Frosts of Winter the falne leaues of Autumne All these and all fruites in them yearely fade And euery yeare returne but cursed man Shall neuer more renew his vanisht face Fall on your knees then Statists ere yee fall That you may rise againe knees bent too late Stick you in earth like statues see in me How you are powr'd downe from your cleerest heauens Fall lower yet mixt with th' vnmoued center That your owne shadowes may no longer mocke yee Stricke stricke O stricke Flie flie commanding soule And on thy wings for this thy bodies breath Beare the eternall victory of death FINIS