The Tragedy of Charles Duke of Byron

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

Most serued in her night weeds : for Ladies that most weare their Nightweeds come left abrode , and they that come least abrode serue fame most ; according to this ; Non forma sed fama in publicum exire de bet .

Hen.

T is very substantiall ,

Esp.

Does her good in a corner : that is in her most retreate from the world , comforts her ; but a poore mans thing : for euery poore man may purchase it , yet doth richly adorne a Lady .

Cup.

That all must grant .

Esp.

Most cheape for it costs nothing , and most deare , for gould can not buy it ; aboue all worldly pelffe ; for that 's transitory , and fame eternall . It is hard to get in ; that is hard to get : But comes out of it selfe ; for when it is vertuosely deserud with the most inward retreate from the world , it comes out in spight of it , & so Cupid your iewell is mine .

Cup. It is : and be the vertue of it , yours . Wee 'l now turne to our daunce , and then attend , Your heighnes will , as touching our resort , If vertue may be entertaind in Court , Hen. This show hath pleased me well , for that it figures . The reconcilement of my Queene and Mistris : Come Let vs in and thanke them and prepare , To entertaine our trusty friend Byron . Exeunt . Finis Actus Secundi .

ACTVS 3. SCENA I. Enter Byron . D'Auer . Byr. Deare friend , we must not be more true to kings , Then Kings are to their subiects , there are schooles , Now broken ope in all parts of the world , First founded in ingenious Italy , Where some conclusions of estate are held , That for a day preserue a Prince , and euer , Destroy him after : from thence men are taught , To glyde into degrees of height by crafte , And then lock in them-selues by villanie : But God , who knowes kings are not made by art , But right of Nature , nor by trechery propt , But simple vertue , once let fall from heauen , A branch of that greene tree , whose root is yet , Fast fixt aboue the starrs : which sacred branch , Wee well may liken to that Lawrell spray , That from the heauenly Eagles golden seres , Fell in the lap of great Augustus wife : Which spray once set , grew vp into a tree , Whereof were Girlonds made , and Emperors , Had their estates and foreheads crownd with them : And as the armes of that tree did decay , The race of great Augustus wore away , Nero being last of that imperiall line , The tree and Emperor together died . Religion is a branch , first set and blest By heauens highe 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 is rather firmnesse in your breath . Then in your heart ; Truth is not made of glasse , That with a small touch , it should feare to breake , And therefore should not shunne it ; beleeue me His arme is long , and strong ; and it can fetch Any within his will , that will not come : Not he that surfets in his mines of gold , And for the pride thereof , compares with God , Calling ( with almost nothing different ) His powers inuincible , for omnipotent , Can back your boldest Fort gainst his assaults ; It is his pride , and vaine ambition , That hath but two staires in his high designes ; ( The lowest enuie , and the highest bloud ) That doth abuse you ; and giues mindes too high , Rather a will by guiddinesse to fall , Then to descend by iudgement . Byr. I relye On no mans back nor belly ; but the King Must thinke that merit , by ingratitude crackt , Requires a firmer sementing then words . And he shall finde it a much harder worke To soder broken hearts , then shiuerd glasses . Ian. My Lord , 't is better hold a Soueraignes loue By bearing iniuries ; then by laying out Stirre his displeasure ; Princes discontents ( Being once incenst ) are like the flames of Aetna , Not to be quencht , nor lessend : and be sure , A subiects confidence in any merit , Against his Soueraigne , that makes him presume To flie too high ; approoues him like a clowd , That makes a show as it did hawlke at kingdomes , And could command , all raisd beneath his vapor : When sodainly , the Fowle that hawlkt so faire , Stoopes in a puddle , or consumes in ayre . Byr. I flie with no such ayme , nor am opposde , Against my Soueraigne ; but the worthy height I haue wrought by my seruice , I will hold , Which if I come away , I cannot do ; For if the enimie should inuade the Frontier , Whose charge to guard , is mine , with any spoile , ( Although the King in placing of another Might well excuse me ) Yet all forraine Kinges That can take note of no such secret quittance , Will lay the weakenesse here , vpon my wants ; And therefore my abode is resolute . Ian: I sorrow for your resolution , And feare your dissolution , will succeed . Byr: I must indure it ; Ian: Fare you well my Lord ; Byr: Farewell to you ; Enter Brun. Captaine what other newes ? Bru: La Fin salutes you ; Byr: Welcome good friend ; I hope your wisht arriuall , Will giue some certaine end to our disseignes ; Bru: I know not that , my Lord ; reports are rais'd so doubtfull and so different , that the truth of any one can hardly be assur'd . Byr: Good newes , D'Avuergne ; our trusty friend La Fin , Hath clear'd all scruple with his Maiestie , And vtterd nothing but what seru'd to cleare All bad Suggestions . Bru: So he sayes , my Lord But others say , La Fins assurances Are meere deceipts ; and wish you to beleeue ; That when the Vidame , nephew to La Fin , Met you at Autune , to assure your doubts , His vncle had said nothing to the King That might offend you ; all the iournies charge , The King defraid ; besides , your truest friendes Willd me to make you certaine that your place Of gouernment is otherwise dispos'd ; And all aduise you , for your latest hope , To make retreat into the French County . Byr: I thanke them all , but they touch not the depth , Of the affaires , betwixt La Fin and me . Who is returnd contented to his house , Quite freed , of all displeasure or distrust ; And therefore , worthy friends we le now to Court . D' Au My Lord , I like your other friends aduices , Much better then Laffins ; and on my life You can not come to Court with any saftie . Byr. Who shall infringe it ? I know , all the Court , Haue better apprehension of my valure ; Then that they dare lay violent hands on mee ; If I haue onely meanes to drawe this sword , I shall haue powre enough to set me free , From seasure , by my proudest enemie . Exit . Esper : Vyt : Pralin : Esp. He will not come I dare engage my hand . Vyt. He will be fetcht then , I le engage my head . Pra. Come , or be fetcht , he quite hath lost his honor , In giuing these suspicions of reuolt From his allegiance : that which he hath wunne , With sundry wounds , and perrill of his life ; With wonder of his wisdome , and his valure , He looseth with a most enchanted glorie : And admiration of his pride , and folly . Vit. Why did you neuer see a fortunate man , Sodainely rais'd to heapes of welth and honor ? Nor any rarely great in guifts of nature , As valure , wit , and smooth vse of the tongue , Set strangely to the pitch of populare likings ? But with as sodaine falls the rich and honord , Were ouerwhelmd by pouertie , and shame Or had no vse of both aboue the wretched . Esp. Men neuer are satisfi'd with that they haue ; But as a man , matcht with a louely wife , When his most heauenly Theorye of her beauties , Is duld and quite exhausted with his practise : He brings her forth to feasts , where he ahlas , Falls to his viends with no thought like others , That thinke him blest in her , and they ( poore men ) Court , and make faces , offer seruice , sweate , With their desires contention , breake their braines For iests , and tales : sit mute , and loose their lookes , ( Far out of wit , and out of countenance ) So all men else , do what they haue transplant , And place their welth in thirst of that they want . Enter Henry , Chanc: Vyd : Desc : Ianin . Hen. He will not come ; I must both grieue and wonder , That all my care to winne my subiects loue And in one cup of friendship to comix , Our liues and fortunes : should leaue out so many As giue a man ( comtemptuous of my loue , And of his owne good , in the Kingdomes Peace ) Hope , in a continuance so vngratefull , To beare out his designes in spight of me ; How should I better please all , then I do ? When they suppos'd , I would haue giuen some , Insolent garisons ; others Citadells , And to all sorts , encrease of miseries ; Prouince by Prouince , I did visit all Whom those iniurious rumors had diswaide ; And shew'd them how , I neuer sought to build , More forts for me , then were within their hearts ; Nor vse more sterne constraints then their good wills , To succor the necessities of my crowne , That I desird to ad to their contents By all occasions , rather then subtract ; Nor wisht I , that my treasury should flow , With gold that swum in , in my subiects teares ; And then I found no man , that did not blesse , My few yeares raigne , and their triumphant peace , And do they now so soone , complaine of ease ? Hen. He will not come ? Enter Byron , D' Auuergne ; brother , with others . Esp. O madnesse ? he is come . Chan. The duke is come my Lord : Hen. Oh Sir , y' are welcome , And fitly , to conduct me to my house ; Byr. I must beseech your Maiesties excuse , That ( Ielouse of mine honor ) I haue vsd , Some of mine owne commandment in my stay , And came not with your heighnesse soonest summons . Hen: The faithfu'l seruant right in holy writ ; That said he would not come and yet he came : But come you hether ; I must tell you now , Not the contempt you stood to in your stay , But the bad ground that bore vp your contempt , Makes you arriue at no port , but repentance , Despayre , and ruine ; Byr. Be what port it will , At which your will , will make me be ariued , I am not come to iustifie my selfe , To aske you pardon nor accuse my friends , Hen. If you conceale my enemies you are one , And then my pardon shall be worth your asking , Or else your head be worth my cutting of . Byr. Being friend and worthy fautor of my selfe , I am no foe of yours , nor no empayrer , Since he can no way worthely maintaine His Princes honor that neglects his owne : And if your will haue beene to my true reason , ( Maintaining still the truth of loyalty ) A checke to my free nature and mine honor , And that on your free iustice I presum'd To crosse your will a little , I conceiue , You will not thinke this forfaite worth my head ; Hen. Haue you maintaind your truth of loyalty ? When since I pardoned foule ententions , Resoluing to forget eternally , What they apperd in , And had welcomd you as the kind father doth his riotous son . I can approue facts fowler then th' intents , Of deepe disloyalty and highest treason ; Byr. May this right hand be thunder to my brest , If I stand guilty of the slendrest fact , Wherein the left of those two can be prooued , For could my tender conscience but haue toucht , At any such vnnaturall relaps ; I would not with this confidence haue runne , Thus headlong in the furnace of a wrath , Blowne , and thrice kindled : hauing way enough , In my election both to shunne and sleight it . Hen. Y' are grosely and vain gloriously abus'd , There is no way in Sauoy nor in Spaine , To giue a foole that hope of your escape , And had you not ( euen when you did ) arriued . ( With horror to the proudest hope you had ) I would haue fetcht you . Byr. You must then haue vs'd . A power beyond my knowledge , and a will , Beyond your iustice . For a little stay More then I vsd would hardly haue beene worthy , Of such an open expedition ; In which to all the censures of the world , My faith and Innocence had beene fouly foyld ; Which ( I protest ) by heauens bright wittnesses That shine farr , farr , from mixture with our feares . Retaine as perfect roundnes as their spheares ; Hen T is well my Lord , I thought I could haue frighted Your firmest confidence : some other time , We will ( as now in priuate ) sift your actions . And poure more then you thinke into the side , Alwaies reseruing clemency and pardon Vpon confession , be you nere so foule , Come le ts cleere vp our browes shall we to tennis . Byr. I my Lord if I may make the match . The Duke Espernon and my selfe will play , With you and Count Soissons ; Esp. I know my Lord . You play well but you make your matches ill . Hen. Come t is a match . Exit . Byr. How like you my ariuall ? Esp. I le tell you as your friend in your eare . You haue giuen more preferment to your courage , Then to the prouident counsailes of your friends . D Au. I told him so my Lord , and much was grieu'd To see his bold approach , so full of will . Byr. Well I must beare it now , though but with th' head , The shoulders bearing nothing . Esp. By Saint Iohn , T is a good headlesse resolution . Exeunt .

ACTVS . 4. SCEN. 1. Byron , D'Avuergne . Byr. O the most base fruites of a setled peace ! In men , I meane ; worse then their durty fields , Which they manure much better them-selues : For them they plant , and sowe , and ere they grow , Weedie , and choakt with thornes , they grub and proyne , And make them better , then when cruell warre , Frighted from thence the sweaty labourer : But men them-selues , in steed of bearing fruites , Growe rude , and foggie , ouer-growne with weedes , Their spirits , and freedomes smootherd in their ease ; And as their tyrants and their ministers , Growe wilde in prosecution of their lusts , So they grow prostitute , and lye ( like whores ) Downe and take vp , to their abhord dishonors : The friendlesse may be iniur'd and opprest ; The guiltlesse lead to slaughter , the deseruer Giuen to the begger ; right be wholy wrongd , And wrong be onely honor'd ; till the strings Of euery mans heart , crack ; and who will stirre , To tell authority , that it doth erre . All men cling to it , though they see their blouds In their most deare associates and Allyes , Pour'd into kennels by it : and who dares But looke well in the breast , whom that impayres ? How all the Court now lookes askew on me ? Go by without saluting , shun my sight , Which ( like a march sunne ) agues breeds in them , From whence of late , 't was health to haue a beame . D'Au. Now none will speake to vs , we thrust our selues Into mens companies , and offer speech , As if not made , for their diuerted eares , Their backs turnd to vs , and their words to others , And we must like obsequious Parasites , Follow their faces , winde about their persons , For lookes and answers : or be cast behinde , No more viewd then the wallet of their faults . Enter Soisson . Byr. Yet here 's one views me , and I thinke will speake . Soiss. My Lord , if you respect your name and race , The preseruation of your former honors , Merites and vertues ; humbly cast them all , At the kings mercy ; for beyond all doubt , Your acts haue thether driuen them : he hath proofes So pregnant , and so horride , that to heare them , Would make your valure in your very lookes , Giue vp your forces , miserably guilty : But he is most loth ( for his ancient loue To your rare vertues : ) and in their empaire , The full discouragement of all that liue , To trust or fauour any gifts in Nature ) T' expose them to the light ; when darknesse may Couer her owne broode , and keepe still in day , Nothing of you but that may brooke her brightnesse : You know what horrors these high strokes do bring , Raisd in the arme of an incensed King . Byr. My Lord , be sure the King cannot complaine Of any thing in me , but my true seruice , Which in so many dangers of my death , May so approoue my spotlesse loyaltie ; That those quite opposite horrors you assure , Must looke out of his owne ingratitude ; Or the malignant enuies of my foes , Who powre me out in such a Stygian flood , To drowne me in my selfe , since their deserts Are farre from such a deluge ; and in me Hid like so many riuers in the Sea . Soiss: You thinke I come to found you ; fare you wel , Exit . Enter Chancellor , Espernon , Ianin , Vidame , Vytry , Pralin , whisperinge by couples , &c. D' Au: See see , not one of them will cast a glaunce At our eclipsed faces ; Byr: They keepe all to cast in admiration on the King : For from his face are all their faces moulded . D' Au: But when a change comes ; we shall see them all Chang'd into water , that will instantly Giue looke for looke , as if it watcht to greete vs ; Or else for one , they 'l giue vs twenty faces , Like to the little specks on sides of glasses ; Byr: Is 't not an easie losse to 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. What 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. Why , 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 ; ●●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 in the world , deserue respect ; Hee should be borne grey-headed that will beare The sword of Empire ; Iudgement of the life , Free state , and reputation of a man , ( If it be iust and worthy ) dwells so darke That it denies accesse to Sunne and Moone ; The soules eye sharpned with that sacred light , Of whome the Sunne it selfe is but a beame , Must onely giue that iudgement ; O how much Erre those Kings then , that play with life and death , And nothing put into their serious States , But humor and their lusts ! For which alone Men long for kingdomes ; whose huge counterpoise In cares and dangers , could a foole comprise , He would not be a King but would be wise ; Enter Byron talking with the Queene : Esp : D' Entragues , D' Av: with another Lady , others attending . Hen: Heere comes the man , with whose ambitious head ( Cast in the way of Treason ) we must stay His full chace of our ruine and our Realme ; This houre shall take vpon her shady winges His latest liberty and life to Hell . D'Av: We are vndone ? Queene : What 's that ? Byr: I heard him not ; Hen: Madam y' are honord much , that Duke Byron Is so obseruant ; Some , to cardes with him , You foure , as now you come , sit to Primero ; And I will fight a battayle at the Chesse ; Byr. A good safe fight beleeue me ; Other warre Thirsts blood , and wounds , and his thirst quencht , is thankles ; Esp: Lift , and then cut ; Byr: T is right the end of lifting , When men are lifted to their highest pitch , They cut of those that lifted them so high . Qu: Apply you all these sports so seriously ? Byr: They first were from our serious acts deuis'd , The best of which , are to the best but sports ; ( I meane by best , the greatest ) for their ends , In men that serue them best , are their owne pleasures . Qu: So , in those best mens seruices , their ends Are their owne pleasures ; passe . Byr: I vy't ; Hen: I see 't ; And wonder at his frontles impudence ; Exit Hen: Chan : How speedes your Maiestie ? Qu: Well ; the Duke instructs me With such graue lessons of mortallitie Forc't out of our light sport ; that if I loose , I cannot but speed well . Byr. Some idle talke . For Courtship sake , you know does not amisse . Chan. Would we might heare some of it . Byr. That you shall , I cast away a card now , makes me thinke , Of the deceased worthy King of Spaine . Chan. What card was that ? Byr. The King of hearts ( my Lord ) Whose name yeelds well the memorie of that King , Who was indeed the worthy King of hearts , And had , both of his subiects hearts , and strangers , Much more then all the Kings of Christendome . Chan. He wun them with his gold . Byr. He wun them chiefely , With his so generall Pietie and Iustice : And as the little , yet great Macedon , Was sayd with his humane philosophy , To teach the rapefull Hyrcans , mariage ; And bring the barbarous Sogdians , to nourish , Not kill their aged Parents ; as before , Th' incestuous Persians to reuerence Their mothers , not to vse them as their wiues ; The Indians to adore the Grecian Gods , The Scythians to inter , not eate their Parents ; So he , with his diuine Philosophy , ( Which I may call his , since he chiefely vsd it ) In Turky , India , and through all the world , Expell'd prophane idolatry ; and from earth , Raisd temples to the highest : whom with the word , He could not winne , he iustly put to sword , Chan. He sought for gold , and Empire . Byr. T was Religion , And her full propagation that he sought ; If gold had beene his end , it had beene hoorded , When he had fetcht it in so many fleetes : Which he spent not on Median Luxurie , Banquets , and women ; Calidonian wine , Nor deare Hyrcanian fishes , but emploid it , To propagate his Empire ; and his Empire Desird t' extend so , that he might withall , Extend Religion through it , and all nations , Reduce to one firme constitution , Of Pietie , Iustice , and one publique weale ; To which end he made all his matchles subiects Make tents their castles , and their garisons ; True Catholikes contrimen ; and their allies , Heretikes , strangers , and their enemies . There was in him the magnanimity . Montig. To temper your extreame applause ( my Lord ) Shorten , and answere all things in a word , The greatest commendation we can giue To the remembrance of that King deceast ; Is , that he spar'd not his owne eldest sonne , But put him iustly to a violent death , Because , hee sought to trouble his estates . Byr. I st so ? Chan. That bit ( my Lord ) vpon my life , T was bitterly replied , and doth amaze him . The King sodainely enters hauing determined what to doe . Hen. It is resolud , A worke shall now be done , Which , ( while learnd Atlas shall with starres be crownd , While th' Ocean walkes in stormes his wauy round , While Moones at full , repaire their broken rings : While Lucifer fore-shewes Auroras springs , And Arctos stickes aboue the Earth vnmou'd , Shall make my realme be blest , and me beloued ; Call in the count D' Auuergne . Enter D'Au . A word my Lord . Will you become as wilfull as your friend ? And draw a mortall iustice on your heads , That hangs so blacke and is so loth to strike ? If you would vtter what I knowe you knowe , Of his inhumaine treason ; on Stronge Barre , Betwixt his will , and duty were dissolud . For then I know he would submit himselfe ; Thinke you it not as stronge a point of faith , To rectifie your loyalties to me , As to be trusty in ech others wrong ? Trust that deceiues our selues in treachery , And Truth that truth conceales an open lie ; D'Au. My Lord if I could vtter any thought , Instructed with disloyalty to you , And might light any safty to my friend ; Though mine owne heart came after it should out ; Hen. I knowe you may , and that your faith 's affected To one another , are so vaine and faulce , That your owne Strengths will ruine you : ye contend , To cast vp rampiers to you in the sea , And striue to stop the waues that runne before you , D'Au. All this my Lord to me is misery . Hen. It is ; I le make it plaine enouge . Beleeue me . Come my Lord Chancellor let vs end our mate . Enter Varennes , whispering to Byron . Var. You are vndone my Lord ; Exit . Byr: Is it possible ? Que. Play good my Lord : whom looke you for ? Esp. Your mind , Is not vpon your Game , Byr. Play , pray you play , Hen. Enough , t is late , and time to leaue our play , On all hands ; all forbeare the roome , my Lord ? Stay you with me ; yet is your will resolued , To dewty , and the maine bond of your life ? I sweare ( of all th' Intrusions I haue made , Vpon your owne good , and continew'd fortunes ) This is the last ; informe me yet the truth , And here I vow to you , ( by all my loue ; By all meanes showne you , euen to this extreame , When all men else forsake you ) you are safe . What passages haue slipt twixt count Fuentes , You , and the Duke of Sauoye ? Byr. Good my Lord . This nayle is driuen already past the head , You much haue ouerchargd , an honest man : And I beseech you yeeld my Inocence iustice , ( But with my single valure ) gainst them all , That thus haue poisoned your opinion of me , And let me take my vengeance by my sword : For I protest , I neuer thought an Action , More then my tongue hath vtterd . Hen. Would t were true . And that your thoughts and deeds , had fell no fouler . But you disdaine submission , not remembring , That ( in intentes vrdgd for the common good ) He that shall hould his peace being chardgd to speake : Doth all the peace and nerues of Empire breake Which on your conscience lie , adieu , good night . Exit . Byr. Kings hate to heare what they command men speake , Aske life , and to desert of death ye yeeld . Where Medicins loath , it yrcks men to be heald , Enter Vitry , with two or three of the Guard , Esper , Vidame , following . Vytry layes hand on Byrons sword . Vyt. Resigne your sword ( my Lord ) the King commands it . Byr. Me to resigne my sword ? what king is he , Hath vsd it better for the realme then I ? My sword , that all the warres within the length , Breadth and the whole dimensions of great France , Hath sheathd betwixt his hilt and horrid point ? And fixt ye all in such a florishing Peace ? My sword that neuer enimie could inforce , Bereft me by my friendes ? Now , good my Lord , Beseech the King , I may resigne my sword , To his hand onely . Enter Ianin . Ianin : You must do your office , The King commands you ; Vit: T is in vaine to striue , For I must force it ; Byron : Haue I neere a friend , That beares another for me ? All the Guard ? What will you kill me ? will you smother here His life that can command , and saue in field , A hundred thousand liues ? For man-hood sake ; Lend something to this poore forsaken hand ; For all my seruice , let me haue the honor To dye defending of my innocent selfe , And haue some little space to pray to God . Enter Henry . Hen: Come , you are an Atheist Byron , and a Traytor , Both foule and damnable ; Thy innocent selfe ? No Leper is so buried quicke in vlcers As thy corrupted soule : Thou end the war ? And settle peace in France ? what war hath rag'd , Into whose fury I haue not expos'd , My person ; wich is as free a spirit as thine ? Thy worthy Father , and thy selfe , combinde , And arm'd in all the merits of your valors ; ( Your bodyes thrust amidst the thickest fight ; ) Neuer were bristeld with so many battayles , Nor on the foe haue broke such woods of Launces As grew vpon my thigh ; and I haue Marshald ; I am asham'd to bragge thus ; where enuy And arrogance , their opposit Bulwarke raise ; Men are allowd to vse their proper praise ; Away with him ; Exit Henry . Byr: Away with him ? liue I ? And here my life thus sleighted ? cursed man , That euer the intelligensing lights Betraid me to mens whorish fellowships ; To Princes Moorish slaueries ; To be made The Anuille , on which onely blowes , and woundes Were made the seed , and wombs of others honors ; A property for a Tyrant , to set vp , And puffe downe , with the vapour of his breath ; Will you not kill me ? Vit: No ; we will not hurt you , We are commanded onely to conduct you Into your lodging ; Byr: To my lodging ? where ? Vit: Within the Cabynet of Armes my Lord : Byr: What to a prison ? Death ; I will not go ; Vit: Wee le force you then ; Byr: And take away my sword ; A proper point of force ; ye had as good , Haue rob'd me of my soule ; Slaues of my Starrs , Partiall and bloody ; O that in mine eyes Were all the Sorcerous poyson of my woes , That I might witch ye headlong from your height , And trample ou 't , your excrable light . Vit: Come will you go my Lord ? this rage is vaine ; Byr: And so is all your graue authority ; And that all France shall feele before I Die ; Ye see all how they vse good Catholiques ; Esp. Farewell for euer ; so haue I deseru'd An exhalation that would be a Starre Fall when the Sunne forsooke it , in a sincke . Shooes euer ouerthrow that are too large , And hugest canons , burst with ouercharge . D'Avuergne , Pralin , following with a Guard . Pra: My Lord I haue commandment from the King , To charge you go with me , and aske your sword ; D' Au: My sword , who feares it ? it was n'ere the death Of any but wilde Bores ; I prithee take it ; Hadst thou aduertis'd this when last we met , I had bene in my bed , and fast asleepe Two houres a goe ; lead ; I le go where thou wilt : Exit . Vid: See how he beares his crosse , with his small strength , On easier shoulders then the other Atlas . Esp: Strength to aspire , is still accompanied With weakenes to indure ; All popular gifts , Are coullors , it will beare no vineger ; And rather to aduerse affaires , betray ; Thine arme against them ; his State still his best That hath most inward worth ; and that 's best tryed , That neither glories , nor is glorified .

Actus . 5. Scaena . 1. Henry , Soissons , Ianin , Descures , cum aliis . Hen: What shall we thinke ( my Lords ) of these new forces That ( from the King of Spaine ) hath past the Alps ? For which ( I thinke ) his Lord Ambassador , Is come to Court , to get their passe for Flanders ? Ian: I thinke ( my Lord ) they haue no end for Flanders ; Cont Maurice being allready entred Brabant To passe to Flanders , to relieue Ostend , And th' Arch-duke full prepar'd to hinder him ; And sure it is that they must measure forces , Which ( ere this new force could haue past the Alps ) Of force must be incountred . Soiss: T is vnlikely , That their march hath so large an ayme as Flanders ; Desc: As these times sort , they may haue shorter reaches ; That would pierce further ; Hen: I haue bene aduertis'd , That Cont Fuentes ( by whose meanes this army Was lately leuied ; And whose hand was strong , In thrusting on Byrons conspiracie ) Hath caus'd these cunning forces to aduance , With coullor onely to set downe in Flanders ; But hath intentionall respect to fauor And countnance his false Partizans in Bresse , And friendes in Burgondie ; to giue them hart For the full taking of their hearts from me ; Be as it will ; we shall preuent theyr worst , And therefore call in Spaines Ambassador , Enter Ambassador with others . What would the Lord Ambassador of Spaine ? Amba: First ( in my maisters name ) I would beseech Your highnes hearty thought ; That his true hand , ( Held in your vowd amities ) hath not toucht , At any least point in Byrons offence ; Nor once had notice of a cryme so foule ; Whereof , since he doubts not , you stand resolu'd , He prayes your Leagues continuance in this fauor ; That the army he hath rais'd to march for Flanders , May haue safe passage by your frontier townes , And finde the Riuer free , that runs by Rhone . Hen: My Lord my frontiers shall not be disarm'd , Till , by araignment of the Duke of Byron , My scruples are resolu'd ; and I may know In what account to hold your Maisters faith , For his obseruance of the League betwixt vs ; You wish me to beleeue that he is cleare From all the proiects caus'd by Cont Fuentes , His speciall Agent ; But where , deedes , pull downe , Words , may repaire , no faith ; I scarce can thinke That his gold was so bounteously employd , Without his speciall counsaile , and command : These faint proceedings in our Royall faiths , Make subiects proue so faithlesse : If because , We sit aboue the danger of the lawes , We likewise lift our Armes aboue their iustice ; And that our heauenly Soueraigne , bounds not vs In those religious confines ; out of which Our iustice and our true lawes are inform'd ; In vaine haue we expectance that our subiects , Should not as well presume to offend their Earthly , As we our Heauenly Soueraigne ? And this breach Made in the Forts of all Society ; Of all celestiall , and humane respects , Makes no strengths of our bounties , counsailes armes , Hold out against their treasons ; and the rapes Made of humanitie , and religion , In all mens more then Pagan liberties , Atheismes , and slaveries , will deriue their springs From their base Presidents , copied out of kings . But all this , shall not make me breake the commerce , Authorisde by our treaties ; let your Armie Take the directest passe , it shall goe safe . Amb. So rest your highnesse euer ; and assurde That my true Soueraigne , lothes all opposite thoughts . Hen. Are our dispatches made to all the kings , Princes , and Potentates , of Christendome ? Ambassadors and Prouince gouernors , T' enforme the truth of this conspiracie ? Ian. They all are made my Lord , and some giue out , That 't is a blow giuen to religion , To weaken it , in ruining of him , That said , he neuer wisht more glorious title , Then to be call'd the scourge of Hugenots . Soiss. Others that are like fauourers of the fault , Said 't is a politique aduise from England , To breake the feared Iauelins , both together . Hen. Such shut their eyes to truth , we can but set His lights before them , and his trumpet sound Close to their eares ; their partiall wilfulnesse , In resting blinde , and deafe , or in peruerting , What their most certaine sences apprehend , Shall naught discomfort our impartiall Iustice . Nor cleere the desperat fault that doth enforce it . Enter Vyt . Vyt. The Peeres of France ( my Lord ) refuse t' appeare , At the arraignement of the Duke Byron . Hen. The Court may yet proceed ; and so command it , 'T is not their slacknesse to appeare shall serue , To let my will t' appeare in any fact . Wherein the bouldest of them tempts my iustice . I am resolu'd , and will no more endure , To haue my subiects make what I command , The subiect of their oppositions , Who euer-more slack their allegiance , As kings forbeare their pennance ; how sustaine Your prisoners their strange durance ? Vit. One of them , ( Which is the Count D'Avuergne ) hath merry spirits , Eates well , and sleepes : and neuer can imagine , That any place where he is , is a prison ; Where on the other part , the Duke Byron , Enterd his prison , as into his graue , Reiects all food , sleepes not , nor once lyes downe : Furie hath arm'd his thoughts so thick with thornes , That rest can haue no entry : he disdaines To grace the prison with the slendrest show , Of any patience , least men should conceiue , He thought his sufferance in the best sort fit ; And holds his bands so worthlesse of his worth , That he empaires it , to vouchsafe to them , The best part of the peace , that freedom owes it : That patience therein , is a willing slauerie . And ( like the Cammell ) stoopes to take the load : So still he walkes : or rather as a Byrde , Enterd a Closet , which vnwares is made , His desperate prison ( being pursude ) amazd , And wrathfull beates his brest from wall to wall , Assaults the light strikes downe himselfe , not our , And being taken , struggles , gaspes , and bites , Takes all his takers strokings , to be strokes , Abhorreth food , and with a sauadge will , Frets , pines , and dyes , for former libertie . So fares the wrathfull Duke ; and when the strength Of these dumbe rages , breake out into sounds , He breaths defiance , to the world , and bids vs , Make our selues drunke , with the remaining bloud Of fiue and thirty wounds receiud in fight , For vs and ours ; for we shall neuer brag , That we haue made his spirits check at death : This rage in walkes and words ; but in his lookes He cements all : and prints a world of bookes , Hen. Let others learne by him to curb their spleenes , Before they be curbd ; and to cease their grudges : Now I am setled in my Sunne of height , The circulare splendor , and full Sphere of State . Take all place vp from enuy : as the sunne , At height , and passiue ore the crownes of men , His beames diffusd , and downe-right pourd on them , Cast but a little or no shade at all , So he that is aduanc'd aboue the heads , Of all his Emulators , with high light , Preuents their enuies , and depriues them quite , Exeunt . Enter the Chancellor , Harlay , Potiers , Fleury , in scarlet gownes , Laffin , Descures , with other officers of state . Cha. I wonder at the prisoners so long stay , Har: I thinke it may be made a question , If his impacience will let him come . Pot. Yes , he is now well stayd : Time and his Iudgment , Haue cast his passion and his feuer of . Fleu. His feuer may be past , but for his passions , I feare me we shall find it spic'd to hotly , With his ould poulder . Des. He is sure come forth ; The Carosse of the Marquis of Rhosny Conducted him along to th' Arcenall , Close to the Riuer-side : and there I saw him , Enter a barge couered with Tapistry , In which the kings gards waited and receiued him . Stand by there cleere the place , Cha. The prisoner comes . My Lord Laffin forbeare your sight a while , It may incense the prisoner : who will know , By your attendance nere vs , that your hand , Was chiefe in his discouery ; which as yet , I thinke he doth not doubt , Laf. I will forbeare , Till your good pleasures call me , Exit Laf. Hen. When he knowes And sees Laffin , accuse him to his face , The Court I thinke will shake with his distemper . Enter Vitry , Byron , with others and a guarde . Vit. You see my Lord , 't is in the golden chamber . Byr. The golden chamber ? where the greatest Kings Haue thought them honor'd to receiue a place : And I haue had it ; am I come to stand In ranke and habite here of men arraignd , Where I haue sat assistant , and beene honord , With glorious title of the chiefest vertuous , Where the Kings chiefe Solicitor hath said , There was in France , no man that euer liu'd , Whose parts were worth my imitation ; That , but mine owne worth ; I could imitate none : And that I made my selfe inimitable , To all that could come after ; whom this Court Hath seene to sit vpon the Flower de Lice In recompence of my renowned seruice . Must I be sat on now , by petty Iudges ? These Scarlet robes , that come to sit and fight Against my life ; dismay my valure more , Then all the bloudy Cassocks Spaine hath brought To field against it . Vit. To the barre my Lord . He salutes , and stands to the barre . Har. Read the inditement . Chan. Stay , I will inuert ( For shortnesse sake ) the forme of our proceedings , And out of all the points , the processe holds , Collect fiue principall , with which we charge you . 1. First you conferd with one , cald Picote , At Orleance borne , and into Flanders fled , To hold intelligence by him with the Archduke , And for two voyages to that effect , Bestowd on him , fiue hundred , fiftie crownes . 2. Next you held treaty with the Duke of Sauoy , Without the Kings permission ; offering him All seruice and assistance gainst all men , In hope to haue in marriage , his third daughter . 3. Thirdly you held intelligence with the Duke , At taking in of Bourge , and other Forts ; Aduising him , with all your preiudice , Gainst the Kings armie , and his royall person . 4. The fourth is ; that you would haue brought the King , Before Saint Katherines Fort , to be there slaine : And to that end writ to the Gouernor , In which you gaue him notes to know his highnesse . 5. Fiftly , you sent Laffin to treate with Sauoy , And with the Count Fuentes , of more plots , Touching the ruine of the King and realme . Byr. All this ( my Lord ) I answer , and deny : And first for Picoté ; he was my prisoner , And therefore I might well conferre with him : But that our conference tended to the Arch-duke , Is nothing so ; I onely did employ him To Captaine La Fortune , for the reduction Of Seurre , to the seruice of the King . Who vsd such speedy dilligence therein , That shortly 't was assut'd his Maiestie , 2. Next , for my treaties with the Duke of Sauoy , Roncas his Secretarie , hauing made A motion to me , for the Dukes third daughter , I tolde it to the King ; who hauing since , Giuen me the vnderstanding by La Force Of his dislike ; I neuer dreamd of it . 3. Thirdly , for my intelligence with the Duke , Aduising him against his Highnesse armie : Had this beene true , I had not vndertaken Th' assault of Bourg , against the Kings opinion , Hauing assistance but by them about me : And ( hauing wunne it for him ) had not beene Put out of such a gouernment so easily . 4. Fourthly , for my aduise to kill the King ; I would beseech his Highnesse memory , Not to let slip , that I alone diswaded His viewing of that Fort ; informing him , It had good marke-men ; and he could not goe , But in exceeding danger , which aduise Diuerted him ; the rather , since I said , That if he had desire to see the place He should receiue from me a Plot of it ; Offering to take it with fiue hundred men , And I my selfe would go to the assault . 5. And lastly , for intelligences held , With Sauoy and Fuentes : I confesse , That being denyed to keepe the Cytadell , Which with incredible perill I had got , And seeing another , honor'd with my spoiles , I grew so desperate that I found my spirit , Enrag'd to any act , and wisht my selfe , Couer'd with bloud . Chan. With whose bloud ? Byr. With mine owne ; Wishing to liue no longer , being denyed , With such suspition of me , and set will , To rack my furious humor into bloud . And for two moneths space , I did speake , and wright , More then I ought ; but haue done euer well , And therefore your enformers haue beene false . And ( with intent to tyranize ) subornd . Flen. What if our witnesses come face to face , And iustifie much more then we alledge ? Byr. They must be hyrelings then , and men corrupted . Pot. What thinke you of La Fin ? Byr. I hold La Fin , An honor'd Gentleman , my friend and kinsman . Har. If he then aggrauate , what we affirme , With greater accusations to your face , What will you say ? Byr. I know it cannot be . Chan. Call in my Lord La Fin . Byr. Is he so neere ? And kept so close from me ? can all the world , Make him a treacher . Enter La Fin . Chan. I suppose my Lord , You haue not stood within ; without the eare Of what hath heere beene vrgd against the Duke ; If you haue heard it , and vpon your knowledge Can witnesse all is true , vpon your soule ; Vtter your knowledge . Laffi I haue heard my Lord , All that hath past here ; and vpon my soule , ( Being chargd so vrgently in such a Court ) Vpon my knowledge I affirme all true ; And so much more : as had the prisoner liues As many as his yeares , would make all forfaite . Byr. O all yee vertuous powers , in earth and heauen , That haue not put on hellish flesh and blood , From whence these monstrous issues are produc'd , That cannot beare in execrable concord , And one prodigious subiect ; contraries ; Nor ( as the I le that of the world admirde ) Is seuerd from the world ) can cut your selues From the consent and sacred hermonie Of life , yet liue ; of honor , yet be honord ; As this extrauagant , and errant roge , From all your faire Decorums , and iust lawes , Findes powre to doe : and like a lothesome wen , Sticks to the face of nature , and this Court ; Thicken this ayre , and turne your plaguie rage , Into a shape as dismall as his sinne . And with some equall horror teare him of From sight and memory : let not such a court , To whose fame all the Kings of Christendome , Now laid their eares ; so crack her royall Trumpe , As to sound through it , that here vanted iustice Was got in such an incest : is it iustice To tempt , and witch a man , to breake the law , And by that witch condemne him ? let me draw Poison into me with this cursed ayre , If he bewitcht me , and transformd me not ; He bit me by the eare , and made me drinke Enchanted waters ; let me see an Image That vtterd these distinct words ; Thou shalt dye , O wicked King ; and if the diuill gaue him Such powre vpon an Image ; vpon me How might he tyrannize ? that by his vowes And othes so Stygian , had my Nerues and will , In more awe then his owne : what man is he That is so high , but he would higher be ? So roundly sighted , but he may be found , To haue a blinde side , which by craft , persude , Confederacie , and simply trusted treason , May wrest him past his Angell , and his reason ? Chan. Witchcraft can neuer taint an honest minde . Harl. True gold , will any triall stand , vntoucht . Pot. For coulours that will staine when they are tryed , The cloth it selfe is euer cast aside . Byr. Some-times , the very Glosse in any thing , Will seeme a staine ; the fault not in the light , Nor in the guilty obiect , but our sight . My glosse , raisd from the richnesse of my stuffe , Had too much splendor for the Owly eye , Of politique and thanklesse royaltie : I did deserue too much ; a plurisie Of that blood in me is the cause I dye . Vertue in great men must be small and sleight : For poore starres rule , where she is exquisite , T is tyrannous , and impious policie , To put to death by fraude and trecherie ; Sleight is then royall , when it makes men liue , And if it vrge faults , vrgeth to forgiue . He must be guiltlesse , that condemnes the guiltie , Like things , do nourish like , and not destroy them : Mindes must be sound , that iudge affaires of weight , And seeing hands , cut corosiues from your sight . A Lord intelligencer ? hangman-like , Thrust him from humaine fellowship , to the desarts Blowe him with curses ; shall your iustice call Treacherie her Father ? would you wish her weigh My valure with the hisse of such a viper ? What I haue done to shunne the mortall shame , Of so vniust an opposition ; My enuious starres cannot deny me this , That I may make my Iudges witnesses ; And that my wretched fortunes haue reseru'd For my last comfort ; yee all know ( my Lords ) This body gasht with fiue and thirty wounds , Whose life and death you haue in your award , Holds not a veine that hath not opened beene , And which I would not open yet againe , For you and yours ; this hand that writ the lines Alledgd against me ; hath enacted still , More good then there it onely talkt of ill . I must confesse my choller hath transferd My tender spleene to all intemperate speech : But reason euer did my deeds attend . In worth of praise , and imitation , Had I borne any will to let them loose , I could haue flesht them with bad seruices , In England lately , and in Swizerland : There are a hundred Gentlemen by name , Can witnesse my demeanure in the first ; And in the last Ambassage I adiure No other testimonies then the Seigneurs De Vio , and Sillerie ; who amply know , In what sort , and with what fidelitie I bore my selfe ; to reconcile and knit , In one desire so many wills disioynde , And from the Kings allegiance quite with-drawne . My acts aske many men , though done by one . And I were but one , I stood for thousands , And still I hold my worth , though not my place : Nor sleight me , Iudges , though I be but one , One man , in one sole expedition , Reduc'd into th' imperiall powre of Rome , Armenia , Pontus , and Arabia , Syria , Albania , and Iberia , Conquerd th' Hyrcanians ; and to Caucasus , His arme extended ; the Numidians And Affrick to the shores Meridionall , His powre subiected ; and that part of Spaine Which stood from those parts that Sertorius rulde , Euen to the Atlantique Sea he conquered . Th' Albanian kings , he from the kingdoms chac'd , And at the Caspian Sea , their dwellings plac'd : Of all the Earths globe , by powre and his aduice , The round-eyd Ocean saw him victor thrice : And what shall let me ( but your cruell doome , ) To adde as much to France , as he to Rome , And to leaue Iustice neither Sword nor word , To vse against my life ; this Senate knowes , That what with one victorious hand I tooke , I gaue to all your vses , with another : With this I tooke , and propt the falling kingdome , And gaue it to the King : I haue kept Your lawes of state from fire ; and you your selues , Fixt in this high Tribunall ; from whose height The vengefull Saturnals of the League Had hurld yee head-long ; doe yee then returne This retribution ? can the cruell King , The kingdome , lawes , and you , ( all sau'd by me ) Destroy their sauer ? what ( aye me ) I did Aduerse to this ; this damnd Enchanter did , That tooke into his will , my motion ; And being banck-route both of wealth and worth , Pursued with quarrels , and with suites in law ; Feard by the kingdome ; threatned by the king ; Would raise the loathed dung-hill of his ruines , Vpon the monumentall heape of mine : Torne with possessed whirle-winds may he dye , And dogs barke at his murthorous memory , Chan My Lord , our liberall sufferance of your speech , Hath made it late ; and for this Session , We will dismisse you ; take him back my Lord . Exit Vit. & Byron . Har You likewise may depart . Exit Laffin . Chan. What resteth now To be decreed gainst this great prisoner ? A mighty merit , and a monstrous crime , Are here concurrent ; what by witnesses ; His letters and instructions , we haue prou'd Himselfe confesseth , and excuseth all With witch-craft , and the onely act of thought . For witch-craft I esteeme it a meere strength Of rage in him conceiu'd gainst his accuser ; Who being examinde hath denied it all ; Suppose it true , it made him false ; But wills And worthy mindes , witch-craft can neuer force . And for his thoughts that brake not into deeds ; Time was the cause , not will ; the mindes free act In treason still is Iudgd as th' outward fact . If his deserts haue had a wealthy share , In sauing of our land from ciuill furies : Manlius had so that fast the Capitoll ; Yet for his after traiterous factions , They threw him head-long from the place he sau'd . My definite sentence then , doth this import : That we must quench the wilde-fire with his bloud , In which it was so traiterously inflam'd ; Vnlesse with it , we seeke to incence the land , The King can haue no refuge for his life , If his be quitted : this was it that made Lewis th' eleuenth renounce his countrymen , And call the valiant Scots out of their kingdome , To vse their greater vertues , and their faiths , Then his owne subiects , in his royall guarde : What then conclude your censures ? Omnes . He must dye . Chan Draw then his sentence , formally , and send him ; And so all treasons in his death attend him . Exeunt . Enter Byron , Espernon , Soisson Ianin , Vidame , Descures . Vit. I ioy you had so good a day my Lord . Byr. I wone it from them all : the Chancellor I answerd to his vttermost improuements : I mou'd my other Iudges to lament My insolent misfortunes ; and to lothe The pockie soule , and state-bawde , my accuser , I made replie to all that could be said , So eloquently , and with such a charme , Of graue enforcements , that me thought I sat , Like Orpheus casting reignes on sauage beasts ; At the armes end ( as t were ) I tooke my barre And set it farre aboue the high tribunall , Where like a Cedar on Mount Lebanon , I Grew , and made my iudges show like Box-trees , And Boxtrees right , their wishes would haue made them , Whence boxes should haue growne , till they had strooke My head into the budget : but ahlas , I held their bloudy armes , with such strong reasons ; And ( by your leaue ) with such a fyrck of wit : That I fetcht bloud vpon the Chancelors cheekes , Me thinkes I see his countinance as he sat ; And the most lawierly deliuery Of his set speeches : shall I play his part ? Enter Soiss : Espa Esp: For heauens sake , good my Lord . Byr. I will ifaith , Behold a wicked man : A man debaucht , A man , contesting with his King ; A man , On whom ( my Lords ) we are not to conniue , Though we may condole : A man : That Laesa Maiestate sought a lease , Of Plus quam satis . A man that vi et armis Assaild the King ; and would per fas et nefas , Aspire the kingdome : here was lawiers learning . Esp: He said not this my Lord , that I haue heard . Byr. This or the like , I sweare . I pen no speeches . Soiss. Then there is good hope of your wisht acquitall . Byr. Acquitall ? they haue reason ; were I dead I know they can not all supply my place ; I st possible the King should be so vaine , To thinke he can shake me with feare of death ? Or make me apprehend that he intends it ? Thinkes he to make his firmest men , his clowds ? The clowdes ( obseruing their Aeriall natures ) Are borne aloft , and then to moisture hang'd , Fall to the earth ; where being made thick , and cold , They loose both al their heate , and leuitie ; Yet then againe recouering heate and lightnesse , Againe they are aduanc't : and by the Sunne Made fresh and glorious ; and since clowdes are rapt With these vncertainties : now vp , now downe , Am I to flit so with his smile , or froune ? Esp. I wish your comforts , and incoradgments , May spring out of your saftie ; but I heare The King hath reasond so against your life , And made your most friends yeeld so to his reasons , That your estate is fearefull . Byr. Yeeld t' his reasons ? O how friends reasons , and their freedomes stretch , When powre sets his wide tenters to their sides ! How , like a cure , by mere opinion , It workes vpon our bloud ? like th' antient Gods Are Moderne Kings , that liu'd past bounds themselues , Yet set a measure downe , to wretched men : By many Sophismes , they made good , deceipt ; And , since they past in powre , surpast , in right : When Kings wills passe ; the starres winck , and the Sunne , Suffers eclips : rude thunder yeelds to them His horrid wings : sits smoothe as glasse engazd , And lightning sticks twixt heauen and earth amazd : Mens faiths are shaken : and the pit of truth O'reflowes with darkenesse , in which Iustice sits , And keepes her vengeance tied to make it fierce ; And when it comes , th' encreased horrors showe , Heauens plague is sure , though full of state , and slowe . Sist. O my deare Lord and brother , O the Duke ? Byr. What sounds are these my Lord ? hark , hark , me thinks I heare the cries of people . Esp. T is for one , Wounded in fight here at Saint Anthonies Gate : Byr. Sfoote , one cried the Duke . I pray harken , Againe , or burst your selues with silence , no : What contriman 's the common headsman here ? Soiss. He 's a Bourgonian . Byr. The great deuill he is , The bitter wizerd told me , a Burgonian , Should be my headsman ; strange concurrences : S'death whos 's here ? Enter 4. Vshers bare , Chanc : Har: Pol: Fleur : Vit: Pralin , with others . O then I am but dead , Now , now ye come all to pronounce my sentence . I am condemn'd vniustly : tell my kinsfolkes , I die an innocent : If any friend pittie the ruine of the States sustainer Proclaime my innocence ; ah Lord Chancelor , Is there no pardon ? will there come no mercie ? I , put your hat on , and let me stand bare , Showe your selfe right a Lawier . Chan. I am bare , What would you haue me do ? Byr. You haue not done , Like a good iustice ; and one that knew He sat vpon the precious bloud of vertue ; Y 'aue pleasd the cruell King , and haue not borne , As great regard to saue as to condemne ; You haue condemn'd me , my Lord Chancelor , But God acquites me ; he will open lay All your close treasons against him , to collour Treasons layd to his truest images ; And you my Lord shall answere this iniustice , Before his iudgement seate : to which I summon In one yeare and a daie your hot apparanse ; I goe before , by mens corrupted domes ; But they that caus'd my death , shall after come By the imaculate iustice of the highest . Chan. Well , good my Lord , commend your soule to him , And to his mercie , thinke of that , I pray . Byr. Sir , I haue thought of it , and euery howre , Since my affliction , askt on naked knees Patience to beare your vnbeleeu'd Iniustice : But you , nor none of you haue thought of him , In my euiction : y' are come to your benches , With plotted iudgements ; your linckt eares so lowd , Sing with preiudicate windes , that nought is heard , Of all , pore prisoners vrge gainst your award ; Har. Passion , my Lord , transports your bitternes , Beyond all collour ; and your propper iudgement : No man hath knowne your merits more then I ; And would to God your great misdedes had beene , As much vndone , as they haue beene concealde ; The cries of them for iustice ( in desert ) Haue beene so lowd and piersing ; that they deafned The eares of mercie ; and haue labord more , Your Iudges to compresse then to enforce them . Pot. We bring you here your sentence , will you reade it . Byr. For heauens sake , shame to vse me with such rigor ; I know what it imports , and will not haue , Mine eare blowne into flames with hearing it ; Haue you beene one of them that haue condemn'd me ? Flen. My Lord I am your Orator : God comfort you . Byr. Good Sir , my father lou'd you so entirely , That if you haue beene one , my soule forgiues you ; It is the King ( most childish that he is That takes what he hath giuen ) that iniures me : He gaue grace in the first draught of my fault , And now restaines it : grace againe I aske ; Let him againe vouchsafe it : send to him , A post will soone returne : the Queene of England , Told me that if the wilfull Earle of Essex , Had vsd submission , and but askt her mercie , She would haue giuen it , past resumption ; She ( like a gratious Princesse ) did desire To pardon him : euen as she praid to God , He would let doune a pardon vnto her ; He yet was guiltie , I am innocent : He still refusd grace , I importune it . Chan. This askt in time ( my Lord ) while he besought it , And ere he had made his seuerity knowne , Had ( with much ioye to him ) I know beene granted ; Byr. No , no , his bountie , then was misery , To offer when he knew t would be refusde ; He treads the vulgar pathe of all aduantage , And loues men , for his vices , nor for their vertues ; My seruice would haue quickn'd gratitude , In his owne death , had he beene truely royall ; It would haue stirr'd the image of a King , Into perpetuall motion ; to haue stood Neere the conspiracie restraind at Mantes ; And in a danger , that had then the Woulfe , To flie vpon his bosome , had I onely held Intelligence with the conspirators ; Who stuck at no check but my loyaltie , Nor kept life in their hopes , but in my death ; The seege of Amiens , would haue softned rocks , Where couer'd all in showers of shot and fire , I seem'd to all mens eyes a fighting flame With bullets cut , in fashion of a man ; A sacrifize to valure ( impious King ) Which he will needes extinguish , with my bloud ; Let him beware , iustice will fall from heauen , In the same forme I serued in that seege , And by the light of that , he shall decerne , What good , my ill hath brought him ; it will nothing , Assure his State : the same quench he hath cast Vpon my life , shall quite put out his fame ; This day he looseth , what he shall not finde , By all daies he suruiues ; so good a seruant , Nor Spaine so great a foe ; with whom , ahlas , Because I treated am I put to death ? T is put a politique glose : my courage rais'd me , For the deare price of fiue and thirtie skarres , And that hath ruin'd me , I thanke my Starres : Come I le goe where yee will , yee shall not lead me . Chan. I feare his frenzie , Neuer saw I man of such a spirit so amaz'd at death . Har. He alters euery minute : what a vapor ? The strongest minde is to a storme of crosses . Exeunt . Manent Esper : Soisson : Ianin : Vidame , D'escures . Esp: O of what contraries consists a man ! Of what impossible mixtures ? vice and vertue , Corruption , and eternnesse , at one time , And in one subiect , let together , loosse ? We haue not any strength but weakens vs , No greatnes but doth crush vs into ayre . Our knowledges , do light vs but to erre , Our Ornaments are Burthens : Our delights Are our tormentors ; fiendes that ( raisd in feares ) At parting shake our Roofes about our eares . Soi. O vertue , thou art now farre worse then Fortune ! Her gifts stucke by the Duke , when thine are vanisht , Thou brau'st thy friend in Neede : Necessity , That vsd to keepe thy welth , contempt , thy loue , Haue both abandond thee in his extreames , Thy powers are shadowes , and thy comfort , dreames , Vid. O reall goodnesse if thou be a power ! And not a word alone , in humaine vses , Appere out of this angry conflagration , Where this great Captaine ( thy late Temple ) burns , And turne his vicious fury to thy flame , From all earths hopes mere guilded with thy fame : Let pietie enter with her willing crosse , And take him on it ; ope his brest and armes , To all the Storms , Necessity can breath , And burst them all with his embraced death , Ian, Yet are the ciuille tumults of his spirits , Hot and outragiouse : not resolued , Ahlas , ( Being but one man ) render the kingdomes dome ; He doubts stormes , threatens , rues , complains , implores , Griefe hath brought all his forces to his lookes , And nought is left to strengthen him within , Nor lasts one habite of those greeu'd aspects : Blood expells palenesse , palenes Blood doth chace , And sorrow errs through all forms in his face , Des. So furiouse is he , that the Politique law , Is much to seeke , how to enact her sentence : Authority backt with arms , ( though he vnarmd ) Abhorrs his furie , and with doubtfull eyes , Views on what ground it should sustaine his ruines , And as a Sauadge Bore that ( hunted longe , Assayld and set vp ) with his onely eyes , Swimming in fire keepes of the baying hounds , Though suncke himselfe , yet houlds his anger vp , And snowes it forth in foame ; houlds firme his stand , Of Battalouse Bristles : feedes his hate to die , And whets his tuskes with wrathfull maiesty . So fares the furious Duke , and with his lookes , Doth teach death horrors ; makes the hangman learne New habites for his bloody impudence ; Which now habituall horror from him driues , Who for his life shunns death , by which he liues , Enter Chauncellor , Harlay , Potier , Fleury , Vitry . Vit. Will not your Lordshippe haue the Duke distinguisht From other prisoners ? where the order is , To giue vp men condemd into the hands Of th' executioner ; he would be the death , Of him that he should die by , ere he sufferd , Such an abiection , Cha. But to bind his hands , I hold it passing needefull , Har. T is my Lord , And very dangerous to bring him loose . Pra: You will in all dispaire and fury plunge him , If you but offer it . Pot. My Lord by this , The prisoners Spirit is some-thing pacified , And t is a feare that th' offer of those bands , Would breed fresh furies in him , and disturbe , The entry of his soule into her peace , Cha. I would not that , for any possible danger , That can be wrought , by his vnarmed hands , And therefore in his owne forme bring him in , Enter Byron , a Bishop or two ; with all the guards , souldiers with muskets . Byr. Where shall this weight fall ? on what rhegion , Must this declining prominent poure his lode ? I le breake my bloods high billows gainst my starrs , Before this will be shooke into a flat , All France shall feele an earthquake ; with what murmur , This world shrinkes into Chaos ? Arch. Good my Lord , Forgoe it willingly ; and now resigne , Your sensuall powers entirely to your soule . Byr. Horror of death , let me alone in peace , And leaue my soule to me , whome it concernes ; You haue no charge of it ; I feele her free , How she doth rowze , and like a Faulcon stretch Her siluer wings ; as threatening death , with death ; At whom I ioyfully will cast her off : I know this bodie but a sinck of folly , The ground-work , and rais'd frame of woe and frailtie . The bond , and bundle of corruption ; A quick corse , onely sensible of griefe , A walking sepulcher , or household thiefe : A glasse of ayre , broken with lesse then breath , A slaue bound face to face , to death , til death : And what sayd all you more ? I know , besides That life is but a darke and stormy night , Of sencelesse dreames , terrors , and broken sleepes ; A Tyranie , deuising paines to plague And make man long in dying , racks his death ; And death is nothing , what can you say more ? I bring a long Globe , and a little earth , Am seated like earth betwixt both the heauens : That if I rise ; to heauen I rise ; if fall I likewise fall to heauen ; what stronger faith , Hath any of your soules ? what say you more ? Why lose I time in these things ? talke of knowledge , It serues for inward vse . I will not die Like to a Clergie man ; but like the Captaine , That prayd on horse-back and with sword in hand , Threatend the Sunne , commanding it to stand ; These are but ropes of sand . Chan. Desire you then , To speake with any man ? Byr. I would speake with La Force , and Saint Blancart . Byr. Do they flie me ? Where is Prouost , controwler of my house ? Pra. Gone to his house i th countrie three daies since . Byr. He should haue stayd here , he keepes all my blancks ; O all the world forsakes me ! wretched world , Consisting most of parts , that flie each other : A firmnesse , breeding all inconstancy , A bond of all disiunction ; like a man Long buried , is a man that long hath liu'd ; Touch him , he falls to ashes ; for one fault , I forfeite all the fashion of a man ; Why should I keepe my soule in this dark light ? Whose black beames lighted me to loose my selfe . When I haue lost my armes , my fame , my winde , Friends , brother , hopes , fortunes , and euen my furie ? O happie were the man , could liue alone , To know no man , nor be of any knowne ! Har. My Lord , it is the manner once againe To read the sentence ? Byr. Yet more sentences ? How often will yee make me suffer death ? As yee were proud to heare your powreful domes ? I know and feele you were the men that gaue it , And die most cruellie to heare so often My crimes and bitter condemnation vrdg'd : Suffize it , I am brought here ; and obey , And that all here are priuie to the crimes . Chan. It must be read my Lord , no remedie . Byr. Reade , if it must be , then , and I must talke . Harl. The processe being extraordinarily made and examin'd by the Court , and chambers assembled — Byr. Condemn'd for depositions of a witch ? The common deposition , and her whoore To all whorish periuries and treacheries . Sure he cal'd vp the diuill in my spirits , And made him to vsurpe my faculties : Shall I be cast away now he 's cast out ? What Iustice is in this ? deare countrey-men , Take this true euidence , betwixt heauen and you . And quit me in your hearts . Cha. Go on . Har.

Against Charles Gentalt of Byron : knight of both the orders ; Duke of Byron , peere and marshall of France ; Gouernor of Burgondy , accus'd of treason in a sentence 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 : Which 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 .