Bussy D'Ambois and The Revenge of Bussy D'Ambois Part 34

_Bal._ That one accident was made my charge.

My brother Bussy's sister (now my wife) By no suite would consent to satisfie 80 My love of her with marriage, till I vow'd To use my utmost to revenge my brother: But Clermont D'Ambois (Bussy's second brother) Had, since, his apparition, and excitement To suffer none but his hand in his wreake; 85 Which hee hath vow'd, and so will needes acquite Me of my vow made to my wife, his sister, And undertake himselfe Bussy's revenge.

Yet loathing any way to give it act, But in the n.o.blest and most manly course, 90 If th'Earle dares take it, he resolves to send A challenge to him, and my selfe must beare it; To which deliverie I can use no meanes, He is so barricado'd in his house, And arm'd with guard still.

_Ren._ That meanes lay on mee, 95 Which I can strangely make. My last lands sale, By his great suite, stands now on price with him, And hee (as you know) pa.s.sing covetous, With that blinde greedinesse that followes gaine, Will cast no danger where her sweete feete tread. 100 Besides, you know, his lady, by his suite (Wooing as freshly as when first love shot His faultlesse arrowes from her rosie eyes) Now lives with him againe, and shee, I know, Will joyne with all helps in her friends revenge. 105

_Bal._ No doubt, my lord, and therefore let me pray you To use all speede; for so on needels points My wifes heart stands with haste of the revenge, Being (as you know) full of her brothers fire, That shee imagines I neglect my vow; 110 Keepes off her kinde embraces, and still askes, "When, when, will this revenge come? when perform'd Will this dull vow be?" And, I vow to heaven, So sternely, and so past her s.e.xe she urges My vowes performance, that I almost feare 115 To see her, when I have a while beene absent, Not showing her, before I speake, the bloud She so much thirsts for, freckling hands and face.

_Ren._ Get you the challenge writ, and looke from me To heare your pa.s.sage clear'd no long time after.

_Exit Ren[el]._ 120

_Bal._ All rest.i.tution to your worthiest lords.h.i.+p!

Whose errand I must carrie to the King, As having sworne my service in the search Of all such malecontents and their designes, By seeming one affected with their faction 125 And discontented humours gainst the state: Nor doth my brother Clermont scape my counsaile Given to the King about his Guisean greatnesse, Which (as I spice it) hath possest the King, Knowing his daring spirit, of much danger 130 Charg'd in it to his person; though my conscience Dare sweare him cleare of any power to be Infected with the least dishonestie: Yet that sinceritie, wee politicians Must say, growes out of envie since it cannot 135 Aspire to policies greatnesse; and the more We worke on all respects of kinde and vertue, The more our service to the King seemes great, In sparing no good that seemes bad to him: And the more bad we make the most of good, 140 The more our policie searcheth, and our service Is wonder'd at for wisedome and sincerenesse.

Tis easie to make good suspected still, Where good, and G.o.d, are made but cloakes for ill.

[Sidenote: _Enter Henry, Monsieur, Guise, Clerm[ont], Espernone, Soisson. Monsieur taking leave of the King._]

See Monsieur taking now his leave for Brabant; 145 The Guise & his deare minion, Clermont D'Ambois, Whispering together, not of state affaires, I durst lay wagers, (though the Guise be now In chiefe heate of his faction) but of some thing Savouring of that which all men else despise, 150 How to be truely n.o.ble, truely wise.

_Monsieur._ See how hee hangs upon the eare of Guise, Like to his jewell!

_Epernon._ Hee's now whisp'ring in Some doctrine of stabilitie and freedome, Contempt of outward greatnesse, and the guises 155 That vulgar great ones make their pride and zeale, Being onely servile traines, and sumptuous houses, High places, offices.

_Mons._ Contempt of these Does he read to the Guise? Tis pa.s.sing needfull, And hee, I thinke, makes show t'affect his doctrine. 160

_Ep._ Commends, admires it--

_Mons._ And pursues another.

Tis fine hypocrisie, and cheape, and vulgar, Knowne for a covert practise, yet beleev'd By those abus'd soules that they teach and governe No more then wives adulteries by their husbands, 165 They bearing it with so unmov'd aspects, Hot comming from it, as twere not [at] all, Or made by custome nothing. This same D'Ambois Hath gotten such opinion of his vertues, Holding all learning but an art to live well, 170 And showing hee hath learn'd it in his life, Being thereby strong in his perswading others, That this ambitious Guise, embracing him, Is thought t'embrace his vertues.

_Ep._ Yet in some His vertues are held false for th'others vices: 175 For tis more cunning held, and much more common, To suspect truth then falshood: and of both Truth still fares worse, as hardly being beleev'd, As tis unusuall and rarely knowne.

_Mons._ Ile part engendring vertue. Men affirme, 180 Though this same Clermont hath a D'Ambois spirit, And breathes his brothers valour, yet his temper Is so much past his that you cannot move him: Ile try that temper in him.--Come, you two Devoure each other with your vertues zeale, 185 And leave for other friends no fragment of yee: I wonder, Guise, you will thus ravish him Out of my bosome, that first gave the life His manhood breathes spirit, and meanes, and l.u.s.ter.

What doe men thinke of me, I pray thee, Clermont? 190 Once give me leave (for tryall of that love That from thy brother Bussy thou inherit'st) T'unclaspe thy bosome.

_Clermont._ As how, sir?

_Mons._ Be a true gla.s.se to mee, in which I may Behold what thoughts the many-headed beast 195 And thou thy selfe breathes out concerning me, My ends and new upstarted state in Brabant, For which I now am bound, my higher aymes Imagin'd here in France: speake, man, and let Thy words be borne as naked as thy thoughts. 200 O were brave Bussy living!

_Cler._ Living, my lord!

_Mons._ Tis true thou art his brother, but durst thou Have brav'd the Guise; mauger his presence, courted His wedded lady; emptied even the dregs Of his worst thoughts of mee even to my teeth; 205 Discern'd not me, his rising soveraigne, From any common groome, but let me heare My grossest faults, as grosse-full as they were?

Durst thou doe this?

_Cler._ I cannot tell. A man Does never know the goodnesse of his stomacke 210 Till hee sees meate before him. Were I dar'd, Perhaps, as he was, I durst doe like him.

_Mons._ Dare then to poure out here thy freest soule Of what I am.

_Cler._ Tis stale, he tolde you it.

_Mons._ He onely jested, spake of splene and envie; 215 Thy soule, more learn'd, is more ingenuous, Searching, judiciall; let me then from thee Heare what I am.

_Cler._ What but the sole support, And most expectant hope of all our France, The toward victor of the whole Low Countryes? 220

_Mons._ Tush, thou wilt sing encomions of my praise!

Is this like D'Ambois? I must vexe the Guise, Or never looke to heare free truth. Tell me, For Bussy lives not; hee durst anger mee, Yet, for my love, would not have fear'd to anger 225 The King himselfe. Thou understand'st me, dost not?

_Cler._ I shall my lord, with studie.

_Mons._ Dost understand thy selfe? I pray thee tell me, Dost never search thy thoughts, what my designe Might be to entertaine thee and thy brother? 230 What turne I meant to serve with you?

_Cler._ Even what you please to thinke.

_Mons._ But what thinkst thou?

Had I no end in't, think'st?

_Cler._ I thinke you had.

_Mons._ When I tooke in such two as you two were, A ragged couple of decaid commanders, 235 When a French-crowne would plentifully serve To buy you both to any thing i'th'earth--

_Cler._ So it would you.

_Mons._ Nay bought you both out-right, You and your trunkes--I feare me, I offend thee.

_Cler._ No, not a jot.

_Mons._ The most renowmed souldier, 240 Epaminondas (as good authors say) Had no more suites then backes, but you two shar'd But one suite twixt you both, when both your studies Were not what meate to dine with, if your partridge, Your snipe, your wood-c.o.c.ke, larke, or your red hering, 245 But where to begge it; whether at my house, Or at the Guises (for you know you were Ambitious beggars) or at some cookes-shop, T'eternize the cookes trust, and score it up.

Dost not offend thee?

_Cler._ No, sir. Pray proceede. 250

_Mons._ As for thy gentry, I dare boldly take Thy honourable othe: and yet some say Thou and thy most renowmed n.o.ble brother Came to the Court first in a keele of sea-coale.

Dost not offend thee?

_Cler._ Never doubt it, sir. 255

_Mons._ Why doe I love thee, then? Why have I rak'd thee Out of the dung-hill? cast my cast ward-robe on thee?

Brought thee to Court to, as I did thy brother?

Made yee my sawcy bon companions?

Taught yee to call our greatest n.o.blemen 260 By the corruption of their names--Jack, Tom?

Have I blowne both for nothing to this bubble?

Though thou art learn'd, thast no enchanting wit; Or, were thy wit good, am I therefore bound To keepe thee for my table?

_Cler._ Well, sir, 'twere 265 A good knights place. Many a proud dubb'd gallant Seekes out a poore knights living from such emrods.

[_Mons._] Or what use else should I designe thee to?

Perhaps you'll answere me--to be my pander.

_Cler._ Perhaps I shall.