Actus Tertii Scæna Prima
[A Parade-Ground near Cambrai.]
A march of Captaines over the Stage.
Maillard, Chalon, Aumall following with Souldiers.
Maillard. These troopes and companies come in with wings:
So many men, so arm’d, so gallant horse,
I thinke no other government in France
So soone could bring together. With such men
Me thinkes a man might passe th’insulting Pillars5
Of Bacchus and Alcides.
Chalon. I much wonder
Our Lord Lieutenant brought his brother downe
To feast and honour him, and yet now leaves him
At such an instance.
Mail. Twas the Kings command;
For whom he must leave brother, wife, friend, all things.10
Aumale. The confines of his government, whose view
Is the pretext of his command, hath neede
Of no such sodaine expedition.
Mail. Wee must not argue that. The Kings command
Is neede and right enough: and that he serves,15
(As all true subjects should) without disputing.
Chal. But knowes not hee of your command to take
His brother Clermont?
Mail. No: the Kings will is
Expressely to conceale his apprehension
From my Lord Governour. Observ’d yee not?20
Againe peruse the letters. Both you are
Made my assistants, and have right and trust
In all the waightie secrets like my selfe.
Aum. Tis strange a man that had, through his life past,
So sure a foote in vertue and true knowledge25
As Clermont D’Ambois, should be now found tripping,
And taken up thus, so to make his fall
More steepe and head-long.
Mail. It is Vertues fortune,
To keepe her low, and in her proper place;
Height hath no roome for her. But as a man30
That hath a fruitfull wife, and every yeere
A childe by her, hath every yeere a month
To breathe himselfe, where hee that gets no childe
Hath not a nights rest (if he will doe well);
So, let one marry this same barraine Vertue,35
She never lets him rest, where fruitfull Vice
Spares her rich drudge, gives him in labour breath,
Feedes him with bane, and makes him fat with death.
Chal. I see that good lives never can secure
Men from bad livers. Worst men will have best40
As ill as they, or heaven to hell they’ll wrest.
Aum. There was a merit for this, in the fault
That Bussy made, for which he (doing pennance)
Proves that these foule adulterous guilts will runne
Through the whole bloud, which not the cleare can shunne.45
Mail. Ile therefore take heede of the bastarding
Whole innocent races; tis a fearefull thing.
And as I am true batcheler, I sweare,
To touch no woman (to the coupling ends)
Unlesse it be mine owne wife or my friends;50
I may make bold with him.
Aum. Tis safe and common.
The more your friend dares trust, the more deceive him.
And as through dewie vapors the sunnes forme
Makes the gay rainebow girdle to a storme,
So in hearts hollow, friendship (even the sunne55
To all good growing in societie)
Makes his so glorious and divine name hold
Collours for all the ill that can be told. Trumpets within.
Mail. Harke! our last troopes are come.
Chal. (Drums beate.) Harke! our last foote.
Mail. Come, let us put all quickly into battaile,60
And send for Clermont, in whose honour all
This martiall preparation wee pretend.
Chal. Wee must bethinke us, ere wee apprehend him,
(Besides our maine strength) of some stratageme
To make good our severe command on him,65
As well to save blood as to make him sure:
For if hee come on his Scotch horse, all France
Put at the heeles of him will faile to take him.
Mail. What thinke you if wee should disguise a brace
Of our best souldiers in faire lackies coates,70
And send them for him, running by his side,
Till they have brought him in some ambuscado
We close may lodge for him, and sodainely
Lay sure hand on him, plucking him from horse?
Aum. It must be sure and strong hand; for if once75
Hee feeles the touch of such a stratageme,
Tis not choicest brace of all our bands
Can manacle or quench his fiery hands.
Mail. When they have seaz’d him, the ambush shal make in.
Aum. Doe as you please; his blamelesse spirit deserves80
(I dare engage my life) of all this, nothing.
Chal. Why should all this stirre be, then?
Aum. Who knowes not
The bumbast politie thrusts into his gyant,
To make his wisedome seeme of size as huge,
And all for sleight encounter of a shade,85
So hee be toucht, hee would have hainous made?
Mail. It may be once so; but so ever, never.
Ambition is abroad, on foote, on horse;
Faction chokes every corner, streete, the Court;
Whose faction tis you know, and who is held90
The fautors right hand: how high his aymes reach
Nought but a crowne can measure. This must fall
Past shadowes waights, and is most capitall.
Chal. No question; for since hee is come to Cambray,
The malecontent, decaid Marquesse Renel,95
Is come, and new arriv’d; and made partaker
Of all the entertaining showes and feasts
That welcom’d Clermont to the brave virago,
His manly sister. Such wee are esteem’d
As are our consorts. Marquesse malecontent100
Comes where hee knowes his vaine hath safest vent.
Mail. Let him come at his will, and goe as free;
Let us ply Clermont, our whole charge is hee. Exeunt.
Linenotes
Trumpets within. Drums beate. In Q these directions follow instead of precede l. 59.
Exeunt. Q, Exit.