_A Room in the House of the Countess of Cambrai._]

_Enter Countesse, Riova, and an Usher._

_Usher._ Madame, a captaine come from Clermont D'Ambois Desires accesse to you.

_Countess._ And not himselfe?

_Ush._ No, madame.

_Count._ That's not well. Attend him in.

_Exit Ush[er]._ The last houre of his promise now runne out!

And hee breake, some brack's in the frame of nature 5 That forceth his breach.

_Enter Usher and Aumal._

_Aumale._ Save your ladiship!

_Coun._ All welcome! Come you from my worthy servant?

_Aum._ I, madame, and conferre such newes from him--

_Coun._ Such newes! what newes?

_Aum._ Newes that I wish some other had the charge of. 10

_Coun._ O, what charge? what newes?

_Aum._ Your ladiship must use some patience, Or else I cannot doe him that desire He urg'd with such affection to your graces.

_Coun._ Doe it, for heavens love, doe it! if you serve 15 His kinde desires, I will have patience.

Is hee in health?

_Aum._ He is.

_Count._ Why, that's the ground Of all the good estate wee hold in earth; All our ill built upon that is no more Then wee may beare, and should; expresse it all. 20

_Aum._ Madame, tis onely this; his libertie--

_Coun._ His libertie! Without that health is nothing.

Why live I, but to aske in doubt of that?

Is that bereft him?

_Aum._ You'll againe prevent me.

_Coun._ No more, I sweare; I must heare, and together 25 Come all my miserie! Ile hold, though I burst.

_Aum._ Then, madame, thus it fares; he was envited, By way of honour to him, to take view Of all the powers his brother Baligny Hath in his government; which rang'd in battailes, 30 Maillard, Lieutenant to the Governour, Having receiv'd strickt letters from the King, To traine him to the musters and betray him To their supprise; which, with Chalon in chiefe, And other captaines (all the field put hard 35 By his incredible valour for his scape) They haplesly and guiltlesly perform'd; And to Bastile hee's now led prisoner.

_Count._ What change is here! how are my hopes prevented!

O my most faithfull servant, thou betraid! 40 Will Kings make treason lawfull? Is societie (To keepe which onely Kings were first ordain'd) Lesse broke in breaking faith twixt friend and friend Then twixt the King and subject? let them feare Kings presidents in licence lacke no danger. 45 Kings are compar'd to G.o.ds, and should be like them, Full in all right, in nought superfluous, Nor nothing straining past right for their right.

Raigne justly, and raigne safely. Policie Is but a guard corrupted, and a way 50 Venter'd in desarts, without guide or path.

Kings punish subjects errors with their owne.

Kings are like archers, and their subjects, shafts: For as when archers let their arrowes flye, They call to them, and bid them flye or fall, 55 As if twere in the free power of the shaft To flye or fall, when onely tis the strength, Straight shooting, compa.s.se given it by the archer, That makes it hit or misse; and doing eyther, Hee's to be prais'd or blam'd, and not the shaft: 60 So Kings to subjects crying, "Doe, doe not this,"

Must to them by their owne examples strength, The straightnesse of their acts, and equall compa.s.se, Give subjects power t'obey them in the like; Not shoote them forth with faultie ayme and strength, 65 And lay the fault in them for flying amisse.

_Aum._ But for your servant, I dare sweare him guiltlesse.

_Count._ Hee would not for his kingdome traitor be; His lawes are not so true to him, as he.

O knew I how to free him, by way forc'd 70 Through all their armie, I would flye, and doe it: And had I of my courage and resolve But tenne such more, they should not all retaine him.

But I will never die, before I give Maillard an hundred slashes with a sword, 75 Chalon an hundred breaches with a pistoll.

They could not all have taken Clermont D'Ambois Without their treacherie; he had bought his bands out With their slave blouds: but he was credulous; Hee would beleeve, since he would be beleev'd; 80 Your n.o.blest natures are most credulous.

Who gives no trust, all trust is apt to breake; Hate like h.e.l.l mouth who thinke not what they speake.

_Aum._ Well, madame, I must tender my attendance On him againe. Will't please you to returne 85 No service to him by me?

_Count._ Fetch me straight My little cabinet. _Exit Ancil[la]._ Tis little, tell him, And much too little for his matchlesse love: But as in him the worths of many men Are close contracted, (_Intr[at] Ancil[la.]_) so in this are jewels 90 Worth many cabinets. Here, with this (good sir) Commend my kindest service to my servant, Thanke him, with all my comforts, and, in them, With all my life for them; all sent from him In his remembrance of mee and true love. 95 And looke you tell him, tell him how I lye _She kneeles downe at his feete._ Prostrate at feet of his accurst misfortune, Pouring my teares out, which shall ever fall, Till I have pour'd for him out eyes and all.

_Aum._ O madame, this will kill him; comfort you 100 With full a.s.surance of his quicke acquitall; Be not so pa.s.sionate; rise, cease your teares.

_Coun._ Then must my life cease. Teares are all the vent My life hath to scape death. Teares please me better Then all lifes comforts, being the naturall seede 105 Of heartie sorrow. As a tree fruit beares, So doth an undissembled sorrow, teares.

_Hee raises her, and leades her out. Exe[unt]._

_Usher._ This might have beene before, and sav'd much charge.

_Exit._

LINENOTES:

5 _brack's_. Emended by all editors; Q, brack.

20 _and should; expresse it all_. So punctuated by all editors; Q, and should expresse it all.

31 _Maillard_. Q, Mailiard.

[SCaeNA QUARTA.

_A Room at the Court in Paris._]

_Enter Henry, Guise, Baligny, Esp[ernone], Soisson.

Pericot with pen, incke, and paper._

_Guise._ Now, sir, I hope you're much abus'd eyes see In my word for my Clermont, what a villaine Hee was that whisper'd in your jealous eare His owne blacke treason in suggesting Clermonts, Colour'd with nothing but being great with mee. 5 Signe then this writ for his deliverie; Your hand was never urg'd with worthier boldnesse: Come, pray, sir, signe it. Why should Kings be praid To acts of justice? tis a reverence Makes them despis'd, and showes they sticke and tyre 10 In what their free powers should be hot as fire.

_Henry._ Well, take your will, sir;--Ile have mine ere long.-- _Aversus._ But wherein is this Clermont such a rare one?