  [A Parade-Ground near Cambrai.] Alarum within: Excursions over the Stage. The [Soldiers disguised as] Lackies running, Maillard following them. Maillard. Villaines, not hold him when ye had him downe! 1[st Soldier.] Who can hold lightning? Sdeath a man as well Might catch a canon bullet in his mouth, And spit it in your hands, as take and hold him. Mail. Pursue, enclose him! stand or fall on him,5 And yee may take him. Sdeath! they make him guards. Exit. Alarum still, and enter Chalon. Challon. Stand, cowards, stand; strike, send your bullets at him. 1[st Soldier.] Wee came to entertaine him, sir, for honour. 2[d Soldier.] Did ye not say so? Chal. Slaves, hee is a traitor; Command the horse troopes to over-runne the traitor. Exeunt. Aumale. What spirit breathes thus in this more then man, Turnes flesh to ayre possest, and in a storme Teares men about the field like autumne leaves? He turnd wilde lightning in the lackies hands, Who, though their sodaine violent twitch unhorst him,15 Yet when he bore himselfe, their saucie fingers Flew as too hot off, as hee had beene fire. The ambush then made in, through all whose force Hee drave as if a fierce and fire-given canon Had spit his iron vomit out amongst them.20 The battailes then in two halfe-moones enclos'd him, In which he shew'd as if he were the light, And they but earth, who, wondring what hee was, Shruncke their steele hornes and gave him glorious passe. And as a great shot from a towne besieg'd25 At foes before it flyes forth blacke and roring, But they too farre, and that with waight opprest (As if disdaining earth) doth onely grasse, Strike earth, and up againe into the ayre, Againe sinkes to it, and againe doth rise,30 And keepes such strength that when it softliest moves It piece-meale shivers any let it proves— So flew brave Clermont forth, till breath forsooke him, Then fell to earth; and yet (sweet man) even then His spirits convulsions made him bound againe35 Past all their reaches; till, all motion spent, His fixt eyes cast a blaze of such disdaine, All stood and star'd, and untouch'd let him lie, As something sacred fallen out of the skie. A cry within. O now some rude hand hath laid hold on him!40 Enter Maillard, Chalon leading Clermont, Captaines and Souldiers following. See, prisoner led, with his bands honour'd more Then all the freedome he enjoy'd before. Mail. At length wee have you, sir. Clermont. You have much joy too; I made you sport. Yet, but I pray you tell mee, Are not you perjur'd? Mail. No: I swore for the King. 45 Cler. Yet perjurie, I hope, is perjurie. Mail. But thus forswearing is not perjurie. You are no politician: not a fault, How foule soever, done for private ends, Is fault in us sworne to the publike good: Wee never can be of the damned crew; Wee may impolitique our selves (as 'twere) Into the kingdomes body politique, Whereof indeede we're members; you misse termes. Cler. The things are yet the same.55 Mail. Tis nothing so; the propertie is alter'd: Y'are no lawyer. Or say that othe and othe Are still the same in number, yet their species Differ extreamely, as, for flat example, When politique widowes trye men for their turne,60 Before they wed them, they are harlots then, But when they wed them, they are honest women: So private men, when they forsweare, betray, Are perjur'd treachers, but being publique once, That is, sworne-married to the publique good—65 Cler. Are married women publique? Mail. Publique good; For marriage makes them, being the publique good, And could not be without them: so I say Men publique, that is, being sworne-married To the good publique, being one body made70 With the realmes body politique, are no more Private, nor can be perjur'd, though forsworne, More then a widow married, for the act Of generation is for that an harlot, Because for that shee was so, being unmarried: An argument a paribus. Chal. Tis a shrow'd one. Cler. "Who hath no faith to men, to God hath none:" Retaine you that, sir? who said so? Mail. Twas I. Cler. Thy owne tongue damne thy infidelitie! But, Captaines all, you know me nobly borne; Use yee t'assault such men as I with lackyes? Chal. They are no lackyes, sir, but souldiers Disguis'd in lackyes coates. 1 Sold. Sir, wee have seene the enemie. Cler. Avant! yee rascols, hence! Mail. Now leave your coates. Cler. Let me not see them more. 85 Aum. I grieve that vertue lives so undistinguisht From vice in any ill, and though the crowne Of soveraigne law, shee should be yet her footstoole, Subject to censure, all the shame and paine Of all her rigor. Cler. Yet false policie 90 Would cover all, being like offenders hid, That (after notice taken where they hide) The more they crouch and stirre, the more are spide. Aum. I wonder how this chanc'd you. Cler. Some informer, Bloud-hound to mischiefe, usher to the hang-man, Thirstie of honour for some huge state act, Perceiving me great with the worthy Guise, And he (I know not why) held dangerous, Made me the desperate organe of his danger, Onely with that poore colour: tis the common100 And more then whore-like tricke of treacherie And vermine bred to rapine and to ruine, For which this fault is still to be accus'd; Since good acts faile, crafts and deceits are us'd. If it be other, never pittie mee. Aum. Sir, we are glad, beleeve it, and have hope The King will so conceit it. Cler. At his pleasure. In meane time, what's your will, Lord Lieutenant? Mail. To leave your owne horse, and to mount the trumpets. Cler. It shall be done. This heavily prevents My purpos'd recreation in these parts; Which now I thinke on, let mee begge you, sir, To lend me some one captaine of your troopes, To beare the message of my haplesse service And miserie to my most noble mistresse,115 Countesse of Cambray; to whose house this night I promist my repaire, and know most truely, With all the ceremonies of her favour, She sure expects mee. Mail. Thinke you now on that? Cler. On that, sir? I, and that so worthily,120 That if the King, in spight of your great service, Would send me instant promise of enlargement, Condition I would set this message by, I would not take it, but had rather die. Aum. Your message shall be done, sir: I, my selfe,125 Will be for you a messenger of ill. Cler. I thanke you, sir, and doubt not yet to live To quite your kindnesse. Aum. Meane space use your spirit And knowledge for the chearfull patience Of this so strange and sodaine consequence.130 Cler. Good sir, beleeve that no particular torture Can force me from my glad obedience To any thing the high and generall Cause, To match with his whole fabricke, hath ordainde; And know yee all (though farre from all your aymes,135 Yet worth them all, and all mens endlesse studies) That in this one thing, all the discipline Of manners and of manhood is contain'd:— A man to joyne himselfe with th'Universe In his maine sway, and make (in all things fit)140 One with that all, and goe on round as it; Not plucking from the whole his wretched part, And into straites, or into nought revert, Wishing the compleate Universe might be Subject to such a ragge of it as hee;145 But to consider great Necessitie All things, as well refract as voluntarie, Reduceth to the prime celestiall cause; Which he that yeelds to with a mans applause, And cheeke by cheeke goes, crossing it no breath,150 But like Gods image followes to the death, That man is truely wise, and every thing (Each cause and every part distinguishing) In nature with enough art understands, And that full glory merits at all hands155 That doth the whole world at all parts adorne, And appertaines to one celestiall borne. Exeunt omnes. LINENOTES: |
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