The Tragedy of Chabot, Admiral of France de G. Chapman
Edition utilisée : The Tragedie of Chabot Admirall of France : As it was presented by her Majesties servants, at the private House in Drury Lane, Written by George Chapman and James Shirly, London, Printed by Tho. Cotes, for Andrew Crooke, and William Cooke, 1639.
1. Act I, Scene 1
Scene 1 — Enter Asall, and Allegre.
ASALL
Now Phillip Chabot, Admirall of France,
The great, and onely famous Favorite
To Francis first of that Imperiall name,
Hath found a fresh competitor in glory,
(Duke Montmorancie, Constable of France)
Who drinkes as deepe as he of the streame Royall,
And may in little time convert the strength
To raise his spring, and blow the others fall.
ALLEGRE
The world would wish it so, that will not patiently
Endure the due rise of a vertuous man.
ASALL
If he be vertuous, what is the reason
That men affect him nor, why is he lost
To th’ generall opinion, and become
Rather their hate than love ?
ALLEGRE
I wonder you
Will question it, aske a ground or reason
Of men bred in this vile degenerate age ;
The most men are not good, and it agrees not
With impious natures to allow whats honest,
Tis an offence enough to be exalted
To regall favours, great men are not safe
In their owne vice, where good men by the hand
Of Kings are planted to survey their workings ;
What man was ever fixt ’ith Sphere of honour,
And precious to his Soveraigne, whose actions,
Nay very soule was not expos’d to every
Common and base dissection ? and not onely
That which in Nature hath excuse, and in
Themselves in priviledg’d by name of frailtie,
But even Vertues are made crimes, and doom’d
To th’ fate of Treason.
ASALL
A bad age the while,
I aske your pardon Sir, but thinkes your judgement,
His love to Justice, and Corruptions hate
Are true and hearty ?
ALLEGRE
Iudge your selfe by this
One argument, his hearty truth to all,
For in the heart hath anger his wisest seate,
And gainst unjust suites such brave anger fires him,
That when they seeke to passe his place and power,
Though mov’d ; and urg’d by the other minion,
Or by his greatest friends, and even the King
Leade them to his allowance with his hand,
First given in Bill, assign’d, even then his spirit,
(In nature calme as any Summers evening)
Puts up his Whole powers like a Winters sea,
His bloud boyles over, and his heart even cracks
At the injustice, and he teares the Bill,
And would doe, were he for’t to be torne in peeces.
ASALL
Tis brave I sweare.
ALLEGRE
Nay it is worthy your wonder
That I must tell you further, theres no Needle
In a Sunne Diall plac’d upon his steele
In such a tender posture, that doth tremble
The timely Diall being held amisse,
And will shake ever, till you hold it right
More tender than himsefe in any thing
That he concludes in Iustice for the State :
For as a fever held him, hee will shake
When he is signing any things of weight,
Least humane frailty should misguide his justice.
ASALL
You have declar’d him a most noble Iusticer.
ALLEGRE
He truely weighes and feeles Sir, what a charge
The subjects livings are (being even their lives
Laid on the hand of power,) which abus’d
Though seene, blood flow not from the justice seate,
Tis in true sence as grievous, and horrid.
ASALL
It argues nothing lesse, but since your Lord
Is diversly reported for his parts,
Whats your true censure of his generall worth,
Vertue and Iudgement.
ALLEGRE
As of a Picture wrought to opticke reason,
That to all passers by, seemes as they move
Now woman, now a Monster, now a Divell,
And till you stand, and in a right line view it,
You cannot well judge what the maine forme is,
So men that view him but in vulgar passes
Casting but laterall, or partiall glances,
At what he is, suppose him weake, unjust,
Bloody, and monstrous, but stand free and fast,
And judge him by no more than what you know
Ingenuously, and by the right laid line
Of truth, he truely, will all stiles deserve
Of wise, just, good, a man both soule and nerve.
ASALL
Sir, I must joyne in just beleefe with you,
But whats his rivall the Lord high Constable ?
ALLEGRE
As just, and well inclin’d when hee’s himselfe,
(Not wrought on with the counsells, and opinions
Of other men) and the maine difference is,
The Admirall is not flexible nor wonne
To move one scruple, when he comprehends
The honest tract and justnesse of a cause,
The Constable explores not so sincerely
The course hee runnes, but takes the minde of others
(By name Iudiciall) for what his owne
Iudgement, and knowledge should conclude.
ASALL
A fault
In my apprehension, anothers knowledge
Applied to my instruction, cannot equall
My owne soules knowledge, how to informe Acts ;
The Sunnes rich radiance shot through waves most faire,
Is but a shaddow to his beames ith’ ayre,
His beames that in the ayre we so admire,
Is but a darkenesse to his flame in fire,
In fire his fervour but as vapour flies
To what his owne pure bosome rarifies :
And the Almighty wisedom, having given
Each man within himselfe an apter light
To guide his acts, than any light without him
(Creating nothing not in all things equall)
It seemes a fault in any that depend
On others knowledge, and exile their owne.
ALLEGRE
Tis nobly argued, and exemplified,
But now I heare my Lord, and his young rivall
Are to be reconcil’d, and then one light
May serve to guide them both.
ASALL
I wish it may, the King being made first mover
To forme their reconcilement, and enflame it
With all the sweetnesse of his praise and honour.
ALLEGRE
See, tis dispatch’d I hope, the King doth grace it.
2. Act V, Scene 3
Scene 3 — Enter Admirall in his Gowne and Cap, his Wife.
ADMIRAL
Allegre I am glad he hath so much strength,
I prethee let me see him.
WIFE
It will but
Enlarge a passion — my Lord hee’le come
Another time and tender you his service.
ADMIRAL
Nay then —
WIFE
Although I like it not, I must obey.
Exit.
Enter Allegre supported.
ADMIRAL
Welcome my injur’d servant, what a misery
Ha they made on thee ?
ALLEGRE
Though some change appeare Vpon my body, whose severe affliction
Hath brought it thus to be sustained by others,
My hurt is still the fame in faith to you,
Not broken with their rage.
ADMIRAL
Alas poore man !
Were all my joyes essentiall, and so mighty
As the affected world beleeves I taste,
This object were enough to unsweeten all,
Though in thy absence I had suffering,
And felt within me a strong sympathy,
While for my sake their cruelty did vexe,
And fright thy nerves with horrour of thy sence,
Yet in this spectacle I apprehend
More griefe than all my imagination
Could let before into me ; didst not curse me
Vpon the torture ?
ALLEGRE
Good my Lord, let not
The thought of what I suffer’d dwell upon
Your memory, they could not punish more
Then what my duty did oblige to beare
For you and Iustice, but theres some thing in
Your lookes, presents more feare than all the mallice
Of my tormentors could affect my soule with,
That palenesse, and the other formes you weare,
Would well become a guilty Admirall, and one
Lost to his hopes and honour, not the man
Vpon whose life the fury of unjustice
Arm’d with fierce lightning, and the power of thunder,
Can make no breach, I was not rack’d till now,
Theres more death in that falling eye, than all
Rage ever yet brought forth, what accident sir can blast,
Can be so blacke and fatall to distract
The calme ? the triumph that should sit upon
Your noble brow, misfortune could have no
Time to conspire with fate, since you were rescued
By the great arme of providence, nor can
Those garlands that now grow about your forehead
With all the poyson of the world be blasted.
ADMIRAL
Allegre, thou dost beare thy wounds upon thee,
In wide and spacious characters, but in
The volumne of my sadnesse thou dost want
An eye to reade an open force, hath torne
Thy manly sinewes which sometime may cure
The engine is not seene that wounds thy Master,
Past all the remedy of art or time,
The flatteries of Court, of fame or honours,
Thus in the Sommer a tall flourishing tree,
Transplanted by strong hand, with all her leaves
And blooming pride upon her makes a shew
Of Spring, tempting the eye with wanton blossome,
But not the Sunne with all her amorous smiles,
The dewes of mornings, or the teares of night,
Can roote her fibers in the earth agen,
Or make her bosome kinde, to growth and bearing,
But the tree withers, and those very beames
That once were naturall warmth to her soft verdure
Dry up her sap and shoote a feaver through
The barke and rinde, till she becomes a burthen
To that which gave her life : so Chabot, Chabot, Chabot.
ALLEGRE
Wonder in apprehension, I must
Suspect your health indeede.
ADMIRAL
No no, thou shanot
Be troubled, I but stirr’d thee with a morrall,
Thats empty containes nothing, I am well,
See I can walke poore man, thou hast not strength yet.
ALLEGRE
What accident is ground of this distraction ?
Enter Admirall.
ADMIRAL
Thou hast not heard yet whats become oth’ Chancellor ?
ALLEGRE
Not yet my Lord.
ADMIRAL
Poore gentleman, when I thinke
Vpon the King, I’ve balme enough to cure
A thousand wounds, have I not Allegre ?
Was ever bountious mercy read in story,
Like his upon my life, condemn’d for sacrifice
By Law, and snatch’d out of the flame unlooked for,
And unpetitioned ? but his justice then
That wod not spare whom his owne love made great,
But give me up to the most cruell test
Of Iudges, for some boldnesse in defence
Of my owne merits, and my honest faith to him
Was rare, past example.
Enter Father.
FATHER
Sir, the King
Is comming hither.
ALLEGRE
It will
Become my duty sir to leave you now.
ADMIRAL
Stay by all meanes Allegre, ’tshall concerne you,
I’me infinitely honor’d in his presence.
Enter King, Queene, Constable, and Wife.
KING
Madam be comforted, Ile be his Phisitian.
WIFE
Pray heaven you may.
KING
No ceremoniall knees,
Give me thy heart, my deare, my honest Chabot,
And yet in vaine I chalenge that tis here
Already in my owne, and shall be cherish’d
With care of my best life, violence
Shall ravish it from my possession,
Not those distempers that infirme my blood
And spirits shall betray it to a feare,
When time and nature joyne to dispossesse
My body of a cold and languishing breath,
No stroake in all my arteries, but silence
In every faculty, yet dissect me then,
And in my heart, the world shall read thee living,
And by the vertue of thy name write there,
That part of me shall never putrifie,
When I am lost in all my other dust.
ADMIRAL
You too much honour your poore servant sir,
My heart dispares so rich a monument ;
But when it dies —
KING
I wonot heare a sound
Of any thing that trenched upon death,
He speakes the funerall of my crowne that prophesies
So unkinde a fate, weele live and die together,
And by that duty which hath taught you hitherto,
All loyall and just services I charge thee,
Preserve thy heart for me and thy reward,
Which now shall crowne thy merits.
ADMIRAL
I have found
A glorious harvest in your favour sir,
And by this overflow of royall grace,
All my deserts are shadowes and flie from mee,
I have not in the wealth of my desires,
Enough to pay you now, yet you encourage me
To make one suite.
KING
So soone as nam’d possesse it.
ADMIRAL
You would be pleas’d take notice of this Gentleman,
A Secretary of mine.
CONSTABLE
Mounsieur Allegre,
He that was rack’d sir for your Admirall.
ADMIRAL
His limbs want strength to tender their full duty,
An honest man that suffers for my sake.
KING
He shall be deare to us, for what has past sir
By the unjustice of our Chancellors power,
Weele study to recompence, ith’ meane time that office
You exercis’d for Chabot we translate
To our selfe, you shall be our Secretary.
ALLEGRE
This is
An honour above my weake desert, and shall
Oblige the service of my life to satisfie it.
ADMIRAL
You are gracious, and in this act have put
All our complaints to silence, you Allegre,
Enter Treasuror, Secretary.
Cherish your health, and feeble limbs which cannot
Without much prejudice be thus employ’d ;
All my best wishes with thee.
ALLEGRE
All my prayers
Are duties to your Lordship —
Exit.
KING
Tis too little,
Can forfeit of his place, wealth, and a lasting
Imprisonment purge his offences to
Our honest Admirall, had our person beene
Exempted from his mallice, he did persecute
The life of Chabot with an equall wrath,
You should have powr’d death on his treacherous head,
I revoke all your sentences, and make
Him that was wrong’d full Master of his destiny,
Be thou his judge.
ADMIRAL
O farre be such injustice,
I know his doome is heavie, and I begge
Where mercy may be let into his sentence
For my sake you would soften it, I have
Glory enough to be set right in yours,
And my deare countries thought, and by an act
With such apparent notice to the world.
KING
Expresse it in some joy then.
ADMIRAL
I will strive
To shew that pious gratitude to you but —
KING
But what ?
ADMIRAL
My frame hath lately sir beene tane a peeces,
And but now put together, the least force
Of mirth will shake and unjoynt all my reason,
Your patience royall sir.
KING
Ile have no patience,
If thou forget the courage of a man.
ADMIRAL
My strength would flatter me.
KING
Phisitians,
Now I begin to feare his apprehension,
Why how is Chabots spirit falne ?
QUEEN
Twere best
He were convei’d to his bed.
WIFE
How soone turn’d widdow.
ADMIRAL
Who would not wish to live to serve your goodnes.
Stand from me, you betray me with your feares,
The plummets may fall off that hang upon
My heart, they were but thoughts at first, or if
They weigh me downe to death, let not my eyes
Close with another object then the King,
Let him be last I looke on.
KING
I would not have him lost for my whole Kingdome.
CONSTABLE
He may recover sir.
KING
I see it fall,
For Iustice being the proppe of every Kingdome
And mine broke, vio lating him that was
The knot and contract of it all in him,
It already falling in my eare,
Pompey could heare it thunder, when the Senate
And Capitoll were deafe, so heavens loud chiding,
Ile have another sentence for my Chancellor,
Vnlesse my Chabot live,
In a Prince
What a swift executioner is a frowne,
Especially of great and noble soules ;
How is it with my Philip ?
ADMIRAL
I must begge
One other boone.
KING
Vpon condition
My Chabot will collect his scatter’d spirits,
And be himselfe agen, he shall divide
My Kingdome with me.
FATHER
Sweete King.
ADMIRAL
I observe
A fierce and kllling wrath engendred in you ;
For my sake, as you wish me strength to serve you,
Forgive your Chancellor, let not the story
Of Philip Chabot read hereafter draw
A teare from any family, I beseech
Your royall mercy on his life, and free
Remission of all seasure upon his state,
I have no comfort else.
KING
Endeavour
But thy owne health, and pronounce generall pardon
To all through France.
ADMIRAL
Sir I must kneele to thanke you,
It is not seal’d else, your blest hand live happy,
May all you trust have no lesse faith then Chabot,
Oh.
WIFE
His heart is broken.
FATHER
And kneeling sir,
As his ambition were in death to shew
The truth of his obedience.
CONSTABLE
I feard this issue.
TREASURER
Hees past hope.
KING
He has a victory in death, this world
Deserv’d him not, how soone he was translated
To glorious eternitie, tis too late
To fright the ayre with words, my teares embalme him.
WIFE
What can become of me ?
KING
Ile be your husband Madam, and with care
Supply your childrens father, to your father
Ile be a sonne, in what our love or power
Can serve his friends, Chabot shall nere be wanting,
The greatest losse is mine, past scale or recompence,
We will proceede no further gainst the Chancellor,
To the charitie of our Admirall he owes
His life which ever banish’d to a prison,
Shall not beget in us, or in the subject
New feares of his injustice, for his fortunes
Great and acquir’d corruptly, tis our will
They make just restitution for all wrongs
That shall within a yeare be prov’d against him ;
O Chabot that shall boast as many monuments
As there be hearts in France, which as they grow,
Shall with more love enshrine thee, Kings they say,
Die not, or starve succession, oh why
Should that stand firme, and Kings themselves despaire,
To finde their subject still in the next heire.
Exeunt.
FINIS.