LA FIN

Peace must not make men Cowherds, nor keep calm Her pursy regiment with men's smootherd breathes; I must confess my Fortune's are declinde, But neither my deservings, nor my mind: I seek but to sustain the right I found, When I was rich, in keeping what is left, And making good my honour as at best, Though it be hard; men right to every thing Wanes with his wealth, wealth is his surest King; Yet Justice should be still indifferent. The overplus of Kings, in all their might, Is but to piece out the defects of right: And this I sue for, nor shall frowns and taunts (The common Scarecrows of all poor men's suits) Nor misconstruction that does colour still Licentiate Justice, punishing good for ill, Keep my free throat from knocking at the Sky, If thunder chid me for my equity. But you tempt me, To what, thou Sun be judge, and make him see. Exit. My best in that, and all things, vows your service. And when you know it; what? Ah las my Lord, not all your loyalty, Which is in you, more then hereditary, Nor all your valour (which is more then humane) Can do the service you may hope on me In sounding my displeased integrity; Stand for the King, as much in policy As you have stirred for him in deeds of arms, And make your self his glory, and your countries Till you be sucked as dry, and wrought as leave, As my stead carcase: you shall never close With me, as you imagine. To try the Kings trust in you, and withal, How hight he trails on our conspiracy: He first would have you, beg the government, Of the important Citadel of Bourg: Or to place in it, any you shall name: Which will be wondrous fit, to march before, His other purposes; and is a fort He rates, in love, above his patrimony; To make which fortress worthy of your suit: He vows (if you obtain it) to bestow His third fair daughter, on your excellence, And Hope's the King will not deny it you. He'll find some politic shift to do't, I fear. He may perhaps find he hath pitched away, The Axletree that kept him on his wheels. To choose his time, and spit his poison on me, Through ears, and eyes of strangers. I have devised the fashion and the weight; To valures hard to draw, we use retreats; And, to pull shafts home, (with a good bow-arme) We thrust hard from us: since he came from Flanders He herd how I was threatened with the King, And hath been much inquisitive to know The truth of all, and seeks to speak with me; The means he used, I answered doubtfully; And with and intimation that I shunned him, Which will (I know) put more spur to his charge; And if his haughty stomach be prepared With will to any act: for the aspiring Of his ambitious aims, I make no doubt But I shall work him to your highness wish. Why do you ask? I will creep. Upon my bosom in your Princely service, Vouchsafe to make me known. I hear there lives not, So kind, so bounty full, and wise a Prince, But in your own excepted excellence. Said Like your Kings King; Cold hath no act in depth, nor are suits wrought (Of any high price) that are coldly sought: I'll hast, and with your courage, comfort Savoy. Exit Laffin. I know not now your so affected zeal, To be reputed a true hearted subject, May stretch or turn you; I am desperate; If I offend you, I am in your pour: I care not how I tempt your conquering fury, I am predestined to too base and end, To have the honour of your wrath destroy me; And be a worthy object for your sword: I lay my hand, and head too at your feet, As I have ever, here I hold it still, End me directly, do not go about. You may be so; And yet yowl give me leave to be Laffin, A poor and expuate humour of the Court: But what good blood came out with me; what veins And sinews of the Triumphs, now it makes; I list not vante; yet will I now confess, And dare assume it; I have pour to add To all his greatness; and make yet more fixed His bold security; Tell him this my Lord; And this (if all the spirits of earth and air, Be able to enforce) I can make good: If knowledge of the sure events of things, Even from the rise of subjects into Kings: And falls of Kings to subjects hold a pour Of strength to work it; I can make it good; And tell him this to; if in midst of winter To make black Groves grow green; to still the thunder; And cast out able flashes from mine eyes, To beat the lightning back into the skies, Prove pour to do it, I can make it good; And tell him this too; if to lift the Sea Up to the Stars, when all the Wind are still; And keep it calm, when they are most enraged: To make earth's driest pallms, sweat humorous springs To make fixed rocks walk; and lose shadows stand, To make the dead speak. midnight see the Sun, Midday turn midnight; to dissolve all laws Of nature, and of order, argue pour Able to work all, I can make all good, And all this tell the King. Who cannot friend himself, is foe to any, And to be feared of all, and that is it, Makes me so skornd, but make me what you can; Never so wicked, and so full of fiends, I never yet, was traitor to my friends: The laws of friendship I have ever held, As my religion; and for other laws; He is a fool that keeps them with more care, Then they keep him, safe, rich, and populare: For riches, and for populare respects Take them amongst ye Minions, but for safety, You shall not find the least flaw in mine arms, To pierce or taint me; what will great men be, To please the King, and bear authority. Exit. It must be done With praising of the Duke; from whom the king Will take to give himself; which told the Duke, Will take his heart up into all ambition. A feigned passion in his hearing now, (Which he thinks I perceive not) making conscience, Of the revolt that he hath vrdgd to me, Which now he means to prosecute would found, How deep he stands affected with that scruple. As when the Moon hath comforted the Night, And set the world in silver of her light, The Planets, Asterisims and whole state of Heaven, In beams of gold descending; all the winds, Bound up in caves, charged not to driven abroad, Their cloudy heads; and universal peace, Proclaimed in silence of the quiet earth. Soon as her hight and dry fumes are let lose, Storms and clouds mixing; suddenly put out. The eyes of all those glories: The creation, Turned into Chaos, and we then desire, For all our joy of life, the death of sleep; So when the glories of our lives, men's loves, Clear consciences, our fame's, and loyalties, That did us worthy comfort, are eclipsd, Grief and disgrace invade us; and for all, Our night of life beside, our Misery craves, Dark earth would open and hide us in our graves, What? did your highness hear? 'Tis shrode. Believe it this is reason; You persuade, As if you could create: what man can shun, The searches, and compressions of your graces. But hath your highness, Some enterprise of valve joined with him? I take the honour of it, on my knee, And hope to quite it with your Majesty. Exit. Laffin, my Lord Since the King hath wronged me He thinks I'll hurt my self; no, no, my Lord: I know that all the Kings in Christendom, (If they should join in my revenge) would prove Weak foes to him: still having you to friend: If you were gone (I care not if you tell him) I might be tempted then to right my self. Exit. Change not my words my Lord, I only said I might be tempted then to right my self: Temptation to treason, is no treason; And that word (tempted) was conditional too, If you were gone, I pray inform the truth. Exitur.