in The Tragedy of Charles Duke of Byron — Chapman, George
Metadata
Play
The Tragedy of Charles Duke of Byron
Author
Chapman, George
Year (catalogued)
1608
First performance
1608
Decade
1600s
Genre
Tragedy
Play type
Boys Professional
Company
Children of the Queen's Revels
Speech prefix(es)
Desc. | D'esc. | Des. | Desc:
Words
498
Characters
2729
Typicality
0.38 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A18404.2
BritDrama no.
1576
Cluster
Cluster 6 — Battlefield messengers & soldiers
Important excerpts
No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).
Full speech
I will my Lord. Exit Desc. Health to my Lord the Duke: In good health of his body, but his mind, Is something troubled with the gathering storms, Of foreign powers; that as he is informed Address themselves into his frontier towns; And therefore his intent, is to maintain: The body of and army on those parts; And yield their worthy conduct to your valour. The foe is not so never, but you may come, And take more strict directions from his highness, Then he thinks fit his letters should contain, Without the least attainture of your valour; And therefore good my Lord, forbear excuse And bear your self on his direction; Who well you know hath never made design For your most worthy service, where he saw That any thing but honour could succeed. From Italy; and his intelligence, No doubt is certain, that in all those parts Levies are hotly made; for which respect, He sent to his Ambassador De Vic, To make demand in Switzerland, for the raising With utmost diligence of six thousand men; All which shall be commanded to attend, On your direction; as the Constable Your honoured Gossip gave him in advice; And he sent you by wrighting: of which letters, He would have answer, and advice from you By your most speedy presence. I know your grace, Will send no such unsavoury reply. My Lord I know that tale will never please him; And wish you as you love his love and pleasure To satisfy his summons speedily: And speedily I know he will return you; I would your Lordship now, would trust his judgement. 'Tis nought to me my Lord, I wish your good, And for that cause have been importunate. Ex to Desc: He is sure come forth; The Carosse of the Marquis of Rhosny Conducted him along to the Arsenal, Close to the Riverside: and there I saw him, Enter a barge covered with Tapestry, In which the kings guards waited and received him. Stand by there clear the place, So furious is he, that the Politic law, Is much to seek, how to enact her sentence: Authority backed with arms, (though he unarmed) Abhors his fury, and with doubtful eyes, Views on what ground it should sustain his ruins, And as a Savage Boar that (hunted long, Assailed and set up) with his only eyes, Swimming in fire keeps of the baying hounds, Though sunk himself, yet holds his anger up, And snows it foe that in foam; holds firm his stand, Of Batta ouse Bristles : feeds his hate to die, And whets his tusks with wrathful majesty. So fares the furious Duke, and with his looks, Does teach death horrors; makes the hangman learn New habits for his bloody impudence; Which now habitual horror from him drives, Who for his life shuns death, by which he lives, As these times sort, they may have shorter reaches; That would pierce further; I go my Lord: Exit.
Plot summary
Plot — The Tragedy of Charles Duke of Byron
The ambitious Duke of Biron has been offered the crown by a conspiracy of France’s foreign enemies. He pacifies a Huguenot rebellion in Brittany, but suspects - that, now the country is at peace, his military services will no longer be required or even valued by the King. His ally, La Fin, supplies the King with incriminating evidence of his involvement in a plot. [A lacuna in the text follows. The Queen has a quarrel with the King’s mistress, and slaps her.] The two rival ladies make it up by performing together in a masque: Biron is recalled to court. La Fin assures him that all suspicions about his loyalty have been cleared, and- encourages him to go. Against the advice of his other friends, Biron does, thinking his reputation for valour — will make his enemies think twice about arresting him. Henry’s declared intention is to spare him if he will only confess, but Biron is proud and stubborn. He finds himself shunned by the courtiers, and learns that various horses he was given have all died, just as happened when the Earl of Essex fell. He and his ally D’Auvergne are both arrested. A Spanish ambassador asks permission for an army to cross French soil en route to Flanders; King Henry suspects it was originally levied to invade France, but nevertheless gives his permission. He sends despatches to inform foreign courts of Biron’s treason. The French - peers decline to be present at the trial. Biron is confronted with La Fin as chief prosecution witness, and claims that La Fin has practised witchcraft against him; the Chancellor, presiding over the court, retorts that no magic can force a virtuous man to act against his nature. Biron remains confident, convinced of his own indispensability, but is sentenced to death. Only then does he decide to throw himself on the King’s mercy, but it is too late, and he ig executed.