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)
Laff: | Laff. | Laf. | Laf •• .
Words
370
Characters
2005
Typicality
0.37 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A18404.2
BritDrama no.
1576
Cluster
Cluster 2 — Allegory, Nature & pageant voices
Important excerpts
No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).
Full speech
How great a spirit he breathes? how learned? how wise? But (worthy Prince) you must give temperate air, To your unmatched, and more then human wind; Else will our plots be frost-bit, in the flower. Oh, you do too much ravish; And my soul Offer to Music in your numerous breath; Sententious, and so high, it wakens death; It is for these parts, that the Spanish King Hath sworn to win them to his side At any price or peril ; That great Savoy, Offers his princely daughter, and a dowry, Amounting to five hundred thousand crowns; With full transport of all the Sovereign rights Belonging to the State of Burgundy; Which marriage will be made, the only Cement T'effect and strengthen all our secret Treaties; Instruct me therefore, (my assured Prince) Now I am going to resolve the King Of his suspicions, how I shall behave me. Therein the bounty that your Grace hath shown me, I prize passed life, and all things that are mine; And will undoubtedly preserve, and tender The merit of it, as my hope of heaven. I must confess my Lord, my voyages Made to the Duke of Savoy and to Mylan; Were with endeavour, that the wars returned, Might breed some trouble to your Majesty; And profit those by whom they were procured; But since, in their designs, your sacred person Was not excepted (which I since have seen) It so abhorred me, that I was resolved To give you full intelligence thereof; And rather chused to fail in promises, Made to the servant; then infringe my fealty Sworn to my royal Sovereign and Master; Oh, you direct, as if the God of light Sat in each nook of you; and pointed out The path of Empire; Charming all the dangers On both sides armed, with his harmoniouse finger. I will not fail my Lord. I will forbear, Till your good pleasures call me, Exit Laf. I have herd my Lord, All that hath passed here; and upon my soul, (Being charged so urgently in such a Court) Upon my knowledge I affirm all true; And so much more: as had the prisoner lives As many as his years, would make all forfeit.
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.