in Chabot, Admiral of France — Chapman, George; Shirley, James, rev.
Metadata
Play
Chabot, Admiral of France
Author
Chapman, George; Shirley, James, rev.
Year (catalogued)
1639
First performance
1612
Decade
1630s
Genre
Tragedy
Play type
Adult Professional
Company
Unknown
Theater
Phoenix/Cockpit;Indoor Professional
Speech prefix(es)
Aſall. | Aſ. | Aſa.
Words
338
Characters
1839
Typicality
0.37 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
B12027
BritDrama no.
1676
Cluster
Cluster 7 — Pedants, satyrs & Latin wit
Important excerpts
No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).
Full speech
N Owe Philip Chabot, Admiral of France, The great, and only famous Favourite To Francis first of that Imperial name, Hath found a fresh competitor in glory, (Duke Montmorancy, Constable of France ) Who drinks as deep as he of the stream Royal, And may in little time convert the strength To raise his spring, and blow the others fallen. If he be virtuous, what is the reason That men affect him not, why is he lost Toth' general opinion, and become Rather their hate than love? A bade age the while, I ask your pardon Sir, but thinks your judgement, His love to Justice, and Corruptions hate Are true and hearty? 'Tis brave I swear. You have declared him a most noble usticer. It argues nothing less, but since your Lord Is diversely reported for his parts, Whats your true c nsure of his general worth, Virtue and Judgement. Sir, I must join in just belief with you, But whats his rival the Lord high Constable? A fault In my apprehension, another's knowledge Applied to my instruction, cannot equal My own souls knowledge, how to inform Acts; The Suns rich radiance shot through waves most fair, Is but a shadow to his beams ith' air, His beams that in the air we so admire, Is but a darkness to his flame in fire, In fire his fervour but as vapour flies To what his own pure bosom rarefies: And the Almighty wisdom, having given Each man within himself and apter light To guide his acts, than any light without him (Creating nothing not in all things equal) It seems a fault in any that depend On others knowledge, and exile their own. I wish it may, the King being made first mover To form their reconcilement, and inflame it With all the sweetness of his praise and honour. Your Admiral Is condemned Sir? Sir the Chancellor. I shall sir I shall sir! The Chancellor and Judges Sir. He waits here. Your Advocate. He's here in Court Sir.
Plot summary
Plot — Chabot, Admiral of France
Admiral Philip Chabot has been supplanted at court by a new royal favourite, the Duke Montmorency. The King intervenes to put a stop to their rivalry, but Montmorency is encouraged by his fellow courtiers to renege and seek Chabot’s downfall. The opportunity arises when Montmorency proffers a suit, concerning a merchant ship seized by the Spanish, and has the bill approved by the King and Council; it is forwarded to Chabot for signature, but he insists on reading it and, finding it unjust, tears it up. The Queen encourages her husband to treat Chabot’s action as criminal defiance, but the King claims he was only testing the Admiral’s probity, and expected him to destroy the bill. He sees Chabot privately and tries to persuade him to relent and allow the bill, but Chabot is adamant that no injustice must be done in the King’s name. Offended by his stubbornness, the King asks Poyet, the Lord Chancellor, to prepare the case against him. His secretary Allegre is racked, but confesses nothing against him. At his trial, the inferior judges point out that the only crimes mentioned in the accusation are trivial ones, but Poyet is adamant that Chabot must be convicted of high treason, and the judges sign the condemnation under duress. Meanwhile, the Queen meets Chabot’s wife and, impressed by her loyalty and humility, has a change of heart. She and Montmorency approach the King to plead for Chabot, but he says he cannot interfere with the workings of the law. The news of the conviction comes through, and Poyet presses for an early execution. The King summons Chabot and publicly pardons him, but Chabot insists that he has committed no crime and so needs no pardon. The King takes this for contempt, but asks to see the bill of condemnation. Sure enough, no specific crimes are listed, and Poyet’s over-zealous behaviour comes to light. The King has him arrested and put to trial: he is vilified by the same prosecutor who flattered him at Chabot’s arraignment. He is fined, deprived of office, and sentenced to perpetual imprisonment in his own castle. The King cancels the sentence, thinking it too lenient, and gives Chabot the right to substitute an alternative, heavier punishment. Chabot asks instead that Poyet be forgiven, then drops dead, exhausted by his experiences. The King complies with his dying wishes, and promises to look after his family.