Beggars Bush: A Comedy From the Works of Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher (Volume 2 of 10)

ACTUS PRIMUS. SCENA PRIMA.

Enter a Merchant and Herman.

Mer. Is he then taken?

Her. And brought back even now, Sir.

Mer. He was not in disgrace?

Her. No man more lov'd, Nor more deserv'd it, being the only man That durst be honest in this Court.

Mer. Indeed We have heard abroad, Sir, that the State hath suffered A great change, since the Countesses death.

Her. It hath, Sir.

Mer. My five years absence hath kept me a stranger So much to all the occurents of my Country, As you shall bind me for some short relation To make me understand the present times.

Her. I must begin then with a War was made And seven years with all cruelty continued Upon our Flanders by the Duke of Brabant, The cause grew thus: during our Earls minority, Wolfort, (who now usurps) was employed thither To treat about a match between our Earl And the Daughter and Heir of Brabant: during which treaty The Brabander pretends, this Daughter was Stoln from his Court, by practice of our State, Though we are all confirm'd, 'twas a sought quarrel To lay an unjust gripe upon this Earldom, It being here believ'd the Duke of Brabant Had no such loss. This War upon't proclaimed, Our Earl, being then a Child, although his Father Good Gerrard liv'd, yet in respect he was Chosen by the Countesses favour, for her Husband, And but a Gentleman, and Florez holding His right unto this Country from his Mother, The State thought fit in this defensive War, Wolfort being then the only man of mark, To make him General.

Mer. Which place we have heard He did discharge with ho[n]our.

Her. I, so long, And with so blest successes, that the Brabander Was forc't (his treasures wasted, and the choice Of his best men of Armes tyr'd, or cut off) To leave the field, and sound a base retreat Back to his Country: but so broken both In mind and means, er'e to make head again, That hitherto he sits down by his loss, Not daring, or for honour, or revenge Again to tempt his fortune. But this Victory More broke our State, and made a deeper hurt In Flanders, than the greatest overthrow She ever receiv'd: For Wolfort, now beholding Himself, and actions, in the flattering glass Of self-deservings, and that cherish't by The strong assurance of his power, for then All Captains of the Army were his creatures, The common Souldier too at his devotion, Made so by full indulgence to their rapines And secret bounties, this strength too well known And what it could effect, soon put in practice, As further'd by the Child-hood of the Earl: And their improvidence, that might have pierc't The heart of his designs, gave him occasion To seize the whole, and in that plight you find it.

Mer. Sir, I receive the knowledge of thus much, As a choice favour from you.

Her. Only I must add, Bruges holds out.

Mer. Whither, Sir, I am going, For there last night I had a ship put in, And my Horse waits me. [_Exit_.

Her. I wish you a good journey.

Enter Wolfort, Hubert.

Wol. What? Hubert stealing from me? who disarm'd him? It was more than I commanded; take your sword, I am best guarded with it in your hand, I have seen you use it nobly.

Hub. And will turn it On my own bosom, ere it shall be drawn Unworthily or rudely.

Wol. Would you leave me Without a farewel, Hubert? flie a friend Unwearied in his study to advance you? What have I e're possess'd which was not yours? Or either did not court you to command it? Who ever yet arriv'd to any grace, Reward or trust from me, but his approaches Were by your fair reports of him prefer'd? And what is more I made my self your Servant, In making you the Master of those secrets Which not the rack of Conscience could draw from me, Nor I, when I askt mercy, trust my prayers with; Yet after these assurances of love, These tyes and bonds of friendship, to forsake me? Forsake me as an enemy? come you must Give me a reason.

Hub. Sir, and so I will, If I may do't in private: and you hear it.

Wol. All leave the room: you have your will, sit down And use the liberty of our first friendship.

Hub. Friendship? when you prov'd Traitor first, that vanish'd, Nor do I owe you any thought, but hate, I know my flight hath forfeited my head; And so I may make you first understand What a strange monster you have made your self, I welcome it.

Wol. To me this is strange language.

Hub. To you? why what are you?

Wol. Your Prince and Master, The Earl of Flanders.

Hub. By a proper title! Rais'd to it by cunning, circumvention, force, Blood, and proscriptions.

Wol. And in all this wisdom, Had I not reason? when by Gerrards plots I should have first been call'd to a strict accompt How, and which way I had consum'd that mass Of money, as they term it, in the War, Who underhand had by his Ministers Detracted my great action, made my faith And loyalty suspected, in which failing He sought my life by practice.

Hub. With what fore-head Do you speak this to me? who (as I know't) Must, and will say 'tis false.

Wol. My Guard there.

Hub. Sir, you bad me sit, and promis'd you would hear, Which I now say you shall; not a sound more, For I that am contemner of mine own, Am Master of your life; then here's a Sword Between you, and all aids, Sir, though you blind The credulous beast, the multitude, you pass not These gross untruths on me.

Wol. How? gross untruths?

Hub. I, and it is favourable language, They had been in a mean man lyes, and foul ones.

Wol. You take strange Licence.

Hub. Yes, were not those rumours Of being called unto your answer, spread By your own followers? and weak Gerrard wrought (But by your cunning practice) to believe That you were dangerous; yet not to be Punish'd by any formal course of Law, But first to be made sure, and have your crimes Laid open after, which your quaint train taking You fled unto the Camp, and [there] crav'd humbly Protection for your innocent life, and that, Since you had scap'd the fury of the War, You might not fall by treason: and for proof, You did not for your own ends make this danger; Some that had been before by you suborn'd, Came forth and took their Oaths they had been hir'd By Gerrard to your Murther. This once heard, And easily believ'd, th'inraged Souldier Seeing no further than the outward-man, Snatch'd hastily his Arms, ran to the Court, Kill'd all that made resistance, cut in pieces Such as were Servants, or thought friends to Gerrard, Vowing the like to him.

Wol. Will you yet end?

Hub. Which he foreseeing, with his Son, the Earl, Forsook the City; and by secret wayes As you give out, and we would gladly have it, Escap'd their fury: though 'tis more than fear'd They fell amongst the rest; Nor stand you there To let us only mourn the impious means By which you got it, but your cruelties since So far transcend your former bloody ills, As if compar'd, they only would appear Essays of mischief; do not stop your ears, More are behind yet.

Wol. O repeat them not, 'Tis Hell to hear them nam'd.

Hub. You should have thought, That Hell would be your punishment when you did them, A Prince in nothing but your princely lusts, And boundless rapines.

Wol. No more I beseech you.