Bussy D'Ambois and The Revenge of Bussy D'AmboisChapman, George
General
Bussy D'Ambois and The Revenge of Bussy D'Ambois
Chapman, George
Bussy d'Amboise, 1549?-1579 -- Drama; English drama -- 17th century; Revenge -- Drama; Tragedies (Drama)
_Guise._ He that observes but like a worldly man
That which doth oft succeed and by th'events
Values the worth of things, will think it true
That Nature works at random, just with you:
But with as much proportion she may make 25
A thing that from the feet up to the throat
Hath all the wondrous fabrique man should have,
And leave it headlesse, for a perfect man,
As give a full man valour, vertue, learning,
Without an end more excellent then those 30
On whom she no such worthy part bestowes.
_Mons._ Yet shall you see it here; here will be one
Young, learned, valiant, vertuous, and full mann'd;
One on whom Nature spent so rich a hand
That with an ominous eye she wept to see 35
So much consum'd her vertuous treasurie.
Yet as the winds sing through a hollow tree,
And (since it lets them passe through) let's it stand;
But a tree solid (since it gives no way
To their wild rage) they rend up by the root: 40
So this whole man
(That will not wind with every crooked way
Trod by the servile world) shall reele and fall
Before the frantick puffes of blind borne chance,
That pipes through empty men and makes them dance. 45
Not so the sea raves on the Libian sands,
Tumbling her billowes in each others neck:
Not so the surges of the Euxian Sea
(Neere to the frosty pole, where free Bootes
From those dark deep waves turnes his radiant teame) 50
Swell, being enrag'd even from their inmost drop,
As fortune swings about the restlesse state
Of vertue now throwne into all mens hate.
_Enter Montsurry disguis'd, with the murtherers._
Away, my lord; you are perfectly disguis'd;
Leave us to lodge your ambush.
_Montsurry._ Speed me, vengeance! 55
_Exit._
_Mons._ Resolve, my masters, you shall meet with one
Will try what proofes your privy coats are made on:
When he is entred, and you heare us stamp,
Approach, and make all sure.
_Murderers._ We will, my lord. _Exeunt._
LINENOTES:
1-59 _Now shall . . . we will my lord_. These lines are
placed in A at the beginning of Scena Quarta.
3 _that makes_. A, who makes.
7 _Not knowing what they say_. Omitted in A, which has
instead:--
In whose hot zeale a man would thinke they knew
What they ranne so away with, and were sure
To have rewards proportion'd to their labours;
Yet may implore their owne confusions
For anything they know, which oftentimes
It fals out they incurre.
8 _deale_. A, masse.
13 _we call_. A; B, she calls.
14 _must_. A, should.
16 _Even_. A, Right.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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