Rom. Yet I, that in my seruice done my Country,
Disdaine to bee put in the scale with thee,
Confesse my selfe vnworthy to bee valued
With the least part, nay haire of the dead Marshall, [120]
Of whose so many glorious vndertakings,
Make choice of any one, and that the meanest
Performd against the subtill Fox of France,
The politique Lewis, or the more desperate Swisse,
And ’twyll outwaygh all the good purpose, [125]
Though put in act, that euer Gowneman practizd.
Nou. Se. Away with him to prison.
Rom. If that curses,
Vrg’d iustly, and breath’d forth so, euer fell
On those that did deserue them; let not mine
Be spent in vaine now, that thou from this instant [130]
Mayest in thy feare that they will fall vpon thee,
Be sensible of the plagues they shall bring with them.
And for denying of a little earth,
To couer what remaynes of our great soldyer:
May all your wiues proue whores, your factors theeues, [135]
And while you liue, your riotous heires vndoe you,
And thou, the patron of their cruelty.
Of all thy Lordships liue not to be owner
Of so much dung as will conceale a Dog,
Or what is worse, thy selfe in. And thy yeeres, [140]
To th’ end thou mayst be wretched, I wish many,
And as thou hast denied the dead a graue,
May misery in thy life make thee desire one,
Which men and all the Elements keepe from thee:
I haue begun well, imitate, exceed. [145]
Roch. Good counsayle were it, a prayse worthy deed.
Ex. Officers with Rom.
Du Croye. Remember what we are.
Chara. Thus low my duty
Answeres your Lordships counsaile. I will vse
In the few words (with which I am to trouble
Your Lordships eares) the temper that you wish mee. [150]
Not that I feare to speake my thoughts as lowd,
And with a liberty beyond Romont:
But that I know, for me that am made vp
Of all that’s wretched, so to haste my end,
Would seeme to most, rather a willingnesse [155]
To quit the burthen of a hopelesse life,
Then scorne of death, or duty to the dead.
I therefore bring the tribute of my prayse
To your seueritie, and commend the Iustice,
That will not for the many seruices [160]
That any man hath done the Common wealth
Winke at his least of ills: what though my father
Writ man before he was so, and confirmd it,
By numbring that day, no part of his life,
In which he did not seruice to his Country; [165]
Was he to be free therefore from the Lawes,
And ceremonious forme in your decrees?
Or else because he did as much as man
In those three memorable ouerthrowes
At Granson, Morat, Nancy, where his Master, [170]
The warlike Charloyes (with whose misfortunes
I beare his name) lost treasure, men and life,
To be excus’d, from payment of those summes
Which (his owne patri mony spent) his zeale,
To serue his Countrey, forc’d him to take vp? [175]
Nou. Se. The president were ill.
Chara. And yet, my Lord, this much
I know youll grant; After those great defeatures,
Which in their dreadfull ruines buried quick, (Enter officers.
Courage and hope, in all men but himselfe,
He forst the proud foe, in his height of conquest, [180]
To yield vnto an honourable peace.
And in it saued an hundred thousand liues,
To end his owne, that was sure proofe against
The scalding Summers heate, and Winters frost,
Illayres, the Cannon, and the enemies sword, [185]
In a most loathsome prison.
Du Croy. Twas his fault
To be so prodigall.