Act 4 — [Scene II.][1051]

Bu. I am suspicious, my most honour’d father, By some of Monsieur’s cunning passages, That his still ranging and contentious nostrils, To scent the haunts of mischief have so us’d The vicious virtue of his busy sense,5 That he trails hotly of him, and will rouse him, Driving him all enrag’d and foaming, on us; And therefore have entreated your deep skill In the command of good aerial spirits, To assume these magic rites, and call up one10 To know if any have reveal’d unto him Anything touching my dear love and me. Fr. Good son, you have amaz’d me but to make The least doubt of it, it concerns so nearly The faith and reverence of my name and order. Yet will I justify, upon my soul,15 All I have done. If any spirit i’ the earth or air Can give you the resolve,[1052] do not despair.

Ta. Away, deliver it: Exit Pero. O may my lines Fill’d with the poison of a woman’s hate21 When he shall open them, shrink up his curst eyes With torturous darkness, such as stands in hell, Stuck full of inward horrors, never lighted; With which are all things to be fear’d, affrighted;25 [Father! Ascendit Bussy with Friar.][1053] Bu. How is it with my honour’d mistress? Ta. O servant, help, and save me from the gripes Of shame and infamy. Our love is known: Your Monsieur hath a paper where is writ Some secret tokens that decipher it.30 Bu. What cold dull northern brain, what fool but he Durst take into his Epimethean breast A box of such plagues as the danger yields Incurr’d in this discovery? He had better Ventur’d his breast in the consuming reach35 Of the hot surfeits cast out of the clouds, Or stood the bullets that (to wreak the sky) The Cyclops ram in Jove’s artillery. Fr. We soon will take the darkness from his face That did that deed of darkness; we will know40 What now the Monsieur and your husband do; What is contain’d within the secret paper Offer’d by Monsieur, and your love’s events: To which ends, honour’d daughter, at your motion, I have put on these exorcising rites,45 And, by my power of learned holiness Vouchsaft me from above, I will command Our resolution[1054] of a raised spirit. Ta. Good father, raise him in some beauteous form That with least terror I may brook his sight.50 Fr. Stand sure together, then, whate’er ye see, And stir not, as ye tender all our lives. He puts on his robes.

Beh. What would the holy Friar? Fr. I would see What now the Monsieur and Montsurry do; And see the secret paper that the Monsieur65 Offer’d to Count Montsurry, longing much To know on what events the secret loves Of these two honour’d persons shall arrive. Beh. Why call’dst thou me to this accursed light To these light purposes? I am emperor70 Of that inscrutable darkness where are hid All deepest truths, and secrets never seen, All which I know; and command legions Of knowing spirits that can do more than these. Any of this my guard that circle me75 In these blue fires, and out of whose dim fumes Vast murmurs use to break, and from their sounds Articulate voices, can do ten parts more Than open such slight truths as you require. Fr. From the last night’s black depth I call’d up one80 Of the inferior ablest ministers, And he could not resolve me. Send one then Out of thine own command, to fetch the paper That Monsieur hath to show to Count Montsurry. Beh. I will. Cartophylax, thou that properly Hast in thy power all papers so inscrib’d,86 Glide through all bars to it and fetch that paper. Cartoph. I will. A torch removes. Fr. Till he returns, great prince of darkness, Tell me if Monsieur and the Count Montsurry Are yet encounter’d? Beh. Both them and the Guise Are now together. Fr. Show us all their persons,91 And represent the place, with all their actions. Beh. The spirit will straight return; and then I’ll show thee. See, he is come; why brought’st thou not the paper? Cartoph. He hath prevented me, and got a spirit Rais’d by another, great in our command,96 To take the guard of it before I came. Beh. This is your slackness, not t’ invoke our powers When first your acts set forth to their effects; Yet shall you see it and themselves. Behold They come here, and the Earl now holds the paper.101

Bu. May we not hear them? Fr. No, be still and see. Bu. I will go fetch the paper. Fr. Do not stir; There’s too much distance and too many locks ’Twixt you and them, how near soe’er they seem, For any man to interrupt their secrets.106 Ta. O honour’d spirit, fly into the fancy Of my offended lord, and do not let him Believe what there the wicked man hath written. Beh. Persuasion hath already enter’d him110 Beyond reflection; peace till their departure! Mo.[1055] There is a glass of ink[1056] where you may see How to make ready black-fac’d tragedy. You now discern, I hope, through all her paintings, Her gasping wrinkles, and fame’s sepulchres.115 Gu. Think you he feigns, my lord? What hold you now? Do we malign your wife, or honour you? Mo. What, stricken dumb! Nay fie, lord, be not daunted; Your case is common; were it ne’er so rare, Bear it as rarely. Now to laugh were manly.120 A worthy man should imitate the weather That sings in tempests, and being clear is silent. Gu. Go home, my lord, and force your wife to write Such loving lines to D’Ambois as she us’d When she desir’d his presence. Mo. Do, my lord,125 And make her name her conceal’d messenger, That close and most inennerable[1057] pander, That passeth all our studies to exquire;[1058] By whom convey the letter to her love: And so you shall be sure to have him come130 Within the thirsty reach of your revenge; Before which, lodge an ambush in her chamber Behind the arrras, of your stoutest men All close[1059] and soundly arm’d; and let them share A spirit amongst them that would serve a thousand.135

Gu. Yet stay a little; see, she sends for you. Mo. Poor, loving lady; she’ll make all good yet, Think you not so, my lord? Montsurry stabs Pero and exit. Gu. Alas, poor soul! Mo. That was cruelly done, i’ faith. Pe. ’T was nobly done. And I forgive his lordship from my soul.140 Mo. Then much good do’t thee, Pero! Hast a letter? Pe. I hope it rather be a bitter volume Of worthy curses for your perjury. Gu. To you, my lord. Mo. To me? Now, out upon her. Gu. Let me see, my lord.145 Mo. You shall presently. How fares my Pero? Enter Servant. Who’s there? Take in this maid, sh’as caught a clap, And fetch my surgeon to her. Come, my lord, We’ll now peruse our letter. Exeunt Monsieur, Guise. Lead her out. Pe. Furies rise Out of the black lines, and torment his soul.150 Ta. Hath my lord slain my woman? Beh. No, she lives. Fr. What shall become of us? Beh. All I can say, Being call’d thus late is brief, and darkly this: If D’Ambois’ mistress dye not her[1060] white hand In her forc’d blood, he shall remain untoucht: So, father, shall yourself, but by yourself.156 To make this augury plainer: when the voice Of D’Ambois shall invoke me, I will rise, Shining in greater light: and show him all That will betide ye all. Meantime be wise, And curb his valour with your policies.161 Descendit cum suis. Bu. Will he appear to me when I invoke him? Fr. He will, be sure. Bu. It must be shortly then: For his dark words have tied my thoughts on knots, Till he dissolve, and free them. Ta. In meantime,165 Dear servant, till your powerful voice revoke[1061] him, Be sure to use the policy he advis’d; Lest fury in your too quick knowledge taken Of our abuse, and your defence of me, Accuse me more than any enemy;170 And, father, you must on my lord impose Your holiest charges, and the Church’s power To temper his hot spirit and disperse The cruelty and the blood I know his hand Will shower upon our heads, if you put not175 Your finger to the storm, and hold it up, As my dear servant here must do with Monsieur. Bu. I ’ll soothe his plots, and strow my hate with smiles, Till all at once the close mines of my heart Rise at full date, and rush into his blood.180 I ’ll bind his arm in silk, and rub his flesh, To make the vein swell, that his soul may gush Into some kennel, where it longs to lie, And policy shall be flankt[1062] with policy. Yet shall the feeling centre where we meet185 Groan with the weight of my approaching feet; I ’ll make th’ inspired thresholds of his court Sweat with the weather of my horrid steps, Before I enter; yet will I appear Like calm security before a ruin.190 A politician must, like lightning, melt The very marrow, and not taint the skin: His ways must not be seen; the superficies Of the green centre[1063] must not taste his feet, When hell is plow’d up with his wounding tracts; And all his harvest reapt by hellish facts.196 Exeunt.