The Revenge of Bussy D'Ambois

By George Chapman

George Chapman's "The Revenge of Bussy D'Ambois" is a sequel to his earlier work, "Bussy D'Ambois," and was first published in 1613. The play is one of Chapman's dramas based on recent political and historical events in France. Specifically the play draws upon Edward Grimeston's "A General Inventory of the History of France" as a primary source and revolves around historical events that occurred in 1588, during the reign of Henri III. The drama concerns the story of Clermont D'Ambois whose brother Bussy has been gunned down in an ambush. Clermont becomes involved in a relationship with Tamyra, Bussy's former lover, who urges Clermont to take vengeance on her husband Montsurry, who is responsible for Bussy's murder. Since the events of the play of are more reported rather than enacted "The Revenge of Bussy D'Ambois" has not earned itself a significant stage history. Despite this fact the work stands as an important example of the Jacobean revenge tragedy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Digireads.com Publishing
• Release date: Jan 1, 2013
• ISBN: 9781420948530

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THE REVENGE OF BUSSY D'AMBOIS

BY GEORGE CHAPMAN

eBook ISBN 13: 978-1-4209-4853-0

Print ISBN 13: 978-1-4209-4852-3

This edition copyright © 2013

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CONTENTS

SOURCES

TO THE RIGHT VIRTUOUS, AND TRULY NOBLE KNIGHT, SR. THOMAS HOWARD, &C.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

ACT I.

ACT II.

ACT III.

ACT IV.

ACT V.

SOURCES

The story of a plot by Bussy D'Ambois's kinsfolk to avenge his murder is, in the main, of Chapman's own invention. But he had evidently read an account similar to that given later by De Thou of the design entertained for a time by Bussy's sister Renée (whom Chapman calls Charlotte) and her husband, Baligny, to take vengeance on Montsurry. Clermont D'Ambois is himself a fictitious character, but the episodes in which he appears in Acts II-IV are drawn from the account of the treacherous proceedings against the Count d'Auvergne in Edward Grimeston's translation of Jean de Serres's Inventaire Général de l'Histoire de France. This narrative, however, is not by De Serres, but by Pierre Matthieu, whose Histoire de France was one of the sources used by Grimeston for events later than 1598.

The portraiture of Clermont throughout the play as the high-souled philosopher is inspired by Epictetus's delineation in his Discourses of the ideal Stoic. But in his reluctance to carry out his duty of revenge he is evidently modeled upon Hamlet. In Act V, Scene I, the influence of Shakespeare's tragedy is specially manifest.

The Scenes in Act V relating to the assassination of Guise are based upon Grimeston's translation of De Serres's Inventaire Général.

TO THE RIGHT VIRTUOUS, AND TRULY NOBLE KNIGHT, SR. THOMAS HOWARD,{1} &C.

Sir,

Since works of this kind have been lately esteemed worthy the patronage of some of our worthiest Nobles, I have made no doubt to prefer this of mine to your undoubted virtue and exceeding true noblesse, as containing matter no less deserving your reading, and excitation to heroic life, then any such late dedication. Nor have the greatest Princes of Italy and other countries conceived it any least diminution to their greatness to have their names winged with these tragic plumes, and dispersed by way of patronage through the most noble notices of Europe.

Howsoever, therefore, in the scenic presentation it might meet with some maligners, yet, considering even therein it past with approbation of more worthy judgments, the balance of their side (especially being held by your impartial hand) I hope will to no grain abide the out-weighing. And for the authentic truth of either person or action, who (worth the respecting) will expect it in a poem, whose subject is not truth, but things like truth? Poor envious souls they are that cavil at truths want in these natural fictions: material instruction, elegant and sententious excitation to virtue, and deflection from her contrary, being the soul, limbs, and limits of an authentic tragedy. But whatsoever merit of your full countenance and favor suffers defect in this, I shall soon supply with some other of more general account; wherein your right virtuous name made famous and preserved to posterity, your future comfort and Honor in your present acceptation and love of all virtuous and divine expression may be so much past others of your rank increased, as they are short of your judicial ingenuity, in their due estimation.

For howsoever those ignoble and sour-browed worldlings are careless of whatsoever future or present opinion spreads of them; yet (with the most divine philosopher,{2} if Scripture did not confirm it) I make it matter of my faith, that we truly retain an intellectual feeling of good or bad after this life, proportionally answerable to the love or neglect we bear here to all virtue and truly-humane instruction: in whose favor and Honor I wish you most eminent, and rest ever,

Your true virtues

most true observer,

Geo. Chapman.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

HENRY, the King.

MONSIEUR, his Brother.

GUISE, Duke.

RENEL, a Marquess.

MONTSUREAU, an Earl.

BALIGNY, Lord Lieutenant of Cambray.

CLERMONT D'AMBOIS.

MAILLARD, a Captain.

CHALLON, a Captain.

AUMAL, a Captain.

ESPERNONE.

SOISSONE.

PERRICOT, an Usher.

A Messenger.

The Guard.

Soldiers.

Servants.

The ghost of BUSSY.

The ghost of MONSIEUR.

The ghost of GUISE.

The ghost of CARD. GUISE.

The ghost of SHATTILION.

COUNTESS of Cambray.

TAMYRA, wife to Montsureau.

CHARLOTTE D'AMBOIS, wife to Baligny.

RIOVA, a Servant to the Countess.

SCENE: Paris, and in or near Cambrai.

ACT I.

SCENE I. A Room at the Court in Paris.

[Enter BALIGNY, RENEL.]

BALIGNY. To what will this declining kingdom turn,

Swinging in every license, as in this

Stupid permission of brave D'Ambois Murder?

Murder made parallel with Law! Murder used

To serve the kingdom, given by suit to men

For their advancement! suffered scarecrow-like

To fright adultery! what will policy

At length bring under his capacity?

RENEL. All things; for as, when the high births of Kings,

Deliverances, and coronations,

We celebrate with all the cities bells

Jangling together in untuned confusion,

All ordered clocks are tied up; so, when glory,

Flattery, and smooth applauses of things ill,

Uphold th' inordinate swing of down-right power,

Justice, and truth that tell the bounded use,

Virtuous and well distinguished forms of time,

Are gagged and tongue-tide. But we have observed

Rule in more regular motion: things most lawful

Were once most royal; Kings sought common good,

Men's manly liberties, though ne'er so mean,

And had their own swing so more free, and more.

But when pride entered them, and rule by power,

All brows that smiled beneath them, frowned; hearts grieved

By imitation; virtue quite was vanished,

And all men studied self-love, fraud, and vice.

Then no man could be good but he was punished.

Tyrants, being still more fearful of the good

Than of the bad, their subjects virtues ever

Managed with curbs and dangers, and esteemed

As shadows and detractions to their own.

BALIGNY. Now all is peace, no danger, now what follows?

Idleness rusts us, since no virtuous labor

Ends ought rewarded; ease, security,

Now all the palm wears. We made war before

So to prevent war; men with giving gifts,

More than receiving, made our country strong;

Our matchless race of soldiers then would spend

In public wars, not private brawls, their spirits;

In daring enemies, armed with meanest arms,

Not courting strumpets, and consuming birth-rights

In apishness and envy of attire.

No labor then was harsh, no way so deep,

No rock so steep, but if a bird could scale it,

Up would our youth fly to. A foe in arms

Stirred up a much more lust of his encounter

Than of a mistress never so be-painted.

Ambition then was only scaling walls,

And over-topping turrets; fame was wealth;

Best parts, best deeds, were best nobility;

Honor with worth, and wealth well got or none.

Countries we won with as few men as countries:

Virtue subdued all.

RENEL. Just: and then our nobles

Loved virtue so, they praised and used it to;

Had rather do than say; their own deeds hearing

By others glorified, than be so barren

That their parts only stood in praising others.

BALIGNY. Who could