The Devil's Charter

Barnabe Barnes

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2013
• eBook ISBN: 9781135863173
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Theatre

First Published in 1999. 'Our subject is of blood and tragedy, Murther, foul incest and hypocrisy'. In the sensational history of Borgias, Barnabe Barnes found a theme tailor-made for the dark and lurid imaginings of the Jacobean stage. And then he spiced it up a little. This vigorous play was first performed by Shakespeare's company in 1607 and revived 390 years later in a semi-stage reading by Globe Education.

ACT 1 SCENE 1

Enter marching after Drums and Trumpets at two several places, King CHARLES of France, Gilbert MONTPENSIER, Cardinal of St Peter ad VINCULA, Soldiers

Encountering them LODOWICK Sforza [and] Charles Balbiano CHARLES and LODOWICK embrace.

Charles	Renowned Lodowick, our warlike cousin,
	Auspiciously encounter’d on the skirts
	Of Piedmont, we greet you joyfully.
Lodowick	Thrice and forever most renowned Charles,
	A faithful tongue from an unfeigned heart,
	As a just herald full of truth and honour,
	On the behalf of forlorn Italy,
	Needing and craving at your princely hands
	The patronage and true protection
	Of such a potent and victorious king,
	Humbly salutes your royal Majesty.
	The ship of which sometime well-guided state
	Is through tempestuous times’ malignity,
	By worthless pilots, foolish governors,
	Mutually factious, like to sink through schism
	Into the bottom of the black abysm
	Through th’imposition of necessity.
	Do not, oh, do not then (most Christian Charles),
	Do not forsake her holding up her hands
	For succour to your royal clemency:
	Her sails are rent, masts spent and rudder broke,
	And under water such wide open leaks
	As under water soon will make her sink,
	Having been bilg’d upon so many shelves,
	So torn, so rotten, and so long unrigg’d,
	And playing with the waves to and again,
	As one not governed with help of helm.
	One, then, whom nature in his vows to God
	Hath tied to tender her forlorn estate,
	With eyes foreseeing and compassionate,
	Retenders her to your high Majesty,
	A Christian prince so wise, so valiant,
	Undoubted heir unto the crown of Naples:
	By lawful right of that great house of Anjou,
	Of which your grace is well known lawful heir,
	By th’issues of that Charles the First, that first
	Of the blood royal of the crown of France,
	Obtain’d that kingdom, ages many past.
	These reasons were with Lodowick Sforza mov’d,
	To move your Majesty with martial force
	To pass...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Preface
• A Note from the Co-ordinator
• Editor’s Introduction
• Dramatis Personae
• Prologue
• Act 1
• Act 2
• Act 3
• Act 4
• Act 5
• Epilogue
• Glossary
• Glossary of Foreign Passages
• A Note on Act 3 Scene 3
• Synopsis
• Textual Notes