my Body But till I hear thee say thy self Thou' rt false Death shall not force my Soul to wed Navarre Exit Marguerite Enter Anjou and Ligneroles Guise I 'll stand the shock of this Imperious Duke This Anjou that has got a Name in War I know not how because his Horse was shot At Moncontour you see by what ensu'd Nature design'd him for a Reveller Anj. O. Ligneroles thou Partner of my Soul Be secret for if once the King should know What I have told thee through excess of Love The World could not redeem thee from the Grave Ha! Guise But soft my Soul My Lord Lorrain 'T is said the Admiral and Hugenot Princes Are scarce a League from Paris Car. Yes My Lord I hear so too the Duke of Guise was going Anj. I hope he will not move for fear of me Guise You 're right my Lord nor will not stay for love Anj. What not a Woman's Love Love of a Princess Guise No nor a Boy 's your Sister may do much Anj. Haste Ligneroles go bear the King this Packet My Lord of Guise 't is not impossible Exit Ligneroles But Anjou one day may be King of France Mark me if then I find Valois dishonour'd I will not leave a Guise to gape at pow'r Exit Guise 'T is so by all the Mysteries of Empire By the Eternal Fates his Mother's Poison Boils in the Brains of the young drooping King And speeds him to make way for curs'd Anjou Charles his Religion which she wonders at And scarce believes him hers laughs at his pity Calls his Remorse the Colick of the Mind His starts and fears the gripes and checks of Conscience Enter King Queen Mother Ligneroles But see the King mark mark my dear Lorrain Mark how she tempers him betwixt her hands He has it in his Veins the lingring draught That moulders him away Let 's tell him of it By my Ambition and my vow'd Revenge I 'll do 't Car. Away you shall not are you mad Where is your temper Walk a little off And lay these Fumes Gui. Lead then the blind away Yet if I meet him in the dark I 'le crush him Ex. Lor. and Gul. King Was ever such an Insolence Read there My Brother has Intelligence from Rochel The Admiral has order'd his Adherents To seize on Mons as he arrives at Paris So to assure the kindling of a War O Mother now I feel thy flames inspire me Yes by the injur'd Majesty of Kings I 'le fetch this soaring Rebel from his height Traytor Imperious Saucy Arrogant Slave Lig. Why should your Majesty thus shock your Peace With needless Fury since the time draws on When He and all those Rebel Hugonots Shall never grieve you more King Your meaning Sir Lig. When as your Royal Justice has decreed They shall be Massacred King A vain Surmise Go Sir and bid the Count of Rhets attend me Ex. Lig. Q. M. Well Sir what think you now King Death and Destruction We 're all undone the Secret of the World Th' eternal Care of my contriving Soul Which has so many Moons with constant watching Reduc'd me to this state is blab'd by you Divulg'd and made the Prattle of a Boy Q. M. No no my Lord I am not to be taught By you to keep a Secret Look at home Collect if in your late tempestuous Passion You did not give suspicion of the truth King Suspicion no 't is more we are betray'd He told me to my face he knew the matter How that the Admiral and the Hugonots Should streight be Massacred O I could rave Our hearts are Rebels to our Bosom-Councils Enter Alberto Gondi But see perhaps this Villain gave it Air. Ah Traitor Ah perfidious false Alberto Have I not rais'd thee from the dregs of baseness And lodg'd thee in the bosom of thy Master Nay rise and speak where didst thou get the daring T'unravel the close web of my sworn Councils And trust 'em to the giddy Ligneroles Confess nay hide not what thou hast reveal'd Or Racks Blood Blood and Fire and lasting Torments Shall force thee speak Alb. Then let the Rack be brought Methinks I long to give a noble proof How much I can endure in such a Cause King I know not what to say whom to accuse Or where to turn my self Call hither Guise And Cardinal of Lorrain But see my Brother Enter Anjou It must be so 't is he 't is he false man I had forgot this Boy 's his only Minion The very turn-key of his Cabinet-thoughts But speak Anjou how didst thou dare to trust So strong a Secret such important Counsels That from the Book of Fate must wipe for ever A hundred thousand Lives or quash the Throne O I 'm not able to contain the Transport Why did'st thou trust a business of such weight To Ligneroles Enter Cardinal and Guise Anj. 'T is true my Lord I did But I 'le ingage my life he 'll ne're divulge it King No Sir I pass my word he never shall Anj. My Lord I beg King Speak not stir not hence My Lord of Guise I must engage your Service Q. M. Think no more of him lest the violent King Whom yet I never saw so strangely mov'd Should turn his rage on you Gui. My Lord 't is done Two of my Train there are that bear him grudge King When he 's dispatch'd let your Friends go to Prison To put a little varnish on his blood Then you or some that have the seeming Power Beg for their Pardon and it shall be sign'd Enter Alberto Alb. My Lord the Admiral 's arriv'd King O Madam Give me your hand and yours and yours To prop me Now we must shew a Master-piece indeed To meet the Man whom we would make an end of Ev'n at that time when mortal Wars within When the blood boils and flushes to be at him Yet then to shew the signs of heartiest Love To cringe to fawn to smile to weep and swear Are Masks for women not for men to wear Exeunt SCENE III. Enter Admiral Queen of Navarre the Princes Commanders Gentlemen c. Adm. Cavagnes would'st thou think it possible I scarce have breath to tell thee I 'm not well Cav Why should you fear Adam Because it goes against me Upon the way my sad presaging heart At the first view of Paris sunk within me I stopt and start and answer'd without thought Like one that breaks his sleep with his own brawl As if my Genius shock'd me with a question And ask'd me whither I was bound for Death But it must be Cavagnes nay what 's more Than Death it self confess my self a Traytor Ev'n in the Theatre of all the Kingdom Do Penance for the glorious Wars I made In view of those that have so bravely back'd me Enter the King Queen Mother Anjou Alberto Gondi Cardinal of Lorrain All the Hugonots kneel King Madam you 're welcome this the Prince your Son Most welcome this the Prince of Conde welcome
THE MASSACRE OF PARIS A TRAGEDY As it is Acted at the Theatre Royal BY THEIR MAJESTIES SERVANTS Written by Nat. Lee Gent. LONDON Printed for R. Bentley and M. Magnes at the Post-House in Russel-street in Covent-Garden 1690. PROLOGUE By Mr. Mountfort THis day we shew you the most Bloody rage That ever did Religious Fiends engage A Reconcilement with a Wedding-Feast While Murther was the Treat for every Guest Which well may prove to Ages yet to come The Faith of France the Charity of Rome France by the most detestable Perjury Enslav'd its Subjects who by Laws were free No Sacrament can this Great Hero bind Oaths are weak Shackles for his mighty Mind And worse than Heathens does he persecute His Priests want Sense and Learning to dispute But weak Divines by strong Dragoons confute And who-e're doubts of any Priestly Maggot The Heretick Dog must be convinc'd by Faggot With Rome's Religion and French Government What Slave so abject as to be content Now idle Malecontent what is 't you 'd have Would you be an Idolater or Slave What d' you murmur for because you 're free Aud this bless'd Isle enjoys its Liberty Cross but the Narrow Seas and you will find Slavery and Superstition to your mind Take with you all your Friends that grumble too The Land will happily be rid of You Then all as one with our Great Prince combin'd And his Allies by Sacred Vnion joyn'd Will such false Bloody Tyrants oppose Till none shall dare to own the Name of Foes Personae Dramatis King Charles IX Mr. Mountfort Duke of Guise Mr. Williams Cardinal of Lorrain Mr. Kynaston Duke of Anjou Mr. Pruet Alberto Gondi Mr. Harris Lignoroles Mr. Bowen Admiral of France Mr. Betterton Cavagnes Mr. Freeman Langoiran Mr. Alexander Queen Mother Mrs. Betterton Marguerite Mrs. Barry Queen of Navarre Mrs. Knight Antramont Wife to the Admiral Mrs. Iorden Genius Mr. Bowman SCENE PARIS THE MASSACRE OF PARIS ACT I. SCENE I. The Duke of Guise Cardinal of Lorraine Marguerite Gui. JUST from your Arms by this great Guardian rais'd Call'd to the Council of a wary King On whom depends the Fortune of Lorraine O Marguerite yet to drag at this After such full possession thus to languish If this be not to love thee say what is Cease then the rolling Torrent of thy Tears Which when I strive to climb the Hill of Honour Washes my hold away and drives me down Beneath Man's Scorn into the vale of Ruine Mar. Hear hear him O you Powers because I love him Above my Life beyond all joys on Earth He says I am his Ruine to my Face With a Court Metaphor he Vows he loaths me For all Men hate their Ruine nay 't is true I find your Falshood 't is the trick of great ones Like Beasts of Strength to prey upon the Weakest Gui. I swear Mar. O do not dear Ambitious Guise For Perjury so necessary seems To great Men's Oaths thou must of course be damn'd Yet as I am thus plung'd in this dishonour Like a fall'n Angel roll'd through all my Hells I cannot hate thee Guise but sighing far Far from the shining Clime where I was born I beg those cruel Fates that hurl'd me down To pity thee and keep thee from my ruine For I 'm so curs'd that I do not wish my Foe Much less the Man I love above the World Gui. As I love thee and O be Witnesses My Brain and Soul there 's not an Artery That runs through all the Body of thy Guise But beats where e're it pass Marguerite Yet this is nothing haste away my Lord Go tell the King and Council I am sick For I 'le to Bed again or on a Couch Sit gazing in her beauteous Eyes all day And let the business of a grave World pass Mar. No more my Lord you shall you shall to Council I see 't is necessary but I find My Soul presages Mischief if not Murder For if you should prove false Crowns Kingdoms Empires Worlds should not save poor Marguerite from the Grave Ah Guise ah venerable Lorrain view me Behold me on the Earth I swear I love As never Woman lov'd I 'm all a Brand With or without you I am ne're at rest Farewel this Fever of my furious passion Burns me to Madness yet I say farewel Gui. Farewel Yet why farewel when e're the Evening I shall again rush to eternal Sweets This bosom of the Spring Marguerite going out Mar. returning What no endearments at so sad a parting Alas perhaps I ne're shall see you more You bow'd you kiss'd but did not press my hand You shou'd like me have stagger'd when you left me And eat your Marguerite with your hungry Eyes But you are cold and pall'd a lukewarm Lover Must to the business of the cursed State Which will not let you think of dying Marguerite Who to her last gasp will remember you But see I rave again my Fits return Yet pity me for oh I burn I burn Exit Car. I think I never heard so fierce a Passion She 's all Convulsion and she gazes on you As you would do on him that kill'd your Father What have you done my Lord to make her thus Gui. Causes are endless for a Woman 's loving Perhaps she has seen me break a Lance on Horse-back Or as my Custom is all over Arm'd Plunge in the Seine or Loire and where 't is swiftest Plow too my point against the headlong Stream T is certain were my Soul of that soft make Which some believe she has Charms my Heav'nly Uncle Beyond the Art and Wit of Cleopatra Such was not she stretch'd in her Golden Barge As Marguerite was last Night in Bed Who as she mourn'd at my unkind delay Hung all the Chambers round with Black her Bed Her Coverings nay her Sarsnet Sheets were Black Car. Fy fy my Lord. Gui. And for the Weathers heat Were roll'd beneath the beauties of her Breasts Which with a White more pure than new-fall'n Snow Would sure have tempted Hermits from their Orgies To nod and smile a little at the wonder Car. Come come my Lord you anger me indeed Not for the Sin that 's as the Conscience makes it I had rather you should Whore a thousand Women Than love but one thô in a lawful way Shew me through all Memorials of Great Men Except the Partner of the Roman Empire Drooping Antonius and the fam'd Decemvir One that e're bow'd before this little Idol Gui. First know your Man before your Application I love 't is true but most for my Ambition Therefore I thought to marry Marguerite But oh that Cassiopeia in the Chair The Regent Mother and that Dog Anjou Cross Constellations blast my Plots e're born The King too frowns upon me for last night Hearing a Ball was promis'd by the Queen I came to help the Show when at the Door The King who stood himself the Centry stopt me And ask'd me what I came for I reply'd To serve his
Knaves in Shops prescribe you how to Sway They read your Acts with hardned thumbs 'Em out or with their stinking Breath Proclaim aloud they like not this or that Then in a drove come lowing to the Louvre And say they 'l have it mended that they will Or you shall be no King King 'T is true the People Ne're know a Mean when once they get the Power Qu. M. Did you not late dispatch by Lodowick Thus to the Admiral with Vows of Honour That young Navarre should streight Espouse your Sister So to root up all Seeds of least Suspicion And that those Nuptials should be solemniz'd At Paris to be bound with deepest Oaths King Yet Madam I must fear for should it fail We should be less than our worst Foes could wish us The Poultron Court the Scorn the laughing Stock Of all the Christian and the Barbarous World Qu. M. No Sir you cannot fear the sure Design But you 're in fear of those that are about you You fear ev'n Me but I have liv'd too long Since my own Bowels nay my very Heart-Strings For so I alwaies lov'd and priz'd my Children Dare not confide in her that gave 'em Being King Stay Madam stay come back forgive my fears Forgive my sifting Soul her narrow Searches Where all our Thoughts should creep like deepest Streams For know I hate the Haughty Admiral And all his curst Accomplices to Death Qu. M. What brings the Cardinal of Lorrain from Rome King That the new Pope is fully satisfy'd I sent the Legate too that Diamond Ring With this close Motto writ within the Gold By this my solid Zeal I own And Blood can never melt it down Anj. A murd'ring Sentence for the Hugonots King And which so clear'd the matter that the Pope Order'd a Dispensation for the Marriage Qu. M. Behold the Duke of Guise and Cardinal 'T were sit you send his Eminence to Rochel T' acquaint the Admiral of a War with Spain And that the Plot we form'd for the Low-Countries Against the Catholick King should streight be acted King O Mother oh what 's this that rends my heart That rides my Nights and clouds my Days with horror Is it not Conscience which sometimes appears Like a She Wolf in Iane of Albert's Shape And drags me on the Floor now in the form Of that old Lyon Admiral it comes And grins and roars just gaping to devour me Qu M. Why let him when his Throat is cut we 'll trust him Clear up this furrow'd Brow Believe me Sir You 'l see him shortly where you need not fear him For should he stay behind the Queen and Princess Doubting the Marriage fill'd with boding fears The War with Spain will so be witch his Glory And lull his proud Ambition that should Fate Which awes him now leap up more terrible He 'll follow with a speed shall make him foremost And scorn a Grave King O t is a dreadful Image Yet when his brains are pash'd I shall be still The Morning rises yet I cannot rest Like those eternal Lamps that wink above Methinks O Mother I could watch for ever Once more let me conjure you all be hush'd Be secret on this horrid Consultation As Urns and Monuments that never blab Gui. Therefore let 's lye like Furies on the watch As if it were an ambush for the World King With Claws lock'd in like Lions couch to tear 'em Our Mother thou so fierce upon the slaughter Direct thy Brood we will not stir nor breath But when thou giv'st the Word then start away Rush from the Shade and make 'em all our prey Exeunt ACT II. SCENE I. Admiral Cavagnes Langoiran Adm. YOur Reasons are to all appearance fair Like Eden's Fruit the Tempter hangs 'em forth But there 's a canker-Queen within the Core That eats Colignie's firmest hopes away Like Paradise she paves my spacious walk But oh Cavagnes and Langoiran look Do you not find her lurking in the Flowers With soft indented glides behold she comes I see the forked Tongue betwixt her Teeth Hissing us from the Stage of Life and Honour O she 's a Serpent equal to the first And has the will to damn another World Therefore I 'm positive till I 'm convinc'd The King foregoes her Counsel I 'le not stir I 'le not to Court Cav Thus far I can make good She is believ'd through all the Courts of Europe A most transcendent Wit and absolute Woman Adm. That is an absolute Murderer and Dissembler Who that proceeds on such black principles That thinks there is no God above Ambition But may accomplish all that he intends Where 's then the Art the Reach the Policy Of this transcendent and most absolute Woman Is it not easie to Assassinate To Lie and Swear you love the Man you hate Train him into the dark and murder him I urge again unless the King resolve To rule alone I will not come to Court Lang. Cavagnes is a Master in Court Secrets For me I ruin'd the bus'ness of the War Ad. Perswade me while the Queen is at his Ear That if he were made up of Worlds of Mercy He ever would forgive me pray look back Into the former times and see who sow'd Those glowing grains which shot up to a War Who blew the coals of Calvin's kindled Doctrine And earth'd the little Sect at Hugo's Gate Was it not I that form'd 'em to a Body Lang. Stick to your self Sir follow your own methods Ad. Who therefore while the pangs of Rage were on her Proclaim'd me in all Languages a Traytor Drag'd my Effigies through the streets of Paris Hung up my Statue on the common Gallows Set by Court Officers my Goods to sale My Houses raz'd or burnt 'em to the ground Cav I must confess that start of open vengeance Not common to the Nature of the Queen Ad. And why all this not for a private grudge I judg'd 't was time to view the ghastly slaws Of that Religion that would rend the World That sticks not at the slaughter of whole States Blowing up Senates nor at murdering Kings Driv'n with this thought I push'd the War yet farther And though we lost the Fight at Moncontour Yet speak Cavagnes did I fail in ought Q. of Navarre P. of Navarre P. of Conde Cav I was not there Ad. Then give me leave to say I sought my self the Protestant Cause alone When in the head of our remaining Horse I met the Elder Rhinegrave hand to hand Shot him i' th' Face and left him on the ground Then seeing all our Army quite defeated My Jaw-bone shatter'd and my Voice quite spent I fled with hopes to rise more terrible As it succeeded to the astonishment Of all the Christian World Enter Colombier with a paper in his hand Col. My Lord the Cardinal of Lorrain's arriv'd To swear and sign the Articles of Peace The Queen at present holds him in discourse Mean time Commends this Paper to your view Sent to her Majesty from the
and cryes Revenge Revenge I think 't were better too while you kill the Admiral The King 's Grand Provost should pursue his Wife Gui. The old gray Sire the Dam and little Babes I 'le take 'em all together in the Nest And pash 'em till they Sprawl You and the Cardinal Haste to the Louvre when the Gates are shut Call the Chief Hugonots down and cut their Throats My Lord the Duke of Anjou to your Care The King commits the City So Farewell There wants no more but ringing of the Bell. Exeunt Severally SCENE The City Lights in the Windows The President Marches his Men over the Stage the Bell of the Palace rings out Enter Admiral in his Night-Gown Adm. The Palace Bell rings out loud Cries of Murder Guns fir'd and groans of dying men below The King has giv'n his Warrant for my last His Vows his Oaths and Altar-Obligations Are lost the Wax of all those Sacred Bonds Runs at the Queens Revenge the Fire that melts ' em They are no more the Admiral 's no more Enter Cavagnes bleeding Cav My Lord God calls us Death is in the Court Fate in the shape of Guise all over Blood I saw your Son in Law Teligny dye Roura the Son of Baron des Atrets With Colonel Montaumar Gallant Guerchy Wrapping his Cloak about his Arm fought on Till he was all one wound and so Expir'd But hark they come Adm. Why let 'em let 'em come We shall e're long my Friend be worth their Envy To dye thus for Religion O Cavagnes It puts the Soul in everlasting Tune And sounds already in the Ears of Angels And O what cause had ever such Foundation I tell thee that the Root shall reach the Center Spread to the Poles and with her top touch Heav'n But see they come stand fixt and look on Death With such Contempt so Masterly an Eye As if he were thy Slave Enter Besnie Sartabons 4 Souldiers Besn. See where he stands ha Slaves what makes you pause 1 Sould. Kill him your self for my part I 'le not touch him 2 Sould. Nor I for my part I am sorry for what is done already Adm. Cowards indeed thus to be terrified Ev'n with the shadow of th' Admiral Besn. It goes against me yet I must obey Sheath all your Daggers in the Traytor 's Breast Adm. Young Man thou oughtest to reverence these gray hairs But I command thee do as thou art order'd Thou 'lt cut but little from the Line of Life Besn. Dye then dye both now for his Wife and Children Stabs both and Exeunt Adm. Heard'st thou Cavagnes said they not my Children Cavag I know not what you say the stroak of Death Has stun'd my sense of Hearing Adm. Yet let 's crawl With all our Wounds into each others Arms And hand in hand go Martyr'd thus to Heaven Cavag I am gone farewel Dyes Adm. Why dost thou shudder thus And gasp upon my Bosom 'T was his last My Soul so likes her house she 's loth to part But O what Builder can repair the ruines The Lights are choak'd the Windows are damn'd up The main Beams crack and the Foundation sinks Besides the Lordly Owner warns me forth I come great Master of the World and me And O revenge revenge thy Peoples blood A hundred thousand Souls for Justice call Let not the guiltless without Vengeance fall Dyes Enter the Duke of Guise and Souldiers Gui. So fling him down down with him to the Court Expose his Carcass to the Peoples mercy Drag him away and hurl him from the Window See all his Bastards strangled on the spot There 's Orders for 't The Hostel de Chastillon Be raz'd for ever his Posterity Be made incapable of bearing Office Or being Noble burn his Statue haste There 's a Commission granted for the deed Nay kill as if 't were Sport to see 'em bleed Exeunt SCENA ULTIMA The LOVVRE Queen Mother Cardinal Duke of Anjou Colonel D'O Q. M. Here Colonel bring forth your Prisoners And let me see these Leaders of the Faction The Scene draws showing the Commanders standing with their hands ty'd behind 'em betwixt the Souldiers in a rank The Count de Rochfaucalt Marquis de Renel Piles Pluvialt Pardillan and Lavardin Give the Word Colonel D'O Fire on 'em all Shoot The Scene draws and shews the Admiral 's Body burning Gui. I saw the Master Villain dragg'd along To Execution by the Common People Who from the Shoulders tore the mangled Head Cut off his Hands and at Mountfaucon hung him Half burning by one Leg upon the Gallows Enter King Princes Alberto Gondi King O horror horror O thou cruel Guise O Mother Brother and thou Murd'ring Priest Dost thou not blush to fail in Seas of ruin To hang the Flag of a Damn'd Pyrat forth Yet call thy bloody Bark the Christian Church Or tell me Canst thou lay the Furies here Pale Hugonots that haunt me up and down Through Chambers into Closets Beds and Couches Or dar'st thou shield me when the Admiral 's Ghost Claps to my Heart the Dagger of my Word Q. M. Why are you thus King The Angel's words are true And Charles is near his end O Mother Mother Hear my last words and take my dying Counsel Stop the vast Murder that you have begun For know all Churches by Decree and Doctrine Kings by their Sword and Balance of their Justice All Learning Christian Moral and Prophane Shall by the virtue of their Mercury Rod For ever damn to Hell those curs'd Designs That with Religion's Face to ruin tend And go by Heav'n to reach the blackest end Exeunt Omnes FINIS EPILOGUE By Mr. Powell HOW Wise are they that can with patienc ebear And just Reflections moderately hear Vnmov'd by Passion as unsway'd by Fear To them we Dedicate this Play to night That having long been Banish'd from the Light Hush'd and Imprison'd close as in the Tow'r Half prest to Death by a Dispensing Pow'r To take a lawful Tryal for each Fact Is just come out by th' Habeas Corpus Act. Rome's Friends no doubt suppos'd there might be shown Iust such an Entertainment of their own The Plot the Protestants the Stage the Town But no such fear our Hugonots allarm'd True English Hearts are always better arm'd For if the Valliant in a little Town Batter'd and Starving their brave Cause durst own If Peasants scorning Death can Guard our Walls And the mild Priesthood turn to Generals Britains stand firm and in short time you 'l see Your own and Neighbouring Realms serene and free Clear'd from the choaking Fogs of Popery No Massacres nor Revolutions fear Affairs are strangely alter'd since last year Infallibility himself does run The Garden 's weeded and the Moles are gone Not Gold to Lawyers to th' Ambitious Power Not lusty Switzer to a lustful Whore To Gamesters luck to Beauty length of days Nor to a wrinkled wither'd Widdow praise Can give such Ioy as to behold once more An English Army on the