honors and affections That euer I vouchsafte my dearest freends Nauarre It is enough if that Nauarre may be Esteemed faithfull to the King of France Whose seruice he may still commaund till death King Thankes to my Kingly Brother of Nauarre Then heere wee 'l lye before Lutetia walles Girting this strumpet Cittie with our siege Till surfeiting with our afflicting armes She cast her hatefull stomack to the earth Enter a Messenger Messenger And it please your Maiestie heere is a Frier of the order of the Iacobins sent from the President of Paris that craues accesse vnto your grace King Let him come in Enter Frier with a Letter Epernoune I like not this Friers look T were not amisse my Lord if he were searcht King Sweete Epernoune our Friers are holy men And will not offer violence to their King For all the wealth and treasure of the world Frier thou dost acknowledge me thy King Frier I my good Lord and will dye therein King Then come thou neer and tell what newes thou bringst Frier My Lord the President of Paris greetes your grace and sends his dutie by these speedye lines humblye crauing your gracious reply King I le read them Frier and then I le answere thee Frier Sancte Iacobus now haue mercye vpon me He stabs the King with a knife as he readeth the letter and then the King getteth the knife and killes him Epernoune O my Lord let him liue a while King No let the villaine dye and feele in hell iust torments for his trechery Nauarre What is your highnes hurt King Yes Nauarre but not to death I hope Nauarre God shield your grace from such a sodaine death Goe call a surgeon hether strait King What irreligeous Pagans partes be these Of such as holde them of the holy church Take hence that damned villaine from my sight Eper. Ah had your highnes let him liue We might haue punisht him to his deserts King Sweet Epernoune all Rebels vnder heauen shall take example by their punishment how they beare armes against their soueraigne Goe call the English Agent hether strait I le send my sister England newes of this And giue her warning of her trecherous foes Nauarre Pleaseth your grace to let the Surgeon search your wound King The wound I warrant ye is deepe my Lord Search Surgeon and resolue me what thou seest The Surgeon searcheth Enter the English Agent Agent for England send thy mistres word What this detested Iacobin hath done Tell her for all this that I hope to liue Which if I doe the Papall Monarck goes to wrack And antechristian kingdome falles These bloudy hands shall teare his triple Crowne And fire accursed Rome about his eares He fire his I le buildings and incense The papall towers to kisse the holy earth Nauarre giue me thy hand I heere do sweare To ruinate that wicked Church of Rome That hatcheth vp such bloudy practises And heere protest eternall loue to thee And to the Queene of England specially Whom God hath blest for hating Papestry Nauarre These words reuiue my thoughts and comforts me To see your highnes in this vertuous minde King Tell me Surgeon shall I liue Sur. Alas my Lord the wound is dangerous for you are stricken with a poysoned knife King A poysoned knife what shall the French king dye Wounded and poysoned both at once Eper. O that that damned villaine were aliue againe That we might torture him with some new found death Bar. He died a death too good the deuill of hell torture his wicked soule King Ah curse him not sith he is dead O the fatall poyson workes within my brest tell me Surgeon and flatter not may I liue Sur. Alas my Lord your highnes cannot liue Nauarre Surgeon why saist thou so the King may liue King Oh no Nauarre thou must be King of France Nauarre Long may you liue and still be King of France Eper. Or else dye Epernoune King Sweet Epernoune thy King must dye My Lords fight in the quarrell of this valiant Prince For he is your lawfull King and my next heire Valoyses lyne ends in my tragedie Now let the house of Bourbon weare the crowne And may it neuer end in bloud as mine hath done Weep not sweet Nauarre but reuenge my death Ah Epernoune is this thy loue to me Henry thy King wipes of these childish teares And bids thee whet thy sword on Sextus bones That it may keenly slice the Catholicks He loues me not that sheds most teares But he that makes most lauish of his bloud Fire Paris where these trecherous rebels lurke I dye Nauarre come beare me to my Sepulchre Salute the Queene of England in my name And tell her Henry dyes her faithfull freend He dyes Nauarre Come Lords take vp the body of the King That we may see it honourably interde And then I vow for to reuenge his death As Rome and all those popish Prelates there Shall curse the time that ere Nauarre was King And rulde in France by Henries fatall death They march out with the body of the King lying on foure mens shoulders with a dead march drawing weapons on the ground FINIS
THE MASSACRE AT PARIS With the Death of the Duke of Guise As it was plaide by the right honourable the Lord high Admirall his Seruants Written by Christopher Marlow AT LONDON Printed by E. A. for Edward White dwelling neere the little North doore of S. Paules Church at the signe of the Gun THE MASSACRE AT PARIS VVith the Death of the Duke of Guise Enter Charles the French King the Queene Mother the King of Nauarre the Prince of Condye the Lord high Admirall and the Queene of Nauarre with others Charles Prince of Nauarre my honourable brother Prince Condy and my good Lord Admirall I Wishe this vnion and religious league Knit in these hands thus ioyn'd in nuptiall rites May not desolue till death desolue our liues And that the natiue sparkes of princely loue That kindled first this motion in our hearts May still be feweld in our progenye Nauar. The many fauours which your grace hath showne From time to time but specially in this Shall binde me euer to your highnes will In what Queen Mother or your grace commands Old Qu. Thanks sonne Nauarre you see we loue you well That linke you in mariage with our daughter heer And as you know our difference in Religion Might be a meanes to crosse you in your loue Charles Well Madam let that rest And now my Lords the mariage rites perfourm'd We think it good to goe and consumate the rest With hearing of a holy Masse Sister I think your selfe will beare vs company Q. Mar. I will my good Lord Charles The rest that will not goe my Lords may stay Come Mother let vs goe to honor this solemnitie Old Q. VVhich I le desolue with bloud and crueltie Exit the King Q Mother and the Q. of Nauar and manet Nauar the Prince of Condy and the Lord high Admirall Nauar. Prince Condy and my good L. Admiral Now Guise may storme but doe vs little hurt Hauing the King Qu. Mother on our sides To stop the mallice of his enuious heart That seekes to murder all the Protestants Haue you not heard of late how he decreed If that the King had giuen consent thereto That all the protestants that are in Paris Should haue been murdered the other night Ad. My Lord I meruaile that th' aspiring Guise Dares once aduenture without the Kings consent To meddle or attempt such dangerous things Con. My L. you need not meruaile at the Guise For what he doth the Pope will ratifie In murder mischeefe or in tiranny Na. But he that sits and rules aboue the clowdes Doth heare and see the praiers of the iust And will reuenge the bloud of innocents That Guise hath slaine by treason of his heart And brought by murder to their timeles ends Ad. My Lord but did you mark the Cardinall The Guises brother and the Duke Dumain How they did storme at these your nuptial rites Because the house of Burbon now comes in And ioynes your linnage to the crowne of France Na, And that 's the cause that Guise so frowns at vs And beates his braines to catch vs in his trap Which he hath pitcht within his deadly toyle Come my Lords le ts go to the Church and pray That God may still defend the right of France And make his Gospel flourish in this land Exeunt Enter the Duke of Guise Guise If euer Hymen lowr'd at marriage rites And had his alters deckt with duskie lightes If euer sunne stainde heauen with bloudy clowdes And made it look with terrour on the worlde If euer day were turned to vgly night And night made semblance of the hue of hell This day this houre this fatall night Shall fully shew the fury of them all Apothecarie Enter the Pothecarie Pothe. My Lord Guise Now shall I proue and guerdon to the ful The loue thou bear'st vnto the house of Guise Where are those perfumed gloues which I sent To be poysoned hast thou done them speake Will euery sauour breed a pangue of death Pothe. See where they be my good Lord And he that smelles but to them dyes Guise Then thou remainest resolute Pothe. I am my Lord in what your grace commaundes till death Guise Thankes my good freend I wil requite thy loue Goe then present them to the Queene Nauarre For she is that huge blemish in our eye That makes these vpstart heresies in Fraunce Be gone my freend present them to her straite Souldyer Exit Pothe. Enter a Souldier Soul My Lord Guise Now come thou forth and play thy tragick part Stand in some window opening neere the street And when thou seest the Admirall ride by Discharge thy musket and perfourme his death And then I le guerdon thee with store of crownes Soul I will my Lord Exit Souldi Guise Now Guise begins those deepe ingendred thoughts To burst abroad those neuer dying flames Which cannot be extinguisht but by bloud Oft haue I leueld and at last haue learnd That perill is the cheefest way to happines And resolution honors fairest aime What glory is there in a common good That hanges for euery peasant to atchiue That like I best that flyes beyond my reach Set me to scale the high Peramides And thereon set the Dradem of Fraunce I le either rend it with my nayles to naught Or mount the top with my aspiring winges Although my downfall be the deepest hell For this I wake when others think I sleepe For this I waite that scornes attendance else For this my quenchles thirst whereon I builde Hath often pleaded kindred to the King For this this head this heart this hand and sworde Contriues imagines and fully executes Matters of importe aimde at by many Yet vnderstoode by none For this hath heauen engendred me of earth For this this earth sustaines my bodies waight And with this wiat I le counterpoise a Crowne Or with seditions weary all the worlde For this from Spaine the stately Catholickes Sends Indian golde to coyne me French ecues For this haue I a largesse from the Pope A pension and a dispensation too And by that priuiledge to worke vpon My policye hath framde religion Religion O Diabole Fye I am ashamde how euer that I seeme To think a word of such a simple sound Of so great matter should be made the ground The gentle King whose pleasure vncontrolde Weakneth his body and will waste his Realme If I repaire not what he ruinates Him as a childe I dayly winne with words So that for proofe he barely beares the name I execute and he sustaines the blame The Mother Queene workes wonders for my sake And in my loue entombes the hope of Fraunce Rifling the bowels of her treasurie To supply my wants and necessitie Paris hath full fiue hundred Colledges As Monestaries Priories Abbyes and halles Wherein are thirtie thousand able men Besides a thousand sturdy student Catholicks And more of my knowledge in one cloyster keeps Fiue hundred fatte Franciscan Fryers and priestes All this and more if more may be
they are but yet what remedy I haue done what I could to stay this broile Nauarr. But yet my Lord the report doth run That you were one that made this Massacre An. Who I you are deceiued I rose but now Enter Guise Guise Murder the Hugonets take those pedantes hence Na. Thou traitor Guise lay of thy bloudy hands Condy. Come let vs goe tell the King Exeunt Guise Come sirs I le whip you to death with my punniards point he kils them An. A way with them both Exit Anioy. Guise And now sirs for this night let our fury stay Yet will we not that the Massacre shall end Gonzago poste you to Orleance Retes to Deep Mountsorrell vnto Roan And spare not one that you suspect of heresy and now stay that bel that to the deuils mattins rings Now euery man put of his burgonet And so conuey him closely to his bed Exeunt Enter Anioy with two Lords of Poland Anioy. My Lords of Poland I must needs confesse The offer of your Prince Electors farre Beyond the reach of my desertes For Poland is as I haue been enformde A martiall people worthy such a King As hath sufficient counsaile in himselfe To lighten doubts and frustrate subtile foes And such a King whom practise long hath taught To please himselfe with mannage of the warres The greatest warres within our Christian bounds I meane our warres against the Muscouites And on the other side against the Turke Rich Princes both and mighty Emperours Yet by my brother Charles our King of France And by his graces councell it is thought that if I vndertake to weare the crowne Of Poland it may preiudice their hope Of my inheritance to the crowne of France For if th' almighty take my brother hence By due discent the Regall seat is mine With Poland therfore must I couenant thus That if by death of Charles the diadem Of France be cast on me then with your leaues I may retire me to my natiue home If your commission serue to warrant this I thankfully shall vndertake the charge Of you and yours and carefully maintaine the wealth and safety of your kingdomes right Lord All this and more your highnes shall commaund For Polands crowne and kingly diadem Anioy. Then come my Lords le ts goe Exeunt Enter two with the Admirals body 1. Now sirra what shall we doe with the Admirall 2. Why let vs burne him for an heretick 1. O no his bodye will infect the fire and the fire the aire and so we shall be poysoned with him 2. What shall we doe then 1. Le ts throw him into the riuer 2. Oh t will corrupt the water and the water the fish and by the fish our selues when we eate them 1. Then throw him into the ditch 2. No no to decide all doubts be rulde by me le ts hang him heere vpon this tree 1 Agreede They hang him Enter the Duke of Guise and Queene Mother and the Cardinall Guise Now Madame how like you our lusty Admirall Queene Beleeue me Guise he becomes the place so well As I could long ere this haue wisht him there But come le ts walke aside thair 's not very sweet Guise No by my faith Madam Sirs take him away and throw him in some ditch carry away the dead body And now Madam as I vnderstand There are a hundred Hugonets and more Which in the woods doe holde their synagogue And dayly meet about this time of day And thither will I to put them to the sword Qu. Doe so sweet Guise let vs delay no time For if these straglers gather head againe And disperse themselues throughout the Realme of France It will be hard for vs to worke their deaths Be gone delay no time sweet Guise Guise Madam I goe as whirl-windes rage before a storme Exit Guise Qu. My Lord of Loraine haue you markt of late How Charles our sonne begins for to lament For the late nights worke which my Lord of Guise Did make in Paris amongst the Hugonites Card. Madam I haue heard him solemnly vow With the rebellious King of Nauarre For to reuenge their deaths vpon vs all Qu. I but my Lord let me alone for that For Katherine must haue her will in France As I doe liue so surely shall he dye And Henry then shall weare the diadem And if he grudge or crosse his Mothers will I le disinherite him and all the rest For I le rule France but they shall weare the crowne And if they storme I then may pull them downe Come my Lord le ts vs goe Exeunt Enter fiue or sixe Protestants with bookes and kneele together Enter also the Guise Guise Downe with the Hugonites murder them Protestant O Mounser de Guise heare me but speake Guise No villain that toung of thine That hath blasphemde the holy Church of Rome Shall driue no plaintes into the Guises eares To make the iustice of my heart relent Tue tue tue let none escape kill them So dragge them away Exeunt Enter the King of France Nauar and Epernoune staying him enter Qu. Mother and the Cardinall King O let me stay and rest me heer a while A griping paine hath ceasde vpon my heart A sodaine pang the messenger of death Qu. O say not so thou kill'st thy mothers heart King I must say so paine forceth me complaine Na. Comfort your selfe my Lord and haue no doubt But God will sure restore you to your health King O no my louing brother of Nauarre I haue deseru'd a scourge I must confesse Yet is there pacience of another sort Then to misdoe the welfare of their King God graunt my neerest freends may proue no worse O holde me vp my sight begins to faile My sinnewes shrinke my braines turne vpside downe My heart doth break I faint and dye He dies Queene What art thou dead sweet sonne speak to thy Mother O no his soule is fled from out his breast And he nor heares nor sees vs what we doe My Lords what resteth there now for to be done But that we presently despatch Embassadours To Poland to call Henry back againe To weare his brothers crowne and dignity Epernoune goe see it presently be done And bid him come without delay to vs Eper. Madam I will Exit Eper. Queene And now my Lords after these funerals be done We will with all the speed we can prouide For Henries coronation from Polonie Come let vs take his body hence All goe out but Nauarre and Pleshe Nauar And now Nauarre whilste that these broiles doe last My opportunity may serue me fit To steale from France and hye me to my home For heer 's no saftie in the Realme for me And now that Henry is cal'd from Polland It is my due by iust succession And therefore as speedily as I can perfourme I le muster vp an army secretly For feare that Guise ioyn'd with the K. of Spaine Might seeme to crosse me in mine enterprise But God that alwaies doth defend the
and all his heresies Nauarre The power of vengeance now incampes it selfe Vpon the hauty mountains of my brest plaies with her goary coulours of reuenge Whom I respect as leaues of boasting greene That change their coulour when the winter comes When I shall vaunt as victor in reuenge Enter a Messenger How now sirra what newes Mes. My Lord as by our scoutes we vnderstande A mighty army comes from France with speed Which are already mustered in the land And meanes to meet your highnes in the field Na. In Gods name let them come This is the Guise that hath incenst the King To leauy armes and make these ciuill broyless But canst thou tell who is their generall Mes. Not yet my Lord for thereon doe they stay But as report doth goe the Duke of Ioyeux Hath made great sute vnto the King therfore Na. It will not counteruaile his paines I hope I would the Guise in his steed might haue come But he doth lurke within his drousie couch And makes his footstoole on securitie So he be safe he cares not what becomes Of King or Country no not for them both But come my Lords let vs away with speed And place our selues in order for the fight Exeunt Enter the King of France Duke of Guise Epernoune and Duke Ioyeux King My sweet Ioyeux I make thee Generall Of all my army now in readines To march against the rebellious King Nauarre At thy request I am content thou goe Although my loue to thee can hardly suffer Regarding still the danger of thy life Ioyeux Thanks to your Maiestie and so I take my leaue Farwell to my Lord of Guise and Epernoune Guise Health and harty farwell to my Lord Ioyeux Exit Ioyeux King So kindely Cosin of Guise you and your wife doe both salute our louely Minions he makes hornes at the Guise Remember you the letter gentle sir which your wife writ to my deare Minion and her chosen freend Guise How now my Lord faith this is more then need Am I thus to be iested at and scornde T is more then kingly or Emperious And sure if all the proudest Kings in Christendome should beare me such derision They should know how I scornde them and their mockes I loue your Minions dote on them your selfe I know none els but holdes them in disgrace And heer by all the Saints in heauen I sweare That villain for whom I beare this deep disgrace Euen for your words that haue incenst me so Shall buy that strumpets fauour with his blood Whether he haue dishonoured me or no Par la mor du Il mera Exit King Beleeue me this iest bites sore Eper. My Lord t were good to make them frends For his othes are seldome spent in vaine Enter Mugeroun King How now Mugeroun metst thou not the Guise at the doore Muge. Not I my Lord what if I had King Marry if thou hadst thou mightst haue had the stab For he hath solemnely sworne thy death Muge. I may be stabd and liue till he be dead But wherfore beares he me such deadly hate King Because his wife beares thee such kindely loue Muge. If that be all the next time that I meet her I le make her shake off loue with her heeles But which way is he gone I le goe make a walk on purpose from the Court to meet with him Exit King I like not this come Epernoune le ts goe seek the Duke and make them freends Exeunt Alarums within The Duke Ioyeux slaine Enter the King of Nauarre and his traine Nauarre The Duke is slaine and all his power dispearst And we are grac'd with wreathes of victory Thus God we see doth euer guide the right To make his glory great vpon the earth Bar. The terrour of this happy victory I hope will make the King surcease his hate And either neuer mannage army more Or else employ them in some better cause Na. How many noble men haue lost their liues In prosecution of these cruell armes Is ruth and almost death to call to minde But God we know will alwaies put them downe That lift themselues against the perfect truth Which I le maintaine so long as life doth last And with the Q. of England ioyne my force To beat the papall Monarck from our lands And keep those relicks from our countries coastes Come my Lords now that this storme is ouerpast Let vs away with triumph to our tents Exeunt Enter a Souldier Soul Sir to you sir that dares make the Duke a cuckolde And vse a counterfeite key to his priuie Chamber doore And although you take out nothing but your owne yet you put in that which displeaseth him and so forestall his market and set vp your standing where you should not and whereas hee is your Landlord you will take vpon you to be his and tyll the ground that he himself should occupy which is his own free land If it be not too free there 's the question and though I come not to take possession as I would I might yet I meane to keepe you out which I will if this geare holde what are ye come so soone haue at ye sir Enter Mugeroun He shootes at him and killes him Enter the Guise Guise Holde thee tall Souldier take thee this and flye Exit Soul Lye there the Kings delight and Guises scorne Reuenge it Henry as thou list or dare I did it only in despite of thee Take him away Enter the King and Epernoune King My Lord of Guise we vnderstand that you haue gathered a power of men what your intent is yet we cannot learn but we presume it is not for our good Guise Why I am no traitor to the crowne of France What I haue done t is for the Gospell sake Eper. Nay for the Popes sake and thine owne benefite What Peere in France but thou aspiring Guise Durst be in armes without the Kings consent I challenge thee for treason in the cause Guise Ah base Epernoune were not his highnes heere Thou shouldst perceiue the D. of Guise is mou'd King Be patient Guise and threat not Epernoune Least thou perceiue the King of France be mou'd Guise Why I am a Prince of the Valoyses line Therfore an enemy to the Burbonites I am a iuror in the holy league And therfore hated of the Protestants What should I doe but stand vpon my guarde And being able I le keep an hoast in pay Epernoune Thou able to maintaine an hoast in pay That liuest by forraine exhibition The Pope and King of Spaine are thy good frends Else all France knowes how poor a Duke thou art King I those are they that feed him with their golde To counter maund our will and check our freends Guise My Lord to speak more plainely thus it is Being animated by Religious zeale I meane to muster all the power I can To ouerthrow those sexious Puritans And know my Lord the Pope will sell his triple crowne I and the catholick Philip King
of Spaine Ere I shall want will cause his Indians To rip the golden bowels of America Nauarre that cloakes them vnderneath his wings Shall feele the house of Lorayne is his foe Your highnes needs not feare mine armies force T is for your safetie and your enemies wrack King Guise weare our crowne and be thou King of France And as Dictator make or warre or peace Whilste I cry placet like a Senator I cannot brook thy hauty insolence Dismisse thy campe or else by our Edict Be thou proclaimde a traitor throughout France Guise The choyse is hard I must dissemble My Lord in token of my true humilitie And simple meaning to your Maiestie I kisse your graces hand and take my leaue Intending to dislodge my campe with speed King Then farwell Guise the King and thou are freends Exit Guise Eper. But trust him not my Lord for had your highnesse Seene with what a pompe he entred Paris And how the Citizens with gifts and shewes Did entertaine him and promised to be at his commaund Nay they fear'd not to speak in the streetes That the Guise durst stand in armes against the King For not effecting of his holines will King Did they of Paris entertaine him so Then meanes he present treason to our state Well let me alone whos 's within there Enter one with a pen and inke Make a discharge of all my counsell straite And I le subscribe my name and seale it straight My head shall be my counsell they are false And Epernoune I will be rulde by thee Eper. My Lord I think for safety of your royall person It would be good the Guise were made away And so to quite your grace of all suspect King First let vs set our hand and seale to this he writes And then I le tell thee what I meane to doe So conuey this to the counsell presently Exit one And Epernoune though I seeme milde and calme Thinke not but I am tragicall within I le secretly conuay me vnto Bloyse For now that Paris takes the Guises parte Heere is no staying for the King of France Vnles he meane to be betraide and dye But as I hue so sure the Guise shall dye Exeunt Enter the King of Nauarre reading of a letter and Bartus Nauarre My Lord I am aduertised from France That the Guise hath taken armes against the King And that Paris is reuolted from his grace Bar. Then hath your grace fit oportunitie To shew your loue vnto the King of France Offering him aide against his enemies Which cannot but be thankfully receiu'd Nauarre Bartus it shall be so poast then to Fraunce And there salute his highnesse in our name Assure him all the aide we can prouide Against the Guisians and their complices Bartus be gone commend me to his grace And tell him ere it be long I le visite him Bar. I will my Lord Exit Enter Pleshe Nauarre Pleshe Pleshe My Lord Na Pleshe goe muster vp our men with speed And let them march away to France amaine For we must aide the King against the Guise Be gone I say t is time that we were there Pleshe I goe my Lord Nauar. That wicked Guise I feare me much will be The ruine of that famous Realme of France For his aspiring thoughts aime at the crowne And takes his vantage on Religion To plant the Pope and popelings in the Realme And binde it wholy to the Sea of Rome But if that God doe prosper mine attempts And send vs safely to arriue in France Wee 'l beat him back and driue him to his death That basely seekes the ruine of his Realme Exeunt Enter the Captaine of the guarde and three murtherers Captaine Come on sirs what are you resolutely bent Hating the life and honour of the Guise What will you not feare when you see him come 1. Feare him said you tush were he heere we would kill him presently 2. O that his heart were leaping in my hand 3. But when will he come that we may murther him Cap. Well then I see you are resolute 1. Let vs alone I warrant you Cap. Then sirs take your standings within this Chamber For anon the Guise will come All You will giue vs our money Cap. I I feare not stand close so be resolute Now fals the star whose influence gouernes France Whose light was deadly to the Protestants Now must he fall and perish in his height Enter the King and Epernoune King Now Captain of my guarde are these murtherers ready Cap. They be my good Lord King But are they resolute and armde to kill Hating the life and honour of the Guise Cap. I warrant ye my Lord King Then come proud Guise and heere disgordge thy brest Surchargde with surfet of ambitious thoughts Breath out that life wherein my death was hid And end thy endles treasons with thy death Enter the Guise and knocketh Guise Halla verlete hey Epernoune where is the King Eper. Mounted his royall Cabonet Guise I prethee tell him that the Guise is heere Eper. And please your grace the Duke of Guise doth craue accesse vnto your highnes King Let him come in Come Guise and see thy traiterous guile outreacht And perish in the pit thou mad'st for me The Guise comes to the King Guise Good morrow to your Maiestie King Good morrow to my louing Cousin of Guise How fares it this morning with your excellence Guise I heard your Maiestie was scarsely pleasde That in the Court I bare so great a traine King They were to blame that said I was displeasde And you good Cosin to imagine it T were hard with me if I should doubt my kinne Or be suspicious of my deerest freends Cousin assure you I am resolute Whatsoeuer any whisper in mine eares Not to suspect disloyaltye in thee And so sweet Cuz farwell Exit King Guise So now sues the King for fauour to the Guise And all his Minions stoup when I commaund Why this t is to haue an army in the fielde Now by the holy sacrament I sweare As ancient Romanes ouer their Captiue Lords So will I triumph ouer this wanton King And he shall follow my proud Chariots wheeles Now doe I but begin to look about And all my former time was spent in vaine Holde Sworde for in thee is the Duke of Guises hope Enter one of the Murtherers Villaine why dost thou look so gastly speake Mur. O pardon me my Lord of Guise Guise Pardon thee why what hast thou done Mur. O my Lord I am one of them that is set to murder you Guise To murder me villaine Mur. I my Lord the rest haue taine their standings in the next roome therefore good my Lord goe not foorth Guise Yet Caesar shall goe forth let mean consaits and baser men feare death tut they are pesants I am Duke of Guise and princes with their lookes ingender feare 1. Stand close he is comming I know him by his voice Guise As pale as ashes nay then t
is time to look about All Downe with him downe with him They stabbe him Guise Oh I haue my deaths wound giue me leaue to speak 2. Then pray to God and aske forgiuenes of the King Guise Trouble me not I neare offended him Nor will I aske forgiuenes of the King Oh that I haue not power to stay my life Nor immortalitie to be reueng'd To dye by Pesantes what a greefe is this Ah Sextus be reueng'd vpon the King Philip and Parma I am slaine for you Pope excommunicate Philip depose The wicked branch of curst Valois his line Viue la messa perish Hugonets Thus Coesar did goe foorth and thus he dyed He dyes Enter Captaine of the Guarde Captaine What haue you done then stay a while and I le goe call the King but see where he comes My Lord see where the Guise is slaine King Ah this sweet sight is phisick to my soule Goe fetch his sonne for to beholde his death Surchargde with guilt of thousand massacres Mounser of Loraine sinke away to hell And in remembrance of those bloudy broyles To which thou didst alure me being aliue And heere in presence of you all I sweare I nere was King of France vntill this houre This is the traitor that hath spent my golde In making forraine warres and ciuile broiles Did he not draw a sorte of English priestes From Doway to the Seminary at Remes To hatch forth treason gainst their naturall Queene Did he not cause the King of Spaines huge fleete To threaten England and to menace me Did he not iniure Mounser that 's deceast Hath he not made me in the Popes defence To spend the treasure that should strength my land In ciuill broiles between Nauarre and me Tush to be short he meant to make me Munke Or else to murder me and so be King Let Christian princes that shall heare of this As all the world shall know our Guise is dead Rest satisfied with this that heer I sweare Nere was there King of France so yoakt as I Eper. My Lord heer is his sonne Enter the Guises sonne King Boy look where your father lyes Yong Guise My father slaine who hath done this deed King Sirra t was I that slew him and will slay thee too and thou proue such a traitor Yong Guise Art thou King and hast done this bloudy deed I le be reuengde He offereth to throwe his dagger King A way to prison with him I le clippe his winges or ere he passe my handes away with him Exit Boy But what auaileth that this traitor 's dead When Duke Dumaine his brother is aliue And that young Cardinall that is growne so proud Goe to the Gouernour of Orleance And will him in my name to kill the Duke Get you away and strangle the Cardinall These two will make one entire Duke of Guise Especially with our olde mothers helpe Eper. My Lord see where she comes as if she droupt to heare these newes Enter Queene Mother King And let her droup my heart is light enough Mother how like you this deuice of mine I slew the Guise because I would be King Queene King why so thou wert before Pray God thou be a King now this is done King Nay he was King and countermanded me But now I will be King and rule my selfe And make the Guisians stoup that are aliue Queene I cannot speak for greefe when thou wast borne I would that I had murdered thee my sonne My sonne thou art a changeling not my sonne I curse thee and exclaime thee miscreant Traitor to God and to the realme of France King Cry out exclaime houle till thy throat be hoarce The Guise is slaine and I reioyce therefore And now will I to armes come Epernoune And let her greeue her heart out if she will Exit the King and Epernoune Queene Away leaue me alone to meditate Sweet Guise would he had died so thou wert heere To whom shall I bewray my secrets now Or who will helpe to builde Religion The Protestants will glory and insulte Wicked Nauarre will get the crowne of France The Popedome cannot stand all goes to wrack And all for thee my Guise what may I doe But sorrow seaze vpon my toyling soule For since the Guise is dead I will not liue Exit Enter two dragging in the Cardenall Car. Murder me not I am a Cardenall 1. Wert thou the Pope thou mightst not scape from vs Car. What will you fyle your handes with Churchmens bloud 2. Shed your bloud O Lord no for we entend to strangle you Car. Then there is no remedye but I must dye 1. No remedye therefore prepare your selfe Car. Yet liues my brother Duke Dumaine and many moe To reuenge our deaths vpon that cursed King Vpon whose heart may all the furies gripe And with their pawes drench his black soule in hell 1. Yours my Lord Cardinall you should haue saide Now they strangle him So pluck amaine he is hard hearted therfore pull with violence Come take him away Exeunt Enter Duke Dumayn reading of a letter with others Dumaine My noble brother murthered by the King Oh what may I doe for to reuenge thy death The Kings alone it cannot satisfie Sweet Duke of Guise our prop to leane vpon Now thou art dead heere is no stay for vs I am thy brother and I le reuenge thy death And roote Valoys his line from forth of France And beate proud Burbon to his natiue home That basely seekes to ioyne with such a King Whose murderous thoughts will be his ouerthrow Hee wild the Gouernour of Orleance in his name That I with speed should haue beene put to death But that 's preuented for to end his life His life and all those traitors to the Church of Rome That durst attempt to murder noble Guise Enter the Frier Frier My Lord I come to bring you newes that your brother the Cardinall of Loraine by the Kings consent is lately strangled vnto death Dumaine My brother Cardenall slaine and I aliue O wordes of power to kill a thousand men Come let vs away and leauy men T is warre that must asswage this tyrantes pride Frier My Lord heare me but speak I am a Frier of the order of the Iacobyns That for my conscience sake will kill the King Dumaine But what doth moue thee aboue the rest to doe the deed Frier O my Lord I haue beene a great sinner in my dayes and the deed is meritorious Dumaine But how wilt thou get opportunitye Frier Tush my Lord let me alone for that Dumaine Frier come with me We will goe talke more of this within Exeunt Sound Drumme and Trumpets and enter the King of France and Nauarre Epernoune Bartus Pleshe and Souldiers King Brother of Nauarre I sorrow much That euer I was prou'd your enemy And that the sweet and princely minde you beare Was euer troubled with iniurious warres I vow as I am lawfull King of France To recompence your reconciled loue With all the