VVelcome to Paris welcome to the Court The heart of Charles bids welcome to you all VVho 's that upon the Earth the great Chastillon The glorious Admiral the fam'd Coligni The scourge of Kingdoms O my Father rise Or by the Majesty of Age the Reverence Due to these hairs the King himself shall kneel Adam O Sir is 't possible can this be real Can you forgive this Out-law this Offender VVho has so often turn'd your Subjects Arms Against their Lawful Soveraign made whole wilds Of populous Towns and brav'd the Lions fury Now you have drawn me quite unarm'd to Court Can you so far be Master of your temper As not to hew me in a thousand pieces King Can you who had the power to make me tremble Can you my awful Subject be so good To kneel before my feet and ask my Pardon And shall I be so barbarous to refuse it No mighty VVarrior in the heat of Broils VVhen thou so terribly becam'st the Field Had'st thou thus sought me by those Saints we worship I had receiv'd thee with a breast of Mercy Adm Forgive me Sir my heart so rises in me I cannot speak King Let then the VVorld be witness All that is Honest Sacred Good and Just Be witnesses the powers of Heav'n and Earth VVith this embrace I pardon thee thy Er I bid thee welcome as my better Angel Thou shalt direct in all my bosom Councils My Genius O! and while I hold thee thus Methinks I press my Father in my Arms. Adm. O! Sir what have you done you 've burst the heart Of your old Gasper with this Flood of Goodness And see it gushes from my Aged Eyes King No more Adm. I must I must make way my Lord For this dear Load that makes me fore within But haste employ my Arm Let Fortune raise Some Fo that 's worthy of Chastillon's Sword Nay I shall quarrel with the Fates themselves Unless they rouze me up some brave occasion To signalize my Loyalty my Conduct And constant Zeal for your Immortal Glory King Your Friendship to the Queen who courts it too VVill more oblige me than your VVars abroad Adm. For all past Faults thus low I ask her Pardon Q. M. Rise rise my Lord let us forgive each other May I when dying miss the Throne of Mercy If when I saw the King and you embrace My wounded heart did not weep blood for joy King Come come my Lord since you 're so fierce to Serve me I 'll find your Sword Employment Rest a while And then for Flanders where the Duke of Alva Will hold you to 't Adm. I long my Lord to try him He who so curses the Reform'd Religion I wish that with some thousands I could raise Of those poor Protestants whom he disdains I could but face him on the dusty Plain Tho' to his Aid he call'd his Catholick Master With thousand Arms held up to thousand Saints Ev'n with this handful of my old Commanders Heading the well truss'd Body of our Men We'd on to make the Mytred Armies yield And drive the trembling Crosiers from the Field Exeunt ACT IV. SCENE I. The Scene draws the King the Queen Mother the Duke of Anjou Duke of Guise Cardinal of Lorrain The Body of Ligneroles held up all bloody Anj. AH Traytor Guise but I will have thy life Gui. Let go your hand or by the Majesty That Governs here I 'll send you to your Boy King Tear 'em asunder Anj. I 'le have Satisfaction King Remove the Body You my Lord of Guise Say how this murder hapned Gui. Thus my Lord. Charles Count of Mansfeild and the Count of Guerchy When with this Mornings hunt the Hills and Groves The Skies and Fountains seem'd one mutual cry Riding in company with this bold Spirit On siery Coursers chanc'd to discompose him He frown'd they laugh'd and so the beaten road Of Quarrels hot words rose then Blows and Thrusts The Youth betwixt 'em fell I know not how And there 's an end of him Anj. Traytor thou ly'st thou know'st the cause King No Sir it was my Order Now as you have respect to your own Safety No more of this Had you not blush'd in Blood In the Heart-blood of him you dearest lov'd By my dead Father's Soul by my Revenge You should your self have mourn'd so gross a failing Q. M. Sir he repents King He does but what he ought Now to the Business Since then the Cloud that holds our horrid Vengeance Comes nearer racking o're the Hugonots heads Let 's help the fall and stir not from this place Till we have fixt the Plat-form of their Ruine First for the Queen Iane Albert of Navarre Because a Woman and of Royal Blood My Mother judg'd that she should dye by Poison Q. M. Dispatch'd with Sweets Pass to the rest she 's dead King Yet not without suspicion of the Princes Who therefore by my Order were desir'd To see her Body open'd which was done Before the chief of all the Hugonots Only her Head was spar'd as I appointed Out of a seeming Reverence but indeed Left that the Poison tho' it pass'd unseen Like a close Murderer through the Lanes of Life Might yet at last be taken where it lodg'd With this in part I satisfy'd their Murmurs Qu. M. Therefore you must confer more favours still Upon the Admiral lull him with Honours Strike him but in the throat of his Ambition You have him sure yet let him play a while And roll at random down the stream of Glory My Lord of Guise you have not yet convers'd him Therefore while this suspicion on the death Of the late Queen flies warm about his ears Visit him as commanded by the King But so as if enforc'd and by degrees Proceed to half a Quarrel that the King Being made the Judge as coming there by chance May give it quite against you in appearance And force you to submit your self for Pardon Gui. It shall be so And fear not I 'le provoke him 'T will ease my Heart a little with keen words To right my Father's wrongs and shed the Venom That swells me all within King On this proceed To the intended Marriage of Navarre Which once perform'd as if that were the Lightning To the sure Peal of Horrour that must follow Begin our Vengeance with the Admiral 's Death Anj. First Sir it would be known how Guise approves The Marriage of Navarre with Marguerite King I know the Duke approves what I resolve And on so great a push would forfeit both A Ligneroles and Marguerite too Qu. M. Come come it 's monstrous but to make a Scruple To stand on Pets Intrigues and foolish Passions When such a Fate is now upon the Bolt As ne're perhaps yet Thunder'd with Success Since first the World began Gui. My Lord I yield And take Prince Porcien's Widow for my Wife King I sent the Count of Rhets to bring her hither My Lord Lorrain pray let me view the Contract This by the hand
that all the City-Gates be shut Except but two for bringing in Provisions And these my Lord of Rhetz see strictly Guarded Left that the Murderer escape Q. M. You bear it bravely Now to the wounded Admiral be there As you are now seem soft and pitiful Fond him with tears cry out with your impatience To be reveng'd upon the Murderer King You that are made of Artifice instruct me Exeunt SCENE II. The Admiral Dressing with all the Hugonots about him Adm. A finger and an arm what all this noise About the shattering of a Limb Away And in a Cause so great so glorious too Nay let 'em burn the other to the shoulder Or let that Badger Queen grind every Bone Betwixt her teeth and grin to hear 'em crack Cav Let 's instantly resolve to bear him forth Adm. No with this mangled flesh held to Heav'n This horrid mash of Blood and Bone and Marrow Upon my knees I beg the Power Divine T' establish thus the Protestant Religion To plant it in the Blood of lost Coligni If that Alas may satisfy their Fury Cav Take heart Sir hope one day for full Revenge Enter Antramont Ant. 'T is well my Lord 't is well my Cato well You call'd this Paris Vtica at first The Stars of Great men have a cast Divine And when they mould with second thought the Spirit The Air the Life the Golden Vapour 's gone Langoiran O Langoiran Adm. Fate my Martia There is a Providence that over-rules Therefore submit haste for thy life away I beg thee fly my Martia to Geneva My little ones shall with Teligny follow Ant. What Sir is 't possible Is a planck in this great Vessel rived Is 't necessary that a Wreck should follow Adm. O Antramont there is no going forth If the King be not in th' Assassination Fear not I shall have Justice If he be Farewel for ever I 'll ne're see thee more Ant. You shall you shall why burst you not away There are at least ten thousand your Adherents Will clear your passage to Chastillon Why do you drag then when your Fate cryes on Adm. Once more I say my Fate is in the King Therefore away If things go right you come To me again if not there 's one preserv'd T'embalm my Bowels O my Antramont I mean my Babes that thus have force to thaw me That Power whose most unsearchable Decree Thus dooms our parting give thee strength to bear it To bear my Death perhaps thou 'lt hear it shortly Yet thou shalt hear nothing unworthy me Nothing that 's faint and flagging at the Goal But my last Gasp like my first start of Glory Ant. What leave thee Gaspar e're I kiss thy wound O let we touch the Batt'ry of his Arm Forgive me thus far I will be a Roman There 's Virtue here in this most Sacred Relict I swear I think there is to save a Soul Adm. Be gone I say I cannot bear thy Kindness Force her away and bear her to St. Germain Ant. I go For thee this Prayer I leave behind me When-e're thou dy'st the Arms of Angels wast thee To those smooth Joys that have no gritty moments For her that brought thee to this barbarous end The Whips of Conscience drive her to Despair Conscience Sh' has none why then the stings of Pleasure Sores and Diseases Disappointments plague her May all her Life be one continu'd Torment And that more Racking than a Mother's labour In meeting Death may her least trouble be As great as now my parting is with thee Exit Enter Alberto Gondi Alb. My Lord his Majesty the Queen his Mother Approach to mourn your Chance and give you Justice Enter King Queen Anjou Lorrain King My Lord I come to pour the Balm of Tears Into your Wound I come to threaten death To that bold Villain who durst act this outrage And by my Soul I swear my Father shall Have such Revenge as if a King were kill'd Adm. I thank your Majesty and humbly crave Your leave Sir to retire home to Chastillon Where from these tumultuous Parisians I may my Lord recover this Misfortune Q. M. What take a Journey Sir in this condition Your Death must follow but alas I fear I fear the truth with tears I must avow it My Lord you dare not trust the King and Me. Adm. O do not tax me with the least Suspicion I must believe the Royal Majesty But all my fear is for my dear Companions And these lov'd Princes whom the Heav'ns defend King Therefore my Brother Streight shall draw the Guards Within the City while for present Safety I order Monsieur Cosen's Company To keep your Quarters from all fear of Tumult O Father Father do not wound my Soul By a distrust unworthy of us both Q. M. Ah my Lord Admiral can you imagine That we are past all fear or hope of Mercy That there 's no Conscience no regard of Vows No Grace no Reverence fear of Heav'n nor Hell Nor common Care of Fame ev'n in this World King To Bed to Bed let me intreat you rest Q. M. Nay you shall go my Lord supported thus Betwixt your Bosom-Friends believe me Sir This is not seign'd there are not two alive That love you more than those that now sustain you Adm. Is 't possible Why if it were dissembled The very Counterfeit of such a Friendship Were worth a dying for Alas my Lord O Madam Why why must this trouble be But lead me lead your poor old Admiral Blind with his Tears and faint with his Blood If I do well again I 'll thank you Sir I 'll thank you in the Field O grant it Heav'n That I may end where no Assassins are And fall a Victim in the Glorious War Exeunt SCENE III. Guise Aumale Elbeuf Angolesme with Parisians Gui. Look you my Lords this is this is the Royal Order The Dukes of Nevers and Monpensier Must wait to guard the Person of the King With all the Royal Regiment in Arms Haste for the day begins to wear apace An. El. We obey Exeunt ambo Gui. President Charton Provost de Marchand The Head of the Parisians Pros. Here my Lord. Gui. Provide two thousand men compleatly arm'd Let each particular man on his left arm Wear a Shirt-sleeve and a white Cross in 's Hat That upon notice given all may be ready To execute his Majesty's Commands The Eschevins of every several Ward See in just order and precisely set That upon ringing the Palace-bell Lights may be put directly on the instant In every Window all throughout the Town Pros. It shall be done Exit Gui. My Lord Grand Prior With what Commanders we can rise be ready To take the Admiral 's life But see the Queen Enter Queen Mother Cardinal Anjou Q. M. Come come my Lords let 's lose no longer time The Hugonots proceed not to a Tumult But only vent their Fury in high words Therefore away My Lord of Guise your Father Looks from the Clouds
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
the Vine that spreads his Arms to Heav'n With all his Clusters rotting on the ground Blasted with Lightning from a clouded Council By her that is the Iuno of your Fate That Murd'ring Sorceress that dry Hag of Florence That Midnight Hecate of ten thousand forms That varies with all Shapes that tryes all Spirits Selling her Soul to each and all together To make your Fate inevitable sure Adm. Give me your hand and take this farewel Kiss If thou would'st have me think thou lov'st old Gaspar Reply no more but leave me and be dumb Ant. I 'm all Obedience let me speak but once And whisper 't in your Ear By all my hopes Of Earth and Heav'n you shall not dye alone I 'll gather all the Branches of your Body The little Arms the Sprouts of him that was Yes with that precious Fardel bound together By Cords of Hair Cemented with my Tears And wreath'd about till Death with my Embraces I 'll follow you to Court I will my Lord And since you 'l have it so we 'll burn together Exit Enter Commander Adm. O my brave Friends my dear la Rochfaucalt Your hand and yours my rough Colombiere My Gallant Piles and thine my plain Langoiran But say how stand you to this Expedition This new Exploit this dangerous Court Adventure Lang. My Lord I 'll answer for 'em there 's not one But has resolv'd to follow tho' they had rather Run the most violent Shock of Glorious War Than stand one Complemental Death at Court Adm. Then our Opinions jump But to the purpose Since 't is resolv'd that we must go to Paris Because you 're Strangers to the King and Queen I would instruct you in the Royal Tempers Draw the Queen Mother's Face in Minature For there the watch and ward of all our Caution Must lye if possible to wave the Ruin Lang. Fore-warn'd fore-arm'd fear not we shall remember Adm. Imagin then the King like Adam laid Among the Sweets of Paradise to rest While to his listning Soul this Second Eve Full of the Devil and design'd to damn us Thus breathes her Counsels fatal to the World What ever Paths you trod before your Reign 'T is Blood and Terror must your Throne maintain Scorn then thy Slaves nor to thy Vassals bow Fix the Gold Circle to thy bended Brow By Murders Massacres no matter how For Conscience and Heav'ns Fear Religion's Rules They 're all State-Bells to toll in pious Fools Exeunt ACT III. SCENE I Enter Queen Mother and Marguerite Mar. IS Guise then false or do you try me Madam And search my Heart to know how much I love him If it be so I will resolve you quickly I 'll swear to you by Heav'n by all things Sacred By all that 's great and lovely upon Earth By him by Guise by all the blessed Moments Of that dear Life which single I prefer To Millions of my own I love him more Than you love Glory Vengeance and Ambition Qu. M. Then thou art lost a Wretch an out-cast Fool Not worthy of my Care nor worth my seeking For by my best Desires I know he scorns thee And to my certain Knowledge is betroth'd To Catharine Cleve the Prince of Porcien's Widow Mar. 'T is false he 's not he shall not nor he cannot You hate me Madam and you forge this Matter To make me dye to kill your Marguerite For if you did respect me as your Blood Why should you tear my Heart in thousand pieces Why should you make me rave with Jealousie For oh I love beyond all former Passion Dye for him that 's too little I could burn Piece Meal away or bleed to Death by drops Be stead alive then broke upon the Wheel Yet with a Smile endure it all for Guise And when let loose from Torments all one wound Run with my mangled Arms and crush him dead Qu. M. Farewel thou' rt mad indeed I 'le find the King And send him to convince you of the Truth Mar. The Truth O Heav'n nay stay and I 'le believe you But is he false is 't possible in Nature Is Guise then like his Kindred Savages True Man an Upright Bold and Hearty Villain Q. M. I tell thee as I love thy Life and Honour Tho' much I fear the latter is past hope Their Marriage will be solemniz'd to morrow The Cardinal of Lorrain must joyn their hands Mar. What he that keeps the Tye the sacred Contract I 'le warrant too he 'll be a Witness for him Why then for ever throw off Modesty If thus Religion cheats us let us haste With Messalina to the common Stews Where Bauds are honester than Roman Church-men Q. M. Think no more on 't but with a generous Fury Resolve to cast him from your Soul for ever Prepare your self for what the King commands Without delay to wed the young Navarre Mar. To wed my Tomb to dwell in dust below Where we shall see no more deceitful Men Hear no more flattery nor no damning Vows Where I shall never start from my cold Bed Nor walk with folded Arms about the Room With Eyes like Rivers ever running down While with my over-watching I mistake The rustling Wind and every little noise For Guise's coming which not finding true I weep again till all my face is drown'd And groan as if there were no end of sorrow Q. M. Then I must find some other Instruments That have the power to rule you So farewel Exit Mar. Stay Madam stay She 's gone and leaves me here To do a mischief on my Life False Guise Pefsideous Guise but I will find thee out And wreck the Miseries of my Soul upon thee Nay I 'le alarm that Priest that makes thee wicked Priests that like Devils laugh at humane pains And Souls ne're reckon so they count their gains Exit SCENE II. Palace Duke of Gulse and Cardinal of Lorrain Gui. But are you sure he 'll come Car. Most certain Sir Gui. Why then I will not eat till I behold him O I could pine my self into a Ghost So I at last might thrust my hungry Sword In the curs'd Carcass of this Admiral And glut my greedy Vengeance with his Heart Car. The Queen too of Navarre the Heretick Princess Gentlemen and Commanders Knights Barons Counts With all the Combination of the Rebels Come to the Wedding of the young Bearnois Gui. Why what an Oglio will the Devil have A Feast for Hell to cram it to the mouth A Massacre to Souls methinks I see The glutton Death gorg'd with devouring Lives And stretching o're the City his swoln bulk As he would vomit up the Dead Car. My Lord How brooks your Heart the Marriage of Navarre Gui. Why faith Sir as we must necessity The King resolves it urging to my face The Man that dar'd to contradict his pleasure Should make that opposition with his ruine On this I turn'd my Court to Porcien's Widow But O Lorrain Love mourn'd at the mistake As conscious of the cruel
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
of Guise must first be torn And then presented her Gui. Excuse me Sir King If Prayers or threats can bend her Sir you shall not But if those fail my Lord without more words I charge you for your Honour and my own To act as I command or by my blood Nor you nor I shall ever see her more Gui. That 's a home thrust indeed Sir I obey And wait your farther order King My Lord Lorrain Attend the Duke while I examine Marguerite Wait till I stamp and when thy trouble 's over Make to the Admiral and I will follow Enter Alberto with Marguerite How Marguerite weeping all in tears Sure then the Count of Rhets mistook the Message I sent to give thee Joy to tell my Sister She must be marry'd Mar. And I come my Lord To shew my heart before your Majesty To beg your favour mercy and your pardon For O my Lord I cannot if I would Be marry'd to Navarre King You cannot Rise And tell me why I 'le hear you out with patience Mar. Ah Sir how shall I speak your Sister's Frailty How shall I but thus drown'd with tears and blushes Confess the fault of Duty I am marry'd Betroth'd my Lord. King To whom Mar. Alas you 're angry But I must own the truth tho' on your brow A thousand deaths sat menacing my Soul Yes Sir I 'm marry'd to the Duke of Guise King Not marry'd Marguerite but contracted And so far I 'le forgive thy heedless Youth But on condition that without more noise Thou raze the haughty Guise from thy remembrance Or by the violation of our Name I will not spare to drain thy tainted blood Till I have mounted thee by death a Victim To the great memory of the wrong'd Valois Mar. Call then my Lord call forth your fierce Tormentors Propose to Marguerite flames and wounds And all the cruel Arts of thoughtful Fury See your poor Sister's Spirit parch'd away By lingring fires to make my death more dreadful Yet Sir with my last breath I must avow My Love to Guise and hatred to Navarre King No I have thought on 't better I 'll proclaim thee A Prostitute thou shalt no more be Royal Poor and abandon'd with thy shame upon thee I 'll turn thee forth a Beggar to the World Mar. Do do my Lord rather than wed Navarre And make it death for any to relieve me Set the mad multitude like Dogs upon me To tear to worry me like common flesh To drag me to a Ditch and leave me gasping Yet with my last sighs I will groan to Heav'n 'T is easier this than to be false to Guise King But Marguerite was there ever Love Without brave Revenge on Provocation Yet Wretch thou lov'st without being lov'd again Since in my presence Guise now past his word To leave thee and to wed the Widow Porcien Mar. No no my Lord that Art was us'd before Yet Sir you make me tremble for methinks There 's something more resolv'd more stern in you Than in my Mother yet my heart 's confirm'd Not to believe ev'n you O therefore cease Or rather execute your former rage And give me up to those Tormentors hands That wait your Call King But if I bring the Duke Before thy face that Contract in his hand Which past betwixt you and he tears it here Openly in the presence of us all Wilt thou then quit him with resolv'd revenge And wed Navarre Mar. Why should you ask me Sir Prove me but half as much but half that falshood That Impudence that Treason to the Throne Of our crown'd Loves and I will wed a Slave There 's not a thing so loath'd upon the Earth But you shall bind me to it for my life To Age Deformity to all that 's hateful Blasting and deadly Ha! what 's this he tears The Contract O it is the cursed Contract Then I 'll tear too Death Furies Hell and Devils But call him Sir call back the perjur'd Traytor Let your Guards hold him you shall see my Lord How well I hate him Give me but a Dagger And I will gore his heart with thousand wounds Nay if 't were possible I 'de stab his Soul Fill it so full brimful of Womans Gall That tho' he were an Angel it should damn him But he 's a Devil Devil Devil Devil King Give me your hand you shall along with me To a young King that will be proud to serve you Mar. O Sir I know not what to say or do But fling this load of misery at your feet You have my promise but with all my blood I would retrieve it for since Guise is false Whom I believ'd the worthiest of the World Since he has prov'd himself so damn'd a Villain O give me leave Sir give me leave to shun To hate to loath to curse all Humane Kind King I 'le have no more delay I claim your Promise Come then or by my Crown I 'le have thee drag'd What hoa without there Enter Attendants Mar. Mother pity me Have patience Sir a little time my Lord To vent these bursting sighs and I will go Let me but dry my Eyes and I will go This remnant of a wretched Royal woman This stain to all your Blood O cruel Heav'n This curs'd forlorn unhappy Bride shall go Thus to the Altar where my Fate 's decreed But like a Victim that is doom to bleed Exeunt SCENE II. Admiral Antramont Cavagnes Langoiran Ant. Poison'd the Royal dead Navarre was poison'd 'T is the first Thunder-clap of that vast Storm That seems already breaking o're your head Why are you senseless then and deaf to warning When wherefoe're you cast your Eyes the storm Looks blacker yet Why stays the Duke of Guise Why does he summon all his Blood to Court With Barons Knights that hold the Catholick Party With Foreign Gentry living on his Pensions And therefore ready upon all occasion With hazard of their lives to act his pleasure Adm. Peace Antramont Ant. Alas my Lord I cannot Why should the Visdam Chartres Count Mongomery Resolve to lodge themselves beyond the Sein Unless their minds presage some dreadful mischief 'T is coming O with deeper Policies The King and Queen delude your easie Soul With fatal Praises and undoing Honours O they have caught you my Prophetick Soul Sees the red Tempest thunder down in blood In blood of you of me of all about you Adm. O Antramont you foil me now indeed Yet I shall answer if your Passion please First for the Queen I saw her Body open'd The parts whereof were sound untouch'd by Poison And by our own Physicians 't was concluded She dy'd a natural Death Then for the Guises Some little satisfaction must be given As to permit their Presence at the Marriage But for the management of State-affairs Or Favour from the King they 're lost for ever Nor shall it keep my dauntless Powers awake Tho' Chartres and Mongomery will not come But to forbear the Subject leave me here
change he made Take then the prospect of a Summers Morn The gaudy Heav'n all streak'd with dappled Fires And sleck'd with Blushes like a rising Bride With sweets so pour'd from such a lavish Spring That it must begger all the years to come From this bright view from Marguerite's form Now turn thy Eye upon the yellow Autumn On Porcien's Wife the Widow of the Seasons Car. You speak methinks as if you lov'd the Princess Gui. How e're I bragg'd before I do confess it Spite of my Glory spite of my Ambition And all the vow'd resolves of my Revenge Had she not poorly yielded to the Marriage I would have turn'd my Widow to the Common But I am satisfy'd 't is now the talk Of the whole Court how she in secret likes it Hears too no doubt of my design on Cleve Yet Curses on that changeable Staff her Soul Regards it not But see she comes a Tempest Enter Marguerite Ruffles her Face the Mother taught this cunning And she has catch'd the Plague of that Dissembler So right methinks I see the tokens on her Mar. Look in my Face Gui. I do Mar. Nay in my Eyes Gui. I view 'em as I would the setting Sun Were I to dye at Midnight Mar. Come you dare not Gui. What dare not dye Mar. Thou dar'st not one nor t'other At least thou shouldst not for thou art so wicked So gone in Sin Damnation must attend thee Gui. Why then the Devil is sure of one great Man Mar. Of one of all at Court he 's no Retailer But deals in Gross and takes you by the Lump In Country-Fields he 's forc'd to sit all day With patience angling down the guiltless Stream Yet rarely catches one for all his labour But when he comes to Court the Sea of Pleasures He throws his Drag-Net in from side to side Where none of all the Fry escape Perdition There may you see Whales plunging in the Meash Disgorging streams like Drunkards on the ground The Sword-Fish like the Souldier fast in hold The floundring Priests like Sharks that gape for prey Fat Porcpise Bauds the Mermaids too of Honour The Minim Pages all the twinkling Host So fill'd the Snare of Hell must crack to hold you Gui. No there 's another Cause for this fine Satyr Too well digested for a sudden thought An Argument at home there in your heart Tho' you have learnt discretion thus to turn it Mar. O Heav'ns what means he Gui. D' ye seem amaz'd I say again however you upbraid me You bear the Guilt who bring the Accusation Yes Marguerite thou hast plaid me foul Nay do not start nor gaze nor make false steps Come Princess these are tricks too stale for Guise Shew 'em your little Creatures bid your Mother Fetch something quainter from the Schools of Florence Where she has learnt the Art of Honest-dealing Mar. O all ye Pow'rs of Heav'n of Earth and Hell Where would he whither and when will he end Gui. Madam I 've done already but left you should Forget coherence through your world of Passion I tell you you are false your Vows your Tears Your Languishings your very height of Pleasures Your grasping Joys are false for even then When you cry out There can be nothing farther By all your perjuries you wish 'em more Mar. Furies and Devils shall he bear it thus What with his Lip his Eye his every Scorn Walk thus before me and defy me thus Ah Guise disloyal faithless perjur'd wretch Thou art more damn'd than any Fiend in Hell Imposture Gui. Woman Mar. Traytor Gui. Woman Mar. Villain Gui. Woman still Mar. Hark Guise hear Monster hear and mark me While to thy Conscious Soul I sound the Name Of Porcien Gui. Of Navarre Mar. Porcien I swear Gui. Navarre Navarre Mar. Thou ly'st thou ly'st Porcien the Widow Porcien O I could cut my face what for a Widow Leave me for Porcien O thou dull dull Guise Wilt thou sit down to the refuse of Meals A Widow what the Monument of Man The Tomb Grave-Vault the very Damp of Nature For this I hate thee more than e're I lov'd thee And from my presence banish thee for ever Gui. No I will banish this detested Guise My self you shall not buy him to your presence For know I hate more perfectly than you Yours is a gust a puff of Woman's Fury But mine a manly constant setled hate Which ever since you made your better choice Of young Navarre took root within my heart Mar. 'T is false 't is false a Treason fetch'd from Hell But where speak out where was this Lye invented Gui. Thus then in short and so farewell for ever The King and Queen with all particulars Avow'd it to me and in general The Court You may perceive the Choice I made of Cleve was more to be reveng'd Than want of Constancy but your's was weigh'd Navarre has youth and may be King of France Tickling Variety for Love and Glory For the false appetite of Luxurious Woman Woman damn'd Woman but I waste breath to name her My Lord Lorrain I charge you by your Friendship Give me the Contract Mar. Hold my Lord. For what Gui. That I may tear it to as many pieces As she has done her Vows What faith in Women The very fragments of the whole Creation Whose sever'd Souls like many parted Mirrors Reflect the face of all Mankind at once Who with their weeping Smiles and laughing Tears Were they allow'd a Heav'n as sure they are not Would tempt the Angels to a second Fall But I grow wild give me the Contract Sir Nay Madam off I swear you must unhand me Mar. I will not O my heart Ah Guise Guise Guise You have got the Conquest and you shall maintain it Tho' at th' expence of Marguerite's death 'T is true my Mother mention'd such a Marriage But If I did not loath it scorn detest it O if this be not true as thou art false Forgive me for I meant to say unkind Banish poor Marguerite from those Eyes That feed her life let me no more approach you But take O take this Ponyard from my hand And stick it in my heart that heart that loves you That when 't is injur'd dares not stand before you But owns you for the Tyrant of my days Gui. No Marguerite no You 've found the way to temper me indeed Nay turn it upon me who am a Traytor Because I dar'd to counterfeit a Falshood Against such perfect Love to seem t' affect The hated Porcien Mar. Did you then dissemble Did you not love her in your Heart indeed Gui. I swear by Heav'n Mar. O let me then embrace you Yet closer O that I could get within you Gui. My Life Mar. My Soul Gui. My Heart Car. My Lord the Duke of Anjou moves this way Guise Farewel And till I hear that thou art Marry'd The Heart of Guise is riveted to thine Which all the Hammers in thy Mother's Brain Shall never loose Mar. They may compel