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
Majesty He sharp and short Retorted thus He did not need my Service Car. 'T is plain you must resolve my Lord to quit her For I am charg'd to tell you she 's design'd To be the Wife of Henry OF Navarre 'T is the main Beam in all that Mighty Engin Which now begins to move so dreadfully Against the Heads of the Rebellious Faction Gui. I have it and methinks it looks like D'Alva I see the very motion of his Beard His opening Nostrils and his dropping Lids I hear him Croak too to the King and Queen In Biscays Bay at Bayonne Fish for the Great fish take no care for Frogs Cut off the Poppy-heads lay the Winds fast And streight the Waves the People will be still Car. Then you will leave her Gui. Hurl her to the Sea The Air the Earth or Elemental fire So I may see Chastilion in the Net Oh that Whale-Admiral might I but view him After his thousand Fetches Plots and Plunges Struck on those Scouring Shallows which await him Furies and Hell and I stand by to gall him Were Marguerite all one World of Pleasure I 'de sell her and my Soul for such Revenge Car. Speak lower Gui. What upon my Father's Death O glorious Guise be calm upon thy Murder No I will hollow my Revenge so loud That his great Ghost shall hear me up to Heav'n In height of Honours oh to fall so basely When Orleance was blockt up and Conquest Crown'd thee By damn'd Poltrot so villainously slain Poltrot by Beza and this curs'd Admiral Set on with hopes of Infinite Rewards Here and hereafter so to blast thy Glory O I could pull my bursting Eye-balls forth But that they may one day prove Basilisks To that detested Head of all these Brolls Then Tortures Racks and Death shall close thy wound Kill him in Riots Pride and Lust of Pleasures That I may add Damnation to the rest And foil his Soul and Body both together Car. Behold your Brother and the Duke Delbeuf Mercour too comes this outrage will undo us Gui. No not at all for 't is in general terms O my good Lords what if the Admiral Stood here before you should he scope our Justice I see by each man's laying of his hand Upon his Sword you vow the like Revenge For me I wish that both mine may rot off Car. No more away my Lords the King calls for you Gui. I go That Vermin may devour my limbs That I may dy like the late puling King Under the Barber's hands Imposthumes choak me If while alive I cease to chew his ruin To hang him in Effigie nay to tread Drag stamp and grind him after he is dead Exeunt SCENE II. The Cabinet Council Table with Lights on it A Chamber beyond it Queen Mother Anjou asleep Q. M. O my Anjou the Wheels of this New Ruin Go wrong for want of one that knows to drive He sits too light upon the whirling Throne And totters with the dismal prospect down Young Charles a smart suspicious doubtful Boy But Charles you must be rul'd in this dark Road Or with the Lightning of my Fatal Power Which never cracks nor claps I 'le melt thee down For ever lost amongst the Mass of Things That thou the Darling of my doating Soul The Price of my Eternal thought may'st mount Like Nero tho' at Agrippina's Ruin But see the King with the new Count of Rhetz Let us withdraw it may be worth our hearing Enter King with Alberto Gondi King Alberto Gondi Alb. Sir King I think thou lov'st me Alb. More than my life King That 's much yet I believe thee My Mother has the Judgment of the World And all things move by that but my Alberto She has cruel Wit and let me tell thee Thus to destroy the Souldiers of the Kingdom Famous as ever fought for Rome or Greece Under a shadow of a thousand Oaths 'T is Barbarous Alberto is it not And seems to me unworthy of a King Alb. The Provocation Sir King I know it well But it thou d'st have my heart within thy hand I swear Conspiracies of that foul Nature For ever blot the Memory of Kings What Honours Interest with the World to buy him Shall make a brave Man smile and do a Murder Therefore I hate the Treachery of Brutus I mean the latter so cry'd up in Story Whom none but Cowards and White-Liver'd-Knaves Would dare commend lagging behind his Fellows His Dagger in his Stab'd his Father This is a Blot the Ciceronian Stile Could ne're wipe off tho' the Man Mistaken in his Love for Brutus scorn'd him Makes bold to call those Traytors Men Divine Alb. Tully was Wise but wanted Constancy King He did Alberto Heark but one thing more For much I love thee and would fain unburden My Soul of half her Cares on such a Man So good Alb. My ever Dear and Honour'd Master King No more of that I 'le tell thee then last night As I lay tossing in a Feverish Dream I call'd for Drink when streight my Mother brought it But as she reach'd it to my trembling Lips Methought her Eyes roll'd gastly upon me A Palsey shook her hand yet I resolv'd Took off the Draught when streight a fainting seiz'd me My Eyes wept Blood my Ears my Nose and Mouth Pour'd forth whole Streams and all my Sweat was Blood My Hair and Nails dropt off as Autumn Leaves When Tempests rise fall from the wither'd Trees But oh the Fancy seems so much unnatural I 'll think no more on 't yet I thought to tell thee Because she is a Woman whom no Art Nor Wisdom of the World can ever fathom Alb. O my Gracious Lord Judge not the Queen by Dreams and vain Chimaera's Remember Sir how often in your Nonage She manag'd with her Wit the weight of Empire Contending with th' Effects of blind Religion The Contumacy of Rebellious Subjects The deep dissimulation of the Court The want of Treasure bassling with her Prudence The utmost strength Ambition rais'd to gain her King O Count of Rhetz thou lead'st me through the Garden Of every Grace but darest not point her Weeds Is she not of a most deceitful Soul Perfidious even to violating Vows Is she not greedy too of Human Blood A Wit wasteful in destroying Lives That she will turn a City to a Wild Qu. M. Good Morrow Sir 'T is just the time you order'd I think the second Watch and we are met To wait on your Decrees King O Mother Mother You have imbark'd me in a Sea of Blood And sure so damnable an Enterprise Was never form'd by Man Qu. M. If Sir you fear it Why give it o're and let the Admiral Reign Call in the Hugonots and drive your Friends Banish your Blood and the Establish'd Peers Forget the long Succession of your Fathers The Throne of Kings forget the Laws Religion Cut off the Noble Spirits from your Council And from the Dregs of this Heretical Faction Compose a Bastard Cabinet-Election Let
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
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
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