THE MASSACRE OF PARIS A TRAGEDY As it is Acted at the Theatre Royal BY THEIR MAJESTIES SERVANTS Written by Nat. Lee Gent. LONDON Printed for R. Bentley and M. Magnes at the Post-House in Russel-street in Covent-Garden 1690. PROLOGUE By Mr. Mountfort THis day we shew you the most Bloody rage That ever did Religious Fiends engage A Reconcilement with a Wedding-Feast While Murther was the Treat for every Guest Which well may prove to Ages yet to come The Faith of France the Charity of Rome France by the most detestable Perjury Enslav'd its Subjects who by Laws were free No Sacrament can this Great Hero bind Oaths are weak Shackles for his mighty Mind And worse than Heathens does he persecute His Priests want Sense and Learning to dispute But weak Divines by strong Dragoons confute And who-e're doubts of any Priestly Maggot The Heretick Dog must be convinc'd by Faggot With Rome's Religion and French Government What Slave so abject as to be content Now idle Malecontent what is 't you 'd have Would you be an Idolater or Slave What d' you murmur for because you 're free Aud this bless'd Isle enjoys its Liberty Cross but the Narrow Seas and you will find Slavery and Superstition to your mind Take with you all your Friends that grumble too The Land will happily be rid of You Then all as one with our Great Prince combin'd And his Allies by Sacred Vnion joyn'd Will such false Bloody Tyrants oppose Till none shall dare to own the Name of Foes Personae Dramatis King Charles IX Mr. Mountfort Duke of Guise Mr. Williams Cardinal of Lorrain Mr. Kynaston Duke of Anjou Mr. Pruet Alberto Gondi Mr. Harris Lignoroles Mr. Bowen Admiral of France Mr. Betterton Cavagnes Mr. Freeman Langoiran Mr. Alexander Queen Mother Mrs. Betterton Marguerite Mrs. Barry Queen of Navarre Mrs. Knight Antramont Wife to the Admiral Mrs. Iorden Genius Mr. Bowman SCENE PARIS THE MASSACRE OF PARIS ACT I. SCENE I. The Duke of Guise Cardinal of Lorraine Marguerite Gui. JUST from your Arms by this great Guardian rais'd Call'd to the Council of a wary King On whom depends the Fortune of Lorraine O Marguerite yet to drag at this After such full possession thus to languish If this be not to love thee say what is Cease then the rolling Torrent of thy Tears Which when I strive to climb the Hill of Honour Washes my hold away and drives me down Beneath Man's Scorn into the vale of Ruine Mar. Hear hear him O you Powers because I love him Above my Life beyond all joys on Earth He says I am his Ruine to my Face With a Court Metaphor he Vows he loaths me For all Men hate their Ruine nay 't is true I find your Falshood 't is the trick of great ones Like Beasts of Strength to prey upon the Weakest Gui. I swear Mar. O do not dear Ambitious Guise For Perjury so necessary seems To great Men's Oaths thou must of course be damn'd Yet as I am thus plung'd in this dishonour Like a fall'n Angel roll'd through all my Hells I cannot hate thee Guise but sighing far Far from the shining Clime where I was born I beg those cruel Fates that hurl'd me down To pity thee and keep thee from my ruine For I 'm so curs'd that I do not wish my Foe Much less the Man I love above the World Gui. As I love thee and O be Witnesses My Brain and Soul there 's not an Artery That runs through all the Body of thy Guise But beats where e're it pass Marguerite Yet this is nothing haste away my Lord Go tell the King and Council I am sick For I 'le to Bed again or on a Couch Sit gazing in her beauteous Eyes all day And let the business of a grave World pass Mar. No more my Lord you shall you shall to Council I see 't is necessary but I find My Soul presages Mischief if not Murder For if you should prove false Crowns Kingdoms Empires Worlds should not save poor Marguerite from the Grave Ah Guise ah venerable Lorrain view me Behold me on the Earth I swear I love As never Woman lov'd I 'm all a Brand With or without you I am ne're at rest Farewel this Fever of my furious passion Burns me to Madness yet I say farewel Gui. Farewel Yet why farewel when e're the Evening I shall again rush to eternal Sweets This bosom of the Spring Marguerite going out Mar. returning What no endearments at so sad a parting Alas perhaps I ne're shall see you more You bow'd you kiss'd but did not press my hand You shou'd like me have stagger'd when you left me And eat your Marguerite with your hungry Eyes But you are cold and pall'd a lukewarm Lover Must to the business of the cursed State Which will not let you think of dying Marguerite Who to her last gasp will remember you But see I rave again my Fits return Yet pity me for oh I burn I burn Exit Car. I think I never heard so fierce a Passion She 's all Convulsion and she gazes on you As you would do on him that kill'd your Father What have you done my Lord to make her thus Gui. Causes are endless for a Woman 's loving Perhaps she has seen me break a Lance on Horse-back Or as my Custom is all over Arm'd Plunge in the Seine or Loire and where 't is swiftest Plow too my point against the headlong Stream T is certain were my Soul of that soft make Which some believe she has Charms my Heav'nly Uncle Beyond the Art and Wit of Cleopatra Such was not she stretch'd in her Golden Barge As Marguerite was last Night in Bed Who as she mourn'd at my unkind delay Hung all the Chambers round with Black her Bed Her Coverings nay her Sarsnet Sheets were Black Car. Fy fy my Lord. Gui. And for the Weathers heat Were roll'd beneath the beauties of her Breasts Which with a White more pure than new-fall'n Snow Would sure have tempted Hermits from their Orgies To nod and smile a little at the wonder Car. Come come my Lord you anger me indeed Not for the Sin that 's as the Conscience makes it I had rather you should Whore a thousand Women Than love but one thô in a lawful way Shew me through all Memorials of Great Men Except the Partner of the Roman Empire Drooping Antonius and the fam'd Decemvir One that e're bow'd before this little Idol Gui. First know your Man before your Application I love 't is true but most for my Ambition Therefore I thought to marry Marguerite But oh that Cassiopeia in the Chair The Regent Mother and that Dog Anjou Cross Constellations blast my Plots e're born The King too frowns upon me for last night Hearing a Ball was promis'd by the Queen I came to help the Show when at the Door The King who stood himself the Centry stopt me And ask'd me what I came for I reply'd To serve his
King of France Adm. reads MAdam as you demanded you have power o're all the County suddenly of Armagnac Tell the great Admiral I seek his Friendship Ask of Lorrain the rest who knows my heart Perhaps my Friends it may be thus indeed That quite tir'd out with infinite Distractions He may at last resolve to Rule alone Come from his Page-ship and put off the Mother Not lose his Youth the pleasure of his Bloom Among grey Senators and withering Councils If it were so but hold there 's something here Forbids that thought it rises like a Vapor A strange misgiving such as Women swoon at And Men themselves may fear But see the Queen Enter the Queen of Navarre Prince of Navarre and Prince of Conde Q. Navarr I come Sir to forestall the Cardinal Who from the King offers these terms of Peace He adds to what Count Lodowick brought before His Mothers Policy shall sway no longer That He 'll submit his Genius to your conduct Confirms your being Captain General In that most glorius Enterprize on Spain Allows you fifty for your Person 's Guard Therefore for sealing this Eternal Bond And for the former weighty Consultations He begs you instantly to come to Court Adm. What has your Majesty resolv'd to do Q. M. To go with both the Princes streight to Paris And see the Nuptials of my young Navarre I know not what your Lordship does intend But I have sent already to the King My Answer by Byron and will attend him Adm. Then 't is too late to think of going back You have lanch'd me now indeed and I must plunge In this Abiss tho' it be deep as Hell No Madam spite of all the Augurs here Since you are thus resolv'd I 'le go to the foremost 'T was for your sake and in the Prince's cause For Liberty of Conscience and Religion That I thus long did propagate the War And shall I now not follow where you lead me Lan. Why should you if it goes against your mind Adm. Peace peace Langoiran since the Main's produc'd I mean the Resolution of the Queen My Fate cries out we must we must away Therefore my Friend go gather my Dependants Bid 'em prepare for Paris Tell my Wife My dearest Martia we must bid farewell Tell her I 'm forc'd to swim against the Stream Say that her Cato's bound for Vtica From whence perhaps he never shall return Enter Cardinal of Lorrain Car. Conquest prosperity and smooth success Be ever strow'd before our General 's feet Thus Sir the King salutes you with Commission To turn the Torrent of your Arms on Spain Adm. My Lord I glory in the great Employ I hear beside the King will rule alone For Sir what e're the Wit of Women be From War and Councils let 'em be remov'd I say again with my old bluntness Sir To have a Female finger in the State Is blasting to the Prince's Memory Let him but be sincere and leave the Mother Old as I am I will put on my Arms And with this hand not wither'd yet in War Bear to th' Escurial his Imperial Standard Car. My Lord for the sincerity of the King That he intends his Dear and Great Chastillon The very words that did express his love All Honours Titles Greatness all Advancement Nay to the curbing of his Mother's Will For the performance of each Article Without a pious catch or trick of State Without the smallest Mental Reservation Equivocation or the least Reserve In the King's Name as I am Priest profess'd As I am sent from Heav'n to teach Salvation I pawn the truth of my immortal Soul Adm. He then to whom our hearts are free and open Be judge betwixt his Majesty and me Car. O Sir O Madam oh you make me weep Viewing by this the frailty of the World For if the Mind of Man be so suspicious On such clear Demonstration of Affection How can you e're believe the Love Divine Q. M. My Lord you may return with our obedience And tell the King the Admiral the Princes My self and all his humble faithful Subjects Will haste to throw our Bodies at his feet Adm. My Lord farewell I must not doubt your Oaths But with implicite Faith believe the King At whose Tribunal I must shortly kneel For Pardon and Forgiveness Admiral returns with Cavagnes Adm. Hark my Cavagnes write to count Lodowic The Seirs de Genlis and La-Nove to haste And suddenly to make surprise of Mons. Cav My Lord Adm. Nay write I say I 'le have it done On my Parisian entrance I 'm resolv'd To see into the heart of this young Charles And force him thus upon a War with Spain For tho' this Cardinal Swear and damn his Soul As deep as Heaven's high yet if his bowels Be like the rest of that Blood-colour'd Robe And laughs at Ghosts where 's then the Admiral Caught by this perjur'd jugling man of God! What for the Cabinet Murderers to play with To toss Chastillon's Fate from one to t'other And grin my Life and Honour from the World But now for Paris Call Colombier The Count la Rochfoucalt Marquis de Renel Piles Pluviah Pardillan and Lavardine Bandine and all my Gallants of the War For Paris bid 'em haste Enter Antramont with Langoiran Ant. Stay stay My Lord I charge you stay for Martia does Arrest you And saies you shall not go to Vtica Martia resolves to hinder this Self-Murder Adm. Self-Murder Martia Ant. Yes you turn the Sword Upon your self which Charles and that false Queen Brandish against you going thus to Court Against your will for so you sent me word Is not this running it in your own Bowels Is it not Cato but you shall not leave me You 're now Betroth'd and in this sad Condition Thus fraught with your clear Image like a Bark Too Richly laden with an over Ballast Leave me not Gaspar to a stood of Tears A Sea of Passion and a Storm of Sorrow Adm. Beg me not Martia 't is impossible To stay me now my Honour is engag'd My Word is past Ant. Yet stay Sir stay so long So long at least as may preserve your Likeness For if I yield you now to those Court-Murderers My boding Fears will blast it e're 't is Born For sure as Caesar's Butchery was perform'd At Rome your Murder is contriv'd at Paris Calphurnia's bloody Dream and Scent of Slaughter Are nothing Sir to my Prophetick Spirit Which not by Visions Fantoms of the Night But by day Arguments and certain Reason Will give such Evidence for your undoing As you your self being Judge shall say are true Adm. O Antramont away why dost thou thus Unman me with thy Tears Tho' certain Death With all the Dagger'd Council stood to wait me Ev'n in my view I swear I would among ' em Ant. Then you are caught indeed they hate you Sir Your Wife with this poor Innocent unborn With all your other Orphans are undone The Glory of the Earth is laid along I see
With my Cavagnes Ant. I am commanded Sir Yet for the safety of your innocent Babes Beware my Lord be cautious O prevent Exit Antramont Adm. Fear not Farewel be gone I will beware Why should I fear Cavagnes when the King Inclines his heart to the Reform'd Religion When the whole management of Home-affairs With all Confederacies made abroad Are left to me as Judge and Arbitrator The Genius and the Oracle of France But if the Will of Heav'n has set it down That all this trust is deep dissimulation That there 's no Faith nor Credit to be given To the inviolable Royal Word O my Cavagnes if 't is possible If this be so I yield I yield to die I am contented for the Protestant Faith Here to be hewn into a thousand pieces And made the Martyr of so good a Cause Lang. My Lord I take my leave and am resolv'd To leave the Court Adm. Cavagnes prethee speak It is not worth our smile But why Langoiran Why dost thou leave the Maker of thy Fortune Is it not worth the hazard Lang. No my Lord. I 'm sorry Sir to see you made so much of And so Farewel For my part I 'm content To save my self with Fools rather than perish With those that are too wise Exit Enter a Servant Serv. My Lord the Duke of Guise Enter Guise Exeunt Cavag Serv. and all Gui. The King my Lord commanded me to wait you And bid you welcome to the Court Adm. The King Still loads me with new Honours but none greater Than this the last Gui. There is one greater yet Your high Commission for the War with Spain I and my Family are charg'd to serve you And 't will be glorious work Adm. If you are there There must be Action Gui. O your pardon Sir I 'm but a Stripling in the Trade of War But you whose life is one continu'd Battel What will not your Triumphant Arms accomplish Who as your self confess'd or Fame is false Have quite out-gone the memory of the Ancients Of Alexander and of Iulius Caesar For they in all their Actions had success But you in spite of your malicious Fortune After the loss of four most signal Battels Still rose more fierce and dreadful to your Foes And last when all men thought you had no way To save your life but wander through the World You forc'd the King to grant your own Conditions More proper for a Conquerour than one That was o'recome Adm. No more of that my Lord. Gui. But Sir since I must make a little one In this great Business let me understand What 't is you mean and why you put the King Upon so dangerous an Expedition Adm. Know I intend the Greatness of the King The Greatness of all France whom it imports To make their Arms their Aim and Occupation Since then the Genius of the Kingdom 's rouz'd I 'll turn the Fever of those Civil Broils To wholesom Exercise to war with Strangers Gui. Stor'd Arsenals and Armories and Fields of Horse Ordnance Ammunition and the Nerve of War Sound Infantry not harrass'd and diseas'd To meet a Veteran Army should be thought of Nor ought you to rely on Protestants Those Mercenaries that must come for he Who thus resolv'd depends on such shall spread His Feathers now but mew 'em all to morrow Adm. I find my Lord the Argument grows warm Therefore thus much and I have done The King Intends to send an Army into Flanders A powerful one and under my Command First then altho' the Wars of later Ages Are in respect of former made i' th' dark Chastillon will not steal a Victory Gui. The Phrase of Alexander at Arbela Adm. No place of Honour Office or Command Through the whole Series of this glorious War For Profit Favour or for Interest Not of the greatest shall be bought or sold Whereas too for th' incouragement of Fighters There are degrees promiscuously conferr'd On Souldiers and no Souldiers this man Knighted Because he charg'd a Troop before his dinner And sculk'd behind a hedge in th' afternoon I will have strict Examination made Betwixt the meritorious and the base And since I am entrusted as I wish I 'll spoil the Traffick of this Brandy Court And vye Rewards for Merit with old Rome Gui. You will my good Lord Admiral Adm. Sir I will Upon the very Spot of Victory For Gallant Men Erect their Tropies Funeral Laudatives And Monuments for those that dy'd in War Crowns of distinction Garland Personal All but the Stile of Emperour which the King Of the whole Universe did after borrow That for my Master and perhaps for me The Triumph of their Generals on return Gui. You have mouth'd it bravely and there is no doubt Your deeds would answer well such haughty words Yet let me tell you Sir there was a man Curse on the hand that sped him that would better Better than you or all the bragging Generals That when he shone in Arms and sun'd the Field That better would become the great Battallion Mov'd spoke and fought and was himself a War Adm. The Noble Guise your Father Sir you mean But yet my Lord Gui. No yet my Lord no yet By Arms I bar you that For never was his like nor shall again Till murder'd by Poltrot curs'd damn'd Poltrot Whose Soul now gluts the Maw of Lucifer Adm. Speak with more Charity Gui. Ha! Charity Damnation on the Soul that harbours it Were I in Heav'n and saw him scorch'd in Flames I would not spit my Indignation down Lest I should cool his Tongue For Beza too That set him on with the Rewards of Heav'n To act so black so deep so damn'd a Murder O why will Charles thus sheath the Sword of Justice Till he has rooted up this Sect of Villains And collar'd to the Stake that canting Slave That preach'd my God-like Father from the World Adm. Come come my Lord hear with a little patience And you shall find 't is not the Protestant way To stab and beat the Brains out in the dark Look home my Lord go to the Vatican See if in all those Politick Discourses There be not one Red-letter'd Page for killing Gui. Ha Admiral then dur'st thou justify The Villain whom my Vengeance marks for death Adm. My Lord I will not justify a Villain More than your self But if you thus proceed If that a great Man's breath can puff away On every Pet the Lives of Free-born People What need that awful General Convocation Th' Assembly of the States nay let me urge If thus you threat the Venerable Beza What may the rest expect Gui. What if I could They should be certain of whole Piles of Fire Adm. 'T is very well my Lord I know your mind Which without fear or flatt'ry to your Person I 'll tell the King and then with his Permission Proclaim it for a Warning to our People Gui. Come you 're a Murd'rer your self Adm. Away Gui. You were Complotter with that Villian Beza
The black Abetter of my Father's Murder Adm. This wou'd sound well my Lord in Front-Battle But here upon a Visit from the King It looks not like the Guise Gui. My Father's Murder bid me not stand on points When that 's remember'd But track me to the Forest with thy Sword Thus Man to Man bark'd with all thy People Follow me or I will proclaim thee Traytor Coward Adm. O King King King still let me sound thy Name Lest this Fool-hardy-Boy this knotty Trifler This Spawn of Words this Urchin of the War Should raise my Anger past the pulling down Enter King Queen Mother Alberto Anjou and Morvile But see He 's here I scorn to ruine thee Therefore go tell him tell him thy own Story King What now my Lord of Guise Is this your Visit I charge you on your life without reserve Tell me the truth how hapned this disorder Those rusted hands red looks and port of Fury Gui. I told him Sir since you resolve to have it He was the Murderer of my Noble Father Therefore a Traytor Villain and a Coward King Is 't possible Adm. No matter Sir no matter The Old Man rouz'd and shook himself my Lord A few hot words no more upon my life So if your Majesty will do me Honour I do beseech you let the business dye King Guise go submit your self and ask his pardon Gui. My Lord I cannot speak King Where are our Guards Adm. Hold there Come Sir I will interpret for you My Lord this close embrace makes up the breach We will be sorry Sir for one another Gui. You have out-done me Sir but you 'l excuse me 'T was a great Rack that screw'd me to this Folly Adm. More than enough we 're riveted the faster King My Lord of Guise Q. M. My good Lord Admiral Now use your Power and quite oblige the Court Villandry has provok'd the King at Play In such a nature that he 's doom'd to die My Son refus'd my Intercession for him Therefore when he has done his Check to Guise For your affront pray my good Lord intreat him King The Marriage stays within which past resolve His Execution sudden as you can Gui. Marvile Mar. My Lord Gui. I by the King's Commission have Command To take the Admiral 's life Mar. I 'le shoot him Gui. Right As he returns from Court Mar. From some Out-Lodging I 'le watch him till I execute your Order Adm. I am a Suitor to your Majesty For poor Villandry's life King Haste bring him forth I think my Lord if you should ask my heart My yielding breast would open to your hand But Father let 's away the Cardinal Stays for Navarre Adm. We 'll wait your Majesty Exit King with the Court O my Cavagnes where 's Langorian now Where 's Antramont but haste and tell her all Tell her th' extravagant kindness of the King Tell her but stay why such repeated Oaths That 's to be thought on Hollow was his aspect Graves in his smiles Death in his bloodless hands O Antramont I 'le haste to meet thy Eyes The Face of Beauty on these rising horrours Looks like the Midnight-Moon upon a Murder It drives the Shades that thicken from the State And gilds the dark design that 's ripe for Fate Exeunt ACT V. SCENE I. The King rises from a Couch FRom Amber shrouds I see the morning rise Her Rosy hand begins to paint the Skies And now the City Emets leave their Hive And rouzing Hinds to chearful labour drive High Cliffs and Rocks are pleasing objects now And Nature smiles upon the Mountains brow The Joyful Birds falute the Sun's approach The Sun too laughs and mounts his gaudy Coach While from his Car the dropping Gems distil And all the Earth and all the Heaven does smile But Charles still wrapt in Shades like Night appears His sighs the Vapors and the Dews his Tears Yet O Just Power with pity O behold The wretch whose fault is in your Book inroll'd Behold these streams with which his Soul aspires To slake your wrath and quench your angry fires Enter Genius Gen. Thy Genius lo from his sweet Bed of rest Adorn'd with Jassamin and with Roses drest The Pow'r Divine has rais'd to stop thy Fate A true Repentance never comes too late So soon as born she made her self a Shroud The weeping Mantle of a Fleecy Cloud And swift as thought her Airy Journy took Her hand Heav'ns Azure Gate with trembling strook The Stars did with amazement on her look She told thy Story in so sad a Tone The Angels start from Bliss and gave a groan But Charles beware oh dally not with Heav'n For after this no Pardon shall be giv'n Exit Enter the Queen Mother Cardinal of Lorrain Anjou Alberto Gondi Car. The King upon the Earth O rise my Lord. Q. M. He has of late been troubled with such Faintings And see he bleeds at Mouth King Stand from me all O Mother Mother Whither will you lead me Through what a Vault of Monuments and Sculls And dead Men's Bones And you my Lord Lorrain Must I still journey through this Vale of Death And never reach the Paradise you promis'd I must not let the Massacre go forward I 'm warn'd from Heav'n I swear I think from Heav'n Q. M. Some Scar-crow of a Dream So far from Sin Or ought that 's damnable is our Design That my Lord Cardinal will tell you Sir 'T is meritorious and when e're we strike The Church shall bless it as a blow from Heav'n Car. Therefore my Lord I wish you to suspect Whatever thwarts you in your holy purpose However veil'd tho' in an Angel's form Conclude it the suggestion of the Devil Q. M. So now I hope these Qualms are at an end And we may close pursue the main intention Supposed the Admiral kill'd on this the Hugonots Fall on the House of Guise the City rises And cuts 'em all to pieces now imagine Which I am apt to think the Hereticks Are more discreet and only sue for Justice Without a Tumult shall the business stand Car. No. If we find they do not run to Uproar Our only hope to colour o're their ruine Proceed to instant Slaughter or they 'l find Some means for flight and kindle up the War More dreadfully than ever Anj. Is 't determin'd That with the rest the Princes too shall bleed Q. M. My Judgment is most positive in this Let not one Soul of all be left alive For 't is ridiculous in such Extreams i th' mid'st of Slaughter Ruine Blood and Death To think of ever being prais'd for Mercy Nor can a mean be us'd the Duke of Guise Meddles not in it if a man escape And says in such a desperate Purge of Humours If any Relick of the great Distemper Be left behind it runs to a Relapse More dangerous than before King As I remember Madam it has been oft your Oracle In this late Civil Wars to avoid a Battel That limbs tho'
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
ne're so foul should not be lopt Without the utmost last Necessity Because the Body feels too great defect Sharp Pains and almost irrecoverable Weakness And will you now cut the great Arteries The Princes of the Blood Most horrid thought Q. M. Compose your self Navarre and Conde live Come come you must put off this Melancholy 'T will breed Suspicion Sir let me intreat you To go upon the Instant streight to Tennis While Morvele does his business King O my heart If you would have me fixt you must not leave me You must talk out to my distracted Soul Left Conscience drown the Voice of Policy Exeunt all but Car. Car. This 't is to have a Conscience Here comes one Enter Guise Sear'd as my self of my own Family Is he dispatch'd Gui. Not yet but Morvele waits him His Fuzee cock'd and planted at the Window All all is fitted Car. What your Marguerite Said she was sick and would not bed the Prince Last night Gui. I know not that but here I stay To take her as she passes to the Gardens How fares the King Car. A little bound in Conscience He pukes at Dreams and as I hear of late Spits Blood Gui. A Fit a fit my Lord o' th' Mother I told you so But see the furious Princess Away I 'le clap my Prow upon the Storm And if a Wrack must follow let it come Enter Marguerite Mar. Ha! Villain Traytor Devil Hence be gone Or I must get into my Grave to hide me I 've sworn I 've sworn to fly thee like a Fury And I am Damn'd if e're I see thee more Gui. I will obey you And indeed the Fates Of these sad Souls that must to day be dol'd Require my haste I beg you but to hear me Grant me but this By Hell and Hell's worst Horrors And all the Murders of this bloody day You ne're shall see me more Mar. What can'st thou say For see I know not how thou 'st charm'd my rage Gui. Know then the lives of every Hugonot This moment now are sentenc'd to the Grave A Massacre of all Mar. A Massacre Gui. Madam I 've done But hark a Gun went off My leaping heart cries out It is the Admiral The Marriage of Navarre was for this end Design'd to bring the Princes to the Court And on so great an Enterprise the King Compell'd me to the tearing of the Contract Or threatned the destruction of my House And which was worse your death before my eyes What hoa Morvele He pass'd the Anti-chamber Enter Morvele Permit me to consult him Ha! speak out Say is the Admiral Morv Not dead my Lord. I think I saw some of his Fingers fly And part of his left Arm I 'm sure I hit him Gui. Here take this Key fly to my Closet haste Thou art pursu'd Farewell Mor. I 'm gone my Lord. Exit Gui. 'T was in this manner just my noble Father Was palted from the Fame of all the World By such another Villain and my Soul Leaps with Revenge that this proud Admiral Should like an Eagle in his utmost slight Be topled from the Clouds of all his Glory Madam farewel I hope you will excuse What I enforc'd did act I love you still And on this sad affair in which perhaps Your Guise may perish It would warm my heart To hear you do not hate me Marg. Death and Horrour Infamy Vengeance Murder Massacre Gui. Now by the life and heart of our design 'T is well dissembled stood thy Lord in view I thus wou'd charge thee bear thee in my arms From the proud hurry of a clashing World To Mahomet's Paradise to Beds of Pleasure Where we shall spin the silken Joys for ever Without a break lengthening the twinkling moment To an Eternity of deathless Pleasure Marg. Touch me not for thy life thou Traytor Murderer Ravisher Oh thou titled Villany In Purple dipt to give a gloss to mischief Follow the bloody bark of thy Ambition And never see me more Gui. It cannot be Unless you chain me drag me in Sunless Caves You are my Earthly goodness all my hope Of Comfort here nor wish I more hereafter Marg. Hold hold Prophaner thou hast dishonour'd me But this is little to the Crimes that follow Thou hast betray'd me after all my Vows To marry one I hate for thy Ambition Mak'st me the Cause of this most horrid Vengeance At which the Earth shall sicken Saints be sad And none but Furies like your self Gui. Did not your Mother form the whole design Marg. Whoever form'd or helpt in such contriving Hell and Damnation waste 'em but for thee Sear'd as thou art with Cruelty Revenge I pity thee O Guise because I lov'd thee And beg thee view those Fiends that gape to seize thee Allow at least a possibility An unknown Country after you are dead As well as there was one e're you were born Gui. Admit me then once more to share your Breast To taste those Secrets from those lovely Lips And I in time may be a Proselyte Marg. Here look your last for from the time I leave you Ne're hope to see lost Marguerite more Gui. I am a Rebel and have sworn to see you By all our former Dearness and I will By Heav'n I will in spite of your resolve I 'le gaze upon you till these Crystals run Marg. You have broke my heart a thousand several ways And now against my will this parting melts me Gui. Speak not of parting by those Eyes I beg Nor melting hearts The blood runs down from mine Marg. For all the wrongs you have done me my Dishonor For all your delays your slights your thousand Oaths Your most considerate Pride in falling out That I might court you to be Friends again Gui. Stop yet and Oh eternal Love shall crowu thee Marg. For all my Midnight groans Gui. Hold Marguerite Marg. My Tears my Watchings The bleeding tokens of the fondest Love Gui. Take this and strike it to my heart Offers a Dagger But speak your griefs no more Marg. By all I 've said I beg you Sir to spare my Husband's life Gui. What Marguerite ha Navarre agen This was too much Marg. Save him if possible And so farewel thou Ruine of my Glory Farewel thou strong Seducer of my Youth Yet I will Eye thee hungerly at last Nay take this sigh too that thus splits my heart My Husband's life In all that I implore To save Navarre and never see me more Exit Marg. Gui. She 's gone for ever gone why let her go Henceforth pronounce all Woman-kind thy Foe Or if thy feeble Soul to Love return Do not like Anthony for life time burn But as a Lion eager of his prey Compell'd by thirst turns from his purpos'd way And in some silver Fountain slacks his rage Then runs more fiercely on his Foes t' ingage So having quench'd thy fires with Beauties Charms Forget the Pleasures and rush to Arms. Exit Enter King Q. Mother Anjou Lorrain Alb. Gondi King Command