this Outrage will undo us Guise All things are ripe and Love new points their Ruine Ha! my good Lords what if the murd'ring Council Were in our Power should they escape our Justice I see by each Mans laying of his Hand Upon his Sword you swear the like Revenge For me I wish that mine may both rot off╌ Card. No more May. The Council of Sixteen attend you Guise I go╌That Vermin may devour my Limbs That I may die like the late puling Francis Under the Barbers Hands Imposthumes choak me If while alive I cease to chew their Ruine Alphonso Corso Grillon Priest together To hang 'em in Effigie nay to tread Drag stamp and grind 'em after they are dead Exeunt ACT II. SCENE I. Enter Queen-Mother Abbot Delbene Polin Q. M. PRay mark the Form of the Conspiracy Guise gives it out he Journeys to Champagn But lurks indeed at Lagny hard by Paris Where every Hour he hears and gives Instructions Mean time the Council of Sixteen assure him They have Twenty thousand Citizens in Arms. Is it not so Polin Pol. True on my Life And if the King doubts the Discovery Send me to the Bastile till all be prov'd Q. M. Call Colonel Grillon the King would speak with him Exit Polin Abbot Was ever Age like this Q. M. Polin is honest Beside the whole Proceeding is so like The hair-brain'd Rout I guess'd as much before Know then it is resolv'd to seize the King When next he goes in Penitential Weeds Among the Friars without his usual Guards Then under shew of Popular Sedition For Safety shut him in a Monastery And sacrifice his Favourites to their Rage Abbot When is this Council to be held again Q. M. Immediately upon the Duke's departure Abbot Why sends not then the King sufficient Guards To seise the Fiends and hew 'em into pieces Q. M. 'T is in appearance easie but th' Effect Most hazardous for straight upon th' Alarm The City would be sure to be in Arms Therefore to undertake and not to compass Were to come off with Ruine and Dishonour You know th' Italian Proverb Bisogna Copriersi He that will venture on a Hornets Nest Should Arm his Head and Buckler well his Breast Abbot But wherefore seems the King so unresolv'd Q. M. I brought Polin and made the Demonstration Told him Necessity cry'd out to take A Resolution to preserve his Life And look on Guise as a reclaimless Rebel But thro the Natural Sweetness of his Temper And dangerous Mercy coldly he reply'd Madam I will consider what you say Abbot Yet after all could we but fix him Q. M. Right The Business were more firm for this Delay For Noblest Natures tho they suffer long When once provok'd they turn the Face to Danger But see he comes Alphonso Corso with him Let us withdraw and when 't is fit rejoyn him Exeunt Enter King Alphonso Corso King Alphonso Corso Alph. Sir King I think thou lov'st me Alph. 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 Alphonso She has a Cruel Wit Alph. The Provocation Sir King I know it well But if thou 'dst have my Heart within thy Hand All Conjurations blot the Name of Kings What Honours Interest were the World to buy him Shall make a Brave Man smile and do a Murder Therefore I hate the Memory of Brutus I mean the latter so cry'd up in Story Caesar did ill but did it in the Sun And foremost in the Field but sneaking Brutus Whom none but Cowards and white-liver'd Knaves Would dare commend lagging behind his Fellows His Dagger in his Bosom stabb'd his Father This is a Blot which Tully's Eloquence Could ne're wipe off tho the mistaken Man Makes bold to call those Traytors Men Divine Alph. Tully was wise but wanted Constancy Enter Queen-Mother Abbot Delbene Q. M. Good-even Sir 't is just the time you order'd To wait on your Decrees King Oh Madam Q. M. Sir King Oh Mother but I cannot make it way Chaos and Shades 't is huddl'd up in Night Q. M. Speak then for Speech is morning to the Mind It spreads the Beautious Images abroad Which else lie furl'd and clouded in the Soul King You would Embark me in a Sea of Blood Q. M. You see the Plot directly on your Person But give it ore I did but state the Case Take Guise into your Heart and drive your Friends Let Knaves in Shops prescribe you how to sway And when they read your Acts with their vile Breath Proclaim aloud they like not this or that Then in a drove come Lowing to the Louvre And cry 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 But O if the Design we lay should fail Better the Traytors never should be touch'd If Execution cries not out 't is done Q. M. No Sir you cannot fear the sure Design But I have liv'd too long fince my own Blood Dares not Confide in her that gave him Being King Stay Madam stay come back forgive my fears Where all our thoughts should creep like deepest streams Know then I hate aspiring Guise to Death Whor'd Margerite Plots upon my life And shall I not Revenge Q. M. Why this is Harry Harry at Moncontour when in his Bloom He saw the Admiral Colligny's Back King O this Whale Guise with all the Lorain Fry Might I but view him after his Plots and Plunges Strook on those Cowring Shallows that await him This were a Florence Master-piece indeed Q. M. He comes to take his leave King Then for Champagn But lies in wait till Paris is in Arms. Call Grillon in all that I beg you now Is to be hush'd upon the Consultation As Urns that never blab Q. M. Doubt not your Friends Love 'em and then you need not fear your Foes Enter Grillon King Welcome my Honest-Man my old try'd Friend Why dost thou flye me Grillon and Retire Grill. Rather let me demand your Majesty Why fly you from your self I 've heard you say You 'd Arm against the League why do you not The Thoughts of such as you are Starts Divine And when you mould with second Cast the Spirit The Air the Life the Golden Vapour 's gone King Soft my Old Friend Guise Plots upon my life Polin shall tell thee more hast thou not heard Th'unsufferable Affronts he daily offers War without Treasure on the Hugonots While I am forc'd against my bent of Soul Against all Laws all Custom Right Succession To cast Navar from the Imperial Line Grill. Why do you Sir Death let me tell the Traytor King Peace Guise is going to his Government You are his Foe of Old Go to him Grillon Visit him as from me to be Employ'd In this great War against the Hugonots And prethee tell him roundly of his Faults No farther Honest
Grillon Grill. Shall I fight him King I charge thee not Grill. If he provokes me strike him You 'l Grant me that King Not so my Honest Souldier Yet speak to him Grill. I will by Heav'n to th' purpose And if he force a beating who can help it Exit Grill. King Follow Alphonso when the storm is up Call me to part ' em Q. M. Grillon to ask him Pardon Will let Guise know we are not in the Dark King You hit the Judgment yet O yet there 's more Something upon my heart after these Counsels So soft and so unworthy to be nam'd Q. M. They say that Grillon's Niece is come to Court And means to kiss Your Hand Exit Q. Mother King Could I but hope it O my Dear Father pardon me in this And then enjoyn me all that Man can suffer But sure the Powers above will take our Tears For such a fault Love is so like themselves Exeunt Scene 2. The Louvre Enter Guise attended with his Family Marmoutire meeting him New Drest attended c. Guise Furies she keeps her Word and I am lost Yet let not thy Ambition shew it to her For after all she does it but to try me And foil my vow'd Design Madam I see You 're come to Court the Robes you wear become you Your Air your Meen your Charms your every Grace Will Kill at least your thousand in a day Mar. What a whole day and kill but one poor thousand An hour you mean and in that hour ten thousand Yes I wou'd make with every Glance a Murder Mend me this Curle Guise Woman Mar. You see my Lord I have my Followers like you I swear The Court 's a Heav'nly Place but O my Heart I know not why that sigh should come uncall'd Perhaps 't was for your going yet I swear I never was so mov'd O Guise as now Just as you enter'd when from yonder Window I saw the King Guise Woman all over Woman The World confesses Madam Henry's Form Is Noble and Majestick Mar. O you grudge The extorted Praise and speak him but by halfs Guise Priest Corso Devils how she carries it Mar. I see my Lord you are come to take your leave And were it not to give the Court Suspicion I would oblige you Sir before you go To lead me to the King Guise Death and the Devil Mar. But since that cannot be I 'le take my leave Of you my Lord Heav'n grant your Journey safe Farwell once more Not stir Does this become you Does your Ambition swell into your Eyes Jealousie by this Light Nay then proud Guise I tell you you 're not worthy of the Grace But I will carry 't Sir to those that are And leave you to the Curse of Bosom-War Exit May. Is this the Heavenly Guise Devil Devil as they are all 'T is true at first she caught the Heav'nly Form But now Ambition sets her on her Head By Hell I see the Cloven Mark upon her Ha! Grillon here some New Court-Trick upon me Enter Grillon Grill. Sir I have business for your Ear. Guise Retire Exeunt his Followers Grill. The King my Lord commanded me to wait you And bid you welcome to the Court. Guise The King Still loads me with New Honours but none greater Than this the last Grill. There is one greater yet Your High Commission against the Hugonots I and my Family shall shortly wait you And 't will be Glorious Work Guise If you are there There must be Action Girll O your Pardon Sir I 'm but a Sripling in the Trade of War But you whose Life is one continued Broyl What will not your triumpahnt Arms accomplish You that were form'd for Mastery in War That with a start cry'd to your Brother Mayenne To Horse and slaughter'd forty thousand Germans Guise Let me beseech you Colonel no more Grill. But Sir since I must make at least a Figure In this great Business let me understand What 't is you mean and why you force the King Upon so dangerous an Expedition Guise Sir I intend the Greatness of the King The Greatness of all France whom it imports To make their Arms their Business Aim and Glory And where so proper as upon those Rebels That covered all the State with Blood and Death Grill. Stor'd Arsenals and Armories Fields of Horse Ordnance Munition and the Nerve of War Sound Infantry not Harrafs'd and diseas'd To meet the fierce Navar should first be thought on Guise I find my Lord the Argument grows warm Therefore thus much and I have done I go To join the Holy League in this great War In which no place of Office or Command Not of the Greatest shall be bought or sold Whereas too after Honours are Conferr'd On Souldiers and no Souldiers This Man Knighted Because he Charg'd a Troop before his Dinner And feulk'd behind a Hedgith ' Afternoon I will have strict Examination made Betwixt the Meritorious and the Base Grill. You have Mouth'd it bravely and there is no doubt Your Deeds would answer well your haughty Words Yet let me tell you Sir there is a Man Curse on the Hearts that hate him that wou'd better Better than you or all your puffy Race That better would become the Great Battalion That when he Shines in Arms and Suns the Field Moves Speaks and Fights and is himself a War Guise Your Idol Sir you mean the Great Navarr But yet ╌ Grill. No Yet my Lord of Guise no Yet By Arms I bar you that I swear No Yet For never was his like nor shall again Tho' voted from his Right by your Curs'd League Guise Judge not too rashly of the Holy League But look at home Grill. Ha! dar'st thou justifie Those Villains Guise I 'le not justify a Villain More than your self but if you thus proceed If every heated Breath can puff away On each furmife the Lives of Free-born People What need that Awful General Convocation The Assembly of the States Nay let me urge If thus they villifie the Holy League What may their Heads expect Grill. What if I cou'd They should be certain of whole Piles of Fire Guise Collonel 't is very well I know your Mind Which without fear or flattery to your Person I 'le tell the King and then with his permission Proclaim it for a warning to our People Grill. Come you 're a Murderer your self within A Traytor Guise Thou a╌hot old Hair-brain'd Fool. Grill. You were Complotter with the Cursed League The black Abettor of our Harry's Death Guise 'T is false Grill. 'T is true as thou art double-hearted Thou double Traytor to Conspire so basely And when found out more basely to deny 't Guise O Gracious Harry let me found thy Name Lest this old rust of War this knotty Trifler Should raise me to extreames Grill. If thou' rt a Man That did'st refuse the Challenge of Navar Come forth Guise Go on since thou' rt resolv'd on Death I 'le follow thee and rid thy shaking Soul Enter
which shall be deputed Buss. 'T is most manifest that by Virtue of our Oath We are all Subjects to the Duke of Guise The King 's An Officer that has betray'd his Trust and therefore we have turn'd him out of Service Omnes Agreed agreed Enter the Duke of Guise Cardinal of Guise Aumale Torches before them The Duke takes the Chair Buss. Your Highness enters in a lucky hour Th'unanimous Vote you heard confirms your Choice As Head of Paris and the Holy League Card. I say Amen to that Pol. You are our Champion Buckler of our Faith Card. The King like Saul is Heaven 's repented Choice You his Anointed one on better thought Guise I 'm what you please to call me Any thing Lieutenant General Chief or Constable Good Decent Names that only mean your Slave Buss. You chas'd the Germans hence Exil'd Navarre And rescu'd France from Hereticks and Strangers Aum. What he and all of us have done is known What 's our Reward Our Offices are lost Turn'd out like Labour'd Oxen after Harvest To the bare Commons of the wither'd Field Buss. Our Charters will go next Because we Sheriffs Permit no Justice to be done on those The Court calls Rebels but we call them Saints Guise Yes we are all involv'd as Heads or Parties Dipt in the noisy Crime of State call'd Treason And Traitours we must be to King or Country Buss. Why then my Choice is made Pol. And mine Omn. And all Card. Heav'n is it self Head of the Holy League And all the Saints are Cov'nanters and Guisards Guise What say you Curate Cur. I hope well my Lord. Card. That is he hopes you mean to make him Abbot And he deserves your care of his Preferment For all his Prayers are Curses on the Government And all his Sermons Libels on the King In short a Pious Hearty Factious Priest Guise All that are here my Friends shall share my Fortunes There 's Spoil Preferments Wealth enough in France 'T is but deserve and have The Spanish King Consigns me fifty thousand Crowns a Week To raise and to foment a civil-Civil-War 'T is true a Pension from a Foreign Prince Sounds Treason in the Letter of the Law But good intentions justify the deed Cur. Heaven's good the Cause is good the Money 's good No matter whence it comes Buss. Our City Bands are twenty thousand strong Well Disciplin'd well Arm'd well season'd Traitors Thick rinded heads that leave no room for Kernel Shop Consciences of proof against an Oath Preach'd up and ready tin'd for a Rebellion Guise Why then the Noble Plot is fit for birth And Labouring France cries out for Midwife-hands We miss'd surprizing of the King at Blois When last the States were held 't was over sight Beware we make not such another Blot Card. This Holy time of Lent we have him sure He goes unguarded mix'd with whipping Fryars In that Procession he 's more fit for Heav'n What hinders us to seize the Royal Penitent And close him in a Cloyster Cur. Or dispatch him I love to make all sure Guise No guard him safe Thin Diet will do well 't will starve him into Reason Till he exlude his Brother of Navarre And graft Succession on a worthier Choice To favour this five hundred Men in Arms Shall stand prepar'd to enter at your call And speed the Work St. Martins Gate was nam'd But the Sheriff Conty who Commands that Ward Refus'd me passage there Buss. I know that Conty A Sniveling Conscientious Loyal Rogue He 'll Peach and Ruine all Card. Give out he 's Arbitrary a Navarrist A Heretick discredit him betimes And make his Witness void Cur. I 'll swear him Guilty I swallow Oaths as easie as Snap-dragon Mock-Fire that never burns Guise Then Bussy be 't your care t' admit my Troops At Porte St. Honore rises Night wears apace And Day-light must not peep on Dark Designs I will my self to Court Pay Formal Duty Take leave and to my Government retire Impatient to be soon recall'd to see The King Imprison'd and the Nation free Exeunt all but Guise Enter Malicorn solus Mal. Each dismal Minute when I call to Mind The Promise that I made the Prince of Hell In one and twenty years to be his Slave Of which near twelve are gone my Soul runs back The Wards of reason rowl into their Spring O horrid thought but one and twenty years And twelve near past then to be steep'd in Fire Dash'd against Rocks or snatcht from molten Lead Reeking and dropping piece-meal born by Winds And quench'd ten thousand fathom in the deep But hark he comes see there my Blood stands still My Spirits start an end for Guise's Fate Knocking at the Door A Devil rises Mal. What Counsel does the Fate of Guise require Dev. Remember with his Prince there 's no delaâ—â— But the Sword drawn to fling the Sheath away Let not the fear of Hell his Spirit grieve The Tomb is still whatever Fools believe Laugh at the Tales which wither'd Sages bring Proverbs and Morals let the Waxen King That rules the Hive be born without a Sting Let Guise by Blood resolve to mount to Pow'r And he is Great as Mecha's Emperour He comes bid him not stand on Altar Vows But then strike deepest when he lowest bows Tell him Fate 's aw'd when an Usurper Springs And joyns to crow'd out Just Indulgent Kings Vanishes Enter the Duke of Guise and Duke of Mayen May. All Offices and Dignities he gives To your profest and most inveterate Foes But if he were inclin'd as we could wish him There is a Lady Regent at his Ear That never Pardons Guise Poyson on her Name Take my hand on 't that Cormorant Dowager Will never rest till she has all our Heads In her lap I was at Bayon with her When She the King and Grisly d'Alva met Methinks I see her listening now before me Marking the very motion of his Beard His Op'ning Nostrils and his Dropping Lids I hear him Croak too to the Gaping Council Fish for the great Fish take no care for Frogs Cut off the Poppy-Heads Sir Madam charm the Winds but fast the Billows will be still May. But Sir how comes it you should be thus warm Still pushing Councils when among your Friends Yet at the Court Cautious and cold as Age Your Voice your Eyes your Meen so different You seem to me two Men. Guise The Reason's plain Hot with my Friends because the Question giv'n I start the Judgment right where others drag This is the Eâ—â—â—â— of Equal Elements And Atoms justly pois'd nor should you wonder More at the strength of Body than of Mind 'T is equally the same to see me plunge Headlong into the Seine all over Arm'd And Plow against the Torrent to my point As 't was to hear my Judgment on the Germans This to another Man wou'd be a brag Or at the Court among my Enemies To be as I am here quite off my Guard Would make me such another thing