Massacre at Paris Part 11

GUISE. Good morrow to your Majestie.

KING. Good morrow to my loving Cousin of Guise.

How fares it this morning with your excellence?

GUISE. I heard your Majestie was scarcely pleasde, That in the Court I bear so great a traine.

KING. They were to blame that said I was displeasde, And you good Cosin to imagine it.

Twere hard with me if I should doubt my kinne, Or be suspicious of my deerest freends: Cousin, a.s.sure you I am resolute, Whatever any whisper in mine eares, Not to suspect disloyaltye in thee, And so sweet Cuz farwell.

Exit King [and Epernoune].

GUISE. So, Now sues the King for favour to the Guise, And all his Minions stoup when I commaund: Why this tis to have an army in the fielde.

Now by the holy sacrament I sweare, As ancient Romanes over their Captive Lords, So will I triumph over this wanton King, And he shall follow my proud Chariots wheeles.

Now doe I but begin to look about, And all my former time was spent in vaine: Holde Sworde, For in thee is the Guises hope.

Enter one of the Murtherers.

Villaine, why cost thou look so gastly? speake.

3. O pardon me my Lord of Guise.

GUISE. Pardon thee, why what hast thou done?

3. O my Lord, I am one of them that is set to murder you.

GUISE. To murder me, villaine?

3. I my Lord, the rest have taine their standings in the next roome, therefore good my Lord goe not foorth.

GUISE. Yet Caesar shall goe forth.

Let mean consaits, and baser men feare death, Tut they are pesants, I am Duke of Guise: And princes with their lookes ingender feare.

2 MURD. Stand close, he is comming, I know him by his voice.

GUISE. As pale as ashes, nay then tis time to look about.

ALL. Downe with him, downe with him.

They stabbe him.

GUISE. Oh I have my death wound, give me leave to speak.

2. Then pray to G.o.d, and aske forgivenes of the King.

GUISE. Trouble me not, I neare offended him, Nor will I aske forgivenes of the King.

Oh that I have not power to stay my life, Nor immortalitie to be reveng'd: To dye by Pesantes, what a greefe is this?

Ah s.e.xtus, be reveng'd upon the King, Philip and Parma, I am slaine for you: Pope excommunicate, Philip depose, The wicked branch of curst Valois's line.

Vive la messe, perish Hugonets, Thus Caesar did goe foorth, and thus he dies.

He dyes.

Enter Captaine of the Guarde.

CAPTAINE. What, have you done?

Then stay a while and Ile goe call the King,

[Enter King and Epernoune attended.]

But see where he comes.

My Lord, see where the Guise is slaine.

KING. Oh this sweet sight is phisick to my soule, Goe fetch his sonne for to beholde his death:

[Exit attendant.]

Surchargde with guilt of thousand ma.s.sacres, Mounser of Loraine sinke away to h.e.l.l, In just remembrance of those bloudy broyles, To which thou didst alure me being alive: And heere in presence of you all I sweare, I nere was King of France untill this houre: This is the traitor that hath spent my golde, In making forraine warres and cruel broiles.

Did he not draw a sorte of English priestes From Doway to the Seminary at Remes, To hatch forth treason gainst their naturall Queene?

Did he not cause the King of Spaines huge fleete, To threaten England and to menace me?

Did he not injure Mounser thats deceast?

Hath he not made me in the Popes defence, To spend the treasure that should strength my land, In civill broiles between Navarre and me?

Tush, to be short, he meant to make me Munke, Or else to murder me, and so be King.

Let Christian princes that shall heare of this, (As all the world shall know our Guise is dead) Rest satisfed with this that heer I sweare, Nere was there King of France so yoakt as I.

EPERNOUNE. My Lord heer is his sonne.

Enter the Guises sonne.

KING. Boy, look where your father lyes.

YONG GUISE. My father slaine, who hath done this deed?

KING. Sirra twas I that slew him, and will slay Thee too, and thou prove such a traitor.

YONG GUISE. Art thou King, and hast done this bloudy deed?

Ile be revengde.

He offereth to throwe his dagger.

KING. Away to prison with him, Ile clippe his winges Or ere he pa.s.se my handes, away with him.

Exit Boy.

But what availeth that this traitors dead, When Duke Dumaine his brother is alive, And that young Cardinall that is growne so proud?

Goe to the Governour of Orleance, And will him in my name to kill the Duke.

[Exit Captaine of the Guarde.]

Get you away and strangle the Cardinall.