Villain Mal. 'T is confess'd Grill. Then in the Name of all thy Brother Devils What wou'dst thou have with me Mal. I know you 're honest Therefore it is my business to disturb you Grill. Fore God I 'le beat thee if thou urge me farther Mal. Why tho' you shou'd yet if you hear me after The pleasure I shall take in your vexation Will heal my Bruises Grill. Wert thou definite Rogue I'faith I think that I should give thee hearing But such a boundless Villany as thine Admits no Patience Mal. Your Niece is come to Court And yields her Honour to our Henry's Bed Grill. Thou ly'st damn'd Villain Strikes him Mal. So why this I look'd for But yet I swear by Hell and my Revenge 'T is true as you have wrong'd me Grill. Wrong'd thee Villain And name Revenge O wer't thou Grillon's Match And worthy of my Sword I swear by this One had been past an Oath but thou' rt a Worm And if I tread thee dar'st not turn again Mal. 'T is false I dare like you but cannot act There is no force in this Enervate Arm. Blasted I was e're born Curse on my Stars Got by some dotard in his pithless Years And sent a wither'd Saplin to the world Yet I've Brain and there is my Revenge Therefore I say agen these Eyes have seen Thy Blood at Court bright as a Summers Morn When all the Heaven is streak'd with dappl'd Fires And fleck'd with Blushes like a rifl'd Maid Nay by the Gleamy Fires that melted from her Fast Sighs and Smiles swoln Lips and heaving Breasts My Soul presages Henry has enjoy'd her Grill. Again thou ly'st and I will crumble thee Thou bottl'd Spider into thy Primitive Earth Unless thou swear thy very Thought 's a Lye Mal. I stand in Adamant and thus defie thee Nay draw and with the edge betwixt my Lips Even while thou rak'st it through my Teeth I 'le swear All I have said is true as thou art honest Or I a Villain Grill. Damn'd infamous Wretch So much below my scorn I dare not kill thee And yet so much my hate that I must fear thee For should it be as thou hast said ' not all The Trophies of my Lawrell'd Honesty Shou'd bar me from forsaking this bad World And never draw my Sword for Henry more Mal. Ha 't is well and now I am Reveng'd I was in hopes thou would'st have utter ' Treason And forfeited thy Head to pay me fully Grill. Hast thou Compacted for a Lease of Years With Hell that thus thou ventur'st to provoke me Mal. Perhaps I have How right the Blockhead hits Yet more to rack thy Heart and break thy Brain Thy Niece has been before the Guise's Mistress Grill. Hell-hound avant Mal. Forgive my honest meaning Exit Grill. 'T is hatch'd beneath a Plot upon mine honour And thus he lays his Baits to Catch my Soul Ha! but the Presence Opens who comes here By Heaven my Niece led by Alphonso Corso Ha Malicorn is' t possible Truth from thee T is plain and I in Justifying Woman Have done the Devil wrong Alph. Madam the King Please you to sit will instantly attend you Grill. Death Hell and Furies ha she comes to seek him O Prostitute and on her prodigal Flesh She has lavish'd all the Diamonds of the Guise To set her off and sell her to the King Mar. O Heavens did ever Virgin yet attempt An Enterprise like mine I that resolv'd Never to leave those dear delightful Shades But act the little part that Nature gave me On the Green Carpets of some guiltless Grove And having finish'd it forsake the World Unless sometimes my Heart might entertain Some small remembrance of the taking Guise But that far far from any dark'ning Thought To Cloud my Honour or Eclipse my Virtue Grill. Thou ly'st and if thou hadst not glane'd aside And spy'd me coming I had had it all Mar. By Heav'n by all that 's good╌ Grill. Thou hast lost thy Honour Give me thy Hand this Hand by which I caught thee From the bold Ruffian in the Massacre That would have stain'd thy almost Insant Honour With Lust and Blood dost thou remember it Mar. I do and bless the Godlike Arm that sav'd me Grill. 'T is false thou hast forgot my generous Action And now thou laugh'st to think how thou hast cheated For all his kindness this old grisl'd Fool. Mar. Forbid it Heaven Grill. But oh that thou hadst dy'd Ten thousand Deaths e're blasted Grillon's Glory Grillon that sav'd thee from a barbarous World Where thou hadst starv'd or sold thy self for Bread Took thee into his Bosom foster'd thee As his own Soul and lap'd thee in his Heart-strings And now sor all my Cares to serve me thus O 't is too much ye Powers double Confusion On all my Wars and oh out shame upon thee It wrings the Tears from Grillon's Iron Heart And melts me to a Babe Mar. Sir Father hear me I come to Court to save the Life of Guise Grill. And prostitute thy Honour to the King Mar. I have look'd perhaps too nicely for my Sex Into the dark Affairs of fatal State And to advance this dangerous Inquisition I listn'd to the Love of daring Guise Grill. By Arms by Honesty I swear thou lov'st him Mar. By Heav'n that gave those Arms success I swear I do not as you think but take it all I 've heard the Guise not with an Angels temper Something beyond the tenderness of pity And yet not Love Now by the Powers that fram'd me this is all Nor should the World have wrought this close Confession But to rebate your jealousie of Honour Grill. I know not what to say nor what to think There 's Heaven still in thy Voice but that 's a Sign Virtue 's departing for thy better Angel Still makes the Womans Tongue his rising Ground Wags there a while and takes his slight for ever Mar. You must not go Grill. Tho' I have Reason plain As day to judge thee false I think thee true By Heaven methinks I see a Glory round thee There 's something says thou wilt not lose thy Honour Death and the Devil that 's my own Honesty My foolish open Nature that would have All like my self but off I 'le hence and Curse thee Mar. O stay Grill. I wo'n not Mar. Hark the King 's a coming Let me conjure you for your own Souls quiet And for the everlasting rest of mine Stir not till you have heard my Hearts design Grill. Angel or Devil I will╌nay at this rate She 'll make me shortly bring him to her Bed Bawd for him No he shall make me run my Head Into a Cannon when 't is Firing first That 's honourable sport but I 'll retire And if she plays me false here 's that shall mend her Marmoutiere Sits Song and Dance Enter the King King After the breathing of a Love-sick Heart Upon your Hand once more nay twice forgive me Mar. I discompose you Sir
King Thou dost by Heaven But with such Charming pleasure I love and tremble as at Angels view Mar. Love me my Lord King Who shou'd be lov'd but you So lov'd that even my Crown and self are vile While you are by try me upon despair My Kingdom at the stake Ambition starv'd Revenge forgot and all great Appetites That whet uncommon Spirits to aspire So once a day I may have leave╌ Nay Madam then you fear me Mar. Fear you Sir what is there dreadful in you You 've all the Graces that can Crown Mankind Yet wear 'em so as if you did not know 'em So stainless fearless free in all your actions As if Heaven lent you to the World to Pattern King Madam I find you 're no Petitioner My People would not treat me in this sort Tho' 't were to gain a part of their Design But to the Guise they deal their faithless Praise As fast as you your flattery to me Tho' for what end I cannot guess except You come like them to mock at my Misfortunes Mar. Forgive you Heaven that thought no mighty Monarch The Love of all the Good and wonder of the Great I swear by Heaven my Heart adores and loves you King O Madam rise Mar. Nay were you Sir unthron'd By this Seditious Rout that dare despise you Blast all my days ye Powers torment my Nights Nay let the Misery invade my Sex That cou'd not for the Royal Cause like me Throw all their Luxury before your Feet And follow you like Pilgrims through the World Grill. Sound Wind and Limb fore God a gallant Girl Aside King What shall I answer to thee O thou Balm To heal a broken yet a Kingly Heart For so I swear I will be to my Last Come to my Arms and be thy Harry's Angel Shine through my Cares and make my Crown sit easie Mar. O never Sir King What said you Marmoutiere Why dost thou turn thy Beauties into Frowns Mar. You know Sir 't is impossible no more King No more╌and with that stern resolv'd behaviour By Heaven were I a dying and the Priest Shou'd urge my last Confession I 'd cry out Oh Marmoutiere and yet thou say'st no more Mar. 'T is well Sir I have lost my aim farewell King Come back O stay my Life flows after you Mar. No Sir I find I am a trouble to you You will not hear my Suit King You Cannot go You shannot╌O your suit I kneel to grant it I beg you take whatever you demand Mar. Then Sir thus low or prostrate if you please Let me intreat for Guise King Ha Madam what For Guise for Guise that stubborn arrogant Rebel That laughs at proffer'd Mercy slights his Pardon Mocks Royal Grace and plots upon my Life Ha! and do you protect him then the World Is sworn to Henry's Death does Beauty too And Innocence it self conspire against me Then let me tamely yield my Glories up Which once I vow'd with my drawn Sword to wear To my last drop of Blood Come Guise come Cardinal All you lov'd Traytors come╌I strip to meet you Sheath all your Daggers in Curst Henry's Heart Mar. This I expected but when you have heard How far I would intreat your Majesty Perhaps you 'll be more Calm King See I 'm hush'd Speak then how far Madam wou'd you Command Mar. Not to proceed to last Extremities Before the Wound is desperate think alone For no Man Judges like your Majesty Take your own Methods all the heads of France Cannot so well advise you as your self Therefore resume my Lord your Godlike temper Yet do not bear more than a Monarch should Believe it Sir the more your Majesty Draws back your Arm the more of Fate it Carries King Thou Genius of my State thou perfect Model Of Heaven it self and abstract of the Angels Forgive the late disturbance of my Soul I 'm clear by Nature as a Rockless Stream But they dig through the Gravel of my Heart Therefore let me conjure you do not go 'T is said the Guise will come in fpight of me Suppose it possible and stay to advise me Mar. I will but on your Royal word no more King I will be easie To my last gasp as your own Virgin Thoughts And never dare to breathe my Passion more Yet you 'll allow me now and then to Sigh As we discourse and Court you with my Eyes Enter Alphonso Why do you wave your Hand And warn me hence So looks the poor Condemn'd When Justice beck'ns there 's no hope of Pardon Sternly like you the Judge his Victim eyes And thus like me the Wretch despairing dies Exit with Alph. Enter Grillon Grill. O Rare rare Creature by the Power that made me Wer 't possible we cou'd be damn'd again By some new Eve such Virtue might relieve us O I cou'd clasp thee but that my Arms are rough Till all thy Sweets were broke with my Embraces And kiss thy Beauties to a dissolution Mar. Ah Father Uncle Brother all the Kin The precious Blood that 's left me in the World Believe dear Sir what-e're my actions seem I will not lose my Virtue for a Throne Grill. Why I will Carve thee out a Throne my self I 'le hew down all the Common-wealths in Christendom And seat thee on their Necks as high as Heaven Enter Abbot Delbene Abb. Colonel your Ear. Mar. By these whispering Councils My Soul presages that the Guise is coming If he dares come were I a Man a King I 'd sacrifice him in the City's sight O Heavens what was 't I said Were I a Man I know not that but as I am a Virgin If I wou'd offer thee too lovely Guise It shou'd be kneeling to the Throne for Mercy Ha! then thou lov'st that thou art thus concern'd Down rising mischief down or I will kill thee Even in thy Cause and strangle new born pity Yet if he were not married ha what then His Charms prevail no let the Rebel dye I faint beneath this strong oppression here Reason and Love rend my divided Soul Heav'n be the Judg and still let Virtue Conquer Love to his Tune my jarring Heart wou'd bring But Reason over-winds and Cracks the String Exit Abb. The King dispatches Order upon Order With positive Command to stop his coming Yet there is notice given to the City Besides Belleure brought but a half account How that the Guise reply'd he would obey His Majesty in all yet if he might Have leave to justify himself before him He doubted not his Cause Grill. The Ax the Ax Rebellion's pamper'd to a Plurisie And it must bleed Shout within Abbot Hark what a shout was there I 'le to the King it may be 't is reported On purpose thus Let there be Truth or Lies In this mad Fame I 'le bring you instant word Exit Abbot Manet Grillon Enter Guise Cardinal Mayen Malicorn Attendants c. Shouts again Grill. Death and thou Devil Malicorn is that Thy Master Guise Yes Grillon 't is
know your purpose Guise I change 't is true because I love you still Love you O Heav'n ev'n in my own despight I tell you all even at that very Moment I know you straight betray me to the King Mar. O Guise I never did but Sir I come To tell you I must never see you more Guise The King 's at Blois and you have reason for 't Therefore what am I to expect from pity From yours I mean when you behold me slain Mar. First answer me and then I 'le speak my heart Have you O Guise since your last Solemn Oaths Stood firm to what you swore Be plain my Lord Or run it o're awhile because agen I tell you I must never see you more Guise Never She 's set on by the King to sift me Why by that Never then all I have sworn Is true as that the King designs to end me Mar. Keep your Obedience by the Saints you live Guise Then mark 't is judg'd by heads grown white in Council This very day he means to cut me off Mar. ╌By Heaven then you 'r for sworn you 've broke your Vows Guise ╌By you the Justice of the Earth I have not Mar. ╌By you Dissembler of the world you have I know the King Guise ╌ I do believe you Madam Mar. ╌ I have try'd you both Guise ╌Not me the King you mean Mar. ╌Do these o'reboyling Answers suit the Guise But go to Council Sir there shew your truth If you are innocent you 're safe but O If I shou'd chance to see you stretcht along Your Love O Guise and your Ambition gone That venerable Aspect pale with death I must conclude you merited your end Guise ╌You must you will and smile upon my Murder Mar. Therefore if you are conscious of a Breach Confess it to me Lead me to the King He has promis'd me to conquer his Revenge And place you next him therefore if you 're right Make me not fear it by Asseverations But speak your heart and O resolve me truly Guise ╌Madam I ha' thought and trust you with my Soul You saw but now my parting with my Brother The Prelate too of Lyons 't was debated Warmly against me that I should go on Mar. ╌Did I not tell you Sir Guise ╌True but in spight Of those Imperial Arguments they urg'd I was not to be work'd from second thought There we broke off And mark me if I live You are the Saint that makes a Convert of me Mar. Go then O Heaven VVhy must I still suspect you VVhy heaves my Heart And why o'reflow my Eyes Yet if you live O Guise there there 's the Cause I never shall converse nor see you more Guise O say not so for Once again I 'le see you VVere you this very Night to lodge with Angels Yet say not Never for I hope by Virtue To merit Heaven and wed you late in Glory Mar. This Night my Lord I 'm a Recluse for ever Guise Ha! Stay till Morning Tapers are too dim Stay till the Sun rises to salute you Stay till I lead you to that dismal Den Of Virgins buried quick and stay for Ever Mar. Alas Your Suit is vain for I have vow'd it Nor was there any other way to clear Th' imputed stains of my suspected Honour Guise Hear me a word one Sigh one Tear at parting And one last Look for O my earthly Saint I see your Face pale as the Cherubins At Adam's Fall Mar. O Heaven I now confess My heart bleeds for thee Guise Guise Why Madam why Mar. Because by this Disorder And that sad Fate that bodes upon your Brow I do believe you love me more than Glory Guise Without an Oath I do therefore have Mercy And think not Death cou'd make me tremble thus Be pitiful to those Infirmities Which thus Unman me stay till the Council's o're If you are pleas'd to grant an hour or two To my last Pray'r I 'le thank you as my Saint If you refuse me Madam I 'le not murmur Mar. Alas my Guise O Heav'n what did I say But take it take it if it be too kind Honour may pard'n it since it is my last Guise O let me crawl Vile as I am and kiss She gives him her Hand Your Sacred Robe Is' t possible Your Hand O that it were my last expiring Moment For I shall never taste the like again Mar. Farewell my Proselyte your better Genius Watch your Ambition Guise I have none but you Must I ne're see you more Mar. I have sworn you must not Thought thus roots me here melts my Resolves Weeps And makes me loyter when the Angels call me Guise O ye Celestial Dewes O Paradise O Heav'n O Joys Ne're to be tasted more Mar. Nay take a little more cold Marmoutier The temperate devoted Marmoutier Is gone a last Embrace I must bequeath you Guise And O let me return it with another Mar. Farewell for ever Ah Guise tho now we part In the bright Orbs prepar'd us by our Fates Our Souls shall meet╌Farewell╌and Io's sing above Where no Ambition nor State Crime the happier spirits prove But all are blest and all enjoy an everlasting Love Exit Mar. Guise solus Guise Glory where art thou Fame Revenge Ambition Where are you fled there 's Ice upon my Nerves My Salt my Mettal and my Spirits gone Pall'd as a Slave that 's Bed-rid with an Ague I wish my flesh were off What now Thou bleed'st Three and no more What then And why what then But just three drops And why not just three drops As well as four or five or five and twenty Enter a Page Page My Lord your Brother and the Archbishop wait you Guise I come down Devil ha Must I stumble too Away ye Dreams What if it thunder'd Now Or if a Raven cross'd me in my way Or now it comes because last Night I dreamt The Council-Hall was hung with Crimson round And all the Cieling plaister'd o're with black No more blue Fires and ye dull rowling Lakes Fathomless Caves ye Dungeons of old Night Fantoms be gone if I must dye I 'le fall True Polititian and defie you all SCENE II. The Court before the Council-Hall Grillon Larchant Soldiers plac'd People crowding Grill. Are your Guards doubl'd Captain Larch Sir They are Grill. When the Guise comes remember your Petition Make way there for his Eminence Give back Your Eminence comes late Enter two Cardinals Counsellors the Cardinal of Guise Archbishop of Lyons last the Guise Guise Well Colonel Are we Friends Grill. Faith I think not Guise Give me your Hand Grill. No for that gives a Heart Guise Yet we shall clasp in Heaven Grill. By Heaven we shall not Unless it be with Gripes Guise True Grillon still Larch My Lord. Guise Ha Captain you are well attended If I mistake not Sir your Number 's doubl'd Larch All these have serv'd against the Hereticks And therefore beg your Grace you would remember Their VVounds and lost Arrears Guise It
in and spoil your Mirth Mal. I wo'n not Serv. Sir I dare not tell him so Knock again more fiercely My hair stands up in bristles when I see him The Dogs run into Corners the Spade Bitch Bayes at his back and howls Mal. Bid him enter and go off thy self Exit Serv. Scene closes upon the Company Enter Melanax an Hour-glass in his hand almost empty How dar'st thou interrupt my softer hours By Heaven I 'le ramm thee in some knotted Oak Where thou shalt sigh and groan to whistling winds Upon the lonely Plain Or I 'le confine thee deep in the Red Sea grov'ling on the Sands Ten thousand Billows rowling o're thy head Mel. Hoh hoh hoh Mal. Laugh'st thou malicious Fiend I le ope my Book of bloody Characters Shall rumple up thy tender airy Limbs Like Parchment on a flame Mel. Thou canst not do 't Behold this Hour-glass Mal. Well and what of that Mel. See'st thou these ebbing Sands They run for thee and when their Race is run Thy Lungs the Bellows of thy mortal breath Shall sink for ever down and heave no more Mal. What resty Fiend Nine Years thou hast to serve Mel. Not full Nine Minutes Mal. Thou ly'st look on thy Bond and view the date Mel. Then wilt thou stand to that without Appeal Mal. I will so help me Heav'n Mel. So take thee Hell Gives him the Bond. There Fool behold who lyes the Devil or thou Mal. Ha! One and twenty Years are shrunk to twelve Do my Eyes dazle Mel. No they see too true They dazl'd once I cast a Mist before 'em So what was figur'd Twelve to thy dull sight Appear'd full Twenty one Mal. There 's Equity in Heaven for this a Cheat. Mel. Fool thou hast quitted thy Appeal to Heaven To stand to this Mal. Then I am lost for ever Mel. Thou art Mal. O why was I not warn'd before Mel. Yes to repent then thou hadst cheated me Mal. Add but a day but half a day an hour For sixty Minutes I 'le forgive nine Years Mel. No not a Moments thought beyond my time Dispatch 't is much below me to attend For one poor single Fare Mal. So pitiless But yet I may command thee and I will I love the Guise even with my latest breath Beyond my Soul and my lost hopes of Heav'n I charge thee by my short-liv'd power disclose What Fate attends my Master Mel. If he goes To Council when he next is call'd he dyes Mal. Who waits Enter Servant Go give my Lord my last adieu Say I shall never see his Eyes agen But if he goes when next he 's call'd to Council Bid him believe my latest breath he dyes The Sands run yet O do not shake the Glass I shall be thine too soon cou'd I repent Heaven 's not confin'd to Moments Mercy Mercy Exit Serv. Devil shakes the Glass Mel. I see thy Prayers disperst into the winds And Heaven has pust 'em by I was an Angel once of foremost Rank Stood next the shining Throne and wink'd but half So almost gaz'd I glory in the Face That I could bear it and star'd farther in 'T was but a Moments pride and yet I fell For ever fell but Man base Earth-born Man Sins past a Sum and might be pardon'd more And yet 't is just for we were perfect Light And saw our Crimes Man in his Body's mire Half soul Half clod sinks blindfold into sin Betray'd by Frauds without and Lusts within Mal. Then I have hope Mel. Not so I preach'd on purpose To make thee lose this Moment of thy Prayer Thy Sand creeps low Despair Despair Despair Mal. Where am I now Upon the brink of Life The Culph before me Devils to push me on And Heaven behind me closing all its doors A thousand Years for ev'ry Hour I 've past O cou'd I scape so cheap But Ever Ever Still to begin an endless round of Woes To be renew'd for Pains and last for Hell Yet can Pains last when Bodies cannot last Can earthy Substance endless Flames endure Or when one Body wears and flits away Do Souls thrust forth another Crust of Clay To fence and guard their tender forms from fire╌ I feel my heart-strings rend I 'm here I 'm gone Thus Men too careless of their future State Dispute know nothing and believe too late A flash of Lightning they sink together Duke of Guise Cardinal Aumale Card. A dreadful Message from a dying Man A Prophesie indeed For Souls just quitting Earth peep into Heaven Make swift Acquaintance with their Kindred forms And Partners of Immortal Secrets grow Aum. 'T is good to lean on the securer side When Life depends the mighty Stake is such Fools fear too little and they dare too much Enter Archbishop Guise You have prevail'd I will not go to Council I have provok'd my Soveraign past a Pardon It but remains to doubt if he dare kill me Then if he dares but to be just I dye 'T is too much odds against me I 'le depart And finish Greatness at some sater time Archb. By Heaven 't is Harry's plot to fright you hence That Coward-like you might for sake your Friends Guise The Devil foretold it dying Malicorne Archb. Yes some Court-Devil no doubt If you depart consider good my Lord You are the Master spring that move our Fabrick Which once remov'd our Motion is no more Without your Presence which buoys up our hearts The League will sink beneath a Royal Name Th' inevitable Yoke prepar'd for Kings Will soon be shaken off Things done repeal'd And Things undone past future Means to do Card. I know not I begin to taste his Reasons Archb. Nay were the danger certain of your stay An Act so mean would lose you all your Friends And leave you single to the Tyrant's Rage Then better 't is to hazard Life alone Than Life and Friends and Reputation too Guise Since more I am confirm'd I 'le stand the shock Where e're he dares to call I dare to go My Friends are many faithful and united He will not venture on so rash a deed And now I wonder I should fear that Force Which I have us'd to Conquer and Contemn Enter Marmoutier Archb. Your Tempter comes perhaps to turn the Scale And warn you not to go Guise O fear her not Exeunt Archbishop and Cardinal I will be there What can she mean Repent Or is it cast betwixt the King and her To sound me Come what will it warms my heart With secret joy which these my ominous Statesmen Left dead within me ha she turns away Mar. Do you not wonder at this Visit Sir Guise No Madam I at last have gain'd the Point Of mightiest Minds to wonder now at nothing Mar. ╌Believe me Guise 't were gallantly resolv'd If you cou'd carry 't on the inside too Why came that Sigh uncall'd For Love of me Partly perhaps but more for thirst of Glory Which now agen dilates it self in Smiles As if you scorn'd that I should